Great War truck

Opening balance £6,692.63 Roberts £40.00 NOC MVT £259.70 = £6,992.33 Darn. £7.67 short. Jack, look under the cushions in the club house sofa. We must be able to find that in lose change. Tim (too)

Nearly there then. At the NOCS MVT meeting last night we had a book sale, raffle and auction and as a result raised a further £209.70 + with the £50 we raised the previous Month i am about to send you a cheque for £259.70. Someone do the Maths. Are we there yet? Tim (too)

here are three companies that did the poly solids: The firm we used was :- Jobel Engineering Ltd., Hewas Water, St Austell Speak to Nigel Pinnick Phone 01726 883555 mail@tyward17.fsnet.co.uk Reliant Rubber Engineers Ltd., Grange Works, Batley, South Yorks WF17 6LN Phone 01924 420 098 The British Rubber Co., The Old Station, Station Road, Baildon, West Yorks BD17 6SE Phone 01274 585 427 britishrub@aol.com I have not looked for a website, but you should be able to get one from the name alone. By the time you ship them across to the USA i think that you might be better off buying rubber ones over there, unless of course you can find a similar company doing poly tyres out there. Tim (too)

Amazing stuff. I have seen some of the film that Richard Bass has which was taken on the Burrows during the war. I wonder if there is much cross over. Hang on, i will ask him. Tim (too)

Yes you are all quite right. The lorry was still in use up until the 1970's, therfore the engine must have been adjusted to take leaded petrol into consideration. Now we have lost leaded it needs readjusting again (or a supply of leaded petrol). Going back to the manual, it states (and please excuse me if i have given too much information, but it makes interesting reading): Diagnosing troubles of automobile engines. To manage successfully an internal combustion engine, especially one that works under a variety of conditions, often very severe, as the automobile engine – it is first of all necessary for the operator to make good use of his reasoning facilities. The symptoms of derangement, when taken singly, are often such as may be caused by any one of several possible defects. In nearly every case the defect, whatever it may be, will produce several symptoms, a careful study of which will lead to the elimination of causes that do not tally with all the symptoms as for instance causes affecting all cylinders when only one or two are misbehaving, or vica versa. When the user has reached this point, generally a short further investigation of the points at which trouble of that particular sort is most likely to occur will lead him to the discovery of the true cause. The cause of loss of power, due to such faults as a lose battery connection, a sticking inlet valve, or a bit of dirt in the carburettor, will at once be recognised in its true character by the experienced operator. The only way to attain final proficiency in these things is by extended experience of the particular engine in hand; but on the other hand there is no excuse for the aimless groping of many inexperienced users, who will often send needlessly for a tow, or will pull an engine to pieces in their search for some simple fault that might be located by intelligent diagnosis. (You heard it here first – I am “an aimless inexperienced groper”). Reasons for failure of engine to develop full power. A failure of the engine to develop its full power should not be confused with frictional resistance in the transmission system or dragging brakes. The chief reasons for this trouble in the engine itself are: 1). Back pressure on account of choked muffler. Opening the muffler cut out or relief valve will at once indicate whether or not this is a cause of the trouble. 2). Lubrication insufficient, especially in the cylinder 3). Overheating. 4). Compression leaks at the valves, around the piston, or through a porous cylinder wall or a loose cylinder plug. 5). Particles of carbon or other dirt under a valve. 6). Valves not properly timed. 7). Mixture too rich or too lean. 8). Ignition spark weak on account of weak battery. 9). Water entering cylinder from water jacket. 10). Timer slipped on shaft causing late spark. As it works fine with leaded but not unleaded we can narrow it down to just items 6 or 7. As we have tried the adjusting the mixture the problem looks to be a timing issue. Any thoughts or other good ideas? Tim (too)

As you may know the changeover from leaded to unleaded has been bad for the FWD. It starts ok, and runs fine for a little while, but then becomes utterly gutless and sounds like a milk churn full of spanners rolling down a flight of stairs. However, a change back to leaded solves the problem instantly. So we have tried: mixing unleaded with paraffin Fitting an external fuel pipe in case the petrol was getting too hot Changing the jet on the carb. None of this has worked. The next suggestion is to adjust the timing. Now as the thing runs fine with leaded, is it feasible that the timing would need to be changed for unleaded? Chapter 8 ("Troubles and remedies") of the manual for the Motor Supply Train (pub 1918) would suggest that this is a good remedy for the symptoms we are suffering. What are the thoughts of this most knowledgable band of brothers? Tim (too)

No offence taken. The veteran (my Father in law) has given me lots of other patches which are genuine US Army ones and also bits of his uniform. This is the first time that he has given me a German patch which suprised me a little. He was a bit uncertain as to where he got it from but thought that it was given to him by an army buddy just after the war. Anyway, thanks for clarrifying that. Tim (too)

This is what is should look like (although this is the LWB version). Pretty truck as in fact most Albions are. Do take as long as you need and as they say, do it because you enjoy it. If you dont enjoy it do something else and then come back to it. Tim (too)

Together at last (well this bit anyway). Tim (too)

Sold for just $3,000. A lot of truck for not much money. Tim (too)

The Daimler should be doing the AA run in a few weeks time. I will get back to you on some more later. Tim (too)

I was given this patch from a US Army veteran. He tells me that it was given to him by a army friend just after the war. I know little about these thigns apart from it being German and probably the patch that goes on the jacket. Can anybody tell me anything else about it, as my knowledge is sadly lacking. Thanks Tim (too)

A friend is having a Packard engine restored and is having the same problem. I will reccommend the same method. Here is how his engine looks:

Sorry John, i dont have any suggestions for tyres. We managed to get hold of NOS ones for the Peerless and we had Polyurethene ones made for the Dennis. Quite cheap but we have no idea if they will be any good at all. There was a US manufacturer of new solids a couple of years back but they were very expensive. Tim (too)

Are the other two restorable, or might one be used for spares. Just idle curioisty you understand. Tim (too)

All looking very good (and familiar). I guess an advantage of the electrolysis system is that it will get the rust off everywhere including the bits that sandblasting cant reach. Is your FWD missing any crucial parts? Tim (too)

In Australia

A friend of mine works in the building trade. When work drys up he buys old MV's (usually for not much money), does them up and sells them on to keep his head afloat. The recession will affect us all in different ways. Although my current job is quite secure, my savings have been wiped out. Now if i had used that money (like i suggested to my wife) to buy a half track and an ambulance it would at least have been safe. I dont think it would necesserily leap up in value in the short term, but in a few years time it would be worth a bit more than i paid for it. Lots of people bought classic cars as an investment in the 80's and they mostly got their fingers burned. I dont think there are many people deliberately buying MV's as an investment (although there are the odd exception of course). Some undoubtedly do go up in value but there are so many Jeeps (for example) around they will never leap up in such a way to attract the serious investor. In my opinion. Tim (too)

Interesting stuff. I am aware of five surviving Lancias. Three in Ireland, two over here, although one of those is just a rolling chassis. One of the ones in Ireland is complete with the armour and nets etc, but as it is a bit of a controversial vehicle it is kept hidden away to prevent it getting torched. A shame. The running one in the UK is an ex RIC one but was civilianised in the 1920's. Tim (too)

Serious???? Is it in Ireland? Tim (too)

I hadn't noticed that Rob. I guess that the new equipment would have gone to the front line. This is the Daimler that was at Beamish. I think that it was at the old Sparshott (?) collection before it came here. I dont know mucg about CB's. What year were they discontinued. Tim (too)

That is a fantastic story. Just goes to show much luck plays a part in restoration. Is the engine that you intend to use the rusty one that came back from France or do you have a second engine? Here is a picture of Richards old Quad. The history of this one is that it was used at the Le mans race race track for moving barriers etc where it was eventually abandoned in the undergrowth. it came to the UK and was restored by the remarkably able Richard Peskett. here is how it looked last time i saw it. it has recently changed hands. Tim (too)

Although this is a postwar version, the AC bulldog was used by the British and Americans during the war. Someone mentioned they were restoring one. Is this any good for spares, or is it in fact too good to use for spares? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320341042666&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem= Tim (too)

Yes i saw that. I think that it was demilled by putting a pick axe through the tank. I saw some similar ones at beltring about 8 years ago which had all had the same treatment. Still wouldnt fancy carrying a full one though. Tim (too)

The body was one heck of a lucky find. I can think of several people who are looking for one (but all in the USA). We met a chap once at Beltring who was looking through some French barns and just found one sitting up on blocks. Makes you wonder how many more are tucked away there (and what else there is). If i am right you're Quad was one of two that was sold at Warnham back in the 80's. The other one is a runner and had a replica body on it, although the owner has a metal body like yours to go on it. I think that there are four Quads in the UK (and lots more in the USA). I will see if i can post some pictures. Tim (too)