martinsaunders06

As said earlier the fuel costs / distance have killed it for me and many others and the other massive factor is the potential road chaos - If you have a long trip home the last place you want to be on Sunday is Folkestone ! , W&P in Allowing people to camp from the previous Saturday cause there own downfall - if people have been on site 4 days before the show starts then after a week they've seen and done it all by Friday show day, and at the end of the day if as a exhibitor you have to pay to enter your exhibit I think it sort of changes the normal show attendance rules making it more like a holiday and you've paid to be at rather than a show you are making happen and being part of .

For me the distance/location has killed it and taken out the fun , for a destination with such massive road infrastructure it's almost guaranteed to be a terrible journey unless u travel middle of the night . For the drops last year was near on £500 diesel alone and we parked on M25 for couple hours in jams so car and hotel this year for 2 nights and at half the cost - so much better (but still queued on M25 60 mins but with aircon this time). As a show it's amazing it does get away charging people to take their vehicles but saying that if it moved to the Syria people would still go .

Yep looks great Jim, I have a Farmall super MD which has the 4 cyl petrol start diesel tho a lot smaller capacity than yours . It came from Canada 20 years ago now and starts first time every time and is a proper old style long stroke lugging engine , only revving flat out to about 1350 rpm and when working hard you can at low revs almost hear each piston cycle so I'm guessing your 6 cyl really hangs on when going gets tough . When that engine design came about in the late thirties or so there were some very clever engineering thinking people about who thought of it - amazing and so important with the extreme low temperatures in North America/ Canada . The cylinder heads certainly on the 4 cyl engines are prone to cracking /warping tho especially if the engines are turned off too quickly when really hot so it is a good idea to let them idle a bit to cool down . And 2 x exhaust silencers that dead cool.

Fan clutch - very common as mine and 3 other trucks I know had fan probs . Easiest way to check is to drain truck of all air and grab hold of fan blades and try to rotate fan - with no air the fan should be locked solid and if it is you then start truck and build up air - initially fan will roar (fan clutch locked up) until approx 5bar ish and then as pressure rises it will release and free wheel . Fan clutch / engine temp is controlled via air shut off thermostat in top cooling pipe . I would guess your fan free wheels with no air in system and hence free wheels regardless of temp like mine used too until I repaired it .

I had contact with FJ today and they said each policy/persons circumstances / requirements is taken on its own merit and each policy has different criteria which needs to be met by the underwriters and just because it's a jeep for example it's not same circumstances across the board ? . They confirmed a vehicle being American is not a problem for me and having them stored at a remote farm location is fine as my insurance is based on that information I told them and it is stated on my paperwork as being the parking location . I've just renewed a Reo and a Daf drops fully comp , 4 named drivers , unlimited mileage and a excellent agreed value for £225 which I'm happy with tho as was said earlier proof of the pudding would only come when it's too late perhaps . i do wonder tho considering many of the insurance companies don't really seem to know what they are insuring how easy it would be for them to get out of paying up ?

? Again I have literally just renewed mine with Footman James last week ,included in it is my Reo which I have done with them for last 12 years and price was ok and about same as usual . The previous year I clarified with them that I kept my trucks at a farm 12 miles away from my home which they said was fine and they even have the farms address printed on paperwork / schedule ( saying parking location )along side my home address , it also like earlier post clearly says USA on paperwork so I'm also confused now about this ? i also will contact them and clarify so will interesting to see what they say considering its in black and white .

On pages 10 and 11 tho it shows 3 pics of 5ton trucks not 2 1/2 ton m35. ? , with written text under a 5ton truck named King Cobra saying its one of the modified m35s ?. So don't believe all that's printed in it . Martin

Well done ot-90 , mine came from Dave Crouch and after a few teething problems it's now a great truck , so easy to drive and it also feels nice to drive and nothing like a big truck, tho like you say suspension bit hard with no weight . Check your tyre pressures as mine were really hard when I got it . ? Is there any rot in the wings, how many Km s has it done on release papers and do you know with whom it served as I was lucky less than 50,000km and a RAF detachment . Is it mot'd and got a tacho fitted ?. .more pics please when it arrives martin

6mpg on average but then I don't carry anything heavy , maybe 7 down hill with wind behind . 40 mph is 2000-2100 rpm so road speed to rpm ain't great if you want to travel distance . Martin

Hi, I was advised to try white spirit when I used paint from Frank Burberry years ago which worked great and again recently with the paint from marcus glen I used white spirit . Worth a try perhaps as thinners loves to react and muck up the job if the surface isn't cleaned or prepared 100% or don't like the old paint . . White spirit was much more forgiving to the non professional painter and has given a excellent paint job . Like every has said its always best to experiment first . martin

A journey of just over 7 hours( 190miles) as the drops over heated on M25 due to cooling fan lock up clutch n/w which luckily we mended on site after driving last 2 hours watching temp gauge especially past clacket lane which seemed never ending . A relief to get there ok Monday evening to find water was off but this was sorted next morning ok. It does need GRASS tho as it was like camping on the moon ( possibly) with thistles ! , baron and very dusty . I was going to say it was Afghanistan ( a joke i know) without the bullets or IED s but that's not true after some type of explosion this morning just by where we were camped prior to leaving late Friday evening due not risking driving truck back in heat in case of problems . . Our friends who stayed on were evacuated from that area at 7am this morning and did say they were taken for breakfast tho courtesy of w&p until being allowed to return after 11am. Still after 390 miles @ 7mpg ish and £ 360 fuel money lighter I did take home free of charge 3 tons of drifted sandy type dusty soil in my trailer to pot some plants with - a bargain !. We are all mad . martin

Yep I bought one of these from a foreign guy in the trade at war and peace some years ago for £65 as new in a box all complete , he is there every year and always has at least one for sale . It's probably the best value bit of kit I've bought . It does my 1200/20 split rims easy . Martin

Thanks all for this help, the up changes didn't seem to bad compared to the down changes , when slowing down off the throttle etc say slowing to a almost stop to turn right for example the last 3 gears or so really jolted you in seat as they engaged and if combined with a gentle touch of the brakes it felt really abrupt and seemed to slam in. From what I've adjusted it was definitely the case that on ( not flat out) acceleration the kick down switch was being operated regardless due to its setting which I'm hoping along with that load sensor reading being wrongly set ? Was confusing the box somewhat - Is this possible to do ?? .. Does anyone have any thoughts as to if there is a basic reset or calibration possible for this type of box or do you think it could poss improve with driving if these switches / sensors were set up wrong . ? What make/ spec of auto oil do you recommend for this ZF box?. Thanks martin

Thanks that would be great , I did notice the kick down switch ( I'm guessing?) was adjusted up too much ( new cab) so much that the throttle pedal operated it at only half throttle when I'm thinking the kick down should work at nearly full throttle , also there is some sort of throttle position sensor on fuel pump linkage with a low and high mark which corresponds to pedal position . At idle the marker was inline with the low but no where near the high mark when operated to touch kick switch so I have adjusted kick down switch to what I think ? And now with a slight adjustment to sensor arm the the marker now is inline with high line and kick down only works at nearly full throttle . Not sure if this is near correct or will make any odds but looks more sense but can always move back if ness . ? Do you know what that throttle angle sensor does please . Not driven yet as sump leak and split front engine mounts to do first thanks martin

I've not long bought a daf drops and am just getting used to whats what etc . When the truck arrived I found that after a few days standing and only so from cold it would stand still/ not move in drive or reverse even with revs increased and this coincided with a lot of pump type gurgling/ priming noises . I found the auto box level to be low by some 10 litres or so . I renewed the auto oil and filter and this seems to of cured these problems . The truck now drives ok but the gears seem very aggressive and harsh in the way they change gear especially when it's changing down into the lower gears and seems to almost come in with a bang or jolt ( changing down 3rd to 2nd to 1st worst).? Is this the way they are and quite normal or is there something I can do to smooth or alter this like some form of basic calibration etc , early vw cars autos of similar age reqd a basic reset done which went something like stopping in drive, switching off still in drive and turn ign on again ???. Thanks martin

Thanks for that info , my drops has a specific stowage place , connector and power switch in cab for the boiling vessel and a fair length lead so I take it you can move the BV about . Thanks martin

? Did I see recently on ebay a set of the single pin jump leads sell for £120? Or was I thinking of something else or similar looking ?as I have a few sets ( probably 8 i think ) of these - some long , some short . .Also got some vehicle boiling/ cooking vessels with leads which I know were carried in daf drops as I have the power supply etc but what other vehicles did they use them in ? Martin

Hello, I've been using a 15/40 semi synthetic oil for the last 12 years in my m35 , used to be Detroit oil but last 2 changes its been Massey Ferguson tractor branded oil suitable for 1990s era turbo stuff . martin

Show moving site just comes down to go or don't go - nothing is compulsory. Rex and all the helpers did wonders last year with the show considering the weather as don't know of any other shows that would of carried on. With the show move it would a great opportunity to start a fresh to clamp down on the amount of civilian stuff parked in with the military displays -sort of scares public away from viewing vehicles as it looks like the caravan club not a welcoming display and also ideal chance to stop the rope off gangs from arriving early and dictating the show field . Martin

Yep definitely Thamesdown recycling , my friend still works and has worked there on trucks for years, Richard and Jeremy freeth and yep Marcus Glenn bought the kit- mb tanks, recovery tanks stalwarts, 432s,434s, loads of kit . I looked round all the stuff some years back and was very sad to some of rotting away . One centurion had foot water in hull due to open left hatches . I bought a m35 a2c from there prob 10 year ago ... Think he kept couple vehicles one being Volvo Sugga . The concrete dragons teeth you remember are still there and are ww2 in date martin

STD 250 cummins in your truck is fleetguard number FS1201. I have one one seat in truck ready to fit , fleetguard are cummins fit filters. Martin

we left 2.30 mon afternoon mainly because its approx 3 1/2 hour trip back thats without putting kit away in shed as you gotta allow abit of daylight time incase of a problem on trip back to sort it. other than excited guy on arrival about parking it is a relaxed show and the amount of vehicles saturday does speak for itself, jubilee weekend was always going to impact on any show. The old cummins spent £225 of my hard earned money on diesel for the round trip but was worth it if only to enjoy driving in the ruts worn into the A34 back to newbury by HGV"s.

Good show tho agree real shame lots people went Sunday. We arrived after 3 1/2 hour ,100mile drive and was parked up by a offficial on a quad bike only for another man (who kept saying- I'm a committee member) to turn up and say /accuse we had taken his rope down and we had to move for his friends from Cornwall which weren't there at 11am satday so after walking back to get the quad bike man we stayed put as directed by him - I thought only war peace show allowed roped off areas for missing friends. Took wrecker in arena sat/sun and after letting millions of landrovers in front of us we were then rushed in and out for the impending battle too start , next year a different entry and exit for arena please . Great music Sunday night

john, 20 litres should be plenty, ive run a m35 for 11 years on 15w/40 turbo diesel super farm/ truck oil with no problems at all.The reason you might require slightly less oil for the spin on kit is because the 2x scew on filters supplied(esp the black ones) usually are alot smaller capacity than the std cannisters as i think they were used on chevy v8 petrol engines. I fitted a screw on kit but had the threaded adaptors re-made to take large cummins/fleetguard filters with better flow rate. martin

brilliant thankyou. martin