David Herbert

I think that '73AG90' is certainly the same vehicle as the un-numbered one in the first post. There are three distinct areas of damage on the front bumper and also the front RH corner of the centre roof section is slightly bent away from the body side. With the windscreen sticker and missing door handle trim I don't think there is any doubt. I expect most people here know, but for those that don't, the post war style numbers are actually a four digit number with the two letters placed in the middle. So the next available number after 09AB99 would be 10AB00 and the next 10AB01 etc. The numbers were allocated in blocks against orders, some vehicle types had the chassis or hull numbers directly linked to registration numbers (Eg. FV430 range) but many didn't. Not all blocks of numbers were used. The letters were primarily in date of allocation order but there were many exceptions like RAF vehicles had first letter A and renumbered WW2 vehicles had first letter Z. David

Yes it is a Gama Goat. There were quite a lot of them about at that time and not too expensive. I wonder what happened to them? They did have a bit of a reputation for breaking down and with no parts backup they might all be dead. David

Or a bomb aiming device from an aircraft ? David

I definitely don't see it as a vehicle part. I think your suggestion of it being part of a predictor/director is very possible but that is not something that I have a good knowledge of so I can't help much. Someone must know... David

I don't understand the problem with recharging the vehicle's air tank with air. This is just like a truck air system but presumably at a higher pressure. It never did have oxygen in it and to put oxygen in it would be very bad for the engine because it would cause major uncontrolled explosions rather than progressive burning of the fuel. If you can recharge it with nitrogen you have presumably sorted out transfer pipes and pipe fittings so why not connect it to a compressor and pump it up as high as the compressor will go and see if it starts. If it does the vehicle's own compressor will take it the rest of the way for next time. I expect that Mr Hewes is using CO2 because that is cheap and easy to get but the limited oxygen content of air would obviously be available for initial combustion where as using any inert gas will only spin over the motor, hopefully fast enough to let its momentum suck in the air that it needs to fire once you stop injecting the inert gas. One other comment is that you MUST prime the oil system with the electric pump before every start or it drains down and is initially unlubricated. Best of luck, they are great fun to drive but watch out for drones! David

I have found that ordinary cheap washing up liquid works well but it will take the shine off paint. David

I am sure that it is a Bedford but with the earlier type of bonnet side. These originally had a piece of wire mesh attached to the inside face of an oval opening but these were rather fragile and were replaced in production by ones on the rather artistically painted Bedford in Rupert's post. Those late ones were just slots pierced into the sheet metal. The one with the guy leaning on it has home made slats added to an early type one that has lost its wire mesh. The early and late designs were interchangeable so can turn up on any date of Bedford. David

It is certainly a Centurion and I think probably the floating one as it has an extension to the track guards that could be for the canvas screen. David

Sorry to hear of your problems John. I gave up running a Range Rover because of the dreadful reliability and now run a 2019 Dacia Duster which is a vastly better vehicle though not as big or posh of course. I wonder if you needed to mention the word 'Tank'. I think I would have written 'occasional escorting of trucks carrying oversize loads'. I know that I am a bit late with that suggestion! David

Yes we are sure that the FV437 has its engine in the middle. It was mentioned in the commentary of the Mudlark film. Also it was mentioned in the film that there is permanent wading trunking around the engine grills so that there is no need to erect a flotation screen as with a FV432. This has disappeared from the last remaining one on outside display. Note also that the FV437 has different road wheel spacing to a FV432. This is shared with the FV431 load carrier and I am satisfied that 06EB01 was originally built as a FV431 and then rebuilt into the FV437 used in Mudlark. This type of rebuild was also done to produce the prototype Green Archer vehicle which was converted from a FV432 trials vehicle and retained the same registration despite being given a new FV number. Prototype vehicles were given P numbers and usually civilian type registration numbers. They often differed significantly from each other (there was a 432 prototype with only four road wheels each side for example). Once the basic design was established vehicles would be ordered for trials and given W numbers and army registration numbers. These started life identical but were modified as improvements were thought of so varied a lot as time went on. There are for example pictures of FV421 00CA24 with its original continuously sloped front and also the revised front with the more vertical windscreens. There were many different transmissions tried in the VF421s including the fully auto Allison 6 speed box that went on to be used in the FV430 series. The last remaining FV421 has the Allison box and the steering box that went into the prototype FV432s. Also the revised idler mountings (idler moved backwards and stronger adjuster) and different rear air trunking. This one is 00CA25. Does anyone have a photo of it in service ? I have never found one. David

Happy new year to you too Niek. Nice shed you have ! David

Or you could 3D print a plastic pattern with a shrinkage allowance and sand cast in aluminium from it or to be posh you could 3D print a wax pattern and lost wax cast in metal from that. It is creating the original CAD file that is difficult and you seem to have that sorted. David

I doubt that they were done hot as small rivets stay red hot for a very short time. If you have a SDS electric hammer drill you can use that (set to hammer only) for a job like this. It is not hard to convert a cheap plain chisel bit into a rivet set and you will need a very heavy 'bucking bar' to support the head of the rivet.The bucking bar needs to be adequately supported to avoid deforming the surrounding metal. It is critical that the rivets are exactly the right length to pass through the thickness of the plates and have exactly the right amount protruding to form a complete head. If the holes are oversize extra length will be needed to fill the oversize holes as the rivet will initially swell before the head forms. Practice will help you to get a feel for all this. Have fun, David

I think that this is for a starter motor judging by the two big copper contacts. The part number is a Lucas one (LU....) David

Well done Harold. I hope that you will be able to restore it back to its original form but it will be a big job. At least it should be possible to obtain good quality photos and test reports of it from when it was being trialed. It will be quite a beast when it is done but you need to start saving for fuel ! Please post any developments here. David Herbert

I can't tell you just from the army reg but ZR numbers are WW2 vehicles that have been re-registered into the post war system. It is a shame that you weren't able to take a photo. David

Does it have a reverse gear? If not that would greatly limit its applications. Or it could be a 5F + R with the R deleted or it may be a 4F + R design modified to give 5F but no R especially for the Stalwart / Salamander project. David

The gun was a real 6pdr bored out to a non standard caliber. The wheels were Cromwell/Centaur wheels and hubs. At the time we couldn't work it out but there was a debate a few years ago (but I can't remember where - sorry!) in which I was persuaded that it was a mock up made for air drop trials. I doubt that it was air dropped into the location shown or it would have buried itself. Obviously it has been shot at too. David

Which vehicle ? David

I bet most people would think you were talking about empty cinemas. David

Well spotted Bob ! David

Yes, please put your location in your profile as this forum is completely international and location makes a huge difference to how we can help each other. David

Many years ago I had an Austin Champ FFW and found the two speed generator to be an excellent reminder that if it decided to change down it was time that I did too ! I used the Champ as my first daily driver and had no real trouble with it apart from the dreadful brakes. David

In respect of the seals, it is common practice in tracked armored vehicles for the seals in the suspension and wheel hubs to be primarily designed to keep dirt and water out. Keeping lubricant in is secondary as regular maintenance can usually be ensured by standing orders. David

There is ! It is a sub section ' MV Chatter' but I don't think many people have spotted it judging by the number of views that posts seem to get and there are a number of posts that are nothing to do with manuals but should be in the main MV chatter bit. I wonder if the moderators could make the manuals into a section of their own and clean out any non manual content ? David