Phil P

Just spotted this posting. Diesel and parrafin 50:50 shifts most things that are stuck from standing. Even 1400x20 tyres that have been on 20 years give in to it. When you have got it free DON'T fire it up or attempt to. Drain the oil and diesel/parrafin mix out of the sump. Pour some fresh oil in to the sump and prime the oil filter. The advantage of pouring in fresh oil is it gets on the cam lobes. It is possible to destroy them if they are dry. Crank the engine over on the starter for no more than 30 seconds without the plugs in and then wait a couple of minutes before you do it again. Starter motors need a little love to!! Make sure you have got oil pressure a spark and fuel. Stick the plugs in and go for it. Don't be suprised if the exhaust starts to blow. All the acid etc mixed with condensation ain't good for steel. Water leaks are common when vehicles have stood for a while. We have just got a 1946 Guy Vixant running. The Meadows petrol engine last ran in 1959. It fired up after 20 minutes of careful preperation and ran perfectly. Even the dynamo charged. Best of luck. Phil P

Yipee I've got 6 wheels and tyres on the Hippo. Thank's Sirhc I got them from Hamptons. Nice folks. It's just the hernia on a hernia on a..... Chucking wheels around that weigh 350lbs at my age. Anyway they are sorted. By the way they laid flat in the back of my WC51 with an inch to spare. 70 mile round trip on Saturday into North Staffs MVT Area. Did the old Hippo tyres come off the rims easily after 25 years? Did they ........!! Thanks everybody. Phil P

May I offer my best wishes to the organisers of Military Mayhem 2008. As many folks may know the Birmingham & West Midlands Area MVT were going to have a show using this title in 2007. Sadly the BWMA show had to be cancelled and perhaps what really happened should be told and this may help others who fancy running a show. In March 2007 a member of the BWMA asked if the area could have it's own show as 'several' members wanted one and a group would be formed. The area's committee said yes and it would give background support and raise funds but other area commitments meant that they could not be 100% involved the group formed would run it and report back monthly. This was agreed. The name Military Mahem was chosen by the group though not fully agreed by the committee. Entry forms where produced along with fliers. I attended an MVT Council of Management meeting and obtained after much discussion and two attempts a loan of £2500-00. The 'group' organising the event had found a site near Stoneliegh. At a meeting with the land owner the basis of the show was discussed. I met the land owner and discovered a none refundable deposit of £500 had been agreed. As time moved on the areas committee was discovering that the group new little of what was happening and no meetings taken place. It was in fact a one man organisation. The areas committee asked questions as to how the show was progressing and was told "There's loads of interest, there are that many tanks coming and reenactors, I don't where they will all go." The committee asked how many again and again and could they have a list. Nothing appeared. Several e mails were sent. Nothing. In early July no satisfactory answers could be obtained. It finally came to a head when it was discovered that the 'Organiser' had gone to Beltring and could not be contacted. A meeting of the areas committee was hurredly conviened and what should we do. This meeting lasted until 1-00am and a statement produced that the show would be cancelled if the 'Organiser' did not give a satisfactory answer. A receipt was produced for him to sign to acknowledge receipt of the written statement. The BWMA treasurer took the written statement to Beltring and handed it to the person in question along with the receipt. The 'Organiser' screwed them up and stuffed them in his pocket with the comment "I don't read letters I'm on holiday!" I received a phone call from the treasurer and the show 'Military Mahem 2007' was cancelled with immediate effect. The £2500 was returned untouched to the MVT and the none refundable deposit paid plus all other outstanding costs. The area was left with £2-38 in the bank!!! Our customery Christmas 'Do' was cancelled due to lack of funding. Thanks to an amazing effort by all the areas members and it's treasurer we have some money back in the bank. The person in question has not been back to any club meetings though apparently the areas committee are a bunch of............!! We have given him the opportunity to meet the areas committee to explain what went wrong. One things for sure we won't let ourselves be taken down that road again. How many vehicles were booked in? 24. I know, I wrote to them and apologised. It may be water under the bridge but to be put in that kind of a financial crisis is not funny and isn't easily forgotten. Phil Palmer Chairman Birmingham & West Midlands Area MVT. Sorry for going on but it had to be told. I would have put it in writing at the time but I didn't know this Forum existed. Some may wish I hadn't found it. Again best wishes to the guy's and gal's running Military Mahem 2008. I hope you have a succesful and profitable show.

I clicked on this and now wonder if I should admit to anything. Ah go for it! Railway modelling, strictly 4mm scale and LMS/War Department 1942/45 period. Listening to Big Band jazz and ZZ Top. Hoping one day I can sit still long enough to write a book or possibly a 'sitcom'. Ultimate aim is to own a '69 Dodge Charger R/T and a Dodge Viper er and a Dodge Challenger and a Plymouth Superbee and a Dodge........ Just normal interests really. Phil P.

I forgot to say my daughters partner prefers the Hippo to the Dodge he says it commands respect. What a shame the Ford Focus driver who tried to dive up the inside of the Hippo as we turned left off a traffic island didn't realise that. Oops mucho crumple!! First time I knew he was there was when I was pushing him broadside down the road. He got quite upset. So did I, it put a scratch on my front bumper. Phil.

Hi Tony. I didn't think I could mention Dodge on this Forum. The Grey 'un is going fine. 800 miles since mid April. Almost destroyed the ozone. Just another 100 miles should do the trick! Over the winter the rebuilt and warmed over T214 will go in. Lightened and balanced and a gentle bit of porting. NO 4-71 'Jimmy huffer' like on some other forum to make it go and no chipping. Jus' good ol' fashion toonin' like it used ta be. Thanks to this forum I have sourced some 1400x20 tyres just 35 miles from home so on Saturday morning it's a trip in the 'Grey 'un' to buy rubber. I have cleaned up and painted one rim and just got to split another and take the tyre off. I hope the next one comes apart as easily as the first one and not have to use the JCB back hoe and jack leg like one of the rears needed. Ooh that was fun. Not. Thank you to everybody who posted. I was starting think I would never find any. Phil

Yes Stoneliegh is on and is being organised by Peter Slater. I have asked him to let folks know possibly through Milweb Events. He will no doubt be at the next meeting of the Birmingham West Midlands Area MVT on the first Tuesday in August. I tried several times to find out if Stoneliegh was on and was promised a call back. What a good job I didn't hold my breath waiting!! In 2005 I had a telephone conversation with a Helen Arnold who was the original shows assasin when she tried to rearrange everything. In the 'conversation' she described the MVT as "...very childish and small minded..... and a bunch of 'happy campers' who had no interest in the public!" After this tirade and constantly shouting me down she finished with, "This conversation is going nowhere." and put the phone down! I only wish I knew where this 'Gob on a stick' was now so that I could kick her future prospects into touch. BIG time. Traders will probably already have found somewhere else to go that doesn't charge the prices that the old Stoneliegh show did. When Roy Elvis organised the military section over 700 'Greens' were there. 2005 it was 62 vehicles. I don't know if anybody from the B.W.M.A MVT are going as we don't know officially it's on. Bob James's event is on at Badsey the same weekend and a nice relaxed do. I can't can't go to either as my wife is in hospital. Do I have a bitter taste over past events at Stoneliegh? Hmmm..does it show? Phil P.

Well what can I say, not often stuck for words and this is no exception! Me write in Windscreen? could it be the same Phil P with a Hippo with power steering and a Cummins hidden up front? Hmmm. I digress. Cheers Degsy for that and Tony B and infact everybody who has acted so quickly. I will ring/e mail the contacts and get the 'Big 'un' sorted out. Thank you. See told you I am never stuck for words. I could make War and Peace (the book not Wrecks Cadmans bit of a do) look like a pamphlet!! Phil.

Just joined this forum so I am not too sure what to do, but one thing I do know I am looking for a pair of 1400x20 bar treads. Same pattern as fitted to Stolly's for my 1944 Leyland Hippo MK II. I bought 4 a couple of years ago for the rears now I need 2 for the front. I have rung/e mailed the dealers I can think of and Withams suggested I join this forum. So anybody got a good pair. I have had my Hippo 25 years and clocked up 40,000 miles so it ain't no 'hanger queen'. Phil P