MACCDT

Thought its time to bring a new vehicle to the link, well, when i say new, its new to me. Does anyone recognise this 981, previously from manningtree essex. If you have any early pictures or know any history, please let me know.

Not always painted to jps colours, has also been blue and red. Was previously registered as Q728EGV. Cheers MACCDT

Hi AntarMike

just asking if you got my contact detials ok and do we have some dates to aim at?

if I am getting down there by low loader ( the begging has already started), do we have to be in the day before the show starts??

thanks

MaccDT

Hi Adrian

More info

Chassis Number 9801974

Engine Cummins 220 with Fuller box

Engine no: TBA

Military reg 03ZC10

Civilian reg VRE287G

Wartime reg ?

Cab Hard Cab

Body wrecker

Army overhaul Feb 1955

Previous owners Fletchers, Ashton & Arclid Motors, Sandbach

Location Macclesfield Cheshire

Condition Poor:-(

hope thats enough info for now

cheers

MACCDT

Hi Adrian

details from up north

Chassis Number 9810388

Engine Hercules

Engine no: TBA

Military reg ?

Civilian reg 521XUS

Wartime reg ?

Cab Soft cab

Body Ballast Box

No know mods

Previous owners ArmyCars Holland, Italian Army

Location Macclesfield Cheshire

Condition Restored

hope that enough info for now

cheers

MACCDT;)

HI there

Can any of the group advise the following for 980/981:-

where to purchase oil filters for both Hercules and Rolls engines

what the best grade and make of oil to use in the above engines

thanks in advance :-)

MaccDT (Steve)

I was very kindly invited to the Manchester MVT do earlier this year (cheers John R)and manage to get a picture of my Diamond T next to one of the Antars, its was like little and large. MaccDT

Hi All

staying on the black and whites, i was stopped at a show on August bank holiday on the Staffs/cheshire border by a gent who took my name and said he would post a few pics to me that I might be interested in. this is some of what he sent me, on the back it says Tidworth tank ground and says recovery of tank after trailer accident. unfortunately he didnt put his name or address in the envlope so I cannot credit him, but i know he lives nearby.

i will post more later from his BAOR days.

Cheers and enjoy

MaccDT

Why not have two meetings? GDSF and somewhere else would mean one or other meetup is more local, and therefore suits some more than others.

 

TRhe advantage of having A DT meet at GDSF is that we could actually get a number of DT's on a big load, working together. No other showsite has such an Arena as GDSF. Do you want to drive them as they should be, or park them in a line, and once a day go into to small arena for 15 minutes?

Hi Mike, i think the best way to show vehicles is running and working in a big arena and i am happy to put my name down for Dorset, however for the northern people, is there somewhere Newark, Nottingham, Leicester or Birmingham way that may attract more??

do we know anyone with a large airfield??

Cheers

MaccDT

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Hi RuggyJohn, is this Derek Beatties old DT??

I look forward to seeing it, let me know if your taking it out sometime, Leeds is not to far from south manchester.

Cheers

MaccDT

Hopefully that is now clear folks!

DAMN,

Thats 12 months less to save up.

So, Is the Great Dorset Steam Fair the target place to be??:goodidea:

Regarding 70th anniversary of the 980-981,I have long had a dream of seeing 5 yes five Diamonds coupled up to the Pickfords trailer at the Great Dorset steam fair, as per the famous Sheffield to Liverpool movements by Pickfords. Would not matter to me if they were civvy or military with hercules, cummings or leylands, i can almost hear them comming through Watford gap.Would be an enthusiasts dream come true if it happend.

Dont know if Dorset would be able to accomodate such an idea,it may also be a county to far regarding distance, just wanted to throw the idea (dream) into the forum.

Superb!!!!!!!

put my name down for this one,

If i start saving now i should be able to get some funds together in the next 22 months

let keep this idea going

MaccDT

Hi Steve, yes, that is an old trick. You would have to buy it under the assumption that it needs a total restoration, mechanical and body (pushing the price even lower). Also it spent its life as a wrecker so it would have been worked very hard.

 

Cheers,

 

A

Hi Adrian

the fact that there aren't many around these days make people believe that sometimes the worst ones still have a high value, shame really as it will just rot away.

on the register front, i am willing to assist where I can as well.

If we could latch on to a bigger event and celebrate the 70th year that would really be something to see, as sort of 'T' in the park Festival:cool2:

Steve (MACCDT)

Well I will start you off MACCDT.

 

This one above is defiantly still around, being located in Staffordshire.

Thanks for that, thats 2 in Staffordshire as I know of the Ex Crouch Hard top that is based near Leek, The other one i knew of was Ex Italian with a Detroit fitted but that has just been sold abroad

I have 3 (well, two and a half to be correct) in Cheshire, Details to follow

MaccDT

Evening All

Does anyone out there often wonder just how many Diamond T 980/981's are still out there in the UK?

how could we collect the information, Would it be best by county, i'm sure there is a fan in ever county who could confirm sightings and possible registrations, military reg and type

food for thought??

MACCDT

Have the other two T's gone as well? Doesn't look as though there's much left next to were yours was now. Glad they've eventually relented and parted with it so it doesn't get any worse.

Hi Norman, the other 2 T's are still there and they are not enjoying good health under the trees, they are both ex british, the soft top came with a hercules engine which Ben conv

erted to a Rolls and the hard top was fitted by a Rolls in the army days. when i last asked,

Ben did not want to part with either vehicle, Steve

Fletchers sold me two of the wheels plus a few wheel nuts off that T ,pleased to see it saved.

i though it was lighter than normal when we were winching it on, it actually free wheeled when it ran back off the trailer, i was very suprised as it had been stood for ages.

pm me if you are ever going to be over near Macclesfield, Steve

Happy Birthday Paul

Hope you have a great time, not seen you since W & P 2009, Meeting you, your brother and your Dad in Carentan last year was great, late night fireworks and dodging rain showers in cafe's in Carentan. good fun, hope to see you again when I start to bringing the Diamond T down south, all the best, Steve

Decided it was time to rescue another Diamond T, 980this time,

found this one in Manchester, thought I would mention it because it a cummins engine and fuller gearbox fitted to the standard transfer box which I know was a topic in the recent threads. I have found the british brass plate under the drivers seat. will post the number

soon if some one can help identify it. Steve

I have overlooked the fact that the lorries at the far end do not have blackout lights nor does the Crossley, so perhaps it is at the end of the war, also think the Crossley could be in gloss finish. There is a winged crest over the windscreen and same on the lorry next to it, was that the company logo or perhaps that of MAP ?

Hello Richard, the crest you have seen was the company logo at the time as the factory was contracted to manufacture aircraft sections for the Anson, Lancaster etc.

the factory was sited approx 5 miles from the Avro works at Woodford, Cheshire.

Steve

Hi Graham, it still has the Leyland engine and box in, He bought it from a chap in Essex last year and has made a very nice job of it. He is hoping to put it back to work again doing recovery. It must be nice to see part of your extended family still working.

Hope to see you at ASTLE PARK in August if your going, i am looking for some more handbrake bits for my 981 if you still have any in your vast supplys.

Cheers, Steve

went to see this one in carlisle last week, it appeared in post 109 as a wrecker, since then it was converted to a ballast body and now has been converted back to a wrecker again. He made a very good job of the conversion.STEVE

hi ,maccdt, sorry for not contacting you before but for the last two months every time i click on this site it,s been locking up my computer, the trouble maybe that you are overloading the engine. the hercules was not the best engine in the world, but by shifting perhaps first on the transfer box and then on the main box and keeping the rev,s to 1600 you will probably cure the problem, when i had my first rogers trailer i had the same problem, so when she went down to 1200 rev,s i changed down to keep up the rev,s it cured the problem. let me know if this helps, all the best tony graves.

Thanks for your advice Tony, I will try that this weekend and let you know how i get on.

Steve

Hi steve, sorry I have missed this thread until now!

 

I would tend to agree with Desert rat on this one. My experience of the hercules is that it smokes when cold, which clears up when up to temperature and when put under load it is not uncommon to get a substantial amount of black smoke.

 

There is footage of the Wynns Diamond T's working hard, pre-cummins era and they were kicking out plenty of smoke under load.

 

Any ideas on what is your fuel consumption like of late?

 

A

Hi Adrain

Thanks for your post, I am looking to move the DT and trailer next week again from its temp storage so I might try and get some footage of the smoke screen and you can let me know what you think

Cheers

Steve

P.S. thanks to JOHN for the post, I looked for you at Smallwood today but you must have been out walking

Hi There, Can anyone answer a question for me. I took the 981 for a run today and whilst it runs fairly clean by itself, I had a trailer on the back today moving it to temp accomodation and when going up hill or putting the engine under load, it was blowing black smoke.

is it over fuelling?? and if so, how do you adjust it

Thanks

Steve

Hi John

I really enjoyed the day as well and was made to feel most welcome by the whole group

I am looking forward to the Saddleworth do.

a couple of pictures to add to the collection

Steve