Pete Ashby

Do you know if they are the same as Ford/Chev 60cwt CMP? if so I may be able to help, can you post a photo of them Bob with a scale against them? Pete

Leyland Retriever 1938 to 1941, drivers side back rests are identical, it's the only bit of adjustment in the whole cab ! Pete

Like the forming jig :goodidea: Pete

Thanks, yes it certainly is in this case. Pete

After that first start and 4 minute run it has run now for a total of 15 minutes, the inhibiting oil has burnt off and the wadding has expanded and stopped smoking in the silencer box as a result it seems to be a fair bit quieter now. Iv'e adjusted the idle speed a little and the timing seems OK for now, the manual advance on the magneto gives up to 40' advance so there's plenty of margin. Static timing is achieved by setting the engine to TDC on the handle (Thanks Agent 'O' for the cranking action) both valves closed on N01 with N04 on the rock, then it's underneath to mark the flywheel which then has to be turned back by a specified amount for each individual engine this value is given on a brass plate attached to the valve cover in this case 7/8" measured on the flywheel rim this gives optimum valve timing with the magneto in the fully retarded position with the points just about to open.......All good stuff !!( still grinning) . Pete

All of the forgoing led to something of a watershed in this saga and you can see what that was by following the link below and turning the sound up :banana::yay::yay::-D Pete

Work continued with the fitting out of engine ancillaries: Radiator craned into position Water feed and return pipes installed HT leads made up with solder spade and ring terminals Magneto taken out of storage after a complete overhaul and test fitted Flexible couplings for the shaft drives on the dynamo and water agitator made and fitted, these were made out of Balata belting I thought initially that these would be the Layrub type however there is not room for that type of coupling and the parts book records them as ‘Flexible belt couplings’ the whole thing lines up perfectly using the belting so it looks like it was the right choice. The red edges on the flexible drives seals the cut fibers of the belting I used Hammerite red the traditional colour for this is either red or orange so it looked OK and did the job well.

Time an update on progress. Following on from making the manifold gaskets the next logical step after fitting the manifolds was to look at the exhaust system. The original is all 2.5” dia pipe with a large diameter silencer box just over 3’ long. The pipe was no problem as an excellent company called Jetex supply all sorts of useful pipe and fittings in a wide variety of sizes for the Custom Car and Hot Rod world but finding a silencer of the correct proportions was not so easy, it’s very visible so it needed to be correct so I set to and made one. The case is air conditioning ducting of the correct diameter and length Selection of pipe and fittings from Jetex The original baffle set up is not known so after reading up on silencer construction methods I opted to build a perforated straight though system with wadding and three internal baffles in the box time will tell if I need to increase the back pressure a little Another raid on the domestic utensils produced two steel Woks that had the correct profiles to make up the end plates for the box The completed box pipe work, baffles and end plates The expandable Acousta-fil wadding wrap from Demon Tweeks being fitted prior to loading into the outer can and welding closed. This wadding is fairly new to the market and expands to fill the available space when run up to operating temperature, much cleaner and easier to use than the old glass fibre and steel wool methods it’s highly recommended. The end caps welded into place The completed job fitted Pete

Not too clear from your photo what the diameter of the lens is ?? is there a CAV makers mark stamped into it anywhere possibly on the top edge? Pete

Any particular part of what I wrote Ian, or all of it ????:-) Pete

Noticeably different construction with regard to similar component parts to my Leyland Retriever, it demonstrates in a very practical sense the logistical problems of Field Workshops having to cater for a large range of diverse makes. I'm currently doing some work with my late Fathers unit war diaries covering the day to day activities of a REME Infantry Field Workshop in N Africa, Sicily, Italy and Austria and the problem with spares for the large array of makes and sub types of British built vehicles comes through very clearly particularly after the second front was opened when it became common practice to strip vehicles that could not for any reason be repaired by a 2nd echelon unit like his and load the spares on board and take them with them when moved forward. This practice was still officially frowned upon but was the only way the British inventory could be maintained in running condition. Keep the photos coming Paul very much enjoying seeing your progress. Pete

Went to see it last night........... Hmm.....:undecided: not what I expected, once I'd grasped the fact that I was presented with three different time frames running concurrently it made a bit more sense. It promoted some interesting discussions in the car on the way home with regard to the character portrayals the ladies were impressed with it and the chaps less so. On balance I think I have a problem with 21st century actors portraying people I grew up around difficult to define but there is something in the mannerisms and responses to situations that is not quite right some how for me it's not just a problem with this film but a number of 30's and 40's based productions Iv'e seen recently. Would I see it again........:confused: Pete

That's where I saw it reviewed Bob sounded interesting so looked for a copy a very good read, the Officer you mention is Colonel Pothacary CO of the unit. Pete

Just finished a war novel: From The City From The Plough Alexander Baron ISBN 978-0-9482238-44-4 first published Jonathan Cape Ltd 1948 republished with additional historical notes and critique with notes about the Author 2010 Black Spring Press. The book is available from the usual on line sources for not very much money. I'm not a huge fan of novels but this is based on the authors experiences and observation of a real front line infantry Battalion just prior to D Day and in action up to and including the the Mont Picon action. The names are fictitious but based on real people and real events in the correct time frame and settings. Highly acclaimed when first published in 1948 and I would suggest 40 years ahead of it's time in terms of character portrayal it is a highly detailed study of the ordinary British infantry man of the period. Highly recommended Pete

That may well be the root of your adjustment problem, with out of true drums it is not possible to adjust to obtain 100% of available shoe contact and as a result your braking efficiency will be compromised, you may need to think about getting them skimmed. Pete

When I see things like the UJ design and the varied thread types you were discussing in a previous post it demonstrates to me in a very physical way just how the automotive industry was still developing and evolving in that inter war period. I see the same sort of anomalies with the Leyland Retriever which essentially uses early 30's design concepts on a 1940 built truck. I'm constantly struck by areas of gross over engineering in one component coupled with the use of BA threads somewhere else, it all adds up to a high degree of hands on at the build stage and the requirement for skilled operation and maintenance in service. Very much enjoying this thread please keep posting progress Pete

Thanks for the link Tony very useful Pete

:yay::yay::yay::hug: Pete

Interesting, didn't know that Tony would they have first been used in Tunisia perhaps ? interested because it may tie in with some research I'm currently doing on the 1 Army in that theater. Pete

It's these sort of jobs that take the time with these early British trucks as everything is bespoke to the make and indeed the model, well done Paul keep at it. Just word to the wise, when you work on the spring packs do make sure you take all the weight off the springs you are working on, there is a lot of stored energy in those big boys when under compression :wow: regards Pete

I don't disagree with what you say and I when I sell anything I either name a 'price' or 'ONO' or 'offers over'. An add with no price I always suspect boils down to the seller trying to get best offer without actually letting on that you are in a bidding game. If the seller dons't name the price he's got to be prepared to have the calls stands to reason as none of us are mind readers are we? just phone at a sensible time not between 1700 and 1900 and not after 2100 is my rule. So just approach it like that, do your research first know what the going rate is for what you are buying and don't open the conversation with "how much do you want for it" because he'll name a price you'll bulk at it and there's nowhere else for either of you go after that. Rather better to ask questions about condition, type ect to show you are not just a tyre kicker and know what you want and a bit about the subject and mean to buy at the right right price. If you get to the viewing stage don't spend an hour telling the seller everything that's wrong and then offer a silly knock down price it just antagonizes people far better and more powerful for any subsequent dealing to say little or nothing after looking round it either offer a price and when it's rebuffed quietly and politely point out the reasons for that price or shake the mans hand thank him for his time and walk away. Always go with hard cash in your pocket for a sensible deposit ( get a signed receipt with description of item, address and telephone number on it and photograph what you have agreed to buy easy now with phones) and do a deal with the man without being hard nosed about it. If you can't agree be pleasant about it, thank the man for his time leave your name and telephone number and ask him to phone you if he changes his mind , I have bought a number of vehicles that way. By the way it's rather impolite to then offer him a lower price than you offered in the first place and is guaranteed to get a negative reaction it rather rubs it in that he got it wrong so just like attending an auction...... decide the price you are willing to pay with a bit of wiggle room and stick to it and some times the price is fair in which case don't waste the mans time just pay him !!. It really is part of the fun of the chase doing the deal we are not buying a brand new car off the forecourt or a house or a kettle from Home Base remember, this is supposed to be fun and doing the deal is part of it. Pete

I believe the American MP's had a few as paddy wagons but I haven't seen any photographic evidence of that Pete

Couldn't agree more NOS in today's digital world some forget that you can actually talk to someone and isn't part of the fun striking the deal :dancing:?.... with the proviso that you are not just one of those strange breed wasting the sellers time by having no intention of buying at any price..... if his price is way off the market rate he will have to put up with the wasted contacts. So don't be shy step up and have a wack at the coconut or "none for the dumb" as me old Mum used to say. Pete

Good work Paul, all the more noteworthy as you are having to work outside by the look of it, keep the photos and up dates coming please Pete

Now that blocks are being cast a huge stumbling block ( pun intended) has been removed however currently gearbox, transfer box and axle cases are still required as original units once these have been sourced everything else comes off the self in one form or another and can be ordered from your arm chair with the aid of your flexible friend.........but what you have is a kit car with no history or the remotest whiff of provenance :undecided: . It would take this thread way off course if we start discussing where restoration ends and new build begins, many a pint has been supped around camp fires at shows doing just that without any agreement ever having been reached as far as I know so if anyone feels bold enough to hold an opinion it's probably best done in a new thread. But be warned it can become a hot topic :beatenup: Pete