B series

Regarding the lamp JA2348 posted by ploughman:

This lamp can be found in VAOS section J1 Camp Equipment 1946 Traffic Control Equipment

I have a similar later version which I purchased as NOS in original box maybe 30 years ago.

It is JA0999 dated 1954. It has a rotatable 3 colour internal lens (Red, Blue,Amber and clear), and an adjustable wick arrangement. It has IMO two design flaws, 1) that after 30 minutes use, the heat from the lamp means the handle is to hot to pick up resulting in a bad burn, but you only do it once, and 2) the glass lens is mounted proud of the lamp body meaning one slight knock and the lens is damaged.  I understand it was standard issue to the Army Railway units, but it could have been used to control any type of traffic.

I have no use for such a lamp, but it is very nice and quality made object, which is why I obtained it.

I would have thought these lamp suffered from a lot of damage in use, there is no protection for the edge of the beveled glass lens which stands proud of the lamp body. One slight knock and the glass lens will be damaged.

Hi all,

I would like a copy of the above book, but no luck finding one during last three years.

ISBN 190660049X    Authored by Eddie Baker & Published in 2010, but out of print now. 

It appears that there are a few for sale on line, but when you try and buy them they are not available. eg Waterstones have it online, but they cannot provide a copy. 

Just wondered if anyone has a copy they no longer require?

Regards  B series

Thank you all for your assistance, so much knowledge on this forum.

I have another old can,  I do not know if it is military, but it has military appearance with the reinforced corner protectors. It is steel with brass fittings, a complicated design involving 20 components soldered together.  No markings, and no evidence of any paint finish. Size H 9 1/2 x 5 1/4 x 7 inch.  Is this a WW II "flimsey" or similar?

Thank Clive & Richard for the info you have provided.

I have an original  VAOS Identification list/catalogue, sections E3 thru KG. and also W3, dated 1946, however this Bottle/Tin is not listed in Section J1 Camp Equipment which is why I did not know its background. Maybe it is because I do not have subsection JA.

Does VAOS normally list all items available, or only those shown on the Plate illistrations?

There must be a good reason why the container has such a high centre of gravity, especially if it contained methylated spirit. It is very unstable unless on a flat & level surface. What would methylated spirit be used for that needed a special shaped container?

MB = Metal Box company, learn something new every day.

The VAOS book is interesting with illistrations of Tentage attached to WWII lorries, early forklift's, recovery gear, hospital equipment, tables & chairs, fire fighting equipment, a huge selection of stores and equipment.

I have a new old stock ex British army container for storing some type of liquid. Due it's unusual shape I think it must have been designed to fit in a very cramped space, maybe an AFV.

Due to it's height versus base ( H 10 3/4  x W 1 1/2 x L4 1/4 inch) it is very unstable, and must have been prone to spillage during use.

Steel with brass fitting and cap. Markings are: JA 0220    14MB, the government pheon/arrow and date 1962.

Does anybody know which vehicle or equipment this is related to?

Many thanks

B Series

Hi all,

Good see someone taking this Karrier K6 on. Not many around now.  This  Karrier K6 ( 16YY18)  was for sale back in 2012 in very similar condition as current.

A rare vehicle worth saving.

Thank you Richard I will do a little research  about Triumph TRW motorcycles.

Below are some more carbs which I would like to know the application.

Carb No 4

Zenith. Made in USA. Cast iron throttle body with ali upper body. No ID numbers except "20" in throttle body casting.

Carb No 5

This carb is unusual in that it has no makers name. It is large and "Heavy Duty " construction, the die cast aluminium body sections are twice the thickness that would be normal, and with a cast iron throttle body it weighs 2.7kg. It has a manual choke, and 1 7/16 inch throttle bore. It also has a 4 bolt flange fixing for the air intake fitting. It does have 0-520 cast into the main body, and 1-442 cast into the throttle body, no other ID.

Any assistance with these carbs is welcome.

B series

Well yes it is Gordon_M.  Congrats.

The object is a turtle replica made of heavy gauge copper with internal space for an explosive device and trigger, and provide a visual attraction. 

 Around 1960/61 the NSA & CIA instigated  Project Mongoose. NSA 5412/2 Group planted several of these turtles  in the bay that Fidel Castro liked to dive in, and it was hoped that he would be attracted to one and pick it up and set off an explosion, but for some reason the idea did not work. I guess he was not into turtles. The idea seems over complicated to me, there must have been a much easier and certain way to achieve the same end.

B series

Sorry for my mistake mtskull, I should not have added clues after drinking wine! ,  You are correct with Cuba as location.

I have some carburetors which as far as I know are from ex army surplus sales held during the early 1960's,  and some appear to be NOS. But I do not which vehicles they would be used on. There is always someone on HMVF who can assist.

Carb No 1

Zenith, Made in USA. Updraft type. 1 7/8 inch throttle bore. Cast iron body with 2E cast into body. Weighs 6kg. Has ID No :  S311 &  x79. 

Carb No 2

AMAL Ltd,  360/7  This is a used carb I think, maybe for a small generator or similar.

Carb No3

Solex WH2 LF63  Twin fuel inlet/outlet, 1 inch throttle bore. Looks NOS. 

When I have identified these carbs they can be listed on a well known auction site so that they can be used rather than stored in box for decades, I hope someone can make use of them.

B Series

Good try, but not the Vietnam war which was fought around 80 degrees W, but same era and more around 100 degrees E. 

Who deployed it,  what was it purpose?

B series 

Zero Five Two,   not correct until you got to the "meant to look like a turtle underwater".

Well,  John F is on the right track with 2nd paragraph, but wrong era in 1st paragraph..

Now the dark evenings are with us, often means more time indoors, less workshop time.

Clive / FV1602 often has mystery objects to entertain us, therefore he does not have to chance to join in. So I thought I would post an object for consideration. 

Anyone take a guess at who used this, where and what for etc?

Clive is such an expert he most likely will come up with an NSN, and an the operators manual for this object.  1st clue, it is approx 20 inches long.

B series

Below is an exhibit at the State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia, located in Moscow which I visited in 2011.

My translator was struggling with the description (she had not come across dozers before), but it was made by apprentices at a engineering school, it is either made from silver, or silver plated. 

Impressive model, at approx 24 inch in length, and must very heavy. Like many exhibits in this museum, they are not covered or protected like you would see in Europe, you can touch them, and also on the day I visited (Saturday) it was empty, no visitors or staff around.

B Series

Nice model of an unknown (by me) russian motorcycle. It is approx 12" long from memory, fully working including engine and gearbox. All original materials recreated.

B series

The photo posted by mtskull looks to be a similar vehicle, I am now thinking that the one at the russian museum is later chassis with either an original body or recreated body. I am not familar with WWI vehicles, but I did not expect  to see the names Armstrong, Whitworth and Fiat in a description for a single vehicle. Anyway thanks for the input.

I have a mounted set of WWI eraWills's cigarette cards, one of which shows an armoured car with similar layout, but with different design details.

B Series

This vehicle is on display outside the State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia located in Moscow, which I visited in 2011. An interesting facility with more than 1 million objects, but no information in English at that time. There are several vehicles on display, farm tractors and old trucks, an original looking WWII Jeep, a Dodge WC 4x4, and the wreckage of Gary Power's U2 spy plane operated by the CIA which was shot down in 1960.

Anyway, I dragged my translator along on her Saturday off on the promise of cake and coffee, and she translated the descriptions for me:

It said the  vehicle was made in 1915, weighs 5300 kg, has 7mm armour bodywork, and two 7.62mm MAKCNM machine guns. It also said the vehicle maximum speed is 70 km/h, which seems mighty fast to me for 5300 kg in 1915.  Maybe that is downhill.

The  museum building  in the background was the home of the English Club between 1831 & 1917. It was the place to be seen at the time in Moscow. A little further up the street is Belorussky railway station, well known to all Russian's old and young because so many troop trains loaded with russian soldiers departed from the station to the western front lines never to return during the Great Patriotic War, or as we know, it WWII. 

Regards,

B series

Hi all,

Thank you sterling1961 for the link giving ID & pt number.  The number is very similar to the part numbers for the water pumps (Pt No's E8RT 8503 & 8504) fitted to the Ford Thames 3 Ton 4x4 GS truck, that was fitted with the Ford V8 petrol engine from the 1950's, but those waters pumps are a diffrent casting design with a 5 bolt fixing compared to my 3 bolt fixing design. Anyway you have confirmed it is a Ford water pump, many thanks.

B series.

Hi all,

Had no luck in obtaining an original cork seal from various dealers. I did consider converting to a spin on filter, but as I had already purchased a new felt filter I stayed with that option.  So after some measuring and calculation on length to obtain good clamping pressure on the filter element to ensure a good seal top and bottom when installed. I got on the lathe and made a seal (item 19) out of nylon, and  a new spring retainer out of an old steel washer. New felt filter and O ring seal installed, no leaks & all oil should now be flowing through the new filter. On to the next job.

Thanks for you comments and assistance.

B series.

Hello all,

Thank you cosrec for reply. The water pump is very similar to the Austin K9, almost a mirror image with the main water pipe on the other side and single rather than the double belt pulley on the K9. The pump could fit a Austin 6 Cylinder engine but in  another installation /vehicle. 

I did some investigation before asking HMVF members for assistance, and I know it does not fit: Commer Q4, Morris Commercial LC3, Austin K9, Bedford TK 330, Rolls Royce B series engines, Bedford RL, Willys / Ford Jeep, Land Rover S1/II/III,  

It is a shame that so many ex military parts either loose their identification labels, or they only have a NSN which is hard to cross reference. I have  many ex army spares parts, many from WWII era, but very difficult to match to vehicles, especially US parts covered in Cosmoline and no labels. Transmission gears and engine valves are very hard to identify.

I hate throwing stuff away when I am sure someone somewhere could make use of the component.

Regards

B Series

Hi all,

Does anyone know which vehicle type this NOS water pump might be used on?

It is ex British army stores, WWII or just after wrapped up in waxed paper,  it could be for a Studebaker Weasel because it was stored with many Weasel parts, but also other British WW II vehicle parts, but I don't really know it's background other than it has been in storage since the 1960's. Would be a shame to scrap it, but hard to place if it is not known what it fits.

ID in casting is :  EBP8505A

It is cast iron with  three bolt fixing to engine block, and a 2 inch OD water pipe connection.

Many thanks for your assistance...

B Series

Thanks to all who have responded to my questions.

I have sent a request to Bannister's for parts availability, but no reply yet.  But in light of the comments made by Clive and I suspect that one part is missing because the filter has been changed from one type to another and item 19 seal is just missing. 

My Champ is fitted with a Tecalemit oil filter housing, and originally it would have had a filter element as shown in plate A 13 item 20 below from the parts book.

However when I removed the old filter it was a felt element type, as shown in plate A12 below, and items 18 & 19 were missing. Without items 18 & 19, the filter element is not clamped and sealed  against the top filter housing, and there will be no seal around the lower mounting of the element which means most oil will bypass the filter and be drawn up the centre of the filter rather then through the filter element! 

Question 1 ) I have not found a supply of the filters shown on plate A13, so I suspect that most Champ owners use a felt element as shown in plate A13 item 23. Can anyone confirm this?

If I use a felt element, I would need to find or make the missing items 18 & 19, to enable a good internal oil tight seal to promote the oil to travel through the filter. The Rolls Royce workshop manual for B Range engines describes item 19 as a cork seal, and I am wondering if the original cork seal just disintergrated into the oil over the years, but I could not find any evidence of it (but as the oil has been bypassing the filter, maybe the cork remains are in the oilways!). I have noted that I do have a few of bottles of wine in my cellar which appear to have corks that would be an idea size for seal making, I shall open a bottle this evening to allow some seal development and production tomorrow.

I would have to source or make a replacement item 18

Regarding the illistration above (plate 13), I find it strange that in the parts book item 24 is part of filter assy 21, but item 20 copper washer, which fits between them is listed as a separate part.

Question 2) Item 23 is listed in the parts book as part of the filter assy, but there is no seal on my old filter assy. I assume that part is also missing , Does anyone know the approx thickness or material of the seal.

So overall if I can use the felt filter element, and make a new cork seal and item 18, I think I see a way forward. All  comments welcome.

B Series.

Hello Billh35,

The 9 on the yellow circle is the vehicle bridge number, it equates approx to the loaded mass of the vehicle. The mass calculation is not so simple, but fair to say the loaded vehicle would be approx 9 Tons. A vehicle is not allowed to cross a bridge that displays a lower rating number than the vehicle bridge plate, also subject to vehicle spacing.

I do not know what the 8 relates to, maybe bus 8, it looks to me as if the 500 is on a two colour background divided diagonally, with a white bar below, someone will know which formation this relates to.

B Series  

I thought I would change the oil and filter on my Champ, because it has not been done for a least 20 years due to being laid up, and I do not know previous servicing history. Bust I must say the oil looked very clean, as new really.

Purchased a new filter element from Marcus Glenn, but on removal of the used one I noticed that some parts where missing. I am missing items 18 & 19 shown on the fig below which means the filter element does not seal to the top casting and leaves the lower area unsealed, allowing oil to bypass the filter element completley.

Questions:

Does anyone have these two items spare that I could purchase?

or

Does anyone know what material item 19 is made from and maybe the vertical dimention so I could make one.  I was thinking about a rubber grommet with the correct internal diameter to be tight on the centre rod, and the outside diameter tight on item 24. As far as I can see it should just seal between items 18 and 24 and the center rod.

Any assistance welcome.......

 Regards

B Series