Sean N

I spent some time on Google last night looking for ceramic coatings, but I didn't find any hard technical information, just incidental references. It seems there's also a ceramic coating available along the lines of Nickasil, for bores / liners. Annoyingly I found more technical information about this than the one I was looking for!

Clive confirms my memory on AU/LK, and in fact I looked it up afterwards in his excellent reference in 'Clive's Corner'. Incidentally Clive, I've spotted one I haven't seen in your reference articles, LV7/BLC for BLMC / Austin / Morris items. I think a J prefix may well apply to a lot of AP rod ends, but it's interesting that the ones you both comment on are Rootes Group. I may have to start opening boxes and removing Cosmoline!

To be honest, Richard, they aren't even marked Lockheed, they're just LV6/MT9 AU/LK/Jxxxx. I should really have said AP. I think the MoS apply AU/LK to any AP group company so it could well be Thompson. Having said that, I'd expected it to be easier to track down the part numbers than it is. Normally I can find these things in one of my books or they'll pop up on some site or other if you plug them into a search engine, but I've got a whole bunch of stuff here that I can't pin down. The water pump unfortunately has lost all its labels, so the only identifier is its appearance and the markings on it.

Sorry Richard, that was me being dull, I hadn't quite picked up that Jules just meant the side cover. I shouldn't try to do several tasks at once. I've successfully repaired similar covers and damaged sumps by floating them in braze. I presume the ceramic is similar to the epoxy, being a strong permanent thin coating which would adhere to all the surfaces. You could as you say make new cover, perhaps of a more corrosion resistant material; though I still think a good quality antifreeze would inhibit it enough. Jules, I assume your worry is that some of the pitting might be a bit more 'through' than it appears?!

I'm really struggling to find a reference for those Lockheed part numbers which surprises me. How about a water pump? I'm sure I should know what this is but I can't place it. The number on it is 37711630, but of course that may just be a pattern or casting number, or part number for the body only.

I think as Richard and Wally have already said, any impermanent coating such as a wax runs the risk of gradually melting/ becoming dislodged and finding its way to places you don't want it. Would a baked coating / galvanising / solder risk the block moving, perhaps not only due to heat distortion but relieving any residual stress? As Jerry says a good quality antifreeze in the correct proportions should contain corrosion inhibitors which will prevent further corrosion, but if you're concerned about existing corrosion / pinholes what about some type of permanent two pack epoxy coating? I'd be surprised if there isn't something available for industry which will do the job.

Thanks Richard, I knew I recognised that part number! If I'd unwrapped it I'd have recognised the cylinder immediately.

Can anyone pin down some Lockheed items for me? Socket (tie rod end) J8020, J8021, J5228, J5229; brake cylinder 35707?

Won't be RAL, that's a European (essentially German at the time) standard. I think it's BS 381C 632 Dark Admiralty Grey from memory, but happy to be corrected.

I'm not sure they are that confusing, Terry. Essentially it comes down to this: it's either a goods vehicle or it's not a goods vehicle. If it is a goods vehicle, and it's a small one, you can drive it on a car licence. If it's a large goods vehicle you need a special goods vehicle licence to drive it. The exemptions can make things confusing, but they're all in about a two page list and most of them are irrelevant to us. The thing I find confusing is the phrasing of the legislation and the interpretation: for example, what is essentially the same thing tends to be phrased in different ways in different pieces of legislation, which opens up unnecessary grey areas in the law; and DVLA (more so than VOSA) in their published material sometimes seem vague or inaccurate.

It's a Bedford, there are plenty of parts about (I've got two engines and three gearboxes to start with), and unless you do something stupid or buy a piece of junk to start with you won't have a problem. Same with tyres; buy something with decent tyres and the amount of miles you're likely to do they'll perish long before you wear them out. Second-hand tyres are about at sensible prices. Reflectors or lights aren't a problem, standard 7" headlight. Driver's door handle available NOS or second-hand. Door bottom is separate from the main part of the door, simple repair or door bottoms not plentiful but can be found. Rubbers can be found NOS or from trim suppliers e.g. Woolies

Often when I've downplated vehicles that were already very close to the lower weight VOSA have just done it as a paperwork exercise without any mods. Dave, my understanding is as Brooky and Nick have already said, if it's pre-1960 used unladen and not drawing a laden trailer you can drive it on a car licence. If it's post 1960 you have three choices; downplate it, get an LGV rigid licence or make it not a goods vehicle somehow, normally change of body type. I think it's probably all going round in your head and so seems complicated, it isn't really. If you make it a camper - permanently - it's no longer a goods vehicle so LGV licencing (and testing) doesn't apply. If you put a demountable camper body on a flatbed truck I think DVLA would interpret it as a goods vehicle carrying a load and I think would say LGV licencing would still apply. Your monkey bike would almost certainly be interpreted as a load. Whether anyone would get excited enough to do anything about it I don't know. I think in these circumstances the problems normally come when you get stopped for some other misdemeanour and they start checking. This is only my understanding of the rules, not legal advice!

Dave, you can't calculate the relevant weights like this. Licencing, testing, taxation etc. are defined by the design (or revenue) gross weight, in turn defined by the manufacturer's design. To pick at your calculation a bit, RL unladen weight depends on the body type for a start - my flatbed, for example, is exactly 4 tonnes, an office or workshop body would be much heavier. The 3 ton load rating is the MoD's rating, which is typically less than the manufacturers' or VOSA's because the MoD expect to subject it to more strenuous work. You're also mixing your units - the army 3 ton rating is imperial, the limits for licencing are all metric (tonnes). So although you might have an RL 3 tonner that weighs 4 tons unladen - so 7 tons as far as the MoD are concerned - the gross for your (and civilian) purposes is still 8.8 tonnes because that's what VM and VOSA say it is, unless you get it downplated. You're also confusing two things, under 7.5 tonnes gross and the pre-1960 exemption. The pre-1960 exemption applies to all Large Goods Vehicles made before 1960 - it doesn't matter about the gross weight, assuming it's enough to make it an LGV to start with. Under 7.5 tonnes it isn't an LGV anyway, so it doesn't matter about the age or using it unladen. You need to ask someone authoritative about downplating. This is because VOSA will need to see evidence that the modification does actually reduce the load capacity, it's not enough to just turn up and say so. For common vehicles like Bedfords VOSA often have the downplating method on file already so it's worth asking them first. If not, try one of the long standing Bedford dealers or Vauxhall Heritage to start with. Typically on Bedfords the method is fairly simple such as removing helper springs. Expense obviously depends on how hard it is, so typically cheap (a few hours work) for Bedfords, and no, you can't drive it until it's done.

It's a valve guide, I think, but not as I know it. Any ideas?

People do seem to ask a lot of money for trucks, particularly post war stuff. I think it reflects the increase in the price of wartime vehicles and classic cars. I've seen Goddesses anywhere between £2000 and £10000 recently. I do wonder a lot of the time whether these things actually sell though. Auction prices may tend to be lower than market value, perhaps, but basically sound RLs needing tidying seem to make in the £1500 to £2500 range at auction (including eBay).

No, there is no difference in the rating, they still gross the same; it's just that there's an exemption under the driver licencing rules that allows you to drive an LGV first manufactured before January 1st 1960 used unladen and not drawing a laden trailer on your normal car licence. As you say, if you had a newer one you would have to downplate it. VOSA may have the requirements on record, otherwise you would have to contact someone knowledgeable to find out what to do. Downplating is normally fairly straightforward on Bedfords.

Bill, they don't weigh 6 tonnes, they gross 6 tonnes (a bit over, in fact) - i.e. truck and load. Winchman (what is your name?), you have good taste in trucks IMO! Too late now but a clutch is easy on an RL. One will come up, they've been appearing at auction quite regularly for around £2k or less.

K9s are good trucks apart from the cab rust, but that's true for most '50s vehicles. They're rather smaller than an RL - nominally a 1 ton truck, and actually gross a bit over 6 tonnes. 4 litre petrol engine will get you around 15 - 18 mpg unless you have a heavy right foot. Crash gearbox, but quite a decent one. Good off road in my experience. Alternatively if you go more modern there's the Bedford MK / MJ and the Leyland DAF 4x4, though you're unlikely to get the latter at least within your budget. For me the MK / MJ are a bit underpowered; the 330's a decent engine but isn't particularly torquey. Early Unimog 400 series might be a possibility, I'm not sure what soft cab petrol 404s make now but they used to be very cheap. Very good trucks. Morris Commercial MRA1 is equivalent to the K9 but much more primitive, can be picked up cheap if they come up. 1 ton Humber is a good truck but has some weak spots, is stupidly thirsty by comparison and I suspect a decent one will be beyond your budget - a poor one is unlikely to be much more than a pile of red dust on top of a pair of axles. Commer Q4s look good but IMO not a patch on an RL. A bargain basement Renault / Dodge RB44 might be a possibility as mentioned earlier, though I've spent far too many hours trying to sort out the brakes on Dodge trucks to feel enthusiastic about them.

In both cases all you really need to worry about looking for is cab rust.

The twin wheel RLs are a higher gross weight - if I remember correctly, 10.2 tonnes instead of 8.8. Obviously the smaller tyres will reduce ground clearance a touch and shorten the gearing. As Richard correctly says (of course), the brake drums are exposed on a single wheel RL as the wheels are reversed and there's a lot of offset on the wheel.

This is all news to me! Back when I was doing lots of engine changes (like for like as well as petrol to diesel etc.) it always used to be a big fight to actually get DVLA to change anything on the V5 - the number of times I've had to send a V5 back to them to get changes to 'stick'...

Should go with the QLT really? Well done for not only putting in the effort to save this lot but on finding homes for it all so quickly!

Could the tank go up between the chassis rails somewhere? Painted black wouldn't be obvious and might just look like a rather oversize air tank. Keep it well away from propshafts, suspension components etc. - there's a LOT of articulation on an RL!

Interesting to see the CES crate for this vehicle in the photos of the bits & pieces: Is all the equipment for the vehicle still in there?

Someone I know recently had an LPG conversion done on an S-type coach and is very pleased with it. I don't think there were any issues with the valves. In general, I think there are three things to consider with an LPG conversion - first, the practicalities of the conversion - how will it fit, do you have to have it done professionally, certification, insurance and so on. Second, the type of conversion, particularly single point or multi point injection and the like. Third, conversion costs - a lot of people do diesel or LPG conversions on vehicles almost as a kneejerk reaction to the cost and poor economy of a petrol engine and then spend more converting the vehicle than they ever would have spent on petrol in its lifetime. If as you say you can get it done 'on the cheap' you have a good solution to that!