Rootes75

I am of the opinion that all events this year will be cancelled and we should concentrate on doing what we can to ensure we follow guidelines etc and beat this virus in order to have a show season next year.

Andy,

Do you have anymore photos that you could pm me? Could you tell me a little more about her and the overall condition of the chassis/mechanicals/engine etc. Also in your opinion does she need a complete frame replacement?

Thanks

Kevin

1 hour ago, wot6 1943 said:

Anything that can be of use would be great, only thing is its not a CMP, but then again it maybe in with them as its a Quad based on the same bulk head and rear body built by British steel pressings company which was just down the road from one of the Rootes factory sites and was later taken over by Rootes, the body is joined at the screen to a k6 front end that has had some mod's done to it too meet the angled sides. this mod makes the side part of the screen come off at an angle from the main screens. Rootes seam to of been very good that making something fit, plus using other parts from there Humber parts bin's as well look likely to be from there box production parts. As it was built and supplied to the British Indian Army over seas use only not heard of any records of it being use by British army in the ETO mainly Far East and some use by the units of the 8th Army North Africa, if that helps. 

I have seen photos of them but have very little information. There is very little mentioned about them in any of my Rootes marque books.

Looks like a very nice collection, the one thing I would say is the condition of the vehicles looks good and the condition of the barn is good.

I recall when doing cabs with coach enamel that it takes an awful lot of patience but the result if done correctly is well worth it. 

That said, your arm aches and you cant stop till the complete coat is done. The cab on my Commer from memory took 2-3 hours to apply 1 coat and I applied 3 coats.

Imagine doing that on a tank that size, it would take days per coat and your arms would end up looking like popeye!

On ‎5‎/‎8‎/‎2020 at 3:00 PM, Norton.rider said:

One socially distancing Norton
Sat in the front garden with the Norton an all the windows done up with Ve Day prints

 

Watching The BBC program on the laptop.

 

So many youngsters looking with there parents really great to see.

 

Thanks again to everyone that's helped me get this far with her.

 

That looks superb! I very much like the bike.

The restoration is looking very good, thats a lot of paint to spray that tank!

I have never sprayed top coats, on Commers I have restored I spray filler primer undercoats and then have brush painted coach enamel.

After some practice it becomes a bit of an art and the finish can be superb. In saying that I wouldnt want to attempt a surface so large as that tank!

You sound like you like to tackle tough jobs!

I like the thought of saving vehicles that otherwise would be left to rot and be too far gone.

I have an early post-war ERF lorry sat outside our shed. Nothing left of the cab (ali skins over ash frame etc) but there is enough left of it for me to see the importance of saving such a rare lorry and at least preserving it for the next generation.

So what happened to it?

3 minutes ago, 67burwood said:

It was, bargain at £10.50 😁

That is a bargain!

54 minutes ago, wot6 1943 said:

Has anyone got a copy of a maintenance manual for a Karrier KT4 Spider (Indian pattern F,A,T) that they are willing to copy or put on disc, or where i may be able to contact for a copy.  The reason is i would like to use my spare parts and spare K6 chassis to bring one back from the dead. It would be helpful to have a manual for one, to help aid this. I have a copy of the K6 workshop manual which will help with the running gear and engine, but could do with it for the chassis dimensions and cab which Rootes manuals have in them . Any pointers or contacts would be greatly received. Also anyone with a MK 1 Morris Quad that has photo's of their restoration they would be wiling to share with me,as both used the same company for the rear body work and this would help get the frame layout right, looks like Rootes use parts from their Humber line for seats and cab fittings. i have tried the Rootes sites no one can help at present and they say they don't hold anything on the KT4 in there files. 

Sounds a very interesting idea/project.

Was it on ebay? I recall seeing something the other day stating it came with a mug!

Its a very good start to the month for you.

My Father served his apprenticeship in a garage in the early 1960's, they had a Dodge of this type converted for their recovery truck.

The 'unfinished project' is a common one on ebay and the like, many do get sold on to good homes.

It is those that are hidden away and are let go too far that I think about, so many times people take on something too big or too complicated and then just park it away and it gets forgotten about.

Agreed, I have heard about and witnessed this sort of thing before.

Rare vehicles too that people deem to far gone to be restored or simply just easier to weigh in when a property is being cleared.

We enjoy watching Bangers and Cash, just to see what's about these days.

I would consider myself to be fairly young (early 40's) and I have always been interested in pre-war vehicles. My first was a 1937 Ford 10 that I bought when I was 17 and I still have it in the shed.

I very much like British wartime vehicles but don't get me wrong US trucks of the period also interest me.

In the same sort of way, do you notice a lack of pre-war cars and trucks at shows these days? When I started out being interested as a teenager there used to be rows and rows of cars from the 1930's, now as time has gone on the trend is for cars more from the 70's/80's at our local shows.

I also notice around our area that there is a lack of wartime British made vehicles anyway, it always makes it nicer to see them because of that.

I know of quite a few vehicles tucked away in the vicinity of our village, very few will ever be seen or restored.

Great looking vehicle, very imposing.

Totally understand where you are coming from Andy.

Have just read back some of your posts, you bought 2 of these?

Am very keen on Rootes vehicles and have been trying to find a wartime Commer. This is very tempting.

I have been told on another forum that it was called the 'Second BEF'.

I will have a look round to see what I can find.

I recall a story of my Grandfather, around the time of Dunkirk his regiment was boarded onto a troop ship and given notification they were being sent to France as reinforcements, I have a memory of him mentioning Cherbourg(?). 

After a few days aboard ship they were stood down and disembarked.

Anyone have any knolwedge of soldiers being readied to be sent?

Do you think that when the paint starts going on its like seeing the light at the end of tunnel?

I think it really does spur you on when it gets to this stage.

I think true barn finds are when people dont know they are there and then find them. I mean more about people who have things tucked away with no intention to do much with them, there must be lots of intances like that around.

I took the opportunity with petrol prices now below a pound a litre to take our 37 Hillman limousine out in the sunshine and fill the tank. 

When I got back to the yard a chap I know who usually works there stopped for a chat whilst locking the gates up.

He mentioned a chap he used to work for locally who has a Morris Quad gun tractor tucked away in his shed, he has owned it for many many years and had a crane fitted on the back to be used in their garage.

Its now hidden away behind lots of classic cars and alike and will probably never be sold on to be restored.

Just made me wonder for a while how many vehicles must be tucked away in sheds up and down the country that will never be sold on or restored etc.

Anyone else come across similar stories?

All coming together very well, it does look so much better to when paint starts going on.