Grasshopper

Is the show actually run by a company, with which the financial risks sit with? If so, it might take someone with deep pockets to take it on. I don't see a business man such as Rex merely handing over a company to a new owner to continue running the show.

Another military BBQ, an MTU engine.

I'll be carrying out this process in the very near future; I was going to try something caustic.

Steve, PM sent.

Some Fox parts can be very difficult or impossible to obtain, so depending on what work yours needs, it would certainly have a value in parts if nothing else.

Terry, I don't remember which fuse I had blowing, but I did have some issues with the fuel pump wiring on our old Striker being particularly rotten and causing all sorts of issues. I replaced both wires and behaved after that. I almost discovered this by accident, as while the multimeter probes were resting on the fuel tank, I noticed that they were registering 24V! Vince

With regard to basic checks, are you sure that the throttle linkage is actually allowing max. fuel position to be reached at the injection pump? I have come across various older vehicles with incorrectly or badly set up throttle linkages which did not achieve full travel. Currently tackling a Ferret with this issue! I've also come across older injection pumps which require the fuel rack and governor to be manually lubricated - this can also affect performance.

It is proving difficult (in the bus world) to source Leyland 680s nowadays, so you may have to "make do and mend" with yours. It may be worthwhile (once the initial hole is repaired) flushing the cooling system (or just the block) and running some propriety sealing product around it as a precaution.

Thanks for posting, interesting article. It does explain why these engines are quite fragile, especially in an AFV (for which they were not designed or intended). Running in that sort of an environment can't have done it any favors, I can see a few reasons (other than to run on low grade fuel) why they were de-tuned. Made me think maybe I ought to prioritize an engine service!

A word of warning - the rubber tyres on ex Belgian CVRT that I have come across seem to be less-well bonded to the wheels than ex UK ones, so anything you can put down on the ground to save the rubber is a good idea.

Won't be a problem getting there, just the return journey...

While not on that scale, we have successfully repaired bent CVRT floatation screen shelves (for want of a better word) by making clamps (with long levers on), heating the shelf in places and gently clamping/levering it all back into shape. It took a good while, but no further damage occurred. For the level of damage you have, heat and a lot of (careful!) panel beating/clamping/levering may be the only way unless you can completely renew the parts. Good luck Vince

They are the same as on Matadors; I think they were for stowing a towing cable.

An old thread, but I am contemplating selling this vehicle, so this post is is just to gauge interest. Unfortunately due to other projects and commitments (not least parenthood!), no restorative work has been carried out on it since acquisition. I have been obtaining additional parts for it, and it now has a spare wheel, brake servo, center bin (and one other corner bin, can't remember which). In total it has 9 bins with it, at least 2x NOS (one still crated) and some requiring serious repair but enough to make a good full set. The wheel arches bar 1 (L/H rear/rear lower edge a bit rusty) are all good. Also purchased a NOS drivers seat and numerous other odds and sods. If interested, PM me. Vince

To save mess, it may be possible to use a suction device and hose to extract the oil through the filler hole.

John, how is the gearbox holding up since I adjusted it (many years ago)? Vince PS thanks for letting me take it for a spin on Salisbury Plane and at Brooklands (as per yer picture!)

Another satisfied customer....

Having been lucky enough to have driven both original and 6BT powered halftracks, you wont be changing down gears quite as much with the Cummins. On the speed front I don't think that there will be much of a difference; I don't think that the rev range of the petrol is too much different to the Cummins. Older petrol engines tend to have a longer stroke than more modern high-revving petrol engines. The big difference will be the higher noise level of the diesel engine in an armoured vehicle. I thought that of the WW2 petrol engined vehicles I have driven, the Halftrack (petrol) motor was nicely matched to the vehicle much in the same was as a Dodge WC52 and engine seem in good balance with regard to weight and power/torque. The Ward LaFrance trucks of the same vintage are hideously underpowered by any standard! Vince

Mike, think of the layout in a Dart. When you open the bonnet (at the rear of the bus for those not familiar with busses), the front of the engine is staring at you. Having the filter on the front of the engine is probably to improve accessibility for servicing as you wont have to get underneath the vehicle to change the filter.

Richard, I recall seeing a P6 in a GMC a few years back and the vehicle had been modified to fit the engine. I don't recall if the bonnet and radiator had been moved forward or if the firewall had been moved back; I suspect the former as that's why it caught my eye and made me look/enquire. Vince

Mark, your pulling power requires no testing...

Colour variations I have seen in CVRTs are pale green, light grey, yellow and a yellowy-sandy-flesh tone. If recovering in any material, it would be prudent to cover the exposed edges of foam with the new covering as it will help prevent ripping the foam (if caught) and may go some way to stop moisture getting into the foam. Vince

I've found a similar material which is about a 95% match on colour for my Scorpion and a 90% match on pattern. PM me if you'd like the details of it. I'm in the process of making a full set of interior patterns (albeit slowly!) so I can make a full set for my Scorpion project. Vince

Robin, It is possible to rotate the torsion bars more than one spline, but until the tracks are back on and tensioned you wont be able to fully ascertain if the (weaker) torsion bars now make the vehicle sit at the correct height. With good torsion bars you would just set them up to the correct droop measurement and when all back together, the vehicle will sit at the correct height. Vince

Robin, with Chris's instructions we checked and reset one side of our Spartan. Once all set up and back on tracks it still sits too low on one side, indicating that the torsion bars are tired on that side. I hope you don't find this to be the case! One of the plans for this winter is to get around to changing the torsion bars for the NOS ones we have in stock, which just happen to be for the correct side. It does cause some strange track and sprocket wear patterns and the vehicle does pull to the left more so than others I have driven on the road, but given the Spartan gets little use it's not yet been too much of an issue. Vince