eddy8men

ok so we are back on with the resto all be it with lauren this time round . most of the engine compartment ancillaries have been done already and are pretty much ready to bolt back on with the exception of the rads which although had been restored by a local chap and held water, failed once I pressure tested them. I even had a spare of my own as an option and that too failed the pressure test (maybe just run it with the rad cap off) :-D anyway the rads will be sorted by hook or by crook ! this week we will tackle the engine bay with a view to getting it stripped, painted and maybe start fitting some of the nice shiny bits back in, this will include all new hydraulic pipes and unions which will be pressure tested before the engine and box go in. there are plenty of other bits and bobs to do like freeing off all the hatches which are all rusted solid and general de gunging of the fighting compartment so we can at least see what we need to do to get it running and driving. the plan is to have it running and driving for war and peace (I didn't say which one). i'll keep the updates coming as the next 2 weeks should see a fair bit of progress. rick

nice find olaf as to value maybe £800 for the track and bogies and the owner can keep the rest, infact if you gave him some carrier wheels with the rubber removed and a couple of 1" bars as axles he'd pretty much have the same thing just without the track and someone else could have a nice basis for a carrier trailer rick

sorry lance but there's no use crying over spilt milk or old tanks, you should take some comfort in the fact that you played a very large part in the tank being where it is today and i'm sure lauren will let you take it out for a spin for old times sake (if you pay for the fuel) james I am hoping everything will go to plan but the electrics are a complete unknown as yet and the rads are buggering me about refusing to hold water under pressure. other than that I can't see any real dramas getting it moving under it's own steam, after that we'll see what lauren wants to do with it. I took a few more pics today and will post them up later. rick

ok so we are back on with the resto all be it with lauren this time round . most of the engine compartment ancillaries have been done already and are pretty much ready to bolt back on with the exception of the rads which although had been restored by a local chap and held water, failed once I pressure tested them. I even had a spare of my own as an option and that too failed the pressure test (maybe just run it with the rad cap off) anyway the rads will be sorted by hook or by crook ! this week we will tackle the engine bay with a view to getting it stripped, painted and maybe start fitting some of the nice shiny bits back in, this will include all new hydraulic pipes and unions which will be pressure tested before the engine and box go in. there are plenty of other bits and bobs to do like freeing off all the hatches which are all rusted solid and general de gunging of the fighting compartment so we can at least see what we need to do to get it running and driving. the plan is to have it running and driving for war and peace (I didn't say which one). i'll keep the updates coming as the next 2 weeks should see a fair bit of progress. rick

I made one of these for my Cromwell and I have to say yours is considerably better, I will have to try harder next time

looks doable to me

hi spacehopper please post up your pics, the more the merrier. I too was amazed at just how thin the armour was, things have come a long way since then with regard to armour ! infact thinking about it the Churchill entered service only 2 years after the A9 and that has a maximum of 7" of armour over the hull gunner as opposed to 1/2" for the A9. I know which one i'd rather be in. having said that the A9 is still an important tank and was the first real "modern" tank to enter service and is well worth saving especially now Adrian has told us of another wreck :cool2: rick

welcome to the forum

I had assumed that some Bulgarian Politian or general had realised that they could make a nice butty out of it and was selling them off quietly on the side.

very informative answer dave. cheers

that's the one. cheers :thumbsup:

trevor you got me thinking about concealed vehicles and reminded me of a tank pic I saw somewhere with a 10 ton truck frame and painted canvas on it, actually looked quite good !

probably being towed by a scammell pioneer and as for why you'd want to conceal a petrol tanker from the enemy (unsuccessfully) i'll let you work that one out

reckon you nailed it. cheers the exciting thing is the rest of the tank might be nearby going off what I read on the net. might have to take a shufti for myself :cool2:

came across this turret whilst looking for cruiser wrecks can someone id it. cheers

hi Adrian he was fair enough but not daft when it came to money, I thought he might not know what he had and that I would get them for a song but it didn't work out like that, I can't complain though as I got a fair deal and so did he !

"I think your figures for the A9 should read £100k and 20 years!" There's restoration and then there's restoration ! I personally would settle for getting it together and moving, anything after that would be a bonus

it'll all be worth it in the end

hi mike and tim the sled I have was used to recover vehicles, I actually bought 2 complete sleds but only took the tracked bogies the rest is still at nelson green's yard in grantham, I keep meaning to go back and get them as they might be the only 2 surviving examples and besides they would look nice towed behind my carrier

thanks Adrian much appreciated. I had no idea until dave h spoke to me that there were other early cruiser tanks still around. which is surprising considering their relatively thin armour but after reading what bob has put about budge I find it hard to understand how someone can recover a tank and then scrap it, especially when there is only one example surviving. it reminds me of the museum in Normandy that scrapped the A13 because the armour had cracked and the turret had fell into the hull, again only one surviving example. the truth is not many could care less about british armour ! maybe we aren't glamorous enough. anyway with 2xA9 wrecks it would become much more feasible to restore one to running condition or at least get it moving under it's own power. so if anyone reading this has £20k and 5 years to spare then stand up and be counted ! rick

hi Adrian I was hoping you might be able to help out, can you dig them out for us and post them up. cheers

that's a valentine but it does share the same suspension which is why it's so easy to confuse them, i'll do a google search and see if anything comes up on pirbright

I heard of another cruiser wreck yesterday from a member of TOG (as I like to call them) sitting on the range at pirbright, bloody cruisers will be everywhere soon couple more pics of the one I found. like alastair said earlier there will be plenty of parts scattered around just under the surface rick

be great to bring the carrier for a run out but doubt I could get there as it's an awfully long way from Manchester, however I might be able to manage a burgundy C max complete with crew later in the year . rick

thanks for the offer tim