paulob1

Well i have been in heaven for a couple of weeks, surrounded by Gaz 66, 69, Luaz Uaz 469, 452 all shapes and sizes, Zils by the bucket load, 130 and 131 and the latest diesel spec'd trucks...Urals 375 and 4320, IFA Kamaz etc etc etc, and of course all those old American jalopies...and a few old British ones too, series 1 land rovers, some Morris minors and the Morris oxfords etc etc...what a fantastic place...gave me a few things I didn't want too...

what a beauty, perfect for the museum but no money for now...good luck with selling it though

still no joy with the CET, runs for a few minutes okay then rough as a dog, and slowly kills the battery so likely we have two problems, blocked fuel filters, we will change the main filter this week, and then we still have the charging circuit dead as a dodo, so it slowly kills the batteries until the pump stops. and the cet stops...what a real pain... I can understand why the army hated the things...i am slowly sorting the things but I am sure water is getting in where it should not...will get her covered and see if that helps... Anyone got any helpful ideas...

send them to the cold war museum we would appreciate them...

Money is never plentiful enough for anyone running a museum, mine is costing me a small fortune but it is my desire to build it...if people like it it would be nice to get a bit of cash from a source other than my pocket, but every penny will go into the museum....the reality is that museums are historical records of something, that can never be diminished but it is also true that kids and a large amount of people today don't really want anything other than a bit of a days entertainment...

Foden GS number 2 air leak sorted was one of the chambers releasing air via the service brake to exhaust the whole tank in a few seconds once the handbrake was released...all sorted, well we foiund the dodgy chamber and just got to finish fitting and she will be on the road...then i will be moving the 434 and getting her upto the museum, once the pump is fitted, then we get to work on fixing the M62 Wrecker and move more of the machines...its all starting to move along very nicely... need to lay some hardcore at the museum site as it has turned into a complete bog...awful...

Volunteers out in the rain on Saturday and our first overnighter, the vans are not really ready yet but I will plumb in water and some form of power over Christmas and I will build a little rest area and dry place to just chill so that when people come over the weekend they can have a nice place to relax when not getting filthy dirty or plain soaked...will install a log fire too so that people can be cosy warm...loads to do...the list is virtually endless but keeping the Helpers happy and warm has to be a top priority because without the guys the museum will never happen... the MTLB started first time but one of the zils unusally would not start, very unusual, the starter is not firing so either a wire is broken or disconnected as the relay clicks and there is no battery drain at all...ie the ignition light does not flicker as it should do...more work to sort...these vehicles are slowly suffering being out in the wet all the time... anyone free over Christmas week is most welcome... we have sleeping areas in the vans, they have to be leveled and water plumbed in but I have the gear just need to find the time...then want to install a shower and toilet block for people to use...power is coming just awaiting SSE to give me a price...

Kraz is also very slow, 35mph is about your best speed over a long run, she will do 40 and maybe as high as 45 but the big tyres can be troublesome at that speed..she is not economical but she will run on contam but is not truly multifuel... the reo's are a much better everyday truck the 4320 is the best 6 x 6 large truck on the planet...I would say the zil 131 but she is not as practical with the petrol engine...the zil 131 is a good comparison with the Reo...but Reo's fly along.

most of them in my experience are honest but slow. the bigger dealers of the trucks and tanks are not interested in supplying parts for one vehicle unless they supplied you the vehicle..even then its hard work...they like face t face meetings and if you take the time to visit they will get the stuff together for you, but posting things is not for the bigger dealers.

I don't know of many people who haven't talked to him at some stage in their MV careers...lovely helpful man. I had a very long conversation with him many years ago when he was looking for somewhere to open up his collection, and bring it all together....great that he got it together...

its quiet amazing how even the smallest of holes can turn into a monster leak in very short time.

the jeep is not heavy but you should still have a substantial-ish vehicle to tow it with, ideally something with a bit of weight a big estate or a 4x4 etc..not essential but will help...if you have the legal right to tow a trailer, remember if your new to your licence than you are likely to be limited to 750kg trailers. delivery in my opinion is always the easiest but it is no longer cheap unless you can wait for an empty return load...that can take time and and southampton is unlikely to have trucks going there without a return load, but its possible... a jeep will easily go on a 3,5 ton truck, pickup, its only 1.2 tons tops so unlikely to need anything that big...

Jay is turning out to be an absolute star, super fast efficient and tidy,,,thank you jay. I am really keen to start getting prepped with the tents and things but i need the foden running to move some of the exhibits, hopefully Friday...then i am going to move the brush and the leviathon and get onto moving the first of the tents...have a lot to do as each tent will be lifted on sleepers lined and covered and a damp proof layer put down finally with carpet to walk on and to keep some heat in the whole affair..excited.. could do with more volutneers right now we have two coming regularly but are short of at least 50 more...any help is great putting up tents moving stuff cleaning and tidying parts ordering stuff into shlves with those for display and those for spares etc etc... dont be shy whatever you can do will be helpful, and you can play with the toys as well...

julian brilliant I will keep those details handy

john i will call I am having problems with private messages my keyboard does not seem to work properly with it...seen this before sure I have to do something will ask Lee...anyway I will call you today.

Okay we have the problem, just got t sort it now. the main switch panel is corroded and is making intermittent connections for the charging panel and the fuel pump..so as the batteries slowly loose their charge the fuel pump gets less and less power until it stops...then the truck stops... no idea where it is corroded but hopefully we will have a play and a spray with wd 40 and see how we go...

i have no idea but I will get hermes or tnt to collect...thanks guys...never tried hermes before but it has to be worth a go..

Hi is anyone visiting Withams from down south in the next week or so, i won a cable but its a long journey to make just for a cable... I am in Hampshire but anywhere closer to here would be great...I have to go to Derbyshire on the 26th November...so if withams can hold on to it for then I may have to do it then just hoping someone can collect it on their journey.

will do its just such a palaver posting pics here...but I will do it...hopefully my new admin man Neil can start doing that...

Leviathan needs a bit of work and is not an easy vehicle to move, need to get it back up and running...brush has a flat tyre and the other bits and pieces are all in the way so relocation wont happen today...next week we will get it done..

okay moving the leviathan the Brush electric bomb tug the two munga jeeps and a few more bits today along with an 18 x 48 foot tent...this will be erected as the first tent for the museum...am thinking I will connect a few of the tents in approximately two long runs of around 150 foot each. we will raise them approximately 16 inches using sleepers..this will also form part of the weighing down element of the tents. We will lay a plastic sheet inside to reduce damp and likely lay heavy duty pallets as a walkway....and old carpet for the vehicles to drive on...we will give it a go and see how we get on...if only I could get a big shed up

cant do paypal yet as we have not yet registered the museum as a charity...I am still looking for trustees. I have two so far and am just looking into all the legalities of it all.

thats me John....never say die..

Neil our new administrator started the process of documenting all the British vehicles yesterday, then its warsaw pact and then others...its all slowly working..

Hi Terry, just send details to me and I will respond to anyone who is interested. www.thecoldwarmuseum.com the web site is a bit of a mess and just a holding site for now, it just tells you where we are our email and how to find us...it will improve...with stories and information about the cold war.. i will over time have proper systems to accept donations but its early days for that. I am still adjusting to people actually helping me, that is a revelation already. people are so damn giving and helpful...i know there is so much angst in the world but volunteers are some of the most special people ever...giving up their time to assist us in our quest. thank you to all of you... Brad managed to part fix the daf last night, most air leaks sorted, the stalwart was recovered and will be welded and fitted with new geny pulley and have her brake fixed ready for the drive to the museum...the CET will be sorted this weekend...and then its get to work on the M62 to get her road ready for the drive to ALton...she was left with all her wires cut and they have to be reconnected...a two man job...but it will be the next task...plus I want to get the 434 and the fug and BRDM moved in the next two weeks. JCB needs to be moved back to the main site, to level off the land so i can lay down some hard core and a few concrete pads. I have all the tents already and yes a shed would be better long term but that needs planning and that is not easy in the UK...that will take time, plan is to open under canvas and then apply for sheds...but eventually to go underground with the museum...thats a big investment.