Basil

Cheers, would like to put the application in the listing, not doubting you, cos I don't know but anyone else confirm this being for a Champ ?

I have for sale an unknown speedo cable on ebay heres the link http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171801241121?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649 Can anyone tell me what vehicle it fits please as prospective purchasers are remaining tight lipped on the subject , cheers.

I assume you know that the cap on the left hand end of the slider is a locking ring that must be undone first ?

I reckon they're just fed up with all the bloody mess you leave behind, you old freeloader !!

Certainly where WW2 motors are concerned, they could run happily on "pool petrol" worse than two star ( remember two star ? ) So don't think you need to add anything to unleaded to save your valve seats, they'll be fine ! When unleaded was introduced, it was rushed through for political reasons, before the formular had been perfected, which did cause a few cases of valve seat errosion in vehicles produced when lead content was very high & component quality was correspondingly ****e ! Since then it has been perfected & by example I have run a landy fitted with a 3 litre essex lump for almost as long as unleaded has been available with no noticeable valve seat errosion . As for additives/catalysts, you may as well shout LEAD ! into the filler cap for all the good it will do !

I've had these two frames kicking about in the shed for some time, they came with a load of spares & accessories that I got when I bought my 432. Not sure if they are 432 equipment or from some other FV. Anyone shed any light on what they are from , what they do, where they are fitted, Cheers Basil.

Hi, I run a Bedford RL fitted with a normally aspirated 330. The all up weight with its retro fitted box body is 5.5 tonnes, probably slightly heavier when returning from Beltring with that years new purchases !! As a yardstick, it grinds down to around 15 mph in 3rd up those Bastard great hills out of Paddock Wood on the A20. When I got it the engine was a recon so hardly run in & it was even more gutless but with use it seems to have bedded in & performs much better now. On any incline I run it down to 20mph in top & then hit 3rd which you can push down to about 12mph. in most cases you've got over the top before the need for second arrises! Only on the steepest hills have I had to resort to second, but when you do, you could get out & run faster ! Also I have on occasion A framed my 2A landy on the back, hardly noticeable on the flat but get to a hill & its 2nd & 10mph again. In conclusion, the 330 is a good old plodder but no rocket ship & what you are experiencing doesn't surprise me, given that bloody great trailer! Welcome to 1960's Bedford world ! Be patient young man, it'll get you there, just not very quickly, all the best, Basil.

Hi Dougy,your earlier post about your mate with the fifty mount as used in the 1st Gulf war interested me. Was it fitted to the commanders capola or elsewhere ? would be interested in a picture of that if you have one ? Cheers, Jon Smith. ( owner of Growler )

Hi, I have an RL that has had a 330 engine retro fitted, but I didn't do it. The starter motor is on the passenger side & the only visible mods are to the removable side covers between the cab floor & the engine cover. These are fabricated bulges added on the right to clear rocker box breather & lump on the inlet manifold & on the left side to clear the exhaust. ( which itself is modded to turn sharply backwards after about 2 in out of the manifold. Other wise there seems to be plenty of room all round. The 330 is a lovely old engine averaging about 15 mpg which aint bad considering I've got a box the size of a house on the back !!

Is that fifty mount a pucca MOD bit of kit or a civvy lash up? I've not seen that on a 432 before.

I can't believe that they won't let you take a track test in a mini digger any longer. As I said it is a tracked vehicle ,steered by its tracks which is what an H catagory is for. After all if you have a road registered mini digger or for that matter any tracked plant ( non military ) they cannot refuse to test you ,else how will you get a licence to drive it ?

A much more certain way of passing, without the inherrant dangers of driving a 432 on the road is to hire a mini digger & do the test off road. Our test centre sent the examiner out & all they required was a road junction scenario ( cones or house bricks laid out to represent the curb ) The criteria is a vehicle that is steered by its tracks, Which a mini digger is. As said vehicle only goes at walking pace, the emergency stop is a doddle ! If the examiner asks why you need a tracked licence, I would not advise mentioning tracked armour but perhaps you are buying a mini digger & want to be leagal transfering it from your trailer to the work area where you are transfering on the road. ( Jolly responsible attitude ) It was the cheapest option I could find, good luck.

Excellant, thanks for that, it was a toss up between that & 46 but I've got no literature for the whole vehicle as yet ( Berliet tbu 15 ) just the basic maintainance manual which covers cab controls, driving & filter changes etc. Anybody got any manuals for crane & winch ? Best regards Jon Smith.

Can anyone tell me the correct grade of hydraulic oil for the westinghouse crane as fitted to Berliet & Reo etc?

Ok sussed it here it is.

I would put a picture on but don't know how !! tried cut & paste but that doesn't work - any clues please?

Hi all, great news, my new wrecker is here, & jolly splendid it is too !! Are there any other owners of these fine machines out there, if so I wonder does anyone know of a source of filters ( oil & fuel ) & also of the fuel cocks that swap feed/ return from one tank to the other as mine are seized solid. Many thanks. Jon S.

The filler bung has slots cut vertically in the thread which I think is supposed to relieve pressure build up, mine often give a hiss of escaping pressure when undone. Mine has also developed a slight weep from the nearside nut so would be interested to follow your progress in remedying this.

Hi, Ive got a working B.V. complete with inner & cable you can have for £40 including postage if you like ( assuming you live in mainland uk. ) Let me know if you're interested. Best regards Basil.

The leading edges of the outer bars on bar tread tyres always wear more on front fitted tyres due to cornering wear, becoming more noticeable as the tyre wears out. This should not be excessive however & if it is so, then the tracking may need checking for too much toe in.

Hi, I recently saw an add on milweb for an MJ fitted with side bars & claiming that it was " as per the new regulations " perhaps you could give him a ring & ask the ins & outs of it. Personnaly though I'd trawl through the VOSA regs till I could find an appropriate exemptiion, print it off & slap it on the jobs worths desk at the test centre ! Regards Basil.

Thanks for the info on the K60 manual, I reckon thats the one I need, ta very much !

Hi, Jon Smith here, user name Basil, just joined the forum today, I'm based in Felixstowe in Suffolk. Amongst my collection of stuff is a 1963 2A 88in Landrover, an ex EOD Bedford RL ( also called Basil ), an Armstrong MT500 & an Fv432 named Growler. Also at this time I'm looking at aquiring a Berliet tbu 15 wrecker & to that end would be interested in any sources that you guys may know of workshop/operators manuals for that one. I'm also after a manual for the Rolls Royce K60 engine pack if anyone knows a source of those, ( knowledge is power & all that ) Best regards to all, Basil.