antar

Engine picture for Radiomike.

I remember you. We used to meet up at Stonleigh during the 1980's each year with our Explorers, you may remember me (John Riley) we used to drive ours the 120 miles or so from Stockport. There were 6 of us who owned it as well as a Champ each, so we used to take turns at driving and split the fuel between us. One year you took some nice photo's of the two Explorers and a Pioneer together which you very kindly sent us copies of, well before digital cameras !!! I recall that you also had a 7 1/2 tonne ecovery trailer as well. Sorry to say the Explorer is no longer in my ownership but is still alive now residing at Duxford sporting a Meadows 6DC630 diesel. Nice to hear from you Alan. John Riley (Still in Stockport, with some even bigger toys now)

I can confirm that there was 1 left, still there last week.

Think you mean wail's !!!!! not the place !!!!

Evening Mark, as I said in the post, Lynne took the pictures, a little bit more concerning if you look closer is Ian's cudly toys on the background !

Carefull I can see this turning into the Dingo ejector seat !

Mike, Surely if you have just had a late request entry for GDSF you have the persons contact details on the request ? just give him a call and ask him where it came from. John

Many thanks for the 2nd clip Andy, good job you had the video camera to hand each time someone passed your camp ! John.

That is also an interesting point, here is a picture of my friends legs after he had a ride in the winch operators position in the M578 on the Friday afternoon session in the arena. He was trying to us the camcorder, by Friday I had gained a bit of confidence in driving it at speed and it was now nice and muddy so it was also sliding around a bit, I managed to launch Ian up in the air, he came crashing down again and so did the seat back hiting him in the back of the legs and knocking him to the floor inside the turret. He did manage to keep hold of the camcorder whilst all this was going on, I will post the footage when I get it off him ! His wife who took the pictures when he got back (on the Monday after) was not impressed !!!

That is why they are equipped with a 27 tonne winch and a ground anchor, when the spade is emplaced they will pull a massive ammount. John.

Did anybody get any video of it in the arena as when you are driving it you do not get the sound that you hear outside the vehicle ? John.

Very nice Roland, hope the high speed differentials are ok. John

Probable still there somewhere !

Here are some pictures taken in the arena by Petr from Prague.

It is now Wednesday !!!!

I would go for the sandblasting, it produced a superb finish in the hands of a professional, here is a picture of my M578 being done last year.

Thanks Andy, Nice to meet you at the show, shame it was only for a couple of minutes. John.

I visited the first Beltring show to pick up 2 Antar cluch plates off Peter Gain who had a stall their. I recall that there was an FWD SU-COE in attendance. I then continued on to visit Hardwicks yard in Ewell, South London to view an Antar trailer. I was their this year with the M578 Tracked Armoured Recovery Crane.

A number of these were sold off via Withams last year.

I would agree with you Mike, did many miles in my Mk3 and on a number of occasions got my wife to clock my speed when travelling behind in the car. It would cruise happily at 35mph with a little bit left over, was revving at around 1950-2000 rpm. 40mph was never achieved. John.

Not giong to argue with that explanation, only to add that my ANTAR came with 2 dummy caps, someone must have aquired another one during a recovery operation.

WHOOPS WRONG PICTURE !!! sHOULD HAVE BEEN THIS ONE.

I should perhaps posted this pic of mine with the very rare to find crane jib attached at a local show a in 2005. John.

Would be interested in knowing where you attached your winch to on the 8045. John.

I don't think that when in service they were too interested in speed. Removing the half shafts means that you are not "back driving" the worm and wheel assemblies during the tow, reducing the posibility of damage to the axle and reducing drag slightly, at that sort of weight everything would help !!! Having said that I think I would prefer to pull the halfshafts as the easier of the two jobs. John.