Ian L

A few photos of the finished bowser

Water Bowser - Google Drive

The strainer is definitely WW2 & the correct one for our bowsers, the float look like it might be correct ? the rest of the stuff I've never seen so cant comment ?

Any idea who bought the parts ?

Hi Rootes, I have almost finished my restoration so have 1 trailer left fit for restoration if your interested ?

One for the Goslings here, although they would probably turn it down as there's too much to start with & not enough to make & find.

On 10/26/2020 at 2:49 PM, OzH said:

I think this is one of the filters..? not cheap..!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WW2-Bedford-Chevy-Water-Bowser-Trailer-Meta-Stellar-Water-Filter/324342143841?hash=item4b844c5b61:g:mMsAAOSwOTZfSDKC

Yes it is, its a copy. nothing todong with me

I'm guessing the Paddle steamer might be The P.S Devonia ?

Can anybody shed more light on 'little ship' at 6.22    ???? Eagle.

1 Ton 180 gallon Bowser behind a Jeep. The Canadian trailer was different in detail in almost everyway but does look the same from 10' away.  

The main difference was 9.00x16 wheels/tyres rather than the British trailer which had the larger 9.00x20 wheels.

The door skin had a really nasty deep sharp gouge along the top,   I knew that any attempt to straighten would result in a very distorted panel & I was right.

Normally I would make a new skin which I have done many times before,  but I like to keep as much as I can original & anyway my large box folder is 45 miles away which is out of the question with the lockdown.

The skin went all out of shape but with a few shrinks its as tight as a drum again & quite straight,   I will straighten where I can & finish off with some stopper. 

Normally I would get the tin work shot blasted but its all tacked, screwed and bolted to the Ash frame so I though I would give paint stripper a try this time & it came off a treat.

Other items are a 5 gallon pre-war RAF fuel container & jockey wheel for my Air Ministry Compressor trailer restoration & 2 9" blackout cover for my Matchless G3 restoration.

While I'm waiting for dashboard parts I thought I would get on with the rotten wood around the nearside front wheel arch fixing.

I have used Ash which was traditional for vehicle frames but I don't think the original wood is Ask ? possibly due to shortages late in the war ? 

Waiting for some glue to dry over night where I have spliced a bit in, ill finish it later today.

1 hour ago, MatchFuzee said:

The glass for the 52mm gauges measures 48mm diameter.

https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p/smiths-spare-glass-lens-for-classic-gauges-cb-glass?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=ShoppingUK&utm_campaign=ShoppingUK&vat=on&currency=GBP&gclid=CjwKCAjwp-X0BRAFEiwAheRui7YdnJA0kTJ72s13Kk7icliA5XAO_inEkLkUbXn6HnQd0g9etsBv7hoCwF8QAvD_BwE

Well done Guy I knew I could rely on you mate, I've just ordered 2.

1st wet day for ages so I thought I would have a go at reconditioning the instruments, if you look back a few posts you will see the state they were in.

Began with polishing the brass bezel while its still on the gauge as this is easier & the only way not to distort it, to remove the bezel & glass I turned up a bit of MDF so with the gauge face down its a snug fit & the brass tags can be bent back without fear of distorting the bezel or cracking the glass.

On inspection the glass was not dirty but had delaminated so I need to replace with new but as the glass fits inside & not on top its only  1 -7/8" rather than the more common 2" so at this point I don't know where to get replacements ?

Also what is the best way to clean the face & needle in situ.

5 hours ago, Battlegraphics said:

Greetings. Hope someone can tell me what the actual intended use of a Royal Enfield Flying Flea motorcycle (WD/RE) would be in a combat zone. In this regard does anyone know of an account describing their actual use? It probably seems obvious. But consider: there are pictures of them being loaded into gliders, but not many photos (if any) of them in use after landing, except in what appear to be posed photos at practice or publicity events. It is often said that they were delivered (mostly by glider rather than parachute, apparently) with the British airborne. One view seems to be that there were to be used by, essentially, a commando-style force. I'd visualize this as soldiers, hurriedly mounted on these motorcycles, rushing to an objective such as a bridge, tossing the motorcycles into a hedge and taking up positions. (For instance, there was an attempt, at Arnhem, to use glider-delivered Jeeps armed with machine guns to reach the bridge, but they were ambushed en route). But when I look at the Flying Flea I see a motorcycle with full fenders, sprung seat, toolkit, tire pump, headlight with black-out hood, tail lamp and -- for gosh sakes -- a bulb horn! It does not appear to be a use-once, throw-away conveyance. So I always conceived the notion that they were for use carrying dispatches among the airborne. But, if so, why so few, if any photos of this? An explanation I have heard is that the special sealed carburetor filter, meant to prevent spills while in the air, was not understood by troops who would start the motorcycles, run them briefly until the petrol in the carburetor was used up, and then, when they stopped, dump them, considering them non-functional. Thank you all.

David in Fort Lauderdale

Good question.

Finished the sanding then drilled out the stripped screw holes & glued dowels into them.

The state of the wood before any work has been done & a brass data plate from the front of the dash that I will carefully clean.

Removed the steering wheel today ready to start the restoration, interesting to see some names inscribed into it.

Finished the float blocks off today although I may take a bit more out for the nut to sit in, next are the 4 brackets that hold the 28mm pipes to the blocks.

On 9/8/2019 at 8:50 PM, nightmare13 said:

what is the rear crankshaft seal on one of these?

You should know they dont have a seal.

On 9/8/2019 at 10:27 PM, Richard Farrant said:

No seal fitted on these engines.

Ha Ha correct Richard,  but I wish there was tben I could stop the leak om my K5. Any ideas or a mod that will stop the leak ? Thanks.

Easy job, start with the dash.

State of play so far !!!!!!! So after 3 years of doing nothing on the 1st Tilly due to ill health I have decided to made a start with some easy jobs.

Engine / Gearbox & engine bay is finished but I never started & test run the 'new' engine.

Some other items that I have found over the years.

Another great find arrived in the post a couple of days ago.

22 hours ago, Duson said:

A bit cheaper here Ian: https://www.vintagecarparts.co.uk/products/842-container-ignition-indicator-lamp

I have recently done the dash on my Standard Flying 12

Cheers Duson I've just ordered one, how is your 180 gallon bowser coming along ?

24 minutes ago, MatchFuzee said:

Is this the one? 

https://www.holden.co.uk/p/lucas_type_warning_lamp_red

Cheers Guy that's exactly the one.