HWade

Hello Mark I know that I wont have the body done this year, well I very much doubt it. But I think I can get it up and running as a chaasis cab, but we will see. I am on the look out for a sandblasting setup, but these seem to be thin on the ground secondhand.I had a quote for the chassis to be blasted and nearly fell over when he told me what it would cost.But there theres always a wire brush and grinder but you dont get the same results. Howard

Heres a few pics of the truck now with the front inner and outer wings removed and also the front grill. Have also removed the petrol tank and spare wheel holder all u bolts are also removed body and the cab are ready for removoing. Howard

A quick up date on the GMC, been over work shop earlier and all u brackets holding on the shop van body are now removed, I also had to remove the fuel tank as this is fitted to the body and not the chassis, and also removed all the mud guards and the battery boxs that hung down under the body. I have a lorry with a mounted crane arriving on friday afternoon to lift off the body. Will take some pics of this and add friday eavening. Howard

Hello Jack I beleave its an ex Swiss truck judging by the grey paint under the Hood, and judging by the general condition it has been very well maintained.The brakes are like new and it has demountable drums so thats a big bonus,I have decided to strip out the work shop and use as a camper, it did come with original awnings but again a post war add on,the year of truck ,previous owner said 1943 but i will know soon as reg docs arrive.It will be a bit cheaper to run than the Diamond t, she was collected saturday and is now over in Holland. Regards Howard

Hello Tony your right about that carpet now in the skip, I have decided to strip out all of the work shop and Iam making it into camper area. Hoping to get the body off the weekend. Regards Howard

Well I have to admit that there is carpet under the truck, but its better than laying on concrete,and after all the truck has stood outside for ten years it needs spoiling a bit. Howard

Hi I was led to beleave it had been standing for 5 or 6 years but it does make sense that it had been standing for longer. Howard

Well today I spent a few more hours on the truck, I finished stripping the old tin off one side of the workshop body.I then moved to the cab I managed to remove both running boards, and all of the bolts that hold the cab down to the chassis in readyness to lift it off. I have also removed the front floor panels. Heres a couple more pics.

Hello Degsy Yep we have bled the hydrovac and it seems to be working ok, Will order the flexi pipes from rex on monday,thanks for the tips. Howard

Well I got stuck in to the GMC today with help from a fello shop van owner, we have started to remove some of the rotten outer tin work only to find more rotten steel underneath, nothing a mig welder and fresh steel sheet cant put right. I also had a front wheel off to check brake condition they look liked they had just been fitted done no work at all. Even the cylinders were as new condition.We did try to bleed brakes but 4 of the rear Flexi pipes have collapsed so will need replacing. Also need to take a look at the master cylinder. Well thats it for now. Heres a couple pf pics of the body with outer skin removed. Thanks Howard

Well regards the steering the previous owner had the sense to remove the wheel as it was a wooden one, and its in great shape. I am still undecided wheather or not to convert the inside to a camper. That was the reason for getting a shop van. But after finding this one with all the kit I dont know what to do.The work benchs will all unclip and come out so i could always put these into storage or sell these on.The spark plug cleaner has a name on it. (AC PLUG DOCTOR) quite a nice piece of kit on its own I wonder how many of these are still about.Well thats it for now i will take pics as and when things things are done, I do have someone comming tomorrow to price up the grit blasting. I have to remove the body first. Regards Howard

Well Chaps I have been looking for a shop van for a while and was finally tipped off about one standing in someones garden in Hampshire. So last Friday i set off with the van of tools and my 12 year old daughter to take a look at the vehicle, I had been told that it had been standing for over 5 years so was not to sure what to expect. On arrival after trying to fight my way through the owners house floor to ceiling with news pappers we got to the rear garden.At first I wondered what i was doing there it looked in a sorry old state. the front floor wells were full of leaves, it hadnt had a cover over it all of the time outside. After unloading the van of tools I set to work on the engine, i hooked up a battery and tried the starter and it turned over. With that the plugs came out and were cleaned followered by the points and ditributor cap. these were all put back on and i made a gravity fed fuel tank, to the carb. I wired up a new coil, gave it a spin on the starter and yes it burst into life.After filling the rad which still had antifreeze in after all this time of standing. I ran her up again and tried to move her and sure enough it drove back and forwards. With this I stopped the engine and started to look at the body, it does need quite alot of work but it can be restored. After the owner eventually finding me the key to the back doors, once opened apart from thousands of spiders webbs, the work benches were still fitted complete with lights and also the bench mounted (AC Spark plug cleaner and tester) This device was still connected to the air lines in the truck.Well it gets better there were even awnings for both sides of the truck incluing all the poles, even the pioneer kit was complete. Well after doing some sums i had a bit of a haggle with the man and a deal was struck. It was agreed that I would collect the truck on Tuesday 24th Feb which i did yesterday and I am pleased to say that it all went smoothly I managed to back the truck out of the jungle onto the road and up onto the truck. Heres a few pics will keep you all updated as the restoration begins. Thanks Howard

Hello Just an update for the Model air show at Rougham Airfield on May 2nd & 3rd. There will be the model B17's flying as well as lots of other WW2 aircraft plus modern day. There will some camping places available around the Control Tower but these are first come first serve, the rest of the camping is in the main meadow. For further details Email Hwade111@aol.com or tel 01379 871161. Thanks Howard.

Hello N.O.S. All being well there should be a good display of War birds and jet aircraft, I shall make some enquiries and will let you know. I go every year and the show just gets better and better. Thanks Howard

On Saturday 2nd May and Sunday 3rd May, there will be the annual Model air show at Rougham Airfield, for those of you that came to 'Somewhere In Suffolk' 2008 this is where the show will be based. If anybody is interested in comming then please contact me, at Hwade111@aol.com. or phone 01379 871161. There will be flying on both days you are welcome to come on the Friday if you so wish. There is the old control Tower Station 468 which is now a museum, which was home to the 94th Bomb group.So if you want a Lazy weekend out at the Beginning of the show Season give me a call.The Airfield is just off the A14 near Bury St Edmunds Suffolk. For those of you interested in camping there will be a few places to pitch your Tent in the grounds of the control Tower. Tents must be Military issue. There are limited places around the Tower so first come first serve,but there is loads of room close by. Thanks Howard.

well here is a couple of pics of the trailer chassis now started to get rid of the rust, theres going to be a bit of welding in a couple of places but on the whole its in pretty good order. Regards Howard

Well got over to the workshop today and decided to give the Diamond T a run out before getting stuck in to the trailer, well I went for a 15 mile run out and the old girl ran well,on return I put her away,and got out the tractor and hitched up the trailer to the tractor and moved the main trailer bed into the workshop the rear axle knocked out with ease, but the wheel nuts on this axle are going to need a bit of heat just like the front wheels did, I shall post some pics as soon as i get software on the pc. Well thats it for now. Regards howard Still on the look out for wheels!

Well I managed to get to the workshop earlier and managed to remove the damaged stud from the wheel hub. I have had a good look at the drawbar and I am going to have to get some bushes made as there is to much play on the drawbar when the pins are inserted,that holds it to the front axle. Regards Howard

Hello 6x6 if I get hold of the tool on Saturday I shall post some pics of it in action thats if I get the wheels back, thanks for the ebay link shame he didnt have four wheels, they looked in very good order. Regards Howard

Hello Richard Thanks for that I will give him a look next year if i dont get one sooner, I shall have a word with Mike and see if I can borrow his at the weekend. Regards Howard

Hello Richard thanks for that advice I will keep a look out for one, thanks N.O.S I will give Mike a ring see if I cant borrow it I recon they will be a job they have stood outside for quite sometime, but Iam still wondering if they will be right they are only a 13" rim what do you think. Howard

Hello 6x6 I have done it a couple of times and you are right a real pain someimes, got to admit I am tempted to burn the tyres off, or cut them off. I will have to see, but if all the wheels are like the one i fetched home they will be a real pig. Regards Howard

Well this morning I got up to brave the cold and go to look at some wheels for the trailer, when I arrived i couldnt beleave it but the wheels were still on Dyson axles. The tyre size is 10.50 x 13 the wheels are a slit rim 'band type' but the condition is not to good. I took one away with me but untill i fetch the others home and strip down I wont know if they will be any good. Heres a pic of one of the wheels. Howard

Hello N.O.S well spotted, its all in hand just got to pick it up. Howard

Well I went to the workshop this morning and managed to get the other front wheel hub in top coat and also the drawbar. I just need to get some wheels and the front section of the trailer is complete.heres a couple of pics of the wheel hub and drawbar. Regards Howard