Ivor Ramsden

I'll have 6 off 9.00x16s for the Morris CDSW.

I've read that the military wanted them as a cheaper variant of the 4x4 which was intended for use on roads only, such as on bases, but allowing commonality of parts with the standard vehicles. They were used mainly by Military Police and REME units who weren't normally needing 4x4. If other military contracts are anything to go by, I wouldn't be surprised if Rover's charged the MoD MORE for replacing the front axle drive system with a bit of tube and a blanking plate!

It's more than seven years since this thread started and today we've just finished the restoration of 19CL08, Rover Mark 6 4x2. What next? 101? 1950 RAF Series 1? 1968 Lightweight? The list goes on. Whatever is next, it's not going to take 7 years!

Could that be RAF Blue/grey under the Deep Bronze Green? Best seen on the close-up of the data plate.

I need to talk to somebody at Duxford about a military vehicle matter. Does anybody have the name of somebody who will know what I'm talking about?

RAFerk is a member on here.

Here's a picture from Martyn Hillyard (he's on the forum) showing the compressor on the side of the gearbox and a drawing from the handbook showing some useful detail including the bit of wire with a loop on the end which is the compressor control. It's labelled as Tyre Pump Hand Control.

No, from that angle you can't see the pipes but the bleed nipples can be seen at the top of the brake backplates. These are three views of the front of our C9B's rear axle which I am fairly sure will have the same brake pipe layout as the C8 MkII.

Have you looked for markings on the rear faces of the lockers? That's where the unit and tac signs were painted.

No, the brakes were hydraulic on all four wheels on all the 4WD vehicles. The only vehicles which had an unbraked rear axle were the 6x4s.

24 of them were used in Europe by the 15th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA, which was the LAA unit of the 7th Armoured Division. Shown here coming ashore in Normandy several days after D-day. 8 vehicles were issued to each of the regiment's 3 batteries. The vehicles in the pictures are vehicles numbers 1 and 4 of "Y" Troop, 42nd Battery. If you look closely you can make out the markings and the Desert Rat of the 7th AD. When you get bored with the thing, let me know! It would look nice in our museum along with the Morris C9B...

There are some French-made ones on ebay here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/Jeep-MB-GPW-Tail-Lamp-6-Volt-X-2-A1064-Ruby-NOS-Free-UK-Postage/232162918839?hlpht=true&ops=true&viphx=1&_trksid=p2050601.c100103.m2451&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D37140%26meid%3D610e998167964a839cd3f4d27184b4d2%26pid%3D100103%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D232162918839%26clkid%3D1021321158080611363&_qi=RTM2065550

The Royal Logistics Corps Museum have got the keycard for your Jeep. This will probably contain its original M-series number but it is very unlikely that it will have any details of units. For that, the only way is to carefully search through all the layers of paint for any markings which might survive. You can order the card here: http://www.rlcarchive.org/VehicleSrch I also recommend the Facebook group to which Pete Ashby gives a link. You will find examples of Jeep keycards on there.

I can't help with identification but I agree with Sean N that it was probably used to ship possessions home. We bought a German wooden box on ebay which had the name and London address of a 15th Light Ack Ack officer written on it. He was with the regiment in Germany in 1945 and I assume that he picked up a suitably-sized box which was lying around.

Here's the diagram from the workshop manual. The front to back pipe runs on the inside of the chassis frame.

On the jeepdraw.com website there is a free download of the Hotchkiss parts book amongst loads of other Jeep material which you will find helpful. The book is written in French but even if you don't speak French the diagrams are very useful. Sections 06.8 and 06.9 cover the two types of 24V distributor (allumeur in French). The download is slow but it's worth the wait. Edited to say parts book, rather than workshop manual!

It might be worth looking here: http://www.tanktransporter.co.uk/ There are some good photos on there.

Good suggestion, many thanks Andy. I've emailed them but the person who can answer is away for a few days. Any other ideas, anybody?

I need a complete balancing gear unit for a Bofors gun, marked below in white. Can anybody help? And can anybody point me towards a complete WW2 period mounting for a Bofors?

Am I right in thinking that the body is the same as a Matador one? If so, many MANY years ago there was a complete Matador body at Job Earnshaw timber merchants at Midgley, near Wakefield. I'm talking at least 30 years ago (I've been in the IOM 25 years) but it was in very good condition then and I think it was raised up off the ground so if it's still around it shouldn't have rotted from underneath. The company is still going so it might be worth a call or a visit. As Matman41 you probably knew about Earnshaw's anyway ...

Buying one of these has saved me countless knuckles and swearing.... http://www.frost.co.uk/brake-shoe-spring-hook-tool.html

Molasses works well. I have only recently read about using it and was very doubtful about it, but it works! 5 litres of molasses from the local riding shop costs £4.99, dilute it about 10 to 1 with water (10 water to 1 molasses) although I've seen descriptions of people using ratios between 20:1 and 4:1. Chuck your rusty bits in and leave for several days. I'm in the process of cleaning up a bayonet which was found on the seabed(!) still in its sheath. It was lightly rusted all over, with some patches of heavier rusting. After 4 days and the occasional stir, the bayonet was black but after a quick clean with a nylon abrasive pad all the rust had gone. Of course the surface of the steel is pitted where the rust had eaten into the steel, and this spoils the bayonet's appearance, but on rusty MV parts which will be painted this isn't a problem. Molasses won't cut through grease or paint so the rusty metal has to be clean but it's definitely the cheapest and easiest rust removal process that I've come across. It washes off with water and it doesn't hurt you or the environment. I shall be trying it on a very badly internally rusted petrol tank next.

You shouldn't need to take the head off.

Is your choke working properly? I find that our C9B engine likes full choke to ensure a quick start. By reducing the airflow it gives extra "suck" to lift the fuel. After rebuilding the carb I adjusted the choke wrong so it wasn't closing properly. The engine refused to start and had dry plugs just like you've found. After fixing the choke position it fired up after a couple of seconds of turning.

PM sent.