Great War truck

Oh yes of course. I had forgotten about that. All the really interesting stuff will have to be scrapped.

Sherman ARV's! Nice.

I dont normally comment on Jeeps but this one is quite interesting. Number 111627 would have been bult in January 1942 so the fire extinguisher would be on the passenger side (until Feb 42). The strengthening bracket also changed in Feb 42 and although this one is hard to make out it appears to be pre this date. A lot of the parts appear to be of later war time origin, but as you say there is nothing to say that is wrong, just not original to the Jeep. Same as the fuel can bracket, just a later modification. However, the bolts on the back of the spring hangars are curious. There should be rivets there, but maybe they worked lose, broke etc and were replaced with bolts. We have done that before with our trucks but it is worth a question to the owner. What appears to be rad water is also all over the engine side of the scuttle as well as the back axle and inside all the wheels. Is it possible that this is just red dust? What are split back seats and how much is "slat grill money". it does appear to be quite a well sorted Jeep, but you never know what might go wrong with it. I think if you are happy with what you can see then go for it, but if there is any element of doubt then you should let it go. I bought my Jeep based on 5 photos and i knew nothing about them at the time. i could have been taken for a ride, but luckily i got a real gem. Tim

It has been quiet for a while, but Tony got stuck in to the "Dennis" today and picked up the Headlamp Brackets again. All parts now cut out - but the main "stem" is only in embryo form - this has to be machined at the top to take the big "U" and then machined and filed all over to final rounded shape before the assembly is welded together. We have no original drawings for the Lamp Brackets or precise dimensions as to their exact location and with this, we are very much working from photographs. So the bits have been set up with clamps - to see if they look right. The front wings have yet to be fitted and we must ensure that they will be clear of the lamps - or the lamps will be clear of them!

What a corker! And what is the other chassis?

Cripes! That is some impressive beam.

Hi Neil I am only a few miles away from you. Come around to my place and you can sit in my Jeep and i will tell you all about it. Circumstances allowing i will even take you for a spin. I will show you books, photos and tell you anything you need to know. After that, if you want to get a war time Jeep or a Hotchkiss, i will leave that up to you. It is not for sale by the way, so dont even ask. Tim

Hi Neil I am the Area secretary of the North Oxon and Cotswolds MVT and we have one of your collegues from Brize who is a member. We have a meeting this Thursday at Hook Norton brewery visitor centre. You are welcome to come along. I am sure we will be able to give you some pointers as to getting a Jeep. Tim

I just read this morning that Fred Crismon had died last year from a heart attack. Here is his obituary: http://memorialwebsites.legacy.com/fwcrismon/Subpage.aspx?mod=2 I am quite suprised that more news was not made of his passing as he was an incredibly well known figure in military truck history. We corresponded with him on several occasions and always found him to be incredibly helpful and knowledgable. In my last letter from him he expressed that he was very interested in our WW1 truck restorations and especially our Peerless's. A very sad loss.

Yes, the origins of the daleks! Must have looked very strange to see someone operating the hand generator at the same time. "Jenkins, what are you doing, get your hands away from .... oh i see".

Yes, the dirty hands does become an issue, especially as later on i usually start looking at books in the marquees. There was a second Luc Court chassis/engine/gearbox that comes with the Bealieu chassis. I hope not seen it yet but hope to go and have a look sometime soon. Tim

Mines in a box too. I also have a bag of Monster munch.

I have one just the same.

I dont know anything about Luc Court, but looking on the French Wiki and translating it into English gives us: Short Luc, born on August 23, 1862 with Rives (Isere), died in 1942, is an industrial contractor and an inventor. Engineer of l' Central school of Lyon - promotion 1883 - it starts its career in the paper mill then founds in Lyon, in 1892, a company of electric machines. In 1898, it starts of the preliminary studies in automotive engineering and deposits several patents, in particular for the automobile transmissions and the shiftings of speed. In 1899, it markets its first car equipped d' an engine of 8 CV to 2 cylinders and d' a strange gear box with 5 reports/ratios, models which then created sensation by the rationality of its design. With the beginning of the year 1900, the mark Luc-Short s' successfully install on the emerging market of the French vehicles, strong d' a reputation of everlasting cars which comes to reinforce with the successes to the automobile competitions of the moment which are used as technological windows. In 1904, Luc Court invents a dismountable frame allowing to quickly replace the frame and the body d' a vehicle while preserving the same power unit placed at l' front. The mark, partisane in particular of the elastic wheels, realizes in 1907 a car of 12 CV which traverses successfully 12.000 km while being assembled on elastic wheels Jaboulay. In 1916, the models Luc-Short s' exhibit at the first Fair of Lyon while military lorries of the mark are engaged in the 1st world war. At the end of the First World War, Luc-Short develops a vehicle equipped d' a 4 cylinder motor, d' a power of 20 CV and d' a cubic capacity of 4.700 cm ³ which becomes - with the version 14 CV - the model manufactured of the mark. On December 13, 1921, it deposits its 24e patent relative to a “carburettor”, last official document known protecting its many automobile inventions spread out over 25 years d' innovation. In 1936 is produced, on order, the last private car of the mark - one 14 CV - while jusqu' continues; with the beginning of the year 1950 an production activity of trucks and d' engine gasoline bus and diesel. During the second world war, radically refusing to collaborate in the industrial production bound for the German armies, Luc Court leaves his factory to l' abandonment and dies in 1942 with l' 80 years age. As inventor, it leaves then with l' car a technological heritage d' exception: step back, the detachable frame, the box at five speeds, the valves d' admission and d' exhaust superimposed and l' improvement of the diesel engine.

Here are a couple of photos of them.

Where are you? I am sure we can help.

At Beaulieu today was quite a complete (by my standards anyway) Luc Court H4 truck. The owner had a bit of information on it and said that it was an ex French Army WW1 truck. As the price was reasonable a friend has purchased it and is loading it up even as we speak. I have found some pictures of it which i will post in a moment. Does anybody know anything about Luc Court. I understand that they were better known for making large cars, but during WW1, 100 of them were converted to 1,500Kg truck of which this is one. Tim

I have been looking for a Month and just found them. Only then, because i was looking for a spare folder and thought "whats in that one". The chap with the bowler hat is a picture. I am sure he took it all in his stride - anything else "just wouldnt be British". Not lorry busses but here are a couple of fun ones. Takes it all in his stride. I wonder what the H&S would make of it.

Those are interesting. Top one has chains to both sets of wheels. Looks like a motorised railway wagon. Must have been interesting to ride on. Not sure what the bottom one is at the moment. It appears to be a lorry chassis mounted in a wagon. A fine piece of bodging. Looks to be German.

More info on Fairmile here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairmile_Marine

Here is a picture of the Fairmile: it now does boat trips.

The mural (which starts off in Florida, runs through North Africa, Sicily, Italy and the UK) was not finished as they all went to Normandy and did not return to Greenway. When Agatha returned to her house they were in the process of returning it to "as found " condition. Agatha asked that the painting be left as it was as her own war memorial to the men who were stationed there. The house was left empty for many years and the whole property deterioated. The NT have just spent many £Millions on restoring it. Very hard to get to by road, much easier and pleasant by boat from Dartmouth. The jetty was enlarged and improved by the US Navy. The last time i went by boat down there was about 35 years ago. I still remember seeing many MTB's in the water and one beeched being broken up. There is still one there.

You are good. And why was Murial not painted out?

Ok. Who was staying there in WW2 and why was the mural never finished? And then, explain why was the mural not over painted when the house was given back to Agatha Christie.

Well done there (smarty pants). Was it in the cryptic clues, or did you just know? Who were the guests who stayed then? On the same day that i was there i managed to match up this war time photo. Something i have been wanting to do for years, but never managed to get the right angle.