Ivor Ramsden

There's one at the Manchester Museum of Science & Industry. It's a bit difficult to get a clear photo of it.

Argh! I've just noticed the Daimler armoured car lurking in the background. What a proper thing that is!

Gearbox & transfer box seals and one to replace the felt seal in the steering box. I think I got a timing case seal too but I haven't fitted it yet. All you need are the diameters of the hole that the seal fits in, the shaft diameter and the thickness or depth of the seal. The ones that I got were all very straightforward imperial sizes. Dave, I've had another look at the parts book and actually it is the swivel ball seal that you're referring to, isnt it? Dave, I forgot to say how good the restoration is looking. I still can't work out how you keep the place so spotless. It puts me to shame.

Where does the oil seal go? My books don't show the same description that you've given. I found all the oil seals that I needed from a bearing/seal specialist on the net. The only ones they didn't do were the swivel ball seals.

VE Day near the Kiel Canal. Men of the Manx Regiment with a captured Mercedes. There is one of their the M16 quad .50 half-tracks in the background. From the archives of the Manx Aviation & Military Museum

Thanks, Nick. I knew I could rely on the forum.

Can anybody tell me if the diff on the rear axle of a 4x2 CMP is central or offset like the 4x4s? I'm sure I read somewhere that the rear axle was still driven via the transfer box even though it was 4x2 - or was that something else? I've looked all over for photos but the undersides are always in shadow. I must confess that I'm too embarrassed to ask this on the Maple Leaf Up forum!

A blue-green suede shoe in the back of a lightweight. When I picked it up it fell apart, revealing itself to be a green-mouldy Cornish pasty.... It's a pity there's no smilie for throwing up!

This is from the CD range instruction book. The engine cover doesn't extend the full length of the cab. PM me if you want more scans from the book to help with detailing your model. Who makes the kit, and what scale is it?

I can't help with the sign but let's see more of your Land-Rover photos please.

These things are a real time capsule. I'm always reluctant to open them and when I have I can never throw the boxes away. Timbo thinks he might be weird - well I KNOW I am because I like just to look at the piles of sealed MoD boxes in the garage, quietly waiting their time to be opened. Nurse! In the 1980s I found a note with a girl's name & address inside a box containing a Land Rover part dated 1951. I was tempted to write but then realised she'd be over 80 now! I know this happened a lot in WW2 but despite having used masses of ex-MoD Land Rover bits this is the only time I've found a name.

The museum has just acquired a Bofors 40mm gun barrel which is marked with the royal cipher and the maker's initials J.M.I. It's dated 1942. Can any artillery bods tell me who JMI is? Our two other barrels are marked ROFL and ROFN for the Leeds and Nottingham Royal Ordnance Factories but when I google JMI all I get is zillions of Indian websites.

If it's fairly well covered by steel I'd leave it alone. It's only dangerous if it's breaking up. You could seal any exposed areas with paint to stop particles breaking off. By removing it you might run a much higher risk of exposure to particles.

I'm sure that you used to be able to search by number a lot more easily than you can now. I haven't been able to work out how to do it so I search by subject, eg Bofors, then use the filters that come up on the left side of the search page. You can filter by period, place etc, and this soon brings the number of hits down to a managable level. Of course, then you'll find that your picture isn't online! Good luck.

We aim to please ... If ever you fall over any rear body handrail/strengthener sections - the curved bits at the back - I need a pair!

Maybe these will help. Some of our hood sticks aren't original, nor is the pipe lagging that pads them. The hoops are all original so you'll get the idea.

Dab it over with strong tea! A bit of milk will help it to stick. I was told this by a movie props guy. Or if you've got access to spraying equipment give it a coat of dirty thinners. In each case, the more times you do it, the stronger the effect.

So that's why the paint comes off the museum's window frames! I shall be consulting our legal team regarding your deliberate witholding of this vital information .... Seriously though, it's amazing what you pick up from this forum. I'll remember this for when it's time to paint the Morris CDSW's new body.

Lovely job Martyn. You look the part too. There's a one-sixth scale kit just been released of the Welbike, in case you're interested. It's made by Dragon.

Hey, AF, did you enjoy your time in Malta? There are countless thousands waiting for your report .... Well I am!

Despite living in the Isle of Man, which is a haven for seabirds, I've yet to have a shag in the garage. I'll get me coat...

Aye, it was. They've kept a few to be used for special tourist jobs but otherwise you're in the hands of Arriva. There have been a lot of problems for commuters using the new service but as tourists we have no complaints, and the new drivers don't seem to feel that it's compulsory to short-change you! Many of the old buses have gone straight into museums all over the world. We've even got one here in the IOM at our transport museum at Jurby. Can't think why, except that it's somebody's toy.

Somebody asked the same question here: http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=115640 In case the link doesn't work, here are my suggestions: If you go to the Aviation Museum at Ta Qali the Mtarfa military cemetery is only 10 minutes' walk away. The Sanctuary Museum at Zabbar has got some parts from the Vulcan which exploded overhead in 1975, including the canopy. The War Museum in Valletta is first class. It used to be very poor but it has recently been refurbished. There are a few dodgy identification labels on bits which I told them about a long time ago but they haven't changed them. The Lascaris War Rooms in Valletta are well worth visiting. They've recently been refurbished. There is a WW2 museum in Birgu (Vittoriosa) which is under redevelopment. I think it's just reopened after an overhaul. T The Maritime Museum at Vittoriosa is good. The Commonwealth Air Forces Memorial is near the bus terminus in Valletta. There's an old tower in the bay at Mellieha which is a Tuna Museum but it's got some military bits on show. Don't bother hiring a car unless you want to die. It's the worst place in Europe for driving, parking is a nightmare and the buses are cheap if you get day tickets. The weather will be great at this time of year. You can't fail to enjoy it! No Signals, I'm afraid the old buses have gone. They're all Euroboxes now, mostly made in China ...

Try here: http://www.coh-baines.co.uk/ They've got a huge range of rubber extrusions.

Yes, the contract no. SM6176 refers to reconditioned International half-tracks. The 6200848 serial number doesn't seem to fall into the right range for the half-tracks in this contract but, strangely, it's not far off as they are listed as Z6198821 to Z6101127.