Pete Ashby

Yes it is an early one my guess for production would be after May but before September 1940 Tim, note the cast towing eyes on the front frame just behind the bumper and the pressed louvers, late 11 and all 12 cab Fords had a separate screw in panel for the louvers. The colour scheme was what led me to think it may have been allocated the NZ forces however the the reg number would suggest British issue although I can't find it in the Chilwell lists. I'll have a poke about in some other records I have and see if anything shows up. Pete Right found it, part of a block of numbers 4462042 to 4466041 covering 'various types' allocated in the middle east by middle east command.

Hoppy, looking at your photos you posted it looks like you have a Solex carb fitted? are you sure it's jetted correctly for your engine ? Pete

It's very simple Tony, it's just a replacement plug with a toughened glass screen so you can look into the combustion chamber and monitor the colour of the fuel air mixture as it burns. This is then compared against a chart, there are claims that you can diagnose all sorts of ills, personally I have only ever used it to set the idle jet. The problem is that with 70 year old engineering practices tolerances are not as close as with modern systems also the specification for military carburetors is designed for power not fuel economy and this can skew the results particularly with accelerator pumps that just pour fuel by the bucket load into the engine as soon as the throttle is opened. I'm not sure if they are still available I've had mine for years along with a 14/18mm adapter. In short it can be useful if used with the above in mind but can be misleading if too much is read into the results :nut: Pete

Yes I have on a number of MB, GPW, Dodge, Chev and GMC engines from new rebuild to tired out. On a new engine and carb it can give useful results. On a tired engine and worn out carb it's not reliable as the adjustments have to be large before any real effect is seen at the plug. Pete

Right cancel the NZ idea :red: having checked the div sign I think it may be British 2nd Armd Div, if it is 2nd Armd it's unusual as it should be on a red background.

Nice photo, not seen that before, 15 cwt 4x2 Ford 11 cab with 2B1 body ex New Zealand forces I think, so this may be in the Western Desert or possibly Crete. Pete

Good solid advice here Pete

Not sure where in the world you are ? the frame number on your document looks unusual.... nothing like I would expect a MB or GPW number to look like. As Nick notes your engine number is very low or missing some digits, some more information about the vehicle type would be useful to be able to provide a more definitive answer. Pete

Now that's clever, like Richard I noticed the lack of a brake band but assumed it had rotted off or just plain been removed. There used to be a grey woodie very similar to yours running around the Newbury area in the 60's and early 70's it always used to turn up on market day as I remember. Very nice job Cliff particularly impressed with the work that has gone into re-creating the body and roof wood work...... I take it it's all Ash ? Pete

As Tracy notes Dot 4 is a good bet and will give no problems, work the pedal on a regular basis when the truck is laid up and change the fluid every couple of years. Keep clear of the silicone based fluids unless the system is disassembled and completely flushed out with alcohol then blown through with compressed air then new silicone compatible seals fitted must be fitted. This subject has been discussed before on the forum in detail try a search. The silicon vs conventional brake fluid debate has pros and cons on both sides but one thing is certain they don't mix. Pete

One thought occurs to me, and I apologize if it seems obvious......... with the current weather you have got antifreeze in the system ? Pete

The fact you apparently have no oil pressure is a little confusing as it should, all things being equal, have no bearing on your cooling issue. As Paul and Richard note diagnostics via the web can be fraught with confusion, however before you remove the head try a compression test. Pete

I think the first question to ask is have you lost any water from the cooling system ?. If the engine has not been run for long periods or been left to idle in cold weather without reaching full operating temperature condensation can build up inside the crankcase and contaminate the oil. The second question would perhaps be why was the head gasket replaced in the first place :undecided:. It's always better to ask and answer the simple questions first before taking everything apart . Pete

Some useful info there all in one place, thanks for posting Pete

Have you tried the REME museum at Arborfield. I know that Robert Davey on this forum is a volunteer there so it may be worth a PM to him asking who you should contact in the records department. Pete

Good for you, seeing that took me back 39 years to my first jeep with my dear old Dad at the controls for the first time since he left the army in 1946. I can still remember the excitement and sense of achievement on that cold damp day in November 1973. Well done chaps looking good you'll be finished and ready for the 2013 season regards Pete

Your welcome Tony, looking at the wiring diagram it appears that the dip switch activates a solenoid located in the head lamp unit with tips the reflector down. regards Pete

Suggest you read this thread http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?35215-Matt-Paint&highlight=gloss+undercoat and do a search this topic has been covered at length on this forum.

Tony Just checked and both the Wolsley 10 and 12 were fitted with a solenoid operated dip head light on the drivers side so if it's the front loom we are taking about I guess that may well be the power feed for the solenoid. Pete

Ah, was that for the front harness to the head lights ?, there were several systems in use in the twenties and thirties for anti-dazel devices some had solenoid operated tipping lenses others I believe actually turned out the bulb while still others activated a very low wattage second bulb an early form of modern twin filament I suppose. I would need to hunt around in my pre war reference books to be more precise but I assume the Wolsley you have will be standard dip twin filament pre-focus? Pete

Not sure about pass lamps, was it a night time version of the pass plate system that was in use on British and Canadian trucks up until about 1942 ? Pete

Thank you Richard spot on as ever Pete

My Retriever has a similar Volkes filter. Like you my felt is cream cracker-ed, to date Iv'e not been able to find a replacement source. I suspect that having new felts cut and stitched will be prohibitively expensive, do you have a company in mind ?. Pete

You don't say how long you ran the engine before you turned off ?, you should see pressure building in one or two seconds from start providing the pump has been primed before installing. Some people use Vasaline and pack the pump on rebuild I prefer to use engine oil. I assume you removed the pump if so have you got the correct gaskets replaced in the correct order? Did you remove the floating pick up pipe from the block flange? if so did you replace the small gasket ?, if not you can draw air and the pump wont prime. Another useful thing to do when starting an engine after a full strip is to prime the main oil gallery via the oil pressure gauge pipe using an pump action oil can, takes a bit of time but well worth the effort as it fills the feeds to the mains and big ends Why do you think you have a problem with the big ends? I'm afraid if you have knocked the ends out you may also have caused a problem with the mains and possibly the camshaft:cry: sorry to be gloomy but oil pressure is key without it the engine is toast I'm afraid. Pete

More sheep than the dreaded golden arches David,................but then everyone needs a hobby :nut::nut: Pete