Great War truck

That is another brilliant idea. I presume it is the "Tsar" that you are talking about. As far as i know there is just the one photo of it, so there are not many people who could say that we made some mistakes on it. Tim (too)

That is a brilliant idea. I dont know why i didnt think of it before. No engine, no steering, no body work. All we need is to make two traction engine type wheels, a metal drum joining them together and some rockets for motive power. Then we need to borrow an insane dog to chase it and we can launch it at Beltring. Brilliant. Tim 9too)

All very relevant points. However i do have a very thick and comprehensive manual on the US built version of the FT17 which is always useful. I am not sure how much there is in the way of surviving plans and drawings of some of these early tanks. I know when they recreated A7V they studied the sole survivor in minute detail, so i guess having an original is always helpful. I would agree with the earlier point that if i had the money i would use it to restore an original survivor as oppsed to build a replica, which then takes me back to the original idea of this thread of what vehicle that either no longer exists or is beyond returning to running condition would be a favourite to recreate? Some excellent ideas so far, but has anybody got any other good ones? I suppose that you could say the Hathi was a recreation and a most worthwhile one as well, so i am not just restricting the aims up to 1918. Can anybody suggest anything later? Tim (too) Tim (too)

Well, that seems to be the feasability study out of the way. I dont think we should let small things like a lack of funding, equipment, team and a plan get in the way of a good idea, so we should make a start. The question is what should we so first. I quite like the Hornsby, but as it was not actually used by the military, only tested, maybe that one falls outside the scope of our scheme. Any more suggestions anybody? I note that there are no Foster Daimler gun tractors surviving, how do you feel about doing one of those first? Tim (too)

Nothing. He just unwrapped the tent and the cat fell out.

Brilliant. not seen that before. Tim (too)

I thought the article on the Polish Chevrolet ambulances was very interesting. Does anybody know anymore about these? Did they go to France, or were they left in the UK? Tim (too)

Fascinating photo. You wonder how the deck cargo would cope in a severe storm. Looks to be all chained down, but i can imagine some trucks getting washed over the side. Tim (too)

That explains a lot, especially why you wont get me back on a horse again. When Hannibal took his elephants over the Alps into Italy to fight Rome, the Elephant driver was provided with an emergency stop. It was a wooden spike and a mallet. As the driver sat behind the elephants head you can see how it would work. As Elephants were in short supply, the driver was only allowed to use it if the elephant became spooked and started charging towards Carthiginian troops. A useful piece of trivia for you. Tim (too)

Not easily from the side, but i think he was saying "Aaarghh, we are all going to die". Tim (too)

You are right. There is nothing really that technically advanced in WW1 tank construction. It is all just big and very heavy. They were built over 90 years ago (in many instances by firms that also made traction engines) so a lot of the complicated problems that you have with new MV's today just wont exist. Firms build replica boilers for traction engines and steam loco's, so the technology for that cant be too far removed from tank construction. Anyway, the Germans built that replica A7V tank in the 1980's, so it has already been done. Admittedly that cost many £Millions, but then again so did Peppercorn. Tim (too)

Yes, thats right, it is in the USA. Their website is at: http://www.ordmusfound.org/ They have (had) the most incredible collection of tanks, guns and armour. However, until very recently it was all just left outside. They are now building sheds to put it all into, but funding is a major concern (not just in the UK then). What was scandalous is that a lot of interesting stuff was all scrapped. What also caused a lot of concern is that some rare items (such as the Tiger 1) went overseas on long term loan (100 years for the Tiger) on the promise that it would be restored when it was returned. That Tiger is now being restored by Wheatcroft (so i understand). Anyway, there is lots more unique stuff rotting away. An International disgrace. Tim (too)

Cripes. What a shocker. My eyes will be permenantly damaged.

Quite right. I quite fancy a big Hornsby like this one, only full size: Only one was made and it now (partially) resides on a golf course in Canada after having been tested and rejected by the WD. I understand that a group were talking of making a replica, but have heard nothing of it for a while. Tim (too)

Interesting that. I wonder how the brakes worked in an emergency stop? Would you feel the urge to pull back on the reigns as hard as you could, thereby breaking them off? Tim (too)

A bit further along, Father says: Just the thread to be put in the first one and the groove for the Pinch Bolt. Really not quite sure how to do that and get it in the right place! I have started on the second one as well - they will both have to be slightly bored out to 3/4" at the end for threading and I shall probably do them both at the same time - rather than finish off the first one now! The series of 4 holes are at different distances from one another - and I thought first of all that some one was told to slap four holes in the shaft and they were put in "anywhere". But I did check on the other gearbox and found that they were at the same distances apart as well - so that is where they have gone on the replacement! However, Steve had further thoughts: The four holes are to stop it being hydraulically locked when you try to change gear. They give a way in and out for the oil as the tube moves over the shaft which acts like a piston. As far as getting the pinch bolt slot at the right angle is concerned, I suggest that you clamp a bolt/piece of bar in the old slot and then angle the change rod until the bolt is vertical. If you can hold it in the machine vice, to do this, you can use your protractor to measure the angle of the end casting to the table. Then it is just a case of setting the new one in the vice twisted until the casting is at the same angle to match the protractor. You will get within a degree which will be quite good enough. As for me, well i will be pleased when it is finished, it is under the floor and i dont keep banging my shins on it.

Sorry. Some more dismantling to do yet. Just to let you know that we have not been resting (well Father has not thats for sure), this is what has been happening in his own words. Decided to dismantle the push-rods from Gearbox 1 and leave those from Gearbox 2 as that is the actual Gearbox works that we are going to use. Just thought that I would preserve those for the time being. Nothing is ever straight forward and I assumed that the end casting must have been a push fit into the tube. But I find that both tube and casting are threaded and the 3/16" cross pin was put in afterwards to lock it. Obvious, I suppose, really! Anyhow, some heat got the bits apart after I had knocked the pin out - but I find that the thread is peculiar - I cannot identify it. It is 16TPI and the outside diameter of the mail thread is about .808". Obviously I can match the thread in the tube by screw-cutting it - but it is an odd-ball. And with the casting screwed to the tube, then that stops my idea of locating the casting last of all on the shaft so that the groove for the pinch-bolt on the Fork can be put in as a "best guess" before hand. I guess it must have said on the original drawing where that groove should be located.

I have been rather busy recently and not able to look at the forum as much as i would like. However, a recent item on the news got me thinking. It took 18 years, £3 Million of donations to complete the replica A1 Peppercorn loco "Tornado" which is currently being tested for main line excursions. Bearing in mind the whole idea was conceived in a pub and funded by £1.25 a week donations from a lot of people, could we do the same thing with an MV? Assuming that the HMVF club house is the pub, and the members will make £1.25 a week donations (along with everyone else that we can drag in to it), what vehicle should we build from scratch in the soon to be built HMVF workshop (Jack told me he will build it just behind the club house). Obviously a Jeep would be easiest as the parts are all available and we could build it in an afternoon, but i was thinking something a bit more unique. Something where there is either no surviving examples, or the only example is too fragile too move (big hint there as to what i have been thinking of). It would have to be a perfect running replica, exact to the drawings in every way, so we would probably have to make the engine as well. It can be done, so what should we build first? Tim (too)

Wonderful job. Well done.

This is an original. It comes from a veterans family who are cleaning out. Thanks for the warning though. Tim (too)

I dont know much about these things, but i have been offered a WW2 British para dennison smock. It is the early pattern (being just yellow and green) and is extra large (a size 8?). What sort of value should these things have? Many thanks Tim (too)

My favourite is Cobbaton in Devon. Probably one of the last small privately owned MV museums in the UK. Much like Warnham and Lamanva were before they closed. History on Wheels is very good too. Tim (too)

The fist one is a Marmon Herrington snogo (i think). Very rare outside the USA, actually quite rare within the USA. So Jack, where were they taken. Tim (too)

Other PM sent Tim (too)

PM sent Tim (too)