montie

Mark, They only had the three Landy samples at the first yard and nothing at the other. I'll post some more pics as soon as I get some of nice examples. Oily, thanks man, I appreciate the trouble you have taken so far! Nothing going to happen today, I have to go fix somebody's sliding gate and the a trip scheduled this afternoon to Pretoria for my soon-to-be's bachelor party. It also is where the SA Defense force is/was(??) stationed, I could maybe get some pics of other MV's in working condition. By the way, the other MV yard which I visited yesterday, the owner is a Dodge nut! I have never seen so many Dodges in one place and never knew of the existance of 95%!! He unfortunately is out of the country at the moment with a consignment of MV's destined for some museum in Europe, so no negotiations for spares. (At least they are conserving some history!!) I will try and convince him to join the HMVF amongst other things when visiting him as soon as he is back in the country...:cool2: Hopefully I will get around to posting pics tomorrow. Regards, Monty.

Hi guys, Some feedback. The twisting of the tracta cover did not help much, so the wheelstation is coming out again! Oily, you read my problem like a book! Don't know what is wrong with my mail, nothing is changed. Maybe the data pack was a bit big. Visited two MV yards today. The first one had a Saracen. According to the owner it was complete and did not want to strip for spares. Maybe he should check again, it has already been robbed of a lot of spares and needs a lot of work to get it back to a serviceble condition! He had some nice Land Rovers too, as well as a variety of other vehicles. He is selling refurbished vehicles to mid-Africa somewhere, with some MV body's retro fitted to Tata truck chassis. Also on his property this unknown MV. Looks really mean! I unfortunately did not get closer for better shots. I found the other MV yard much more interesting with a lot of HUGE surprises. More about that later. Cheers, Monty.

Hi guys, Thanks for the replies. I still think the locating pins are the problem. I am going to try to twist the tracta housing to see whether it will help, got hold of the right size spanner yesterday. Richard, I did wedge the tracta halves but if this twisting does not locate, I am taking the wheel station out again as this was problematic before and I might have overlooked the problem. It could be the inside spherical joint, it did seem a "bit loose", maybe it is becoming undone. I have got no info on the tighening specs for it though. Oily, see whether you can pick up anything about this in your manuals, please. Ah well, I might just be on a wild goose chase, let's try the twisting thing before jumping to conclutions. Regards, Monty.

Between the three of you and driving lessons in the Saracen, do take videos and post it on the tube!!! I will need lessons shortly as well but am located on the south end of the world! Oily has posted videos on the tube already, but none of this hands-on driving stuff! Paulo, I could forward you an extract of the driving instructions in the manual as an appetiser! Oily could probably help you on that one as well. Cheers, Monty.

Hi all, Worked on Sarie's Right front wheel again yesterday. Eventually got the tracta fork with all meshing components in, slided in nicely exept for that last 3/8", part of the seal on the brass collar still sticking out. I guess it could be the brass collar that does'nt line up properly with the locating pins, but it only a guess. Any ideas? Thanks, Monty.

Good, good, the "Saracen gang" is growing! Congrats, may it be the most fun you have had with your clothes on! Guys, here in South Africa are lots of SA Saracens, "Saracen 88's" available, it will be "Cheap" in your pounds! Cheers, Monty.

Hi guys, Just to confirm, we rented the movie, sure enough, it is in there. I saw it in two scenes but no real closeup shots. Did not enjoy the movie,though. Ridiculous science fiction.

Hi Mike, The scanner that I am using (a cheapie) has PDF included in the installation software. Adobe also has PDF downloads for free on the internet, normally only the reader, you could get lucky with a writer if you Google for it. Good luck, Monty.

Mark, here is the answer to your trucks. rog8811, here is your answer too. . The SAMIL 20's were built as a replacement for the Unimog based vehicle, the "Buffel" although not mine resistant as the "Buffel" was. These answers came from somebody else that went digging for info. I will take some more pics when I go to see these guys. Who knows what else may be hiding there? These SAMIL's were part of a series of vehicles, ie. the SAMIL 50 (using a V6 Magirus Deutz engine), the SAMIL 80 (using a V8 Magirus Deutz Engine) and then the SAMIL 100 with the V10 Magirus DEutz engine. I have very fond memories of the SAMIL 80 and 100 trucks. We were stationed in the remote northern part of Ovamboland, Namibia, during the bushwar for 6 month at a time. Once a week, on a Wednesday evening, a guarded convoy arrived at the base from Ondangwa. This was about 80 or so kilo's away. These convoys brought fresh produce, bread, beer and of course, letters and packages from home. So, very early Wednesday mornings, just after "klaarstaan" minesweepers on foot with their escourt of infantery soldiers left for Ondangwa sweeping the sand road for mines and the same happened from Ondangwa end. They usually met half way and then the vehicles could travel at around 80 km's an hour back to the base. So, towards late afternoon everybody was listening for the distinct sound of these trucks. What joy it was to hear them! To this day, I still love the sound of those engines! ("Klaarstaan" was done half an hour before sun-up and half an hour after sundown for an hour lying in the ready, waiting for an attack as it was deemed the best time of attack in the North.) I have strayed very far from the thread, let me shut up! Regards, Monty.

Hi guys, Good news, Richard at Banister's has spares, either loose or as units. I am planning to visit the "graveyard" over the weekend or very early next week, if they will sell spares, it will be a quicker solution. The way these Saracens has been butchered, there is bound to be loose spares around, maybe even a front bevel box. It should probably also solve the possibility of ratio differences if any existed. Cheers, Monty.

Hi all, I have posted pics of a Long Tom cannon and an unknown machine gun under the thread http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?5693-11-10-1899-Boer-War-begins in under this day in history. Not sure whether I should duplicated photos in the different threads. Monty.

Tony, You are correct, it was one and the same war. I live in a town where there was one of these concentration camps. A lot of deaths of boer woman and children occurred at the time and the graves are located all over town. Could take a couple of pics if you wanted. This was also the war where captured boer commandos were sent to Ceylon, St Helena and others and on their return after their imprisonment came back to nothing. The words roughly translates as follows: "It is the empty, it is the blue, It is the veld, it is the sky, and a bird turning above in its lonely flight, It is all. It is a bannished returned from over the ocean, it is a grave in the grass, it is a falling tear, It is all" Written by an unknown poet. One also remembers Emily Hobhouse who has become an honorary South African through her selfless and courageous actions during the war. Of course, there is also General De La Rey, of which recently a song became very famous in South Africa. Here is a "must see!" link. These are some pics taken on a recent visit to the "Eastern Transvaal". The Long Tom cannon used against the British Army during the war, German origin?(Don't remember anymore!) Picture was taken in the Long Tom Pass on the way to the Kruger National Park. A machine gun at Pilgrims Rest, where gold was discovered. Enough of my rantings, Monty.

I feel really sorry for you and the lads! I thought the type only existed in SA and if it was here, it would already have been sold as scrap metal (Brass and copper fetches HIGH prices!) Monty.

Reading all this makes me think there must have been lots of hilarious incidents, close calls and some hairy incidents!! Monty.

Hi Lee and Richard, I just remembered the following: I think the lubrication strategy might have to change, I don't have any experience on this. Monty. PS. Robin, sorry for hijacking your thread!

Hi Richard, Close call, I was already lining up the grease gun!!!! Thanks! Monty.

Hi Oily, I will write Richard from Banister's to check if he has got a set of reduction box gears. I have had a lot of promises but timewise it is taking a bit long and have to search other alternatives (also planning a visit to the "Saracen graveyard" Ugh.... ugly word!!) Cheers, Monty.

Hi Stal108, I also love conversions and at one point, not knowing the condition of the Rolls motor, I thought of installing either a Ford 351 Cleveland (double the horsepower, 100% better fuel economy, cheaper and better spares availability (I am in SA), half the engine weight, lovely stereo exhaust sound, (I better stop, might just reconsider again!), or a Mercedes six cylinder turbo engine from an agricultural tractor. I would have joined up to the Fluid Flywheel though with a gearbox adaptor, but then you have gearbox trouble. I am not sure that the front bearing on the transfer box would handle all the new loads with the propshaft in there now. I suppose you will have to drive it and see. If it doesn't last, you will be in the market for a gear- and transferbox! Best of luck. Monty.

Hi guys, Does the same count for the Saracen suspension? I have not picked up anything on that in the manuals, still need to get around to the suspension lubrication but good to know upfront. Cheers, Monty.

Hi all, If ever anybody was wondering about "timing" of the Reduction Hub, they DO self destruct when not installed correctly. Heed the manual gents, or forever hold your peace! Regards, Monty.

Matt, I am planning to go there and talk to these people, I need a reduction gearbox and rog8811 wants to know more about those trucks. Cheers, Monty.

Hi guys, Quote by Recymech http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?16817-Saracen-Build-up/page12 Monty.

Hi rog8811, I will do some digging, they (the scrap yard) are some distance away (400 km's round trip) but I want to go and enquire about some Saracen spares, one on one, not this telephone c**p. Also check out the Saracen buildup thread for other military trucks in the background of the pics. Cheers, Monty.

No worries mate, I am brilliant at jumping to conclusions and getting fit doing so. I should have read your mail with more care. It does show great camaraderie between you and croc, further highlighted when reading yours and his threads. (Would love an Explorer myself!) Regards, Monty.

Private Lebur, have you gone AWOL or are you just busy? :cool2: Regards, Monty.