Sean N

Well done Mike, it did sound as though it might be.

Good thought Austin, but these are bigger than the Smith's D shape speedos and the glass is much thicker than any instrument glass I've seen - it's about the same thickness as normal window or headlight glass. It may not be military or even vehicle at all, but it's likely given where they came from.

Thanks Richard. I did think it might be that, but I'm a bit shaky on some of these WW2 details and didn't want to assume. I've got some other bits of these, mainly the tubes; I didn't know what they were at first then realised when I found this. I have a stack of these glasses. They're plain glass, ground edges, a touch under 7" across x 4" high (so not quite a semi-circle) and 1/4" thick. I wondered if they might be a light lens, maybe for blackout lights because of the shape?

WW2 I guess austerity light of some sort? No lens in the tube, but a metal disc with about a quarter inch hole in it. Bulb holder is two pole. Light is marked N-WD-AF1. Tube and some other parts are brass.

I suspect they may have said graphite grease! Is this felt seal already mounted in a metal case like a normal seal, or is it just a length of felt that you fit into a recess? If you can match a modern lip seal I think you'll probably find it easier to fit and longer lasting.

If you're stuck for measuring equipment just take the pulley and the seal into your local bearing and power transmission suppliers and they should be able to sort it out for you.

530E is a smallish Ford Thames Trader truck & bus chassis of the '50s and '60s, and a Ford engine code for the 4 cylinder 3.6 diesel from the same period (Chassis and engine don't necessarily tally though, i.e. a 530E chassis may not have a 530E engine in and vice-versa)

Absolutely. How many factory records exist for even quite common vehicles? Even Vauxhall Heritage don't have Bedford dating records. It's a good job DVLA are being rational and working sensibly with you.

We've seen this one recently in an eBay sale, down south-west if I remember right. It's in a pretty bad state, from memory.

Looking this up, HMRC say: Who should complete a notification to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)? You must notify HMRC if you are a: VAT registered business, a non VAT registered business or a private individual bringing a land vehicle into the UK that you have purchased from within the European Union (EU) VAT registered business bringing a land vehicle into the UK that you have purchased from outside the EU person or agent making a notification on behalf of any of the above VAT registered business who leases a vehicle from another VAT registered business within the EU where the lease includes an option to purchase the vehicle You are not required to notify HMRC if you are a: private individual or a non VAT registered business importing vehicles purchased outside the EU visitor to the UK on holiday on a short-term secondment student on a recognised course VAT registered business approved to use the DVLA Automated First Registration and Licensing (AFRaL) scheme either electronically or on paper using forms V55(1) or V55(2) VAT registered businesses bringing a land vehicle into the UK on a temporary basis from outside the EU ...but then go on to say: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)strongly advise that before purchasing any road vehicle that does not have a UK registration, either in the UK or abroad, evidence is obtained from the supplier of the vehicle that UK VAT has been accounted for or is not due. If you make an application to register and license a vehicle that has not been notified to HMRC the DVLA / DVA will not register the vehicle (this will not affect your legal obligation to obtain a UK registration for the vehicle if you intend to keep it in the UK for road use). In order to register and license your vehicle you will need to make the notification and pay any VAT that is due as part of the notification process. Which makes it sound as though it's the way DVLA are interpreting or processing things, rather than the regulations themselves. A lot of vehicle owners have obviously been having problems with this, and it seems that part of the problem might be that DVLA's registration application systems are or were set up so that entering NOVA information was an unavoidable part of the flow, irrespective of the country of origin of the vehicle. This appears to have been part of RMS' problem. There is clarification from FBHVC at http://fbhvc.co.uk/about-us/news/_article/22/hmrc-issues-guidelines-for-registering-restoration-projects-imported-prior-to-nova/ but it's specifically aimed at import vehicles, even if those imports may have been many years ago and changed hands a number of times since. The government's own guidance at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-information-sheet-0613-notification-of-vehicle-arrivals/vat-information-sheet-0613-notification-of-vehicle-arrivals#the-legal-requirement-to-make-a-notification specifically says under exemptions to NOVA: [h=3]When is a notification not required?[/h]A NOVA notification is not required for: ... vehicles registered and licensed using a V55/4 which have been manufactured in the UK and have not been imported from outside the UK (Go to Note (iv) for further information) vehicles registered and licensed using a V55/5 which have been manufactured in the UK and have not been imported from outside the UK (Go to Note (v) for further information) ... [h=4]Note (v) Used vehicles registered and licensed using a V55/5 that are not vehicle imports[/h]Some very old vehicles are registered and licensed with the DVLA using a V55/5 form even though they are not vehicle imports. If this is the case, no NOVA notification is required where it is clear that the vehicle has been manufactured in the UK and there is no indication that the vehicle has ever left the UK. and SI 2013/701, the enabling legislation, specifically and solely refers to "bringing vehicles into the UK". All of this, of course, is no help if DVLA have decided a NOVA has to be issued irrespective, have not set up their systems correctly or have just not trained people correctly, but it might be satisfying to quote the law at them! I wonder if part of the problem might be people using, or being told to use, V55/1 instead of V55/5 to register? Interesting comments, Tony. I seem to remember there are new regulations, or at least new interpretations, laid down which makes the requirements for proof of age very tight - something about it having to come from manufacturers' original records, if I remember right, though I can't find the reference now. MoD release papers have always been accepted by DVLA as proof that car tax / VAT has been paid, and date into service taken as date of manufacture. IF you can demonstrate the vehicle was built in 1959 to DVLA's satisfaction you should get a 1959 registration; you can even get the age changed if the vehicle is already registered as later from the date into service, though it's very hard work. If any earlier vehicle is registered as post 1960 from the DIS, then yes, it needs an MoT - I have exactly this situation with a 1955 built K9 which didn't go into service until 1960.

NOVA only for non-UK vehicles though, Brooky? Not applicable if the trucks are, say, Bedfords or Commers?

Paul, there is guidance on distance between vehicles and the maximum length of an individual group of vehicles, can't recall what it is though. As you say, to make passing easy is a priority. On single lane roads I'd say a lot more than four vehicle lengths or keep it tight - four vehicle lengths isn't a big space for the idiots that will dash past you at any opportunity... You'll know all this already, but... Very few people seem to do it these days, but on single lane roads guidance says slow vehicles should pull in every so often to allow other vehicles to pass - think it's in the highway code. Might be worth looking up where there are suitable laybys (Google maps / streetview?) On the M40 you want as many signs, marker boards and flashing lights as you can get, and an escort vehicle might not hurt either. I still remember what happened to Joe Dawes' Scammell on the M40... If you've got an escort vehicle get them to keep well back from the last truck as they don't want to get sandwiched if hit from behind. Flags probably meaningless to most people.

Mike, presumably this is a known good engine that has been starting OK in the past, rather than a new rebuild? If a new rebuild, it could be that the engine is tight. If a known good starter, and assuming your description is as accurate as it sounds, you're looking for losses in the electrical system. Check all the connections and try turning it over a bit, then carefully have a feel of the starter switch, all the connections and the starter itself to see if anything's getting hot. Wherever it's hottest there's likely to be a high resistance, i.e. poor wiring, bad connection etc. Clean up any connections, replace any suspect parts and try again. Don't forget to check all the earths - engine, chassis, battery etc. Another point - has there been any rewiring? Low voltage electrics draw more current for a given power, so will need larger cabling; if it's been rewired has cabling to suit a 6V system been used? Also don't assume the starter is good just because it's new; if it's NOS it might have corrosion internally due to condensation, if rebuilt it may not have been rebuilt properly. Finally is the battery OK? Edit - sorry for the echo, Arcot, we posted at the same time!

Doug, I don't think there is a confusion really. If it's essentially a complete vehicle, as with this chassis and cab K9, there's no issue at all. It's only when the vehicle is built from bits of several other vehicles, as might be the case with a 'bitzer' restoration, a kit car or a special, that things get more difficult. That's because the licencing authorities are worried about two things; first, getting the age right, and second, not inadvertently laundering a stolen vehicle. They ask about the originality / source of the chassis, body and major units as they give a weighting to each of these when deciding how original the vehicle is and thus whether it can be given an age related registration; the biggest weighting being given to the chassis or unitary body, if I remember right. The chassis number is king here as well. You're right about the interpretation of the rules though, and one of the big issues with road vehicle legislation for us is the interpretation of areas of the regulations which are not well defined, and the changes in that interpretation over time.

The Bedford RL is interesting as I'm sure UXM 139 either survives or I've seen photos of it recently. There's what appears to be an AEC O.854 with Coles crane there as well.

You've effectively got the original vehicle as it came from the factory. DVLA aren't going to care that's it's got a non-factory body on since half of them came out of the factory as chassis & cab anyway, and they're not going to care that it's missing minor bits & pieces. I've registered a K9 with no body, no wiring and no cab interior before now. All they're trying to establish is that there are enough of the original major units - chassis, body, axles, engine, transmission - there to allow them to confirm that it's the original vehicle, issue an age related plate and not be in a position where they're effectively authenticating a bitzer. The form that MatchFuzee links to, as Brooky says, is not relevant here; it's for vehicles built up from parts of a number of different vehicles from across the production run, or vehicles substantially modified from original; for example a Ford hot rod where the front axle might be Viva, the back axle Jaguar, the engine from a completely different Ford, the body and chassis from different cars, and so on.

Are there no plate makers on eBay who could help? Perhaps one that advertises special shape plates such as those for Rovers and some other cars? Or could you get a piece of acrylic / polycarbonate, some letters and some of the reflective backing and make it up yourself?

It's the US East Base on Stonington Island in the Antarctic peninsula. Richard Byrd took the tanks out there to experiment with using them as tracked tractors. I think there are two M2A2s and a T3E1 tracked carrier.

Standard AC oil bath air filter used on Bedford, Austin and lots of other vehicles; difficult to know what without knowing the diameter and the ID of the outlet tube, possibly not even then.

Bedford 300 / 330 diesel

Randomly intermittently or when you do something in particular? Air pressure OK when the buzzer is sounding? Iffy pressure switch?

You probably know cast is prone to stress raisers if it's hit. Looks similar to a brake drum that someone's thumped with a hammer to remove. My guess would be that it's had a bash at some time and you just found it.

What shot out, Lauren? Are we looking at the damage to the edge, or the hole that looks like a countersunk screw hole? Could the casting have had some impact damage at some point and have a stress crack in it?

Odd how they can be bothered to find out the BRDM details, but still call the Saxon a tank. Why Bedford M owners? Not a lot of M-type in a Saxon, if I remember right.

Not a WF, Austin, it's a S3 cab K9 (can't recall the FV No.). You should know better! Nice truck, be nice to see it out & about...