marvinthemartian

I managed to "win" lots 527 and 557, picking up on Monday. Just got to find somewhere to store umpteen assorted sized boxes of bits! I know there are quite a few light lenses and switches, and probably a lot of other interesting bits too. Will post pics whenever I get the chance to sort through it all.

Thorneycroft Nubian 4x4 airfield crash/rescue tender.Think that one is sat at Folkingham airfield, it might still be there.

Happy birthday to the BUFF then.

Good one, I'm sure you'll get a lot of help and advice from here.

The saying "make hay while the sun shines" springs to mind. Done a few more bits today, now bored watching paint dry!

I have finally managed to get out and make use of the sun, instead of being in bed when it shines, to get a few bits topcoated. My sheds are getting full of bits that are undercoated just waiting for some good warm days so I can get them finished off. Hoping to clear a bit more of the backlog today, sun permitting of course! Simon

Hi Neilie, if you PM me your email address, I will send you some pics. I will have to scan some in as they were taken on 35 mm film years ago. Simon

As far as I know, Bofors is correct. What I have yet to find out is which particular battery it served with, I think there were three, and what sort of markings/signs it carried. i have found the evidence of the RA red and blue square on the tailgate, but that is all.

They are a flared end, and looking in the book, 3/8" od bundylin seems to be the common size. Use a pipe bender to get the curves, coz it'll kink quite easily. Use the original nuts too if possible.

Done the same to me over the past week or so. Seems to be since the last windows update had updated IE, and changed the layout of toolbars etc. Simon

If it's in the high pressure part of the system, don't use copper. Bundy tubing was originally used, available from all good hydraulic specialists. I had a couple on mine that leaked, so I whipped them off, cut off the bad part and had a new piece made up. Copper pipe is used for some of the system, but only in the non pressurised part.

Been busy rebuilding the accumulators at long last. New seals arrived last week, another big job crossed off my list ( and empty pockets). The old seals had gone very hard and the only way I could get them off was to cut them with a knife. Pistons ready for the op.. Pistons ready for new seals. Got them on, blooming tight fit!!! Whole set done, pistons and end caps. Piston going in, plenty of oil to help it, still needed a bit of a tap. Job done, all back together, just need big vice and stilsons to nip up the caps, and a good dollop of paint too. Simon

I did manage to get a small amount of painting done while the sun poked out for a brief time, just odds n sods. Accumulator air valve caps,trailer brake valve handle, a few pipes and some bulkhead parts.

Well I certainly wouldn't want to lug them far! I think bonnet line is the reasoning behind the design, I don't think it's that bad, I have seen worse! As the pumps were originally built for aircraft use, they should be quite robust. Pressure wise they should be good for 4000 psi.

Guess what I found eventually after 1/2 hour looking through umpteen boxes and bins. Only lacking in the seal, but I think these can still be picked up at commercial motor factors. What I had to wade though to find them. Lo and behold rusty as thought. Also found spare dummy couplings if required. Simon

Morning Duncan, could be that the needle valve is crudded up with stale petrol gunk. Is your choke control in the off position? If it is fully on then it will suck fuel like bu99ery!!! Simon

Not sure on the Cheiftan fitment, but if the valve is standard car tyre valve type, then yup, it should work. Got mine from Ebay, some chap in America selling them for filling up gas shockers. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nitrogen-regulator-king-fox-air-shock-w-no-loss-chuck-NAL-CHUCK-FILL-VALVE-/160758079931?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item256deda1bb

This is true, coz I'm sure the ones I have somewhere have got surface rust on them. I still haven't ventured that far, will make it one of todays jobs. Simon

Yup bang on, one coconut on its way. Originally only took it off to make painting the lower bits of the engine easier. The whole lump is a bit of a pig to remove with the wing in place. They had been painted once but that was in the early days about 15 odd years ago, so I thought they needed redoing.

If it's like mine, then it spent the first 10 years sat in storage! CVD equates to Central Vehicle Depot, and I think the Class from/to columns refer to vehicle serviciability over a period of years. What I really find interesting is the fact that your truck is an earlier serial to mine, and was in service 3 months later! Here's mine for comparison, though I had to get a copy and the history from the Museum of Army Transport at Beverley when it was still open.

Hi Daz, I may have a couple spare in my shed that I got spare for my Leyland. If not, I'm hoping to do a bit of stripping on another Martian in the next week or two, so will see if it has any. Simon

Duncan, when ever you get time to get under the truck, check the transmission brake. Usual problem is seized pins on the shoes resulting in uneven wear on the friction surface. Also the small springs that are supposed to link both side shoes, and hold them parallel are missing or broken. Wear on the threaded part of the pull rod is something else I found on mine. Also the handbrake disc itself, probably rusty as hell. What I did with mine was have it sand blasted and galvanised. Looks much better. Well to be quite honest there are loads of things that need looking at underneath....Many years ago after a few beers on a warm day I fell asleep while stripping paint from the front axle, laid down in the sun ah well:beer: Simon

Not really got much to report, as been too cold to do things. Though did manage on the not quite so cold days to get the air compressor and drive case stripped of paint. Also took the drive unit to bits for cleaning. Hopefully if weather good this week, I will try to slap some paint on them.

Also bought a charging head, good for 600psi, so ideal for the job. Also comes complete with 3 feet of high pressure hose and a no loss chuck. All I need now is a nitrogen bottle.

I have finally got hold of these seals, took a while, but other things kept coming up and using the dosh I was putting aside for them! The green ones, made from PU, replace the leather/fabric one and the black one, nbr for the solid rubber one.