paulbrook

So what could be better on a sunny day than getting the top down on your classic motor and feeling the wind in your hair (or in my case where my hair used to be)....................

Lots of options I suspect. The bellhousings and clutch plates are indeed standard SAE, but that is actually a range of standard sizes rather than a single one. Having put a Mack engine in a Mack I can say that it is not as easy as it should be but do-able all the same. It might even be worth considering a whole engine/gearbox swap (although I cannot remember the transfer box set up on a NM) I bet a Leyland 680 would go in though. As for HP about the same is best.

Indeed especially as they were designed to simplify things.............

I love the pic of the invisible man with the wheel and needle scaler.................

By heck who would have thought there was so much to worry about here! By way of observation it seems to me that a WD pamphlet is easily the most definitive guide to what should have gone on at any particular time as Wally say - what could possibly be more authoratitive than the direction in force at the time? And as very few of us are in a position through first hand experience to say otherwise then my instinct is that the written direction of the day trump any retrospective wishful thinking. A few caveats though. I have no doubt that the classification business was regularly updated as the war in particular went on and more particularly as vehicles were adapted and used in different ways. If one wanted to portray a vehicle from a particular period of the war then I guess the rules applicable at the time would be the way to go, but if the rules were more than 6 months out of date then I would take care. Of particular note from my early military years was having it drummed into me that the classification had additional considerations over and above laden weights such as axle spacing and configuration, even tyre type. This may account for the QL anomaly. Additionally I would be quite sure that the "rules" would be adapted for different operational theatres depending on circumstances where some sort of local order might have been in place. This would account for the differences between the same vehicle in different parts of the armed forces. Finally I am left with the uneasy realisation that things might vary photographically because of folks like me who spent 35 years or so using orders as just one option amongst many that might or might not be adopted depending on the circumstances of the moment. Not that I ever blatantly disobeyed them (ahem....) but I definitely bent them though. As for combination markings (truck plus trailer) that would depend on the particular units equipment table. If it had things on the table that towed other things then the combination marking would be the choice. If the ET was for a solo vehicle (even if it then towed a trailer for another reason) then the marking would be a solo one. To put it mildly this was not an exact science..... The bottom line is though, that if there is documentary evidence of what bridge classifications should have been in place at any particular time then that is about as good a reason as any to adopt that marking.

Could you scan and pdf them to me ? Address is rustytrucks@mail2world.com. Many thanks indeed!

Hi folks I got an email yesterday from a chap in the USA - and I quote his text here: "Sirs, I recently found your webpage while trying to find information on the Antar. I am building Accurate Armour’s Mk-2 with the fifth wheel and the instructions are lacking in showing where the brake system lines run, the air system in total really, in particular from the air tanks to the compressor. Looking at your site and the restoration you did (even though yours was a Mk-3), I am hoping you might be able to provide some assistance in how the air tanks and compressor (there are 2 units attached to the frame on the right side) are plumbed so that I can add just a little more detail – hopefully in the way of a diagram or picture. I am assuming both of these items on the frame are for the air brakes, but one might be for the fuel system. I just thought a picture might help, but I am at work right now. If you need one, I can provide it to you to help what I am asking for. Thank you in advance. Stan" No whilst I know my way around a Mk3 I am less familiar with the Mk2, so can anyone help? If so let me know and I will give you this chaps email address - or alternatively post something here and I will get him to join the forum! Many thanks

Come to think of it I have never seen one go off either - and we did hundreds and hundreds in service. Care, diligence and some more care. And a decent cage made of lots of heavy duty steel or a trailer with a tank on.... Interestingly of course when these tyres were in widespread use they were a driver job to change - so translate that to today and that means you and I not Kwik Fit (other YTS tyre changers are available).

I am sure there is a spec somewhere but all the ones I have used seem to be made of decent box section or angle set at about 12 -18 inches apart and the wheel goes in from the side not the front/back. The airlines have tended to be ones that you can leave attached and operate from the side rather than having to stand in front of the wheel. Years ago when tank transporting (where tyre bashing at the side of the road was common practice) the crews would slide the wheel under the trailer (which was relatively low anyway), connect the airline then stand well back and operate the airline from the inflator not the end of the airline attached to the wheel.

Good thread! You can't go wrong with a bit of bulldozer and related item chat. Talking of Allis Chalmers does anyone know anything about Allis Chamers Model M crawlers or dozers in War Ag or military service other that the stuff that Wally has already given me (they were procured in numbers for use in both - although the military ones had blades. I have a pair of Ms, once narrow track and one wider, and the latter has the fittings for the dozer. It is also green under the "normal" civvie Allis orange colour. The narrow is 1941, the wide is 1942. If anyone has info or pics of them in service I would be really interested. I dont expect that mine found their way anywhere other than latrine duties on Salisbury plain but it would be interesting find out There are some pics here: http://s484.photobucket.com/user/RustyTrucks/library/#/user/RustyTrucks/library/Allis%20Chalmers%20Model%20M%20Crawlers?sort=3&page=1&_suid=136895394024606701929699343454

Can't remember when we changed from DMS and puttees to Boots Combat High - but it was in the 80s, so either would be OK. Be warned though if you are not used to driving in footwear like either set up.

The answer to that was not a lot - they were kept tabs on for sure but I recall that if "stuff" happened to SOXMIS then poor old BRIXMIS copped a lot more on the other side. Besides we wanted them to see the legendary reliability of the L60 engine...........................:wow: On the vehicle front an interesting vehicle to get hold of would be one of the RMP "White Mice" - Granadas (I seem to recall) which were both fast and full (and I mean full) of fuel. Their job was to tail the SOXMIS vehicles as soon as they left their compound (at Bunde - they were co-located with 2 ADTR RCT and I think they even came to mess functions).

Its not great is it? I think that bad habits have increased in recent years although thankfully the vast majority of deals are nicely old-school. I tend to be at the seller end, and have had rather too many bad experiences I fear. These days it is dead easy to send money around and an exchange of emails are admissible evidence in the law if it ever came to that, so these days I often ask for a deposit then confirm back by email my undertaking to supply whatever it is that is changing hands, maybe even with a photo. Ebay (vehicles) is particularly problematic in my experience and I now say that I will not accept cash on collection as 3 times now I have had folks who bought something when the hammer came down come along and start viewing the vehicle as if they are considering buying it and one even had the cheek to make me a much lower offer than the hammer price. So sadly folks, with buyers like that is it any wonder that sellers take a first come (and pay) first served attitude? I think that like so many things open communication is the key to avoiding disappointment.

It is said that only two items are needed in any toolbox - duct tape and WD40 (other releasing fluids are available) If it moves and it shouldn't - duct tape If it doesn't move and it should - WD40 I think this is in the latter category. My advice would be get it off, get it on the bench, get is soaked (with whatever releasing fluid you prefer) and work it manually till it remembers what it should be doing when you give it some volts. Oh and sometimes if it's an electromagnet that engages the pinion the core can get rust on it which hinders movement, so worth applying rule 2 to that too.

Mmmmm The ideal stuff for corners and joins in rubber is good old superglue. Try and get a really good flat surface when you cut the 45 degree mitres and to do that a safety razor blade is ideal. OK so you will probably glue your fingers to the rubber at some point but the skin will tear before the rubber comes undone. But it is good stuff and forms a molecular bond which lasts well. The other question was "how long will it take?". Well at least double what you thought....That said neat rubbers are a joy to behold and scabby ones spoil anything so go for it and good luck.

Clean version: if it has wheels or a skirt you are going to have trouble with it............

Hi Mike From your post I think you already know the answer ............................... Just by way of encouragement though: it will be well worth the effort, and with luck there will be someone on a forum just like this in 60 more years time saying "it was last all sorted out in 2013 and I have not needed to touch it since" It might be worth doing in two bites though: the first time just to get you through the season (provided that your mileage is going to be relatively modest), then the full monty over winter?

Me too - and unless customers specify otherwise thats what goes into most of the stuff I do. As for detergent/non detergent I have my own ideas which i may have mentioned before, but I will spare you them this time around

mmmm how strange - I am spoiled for choice so I am surprised anyone has difficulty. The only tricky bit is getting the best price so it pays to shop around. A google seach for UNF bolts throws uploads of options. As for being phased out I find that even more difficult to believe. It will be a cold day in hell when the US of A goes metric... As for price well nothing is cheap so a few quid for decent nuts and bolts cant be begrudged can it? Especially when vehicle prices are as healthy as they are.

The army certainly did/does do some daft things but if this ferret was with the UN force in Cyprus at the time then I doubt very much that it made it to Kuwait. The armour that did go tended to be from formed units, and the bulk of these came out of Germany. As an operation (OP GRANBY) rather than an overseas location records such as they were would be very limited indeed, and even then seeing "OP GRANBY" on the docs does not mean anything crossed the berm - it could just as well have been in reserve in UK/BAOR or else part of the work-up training. Try putting a post on ARRSE (old and bold) with its registration number and see what comes up.

oh and the metric marking is B1040..which is (as I would have expected) 41 inches.

.........................a tenner from tractorsparesdirect.com

Well at least we have established that a B41 is a good starter for ten...

Excellent idea!

mmm did he have eyebrows?