pc1959

Thanks for those tips, I'll try heating the unions up and more plus-gas. I'll get a couple of impact sockets from eBay. Paul

Question 1 As it was a nice sunny day I thought i'd have a go at getting the brake foot valve off the Matador, it's leaking through the exhaust when I push the pedal so it needs a refurb. Unfortunately the unions seem to be seized onto the metal air pipes so when I undo the union I'm twisting the pipe like a bit of barleysugar. Has anyone any top tips for unseizing them? Or is it a case of get the hacksaw out and replace the pipes later? Where would I get replacements? Q2 As I couldn't get the brake valve off I turned my attention to the wheel-nuts, the fronts seem to be a gnats bigger then 1-1/4", am I right in thinking this is 3/4 whitworth and that a 38mm socket is a good fit? The rear nuts are again just a fraction bigger then 1-1/16" is this 5/8 whitworth (28mm)? Q3 Is it usual to have different size wheelnuts front and rear? Are they handed, left hand thread on one side? Paul

Thanks for that, I have sent you a PM Paul

I'd like to find out a bit more about my matador's life before it went "On The Busses". I have the Chassis and Engine numbers, who would be able to supply build date and spec etc? Where should I be looking for evidence of its service history (if any) and who do I get the military details from if I find any numbers? Thanks in advance, Paul

I love all the signwriting but I think the shape of the body, especially the cab, is a bit ugly. I plan to carefully remove and preserve the original signwritten panels and then rebuild the body as a recovery truck with sides that don't go below the chassis and a nicer front end. First job is to get the brakes working though........

Well, after a long time looking at rather knackered Matadors that had had a hard life in the woods and just missing a nice timber tractor I have managed to get hold of a Bus Recovery Matador with a gert big Harvey Frost on the back. I don't know anything (yet) about its military career but it was with Central Scottish Busses, Dallas Recovery in Glasgow, the Beith Transport Museum and finally a field near Hereford before I got it. Here it is as I bought it, the body frame is pretty rotten, panels coming loose but everything there. Handy workshop behind the cab: Stern warning about taking bulbs without permission: That mystery object again Cramped driving position, I need to lose weight: Arriving So far so good, unfortunately the brakes failed while it was in neutral resulting in an argument with a hedge, It knocked a lump off the cab which I then ran over for good measure: Safe at last! It's a good runner and my plan is to strip the panels off and store them, sort out any mechanical issues then build a similar body incorporating elements of the existing (workshop roof panel and sliding cab doors) but make the sides stop at chassis level, remodel the front panel and perhaps fit drop-sides to the rear.

It's identical to the one in the first column, fifth row (JGM 853F). They both belonged to Central Scotland busses then mine was owned by Dallas Recovery, was in the Beith Transport Museum and then a field. I'll post pictures when I get the thing home.

Maybe it's the anchor! you bolt it to a drain cover then hook the winch cable to it as anti theft measure. The flange is at least 20 inches across, is this a bit big for half-shafts? Also, the construction from many thin steel strips is odd, is it meant to be a bit springy? I did find this picture of a fallen bus being righted with a beam in the centre of the chassis: [ATTACH=CONFIG]79324[/ATTACH] I'm still open to suggestions, I bet I kick myself for not thinking of it when somebody provides the definitive answer

I have just become the owner of a Matador converted to a bus recovery lorry. (Once it's safely at home I'll post pictures in the vehicle forum). It has the original chassis winch and a Harvey Frost crane and bolted to the bed of the lorry is this thing: [ATTACH=CONFIG]79318[/ATTACH] The flange at the base has a circle of bolt-holes and it's about 5 feet long. I can't think where on a casualty vehicle it would fit apart from bolting to a wheel hub. Anybody know what it's for? Paul

I need to get a Matador recovery truck collected from near Leominster, Herefordshire and delivered to Wadhurst, East Sussex. The truck would probably need sheeting as the panels are a bit loose. I'm told it runs and drives but the brake foot valve leaks air. Ideally I'd like this to happens before the end of July. Does it fit in with anyones W+P plans? Regards Paul

Double post

That's exactly what they didn't want to happen: [video=youtube_share;j_p0MsIDhGc]

I have a friend in Colorado (USA) who does this kind of thing for a laugh: [video=youtube_share;av7y77ytDw0] "20,000 ft fall in front of him" " they gonna be a pucker in that seat cover"

The Stilltime photo library has lots of nice pics like this gas turbine conquerer http://www.stilltimecollection.co.uk/detail/11666-military-soldier-war-tank-conqueror-gas-turbine.html and the FVRDE Rhino sitting in front of a Hover Landrover, also lots of pics of Military Transport trials at 'Horseshoe Pass" and a surprising amount of images of military laundry vehicles. Appologies if it's been posted before Paul

They come over here, tearing up the countryside in their 3x3s..... Hooligans!!! What about this 2x2? A Rokon Trailbreaker Still being made for the military (and nutters) http://www.rokon.com/ I had a copy of Bike magazine years ago featuring a moto-x unicycle and its heavily scarred owner but I can't find a picture anywhere so no 1x1.

It would seem that Johnny Foreigner has his own version of the mighty Rugged Robin!!! I have no idea what this is (Moto Guzzi?) but there are more pictures of it at Linky as well as loads more pics of military vehicles, trucks, cars etc at La Locomotion en Fete.

Don't see any problems with that idea at all . I'll get right on to it, might as well get the wheels while I'm there.

Driving past the TA centre on Upper Tulse Hill in South London, Couldn't stop today but if anyone's interested i could nip back and see if it has any numbers on it (I'd probably get arrested for taking photos as it's also a Military Police HQ according to the sign). Paul Pictures from Google street view:

I have been looking for a Matador for about a year now but they suddenly seem really thin on the ground. The last one I came close to was a last Christmas but since then all the ones I have seen for sale have already been restored, lovely but out of my price range. What's the going rate for a timber tractor in need of a complete rebuild these days? I'd actually prefer one of these as I have a bit of work for it to do. Any pointers as to where to look? I'm based in East Sussex.

I have had a lot of success with electrolytic rust removal, unsiezes stuff really well. I got my info from here: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/rust.htm Just use an old battery charger, make sure to get the polarity right, stick a small 12v bulb in the circuit to limit current and bob will be your uncle! No harmfull gasses (but do it in the shed as it does give off Hydrogen and Oxygen) I have used Caustic Soda (NaOH, Sodium Hydroxide) but washing soda (Sodium carbonate, Na2CO3) from Tesco is as good and less nasty. The solution just needs more water adding if it gets low, only needs replacing if the tank gets full of cr*p. Caustic Soda will strip off the paint as well, not sure if washing soda does this.

You're right, Jack and all the other plod drove Fords. I think the deal with Ford was that all the slags, blaggers, toerags, flossers, villains etc. had to drive non Ford vehicles and were thus no match for the forces of Law & Order. In any chase all the hubcaps had to fall off the bad mens car before it ploughed into a wall (or some convenient boxes) for no reason. However, if I don my anorak... Here is an Avenger from the Sweeney II film And one from The Professionals Both obviously up to no good.

It's like busses, wait ages then 3 (East Sussex members) come along at once .

Between myself and t'wife we have: Cars Cortina P100 pickup x 2 (in bits) 2.8i Capri x 2 (needing love) MkII Granada Ghia X Estate (only runs on 5 cylinders) 1976 BMW 316 1973 Hilman Avenger 1970 Mercedes 280 SE Cortina Mk5 Vauxhall Frontera for pulling the dead ones round on a trailer Bikes CR500 Camino Moped C70 KH250 triple Other 1977 JCB 3CIII Mystery Dumper with Petter Engine. The choice of cars comes from growing up watching The Sweeney and The Professionals. Paul

Whatever it is, it's very effective :-).

Hi, another late intro as I have been reading the site for ages but the automatic shaming message: "Hi pc1959, Please remember to make your first post an Introduction. Click HERE to be taken to the Introductions Board" has now worked its magic on me. I registered last year to look for a Matador timber tractor, just missed the one I was going for but became hooked on this site. I live in Wadhurst, just down the road from Beltring and I'm starting to notice loads of MVs in people's gardens ie a Halftrack and 6x6 truck (Reo, Kaiser?) in Flimwell and a Bren Carrier in Burwash. I'd still like to get a Matador (Rough timber tractor prefered) to join the various old cars, diggers and dumpers I already have. Carry on the good work!