Great War truck

Readers may remember from page 63 that Steve made up the actuating arms for the governor using our favourite silver soldering process. These were fitted where it became obvious that he had his sums wrong and had made them too tall! He had forgotten to take account of the bosses on each side of the yoke being 5/16” below centre line so the camshaft could not be fitted. He took them home and adjusted them by cutting them down and making new bosses. He kept the bosses as parts of the same bar so that they would remain in line during the soldering process after which he cut the bar and dressed them off.

great clip of film. It was good to see Hayes Otoupalik again. I heard that he had been unwell.

After the 5/8” steel tube was brazed in, the handle was set up in the milling machine again so that round hole in the top could be opened up to 1” square to take the shaft with the dog. Some final adjustment with a file ensured that the square was a good snug fit. This section just needs the slit cut in it now, through the 5/8” tube to the top point of the square hole to finish that job. Steve has a good slitting saw so that will be finished off in Leicester. The actual part of the handle which is grasped is a brass tube with a steel core – the brass tube revolves on the steel core. The steel core is a good push fit into the vertical part of the handle, with its end then riveted over. Similarly, the outer end of the brass tube is supported by a 1” long steel disc through which the end of the steel core protrudes by just an 1/8” which is also then riveted over to ensure that it remains tight. In these pictures, the whole assembly has not yet been pushed hard home as it really needs the press to do this smoothly and comfortably and that, too is in Leicester!

One thing that we do not have but will need sooner or later is a Starting Handle! Fortunately, this picture of the original handle on the Carlton Colville “Thorny” and an “exploded” picture in the Parts Book really provides all the information that we need to make one. We started with a suitable length of black mild steel for the main body of the handle with two small 3/16” thick steel discs which will be silver soldered to each side of the bottom of the handle with a larger round part to be welded to the top of the handle to give the correct profile and ultimate strength. After these parts were joined, the body was set up in the milling machine so that it could be machined to the correct profile. Across the top of the handle is a tightening adjustment – a 5/8” slot was machined across the top to take a 5/8” steel tube through which goes a 5/16” bolt. This ultimately will need to be slit across its circumference and into the hole in the top of the handle so that when the nut is tightened on the bolt, it will draw the two sides together. This slit to be cut later after the the hole in the top of the handle is enlarged to 1” square to accommodate the shaft with the dog which engages with the engine.

Here are some pictures of the other clutch – the last picture in this sequence shows the equivalent area to the cracked part in the original one after a quick wire brushing. There does not appear to be any cracking there – so perhaps we are saved from a further lot of trouble! It will have to be properly cleaned to make sure that it is sound.

The MV catalogue is now available for viewing. Lots of interesting things. I think my bid would go on the Austin k2 ambulance, or maybe the 88 kit of parts if i was looking for a long term project. Some of the stuff is quite unusual. The coach built body on the Jeep is nice, but as it was a post war civilian modification why on earth did they paint it as an MV? Very odd. Anyway, lots of German tracks and parts which will keep the German MV restorer very happy (if he has a deep pocket of course).

The other bearing could now be seen, also a bit past it. These will need replacing of course. We have had a look in our ‘useful huge bearings’ box but to no avail. Does anyone, by any chance, have a spare (or even two) LT2 1/2” thrust ball race that they might be prepared to part with please? It is 2 1/2” bore by 1” thick. Father took all of the bits for sand blasting but this has shown up a crack between two of the bolts. Now here, we would like some advice please. The crack didn’t stop the vehicle running. However, now we know it is there. It only goes through the steel and the iron hub behind is sound. The steel is 3/16” thick and will probably weld without much bother. However, the risk is that it will distort with the heat and we will end up with a wobbly clutch. Would you weld it or leave it alone? Finally, Father has primed everything to keep the rust at bay.

This was removed, revealing one of the two thrust bearings which has seen better days. Then it was a case of waggling off the clutch spring centre, remembering that it was still hot!

The lining came off in one piece so Steve will take it somewhere to get a replacement cut the same shape. Next, we tried to remove the centre nut, 1 1/4” BSW. In spite of our best efforts with heat and assistance from our neighbour, we could not hang onto it tightly enough to free it. Then Steve had a brainwave and tied it to one of the shed door pillars, wrapping the rope around it like a windlass so that it got a grip. That got it! once the nut was off, the end of the spline could be seen in the middle of the coupling spider. To get the spider off, it required jacking. Over twenty years ago, Steve had the same problem with the Thorny gearbox and to remove that coupling, he made up a plate. Amazingly, he remembered that he had made it and miraculously managed to find it! It even had a set of bolts in it so it was soon pressed into service, once again. Of course, the coupling would still not let go and we sheared off the centre bolt. A new bolt was found and with the generous application of heat, it eventually unstuck.

Thanks. That looks very interesting.

We have just had another weekend in Devon, ostensibly to celebrate parents Golden Wedding but really, another excuse to work on the lorry! We decided that it was time the clutch came apart so the first job was to remove the locking pin from the centre nut. This is a ring of spring steel with one end bent inwards at 90°. This end locates in a hole in the nut and another in the shaft and is an arrangement we have never seen before. Then, Father took the opportunity to remove the lining which unfortunately, is a bit ropy and not worth using again. It was secured with 5/16” Whit worth countersunk screws.

Gosh, loads of spare parts. I bet you will be selling all those off those soon. (only joking)

Nice job Ian. It looks great. How many Morris's does that give our area now then?

I have seen them at an escape/evasion display at either Hendon or IWM about 35 years ago. I was quite intrigued at the time.

Ahhh no!!! I looked and now i have burned the kids dinner. Oh well, they will never notice i am sure

yes it is unusual. Here is a photo of another one abandoned in 1914. the markings on it suggest that it is the Leyland "scrap" variant. Tim Would have been a lot easier to make rather than that curved scuttle.

A very good disguise.

Some great stuff there. Very interested to see the Rupert with an estimate of £6,000. a friend was given one of those a few years back. A French army ferret? Did they ever use them?

I think you are right Steve. It does look like a Commer.

Ah Keith, so it was you who outbid me then! Only joking. Interesting photo. Did you win the others in the set? It is ASC not RASC as it was not made Royal until 1918. The truck with the angular shaped bonnet is a Hallford, while the one to the right of it looks to be a Leyland. The one to the back left looks to be either a Maudslay or a Pagefield, but could be something else. RA registration is from Derby from 1924. CK455 is from Preston 1905 and CH455 is also Derby but date unkown. 373 Co was the 11th auxiliary MT Company formed 23 June 1915, disbanded 30 June 1920. Operating at Colchester, Bedford and Hitchin.

Oohhh. I feel like i have been hugged! (in a good sort of non namby-pamby but macho way). Now lets go shoot something and then have a beer. Got to say, well done moderators, Joris and Jack for keeping this my favourite place on the internet.

Sshhhh! Dont mention the war!

An interesting creation. Not something that someone has just Barford up!

I started this thread a few years ago. I was thinking about several recent posts and noticed an upturn in agression or sarcasm. In addition within the MVT i had observed some similar behaviour with some members. At shows i have been on the receiving end of some naked agression (and not in a good way) from ill mannered people. I was wondering in the light of all this does HMVF still qualify as being "The friendly forum"? If not, what has changed? Has the hobby become a little bit less friendly. Discuss! And if anybody really disagrees with this then i will see you outside in the club car park in 5 minutes for a game of fisticuffs.

Then it was home for a clean-up. The welds were machined off flush and the radii dressed with files and a flap wheel. Next step was to give the assembly a pressure test so the holes were sealed with steel plates and a bit of rubber and 10psi air was applied. Unfortunately, the joint proved a lot more porous than had been hoped with various pin-holes. This was not completely unexpected as the casting is very thin, old iron and does not weld well, even with the pure nickle rods Adrian had selected. Steve plans to machine the weld out in the worst position so Adrian can have another go and then try to suck Loctite into the remaining pin holes. We will let you know how we get on!