TooTallMike

Sorry, I only wanted to recount my personal experience in my email. I didn't want to share it on a public website in case I inadvertently incriminate myself. I can let you know if you're interested but I don't want it published for the rest of time. :-) My understanding however is that a private sale within the EU is not liable for any form of duty and that a commercial transaction with a dealer would be liable to VAT equivalent at the rate applicable in the seller's country since that is where the funds will end up. Anyone who knows more about this is welcome to comment since I may well be wrong. I'd be interested to know what has happened in this case.

PM sent.

Tony/Enigma, That's a really good point and I hadn't considered it at all. Looking at the cut-away diagrams, my only concern is that there would be nothing to support the end of the halfshaft. In the case of GMC split and banjo axles, there is a 'steering knuckle bushing' (part AI on p183 & part A on p213 of TM 0-1801) which goes some way to supporting the shaft, but it is designed to be supported from the end too, not float on this bushing. Again, this may not be a problem while front drive isn't engaged. Karoshi - I can't comment on your GMC but the WLF is a different vehicle with the front prop. removed so for me this is a worthwhile project. Mail sent.

Welcome Mick, I'm going to talk to the Beltring arena Marshall about doing this one evening straight after the tanks have left, and before we lose the light.

For the wrecker it's a combination of fuel economy, wear, vibration, noise and a plain old engineering challenge. It also beats dropping the front prop on my head again when installing it. Incidentally I think I also read that you should machine out the dummy tube to allow for a bronze tube to 'carry' the halfshaft, otherwise it would be rotating against machined cast steel. On split-axle GMCs & WLFs there is a retaining bolt which holds the end of the halfshaft tight against the inner face of the drive flange, thus locating the UJ correctly in the housing (ie. in vertical alignment with the kingpins) for the purposes of correct operation while steering. How is this dealt with in the dummy flanges since the flange and halfshaft will rotate independently? My feeling is that the lateral location of the UJ is less important when it is not being driven either by the road wheels or the transfer box, since in ideal (ie. friction-less) cirumstances it would not be rotating and would only move a small amount when steering. Sorry if this is getting too technical but I don't want to inadvertently cause more wear than I'm trying to avoid!

Question initially directed to Karoshi but all are invited to input: K - I saw on CCKW.org that you were after a pair of drive flanges for a split axle GMC. Firstly, I think I have a pair along with a pile of other bits which I want to sell, if you didn't get any. I'll get some pic's once the snow is gone. Secondly - were you by any chance planning on doing Dr Deuce's dummy drive flange conversion? If so, does it work and are there any wear issues? I want to do a similar thing on the wrecker but I'm concerned about the splined halfshafts wearing their way through the dummy tube. For anyone who doesn't know what all this is about - GMC front axle drive is transmitted to the hubs via the drive flanges at the extreme ends of the axle. They have an internally splined tube which mates with the halfshaft, and they bolt to the outer face of the hub. To avoid having the front diff and prop running constantly the suggestion is to obtain a spare pair of flanges and machine out the internal splines so that they are plain tubes. The halfshaft then floats inside without turning the diff or prop. If you plan to go off road you just swap the dummy flanges for the originals and engage 6x6. Any comments welcome.

I'm always fascinated looking at period photos alongside the modern-day location so I'll see what I can find on the web. If the weather's nice I might just walk around the town and compare. Looks like the wrecks museum will have to wait until the 2009 trip so I can do it justice. Cheers for all the thoughts.

Sounds like the same sort of stuff. I take it it worked ok since you used it more than once. :-) I'm going to try the trick of shaking pennies around inside to loosen the rust before I wash it out. Note to self - remember to take before & after photos! :banghead:

Just found that you can get it from http://www.frost.co.uk. I've ordered some for the MUTT tank. I'll report on how it goes.

Redhill has always used a different weekend to Lingfield to avoid treading on their toes. We don't do Lingfield because we're always busy preparing the Redhill site for the following weekend.

Thanks for those ideas. I'm only likely to have a few hours to spare and no car so I might try the memorial if nothing better presents itself. I expect the harbour might be quite interesting as well. We camped next to Pegasus in 2004 and will again in 2009 but I never made it into Caen itself. Incidentally has anyone been to the undersea museum with the collection of vehicles pulled out of the sea? I intend to go there in 2009, as well as the newly-opened german bunker at Grandcamp-Maisy.

Redhill Steam Fair, 11-12August 2007: Robin's Cook Farm (opposite Redhill BoB Aerodrome), Redhill, Surrey. Dedicated Military Vehicle section in and around wooded area. Free “run-what-you-brung” off road course (participation at owner’s own risk & subject to weather conditions) Dioramas, displays and re-enactments welcome. No need to pre-book but an idea of numbers would be helpful. Early arrival and late departure possible by prior agreement. All other classes of vehicles and displays welcome too. Free cuppa waiting at MV Marshall encampment for HMVF members and anyone else who is nice enough to me. For more info. see http://www.redhillsteamfair.co.uk, e-mail tootallmike at hotmail.com or call Mike on 07747 772838

I'm going to be in Caen for 3 days next week on business and I hope to find myself at a loose end for at least one afternoon. Does anyone know of any museums etc. worth visiting? (I won't have a car so it'd need to be within lanky legs' walking distance of the centre.) Cheers - Mike

New Forest isn't too far - I could be interested. :-)

Apologies if I've missed any previous mention of this: I'm not familiar with your carb. so it may not be relevant, but I've had problems with carb. float needle valves sticking either open, closed or partially open. If you've got fuel it's clearly not stuck closed but are you sure it's not stuck open and flooding. This is especially likely if a bit of crud has come through and got stuck when the fuel level ran low. It could equally be a worn needle valve but that's unlikely if it ran previously. All the best - Mike

It wasn't quite the 1st outing, but it would have been by far the most adventurous had it not embarrassed itself. I guess we probably put about 40 miles on this engine, most of it bimbling around show sites, but also 3 'H' tests, a trip around the Isle of Wight and a couple of short runs out. This is already the 5th engine this vehicle has had in our ownership as we used it as a testbed for engines for other CVRTs. All the ex-mil cast-off engines are relatively unknown quantities so whatever we get out of them is appreciated. We've got engine removal down to 45mins now having done about 10 of them! This was going to be the replacement engine but it's seized. There's diesel down the bores now but I doubt it's a goer. [attachment deleted by admin]

Debris in engine compartment... [attachment deleted by admin]

Just a little hole in the block... [attachment deleted by admin]

Well it wasn't a head gasket... What a handsome crane operator! [attachment deleted by admin]

More pictures... [attachment deleted by admin]

Well, we pulled then engine to replace the gearbox (cheers Karl!). Latest wisdom is that the problem is caused by worn mainshaft splines. I'm not convinced but we'll see. Can't test it yet as I want to change the steering box before putting the radiator etc. back in. [attachment deleted by admin]

Nick, That's right. I'm keeping the ball rolling 'til he's up and about again. Are you the person with details of the 'special' storage location? If so, could you email me details on tootallmike at hotmail.com. Could you also let me have Paul M's contact details as I have some info. about 50 cal's for him? Chris, As you may infer from the above, we don't actually have it yet. I'm just trying to work out whether my truck will have adequate reach and lift or if something bigger will be required. I'd prefer not to have to buy yet another vehicle just to service something else! From what you say it looks as though the engine and 'box can be dealt with separately so weight won't be an issue, just reach. - Mike

Does anyone have any experience with changing Chieftain packs? I need to know rough weight and dimensions, also what minimum reach & height would be required of a crane...? Also how easy would it be to remove/install engine & gearbox separately rather than as a pack (to reduce the weight)? Thanks in advance :-)

So let me get that straight – it was an incorrectly phrased fake emergency message broadcast as a practice during a rehearsal for an exercise... No wonder it got confusing!

Mark, I've not forgotten. I've now modified my loom for separate rear indicators / brake lights and to make UK-acceptable front and rear sidelights. It looks like there will be few if any male (pin) connectors left as there aren't that many in a loom to start with. There will be about 25 female connectors with varying lengths of cable attached plus the multi-pin threaded connectors for the 3-way light switch, flasher unit and indicator switch if you're still interested? Regarding adapting another loom - I imagine this will be more effort than it's worth. You may end up doing so much work that it'd be easier to make one if you can get the rest of the connectors you need. ps. it might be worth a 'phonecall to REOMIEs and some of the other European dealers. I'd be surprised if no-one can supply a stock loom, even if you have to settle for a standard M38A1 one.