rampant rivet

Proper job Rob 😎

Hi Rob what thickness steel are you using ? too thick and its hard to dress ove the rod, especially the curves, are you using a panel beating hammer ? When dressing the steel over its best to used lots of light blows working along the peice from one end to the other then repeating. Its hard to describe how to strike the hammer blows but I tried to catch the top edge vertically to start curving the sheet over the rod it's a time consuming job but gets easier with practice 😎 hope this helps some.

Hi Richard I'm not sure when I'll get to the shed as we are moving house next week so things are a bit mad, might try and sneak down on Sunday as I want to fit the oil pump 😎

Thanks Rob glad you enjoyed reading this epic 😁 I can't wait to get that engine running too, couldn't get to t'shed this wkend due to the bl**dy snow again !

Hi Rob just remembered you need to add 2.5 x the dia of the rod you're using so you have just enough steel to wrap around the wire, I didn't use any heat at all even on the tight radius curves of the mudgaurds. I found it best to sandwich the sheet steel between 2 sheets of 3/4" ply and then dress the sheet down 10 mm to form a right angle, turn it over then place the rod inside, dress over the sheet at each end to capture the rod then slowly dress the remaider over working up and down the peice gradually bending the sheet over the rod I used a pair of old style nail pincers to hold the rod tight to the radius. Like I said it' time consming and a bit fiddly but very satisfying, I had a go on a bit of scrap as a practice before I got stuck in 😁

Hi Rob have a look at page 20/21 of my MWD resto blog shows how I went about forming the wired edge it's a bit fiddly but satisfying job

Back to working on the real thing today, even managed to play with the champ thing as I had to put it into temporary storage ready for the house move. Then on with the engine build Made a couple of guide studs to help locate the head gasket and act as a guide for lowering the head. Head safely in place. Then re fitting fuel,water pumps, starter motor, thermostat housing and manifold etc etc.

The sherman is now in paint and having partaken a couple of glasses of Merlot I have turned my attention to the nightmare 1/35 scale vac MW model that has taken almost as long as the real thing 😁

Two foot snow drifts IN the drive and it's snowing today again plus the fact its my Birthday means a bit of Sherman M4 A1 restoration work in front of the fire 😎 Bit frustrating as I had planned a couple of days on the MW but that' snowed in 15 miles away 😕

Busy busy day in't shed which was a good thing as it really started to get cold later on. Precious cargo about to be unloaded. Bell housing, clutch etc fitted At last safely in the chassis. Took a while before lifting the engine in to tidy up the way the wiring loom, brake and fuel pipes were run plus a few other odds n sods that were easier to do without the block in the way.

Its laid on the journal then the cap and bearing shell are fitted together tightened up to the correct torque setting then taken apart, how wide it is squashed gives you the tolerance ie narrow squish means you have more tolerance than if its wider, you have a gauge that is marked out in thou's that you use to "read" the tolerance, all the bearings, mains and big ends were bang in the middle of where they should be according to the book 😁

My mate Brian built the engine up for me today, everything went well thank goodness. I Passed spanners, parts and mugs of tea 😎 Using the flywheel to turn the crank. Setting the torque wrench for the main caps. Using plasti gauge to check tolerances. Fitting pistons. Old sump used for protection while transporting then re fitting, all new core plugs fitted. Hopefully this should be back in the chassis tomorrow afternoon.

Good day in't shed the "old" engine is now out ready for the "new" one next weekend hopefully.

From memory on tickover, the high pressure is limited by a oil pressure relief valve so the only improvement on the "new" engine might be the oil pressure on tickover, had a few hours today stripping out the cab seats, floor panels etc. Will drop the gearbox next Sunday. Plan to build up the new engine next Saturday morning ready for the transplant 😎 Gaining access to the gearbox.

Think this is off a Morris commercial truck Good cond £25 + p&p SOLD

She was running around the 30 -40 lb on start up, 20lb Mark when warmed up Andy.

Hi Richard found this in the garage today I think its part of the door hinge yours F.O.C. if its any use to you, tyres look good by the way ☺

Bit the bullet today and have started the process of removing the OY block Made easier by removing the rad first. Just the manifold and head to remove next weekend before I start on the gearbox etc etc.

Hi Richard call me tomorrow afternoon as I'm about to start removing the oy block and can measure the dims you need

Hi Mario thank Chris for letting me have the aero screens !

Satin black from fleabay stir well, drys quick 😎

Quick coat of paint in the Sunshine

Hi Richard Yes heads already been sorted skimmed / valve seats etc etc and yes I did have the inlet/exhaust face skimmed and have checked there is still enough tolerance for the collars ☺

Called in to check on progress with the engine block and it's looking good as Brian has given it a light skim . Took 6 thou of distortion out of the forward section of the block, which may have been why it was removed yonks ago, ready for paint now 😎.

Flap is welded seems ok will be able to put it all together now with new hotspot gasket. Another small thing to do is fit this spring and bckt numbers 50 and 51 in this diag. I have the spring but need the bckt part number 1039295 hopefully you can see the spring hanging down and this is the correct position, will fabricate the bckt if someone can give me the dimensions.