listerdiesel

Thanks, Mike, I was trying to settle on what was and what wasn't available on the different transmission. Of the Scammell and Leyland variants, the Martian is possibly the most attractive in mechanical and visual terms, but needs something doing to the engine to make it a workable proposition. LPG is one option, but I'd be looking at a decent diesel if I was in the market. If it had a commercial gearbox that would take the power and torque, then a Cummins NH or something of that ilk would be good, 220bhp and loads of torque. On the other hand, if you were just running out to shows etc., then the B81 with LPG might well be OK. Peter

There's no real reason not to use a detergent oil, it is beneficial in the long term and with modern lubricants you have far better protection than early 1950's oils.We use Morris Lubricants Golden Film SAE30 in the Ruston diesel display engine, it is mildly detergent and good for both petrol and diesel engines of a certain vintage. The Ruston has a total loss oil system for the piston and big end, the mains are ring oiled from a reservoir underneath each bearing. For the V8 Discovery 2 we use Chevron 10W-40 semi-synthetic diesel oil, which we have used over the past 40,000 miles with absolutely no problems. People always seem to have a problem with detergent oils, but in my experience over 40+ years they are fine in virtually everything I've ever had charge of, and that includes fleet cars up to Leyland 680 Turbo generator engines. I have heard horror stories of debris becoming dislodged and blocking oilways, then people say use a flushing oil instead, which is basically a more aggressive detergent oil..... I have never had any debris issues. For any petrol engine, the best oil has to be used, subject to conditions about viscosity and running temperatures. A multi-grade oil is useless in a cold-running engine. Peter

This is the US Army manual for the compressor sets and air tools, mounted on the GM 2-1/2 ton 6X6 Truck. Truck info is NOT included. Dated November 1942. 192 pages, good condition, no geasy fingermarks. If anyone is interested, PM me, it will go on the bay of e next weekend. Peter

Thanks for the clarification and info, John. Peter

We brought forward our plans for the new engine trailer cum RV when we saw this legislation being talked about in 2010, so we got it on the road in June, still have a bit to do on the RV side. Ours will be voluntarily tested, we don't expect to have any issues. Read the table in this link, slowly: http://www.dft.gov.uk/vca/vehicletype/trailers.asp Took it over to Holland for the Nuenen engine show: Lots of interest from the Germans and Dutch guys, they can't build their own kit, and nor can we after the end of this year. Peter

I've put a 3/8" UNF tap down the holes and it looks OK with just a bit of Zinc and rust being cleared cleared out of the hole. New grease nipples will be here shortly, I can't find and pressure relief fittings, but they aren't needed anyway as the bearings are sealed. Peter

That's OK, I have been through all the galleries now and absorbed most of the detail, did Leyland copy the Scammell design, or was it just their own? Scammell ended up in the same group eventually, so there was a big blurring of identities as I see it. Sorry to ask so many questions! Peter

Cheers, Richard, nice to get it right in my mind. Just the Constructor with the two propshafts then? Peter

Could someone indulge my curiosity regarding the drive train on the Martian, please? I think I read in this thread a mention of permanent 4 wheel drive, but that may have been in respect of another vehicle (Unipower) that was being discussed. Does the Martian have effectively the same rear drive as the Scammells, with walking beam bogie and locked 4 wheel drive, or is there some kind of inter-axle diff fitted? Peter

We get that regularly when we are building some of our big chargers, we use a strip of double-sided foam stuck to something that will support about 20-30mm of it, then you can go fishing. The better foams are very sticky and will normally allow a fair bit of tugging to loosen the grip if it is wedged down between something. Most 'magnets on a stick' won't pick up a phone, as most of it is plastic and ali or non-magnetic stainless, don't ask how I know! Double-sided tape is not as effective, it needs to be the foam. Peter

Jan Hulleman Peter

Here is a picture of the Sherman outside the Wings Of liberation Museum at best, near Eindhoven. Taken May 2009. The guy that did the radio restorations at the museum had bought three engines and generators from us at the Nuenen engine show, and we delivered them to the Museum with our vehicle and trailer. The Museum has quite a large collection of vehicles, not all of which are on Display, we were lucky to be be invited to look around the Radio Room at the various bits of kit that they had bought and restored. The radio room shots are here: http://www.stationary-engine.co.uk/Nuenen2009/Nuenen2009Menu7.htm and on menu page 8, links at the bottom of each menu page. Peter

I couldn't raise the Lady at the farm until today, she was OK with the general idea about it going into preservation, but wants to talk to others involved in the Staughton Control Tower refurb, in case it might be relevant to that and therefore it would be retained by them. I have arranged to call her again in 2 weeks. Peter

The battery looks like 5 cells of the NIFE (Nickel-Ferrous) type giving a nominal 6Volts. Nife cells are still around, 58AH types might be possible if we come across some while working on sub-stations, otherwise you can buy new Nicad cells to do the same job, or just fit a 60AH lead-acid conventional battery. Peter

One of the issues with vegetable oil/fuels is that they won't mix with mineral oils used for the engine lubrication, this is one of the reasons for the increased servicing required. Many older stationary engines run on vegetable oil, but there is a fairly large processing/filtering overhead if you want your injection equipment and valves/rings to last. If you have a large source of raw vegetable oils like a plantation in the far east then you can set up to process in bulk, and the old stationary engines of the day were far simpler in terms of combustion/injection pressures. I'm not a big fan of vegetable oils in diesels and run my own engines that go to shows on road diesel. Peter

Thanks for the shots, I like the padlock & chain! Peter

Cheers, Ron, looks like they have used the existing splined sleeves and made them mobile. Neat idea to use the small air actuators, they are the sort of thing used on large truck clutches and diff locks, and air is already available on the vehicle. Peter

Thanks, but I haven't got one, yet! I posted a picture of the Mk2 width dimensions on the other thread about the viscous couplings. Looking through the manuals, it seems fairly logically laid out, but the controls with hydraulic operation (throttle & choke seem a bit of overkill, very nicely done though. I've got Stalwart stuff coming out of my ears now! Peter

Ron: Thanks for the pictures, have the shafts got simple dog clutches or are they more sophisticated? Peter

This is the diagram I have been looking for: Looks like it might be possible to get down to 2.55metre width legally. Peter

Thanks for the pic's, Ron, is that an IMPCO setup, or home-brewed? Peter

To further my knowledge of the type, I have bought the Bill Munro book, "Alvis Saracen Family" which arrived first thing this morning. So having read the book through ( I'm a fast reader!) and the Stalwart section twice, it seems that the Stalwart Mk1 width is 2.54m while the Mk2 is quoted at 2.62m. I can't see that the suspension or hubs have changed, but I may be missing something. My spares listing is for the Mk1 only, so I can't check and compare to the Mk2. Peter

Has anyone else seen this on ebay? 250901471696 Peter

I've just received my illustrated parts list of the Mk1, and those hubs have hub reduction built in, which gives a higher transmission speed but lower torque, and looking at a cross-sectional view, there's not a lot of width you can pare off as there is a shaft end and retaining nut underneath. Peter

I have spoken with the farm office, and a very helpful lady asked me to call back in a week to give her time to find out more. They are also involved in restoring the old Little Staughton air base control tower, and they also may have a second bowser, so looks as though they are amenable to the idea of it being preserved. I have also PM'd Danny152. Peter