Johnny

My first thought was that it could be hovercraft related, but I've just zoomed out on the Google map photo and there are some strange crop marks in the field behind.... http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?client=firefox-a&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=50.843224,-1.002736&spn=0.000769,0.002747&t=h&z=19 Could they be related? They're round so could they be remenants of storage tanks?

Is it the viewing gallery from the mobile brothel (Mystery Object 109)?!? :shake:

Here is a picture of the PV1 variant from a French Website. http://www.rover-club-fr.org/pages/Alvis-Straussler/Stalwart.htm It appears to have a raised load bed, side entry doors and the windscreen looks to be higher that the equivelant Salamander, but I can't tell if it would/could have been a swimmer or not. Could the PV1 have been a test bed for dry land testing with the suggested loads? The swimming option might always have been a consideration but just not implimented until they had proved that the base vehicle could do the required job on land.

Unusually (for this country), much of the old Douglas factory is still existant. The old company sports ground has been built over in recent years but almost all of the original factory buildings are still there. Also, it is still owned by the same line of companies. Douglas evolved over the years (building and assembling Douglas Vespas in their later years), and eventually became part of Westinghouse Brake and Signals in the early eighties, who then became Westinghouse Brakes before being sold to Knorr-Bremse. KB still own and operate the site. I've been round a couple of times and there are still many original features to be seen. There has been talk for many years that the site will be sold for homes, but there is a campaign to save it. The office block on Hanham Road is listed, but the rest of the site is not.

If it's just the screws that are the problem, you could use modern Jubilee clips and just replace the hex screws with round slot heads. I would have thought they'd be a standard size thread.

More about her on the BMPT website. http://www.bmpt.org.uk/boat%20histories/Motor%20Gun%20Boats/MGB-81/index.htm] Built from December 1941 to June 1942 and entered service on 11th July 1942. She would originally have had 3 x Packard built Merlin engines each making 1250hp! :nut:

Are there places that could make a one off gasket? Gasket material of most types and thicknesses is available in surprisingly large sheets, and I'm sure it could be copper faced after being cut. If you had the remains of the old gasket as a template then you should be able to get one made. Are there places that can do this, or have I just found the gap in the market with which to make my fortune?!? Good luck with this fantastic project, it sound's like the donor engine will have to come apart anyway when you get it moving, so it might be wise to take the heads off anyway just in case there is anything solid in the bores stopping it from moving.

Have you tried the hot oil trick? Heat oil to very hot then pour some into each of the bores and leave for a few minutes. The heat expands everything a bit which should help to break the seal/rust and also helps the oil to penetrate. I've heard of some very stubborn engines being shifted this way! Probably easier and more effective if the heads are removed. It was demonstrated nicely on Salvage Squad on TV a few years back when they managed to get a siezed Gypsy Moth engine moving.

I like that a lot. I'm intrigued by the knobbly front tyre and chalked on number though. Surely it hasn't been raced?

Somehow they managed to recover this one (door code B "Rock N Roll") and it survives to this day. One of the batch was lost though in another crevass incident. http://www.gwim2.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/743statu.htm

"..... in excellent condition, but with some staining on the drivers seat."

I did an offical tour of Monkton Farleigh when it was a museum in the early eighties. An awe inspiring place, absoloutely huge. There have always been rumours that all of the old stone quarries / ammo dumps / bunkers in the area were linked by rail, but before, during and after the museum at MF was open, they have had problems with intruders. It has been very well explored over the years, and there are photos on many websites, but I've never heard of anyone finding anything that could have been a (main line) rail link down there. There were narrow gauge tracks everywhere, but I don't think the SSR could have been. Most of the site is now owned by Wansdyke security who use it for secure storage so I don't think "visits" are possible any more. :-(

".....98, 99, 100. Coming ready or not!"

According to the Yahoo translation it's "High-speed motorboat 27 feet".

"It's still not working, try the kickstarter again Dolly."

Ah, a snow blower. That's why I won't have seen one on the road! Looks quite impressive with the twin wheels.

What's the wagon on the left in the first pic? Twin front wheels?

Don't know, but the place to ask would be on the British Military Powerbost Trust forum. http://www.bmpt.org.uk/forum/index.htm Just done a quick search and it doesn't bring up anything for 1242, but someone on there might know. Do you know anything more about 1242 (type, manufacturer, etc)? Can't remember the numbering system for the ASR boats, I know the 100 series HSLs used the 3 digit codes, but I'm not familiar with the 4 digit codes.

You'd hope so, but it brings to mind the Grand Slam outside RAF Scampton! :sweat:

Nice! A late fifties ACMA Vespa 150 with cannon.

Facinating project, nice work so far. The best people to speak to for the missing bits would be the Vintage Motor Scooter Club http://www.vmsc.co.uk/ They should be able to point you in the right direction, Welbikes and Brockhouse Corgis would be right up their street! Good luck.

Hi, I'm John from Bristol. I've been interested in military vehicles for years but have never owned one..... yet! My background and mechanical experience is in old Vespa and Lambretta scooters, so I'm used to getting my hands dirty! My dream vehicle would be a Scammell Pioneer, but as I currently live in a terraced house in Bristol with only a small garage, this isn't likely to happen soon. :cry: