Markheliops

Looking good Mike. It must be nice to spend some time on your own vehicles for a change.

I fitted a Frank Jolly one to the Ward when it was fitted with the R22 Continental. To be honest - I didn't really notice much difference. That's not to say Frank Jolly's stuff isn't any good - because it is but my Ward was always a decent starter. It did take away the chance of something breaking down on route. You know how fiddly these ignition components can be!!! Markheliops

Congratulations to all - Another new recruit for HMVF. You can get baby seats in CAMO pattern - just ask Tootall.

I was thinking along the lines of a new main battle tank for Grasshopper!

I like to recycle Andy - would cost a fortune using new gloves!

Hi all. The ARRV project is in fall swing again after I have moved house, Naughty Nurse moved house and the Xmas festivities are well and truly behind us. Trying to lubricate the bowden cables was not successful so the GUE had to come out to enable me to get to the offending item so I could change it over. To be honest I wasn't a job I wanted to do yet but didn't have an option in the end. I also have an issue where the GUE is revving at it's maximum and manually moving the FIP control lever is having no effect. As you can see there really isn't much room which is somewhat surprising considering the size of the beast. For those are aren't armour aware, the GUE charges the batteries and powers the hydraulic starting system. On the ARRV provides power to the crane and on the MBT it also charges the turret batteries. It's a Coventry Climax engine. It took me around 2 hours to disconnect various bits and pieces which I thought was quite good for a first time effort. The EMER doesn't really explain things in much detail so you'll left to your own devices for most of the operations. You can see in the picture above just how little room you have. At this point the GUE was lifted 2 inches off the hull to enable me to get to some rather annoying cables. At this point, the GUE needs to be lifted at the front approximately 45 degrees to enable it to miss the bulkhead. This was the most delicate part of the operation and thanks to Topdog (David) for popping down and operating the crane for me as I had to stay in the engine bay to watch out for the GUE catching something. I wouldn't take much contact to break something on the main L60 engine. Once clear of the hull the GUE was deposited on the deck so we could lower the radiator and recover it over the rear plates. It wasn't ideal but I was hampered by the low barn ceiling. All in all it would have been easier to do it outside but due to cars parking outside the barn, getting the ARRV out can be a bit tricky. I then gave the GUE a jet wash - not spotless but clean enough to dismantle without fear of getting anything contaminated. Now I have a nice hole to clean out. Anyone who saw me doing the FV432 at Beltring will know it's something I'm very good at. I need to replace two bowden cables, service the GUE and check over the L60 whilst I can get at it. A question for those who are in the know - Is it possible to run the main engine with the GUE out of the tank? Updates as and when. Markheliops

That Conqueror is a beast. I saw it when I visited the reserve collection. You have to see it in the flesh to appreciate it's size and marvel at how delicately the thing turns on a sixpence. A credit to John, Andy and others who have restored it. Markheliops

Happy New year chaps and chapettes - I'm writing this at work so I'm not out celebrating. For those that are - have fun but be carefull. Best wishes for 2012. Markheliops

Yes - I had a marvelous day at Borden. Good to meet you John - and thanks for breakie. Many thanks to Andy / John / IOW Andy for allowing me to look around. I was and still am amazed at the variety and condition of the vehicles in the hanger. I was like a child in a very big sweetshop. I could have stayed all day and some more but Andy and co had work to do so we didn't want to intrude to much. Thanks again Andy - the discussion we had still stands so you have my details so please drop me a line after Xmas. Many thanks. Markheliops P.S - I have now moved (1 mile from the Hop Farm) but no internet as yet - I'm doing this from work.

Yes - odd. Can't work out why but "camera lens" is showing as a hyperlink too. Mods - any idea on this.

Hi all. I am more than happy to report after 20 hours of looking for my phone in the Chieftain engine bay - success has come to those who persist. I borrowed a scopie-thing from a friend of mine. I spent a couple of hours looking for it using the scope but had no success. Then Grasshopper and Nick paid me a visit to discuss painting options for the ARRV and stayed for a while. When they left I decided to have one more search before I wrote the phone off as I had to return the scope to my friend. Hey presto - there it was. You can just see the rear of the phone in the scope screen. What you can see is the camera lens and flash unit. I managed to re-locate the phone to where I could see it and get at it. I still couldn’t reach it but managed to use a drain rod and raise it just high enough to get hold of it. It was covered in oil and muck as the bottom of a Chieftain engine bay is not the cleanest of places as you can imagine. I’m even happier to report after a clean up and re-charge the phone is in full working order. I can now give it to the Naughty-Nurse as her phone has seen better days. I’m now happy as Larry. It’s not that the phone was expensive and I had already purchased another phone but I really do not like losing things - especially when I know where they are. If the phone had fallen into water I would have written it off as knackered but as I knew it was working it did pee me off that I couldn’t retrieve it. If you think that’s anal - you should see me when I lose a spanner - just ask Tootallmike! Well now it’s full steam ahead with the restoration of the Chieftain ARRV - without the in-built phone. If you are one of the 36 missed calls and 24 texts sent to my phone whilst in the engine bay - I'll get round to you eventually. Markheliops

Another 6 hours today (Monday) and 4 hours on Sunday - still can't find it. It is now officially an obsession but I'm not giving up yet. I do need one of those scopie things so if someone can lend me one or get hold of one - can you let me know please. I know the phone is alive and well so I'll keep on going.

Oy oy David - where's the Dunkirk spirit. I haven't given up on it yet but I couldn't do without a phone as I'm moving house within the next couple of weeks, hence the new phone. I'm going to have another go at it next week some time!!!!

Nearly Andy. lol. My mobile phone slid out of my top pocket and guess where it ended up - somewhere under the GUE............... Eight, yes eight hours later I had to admit defeat. Purchased a new phone today but managed to retain my old number. If anyone has my old number - can you text me yours with a name. Proper pee'd off knowing I have a £100 phone rolling around in the Chieftain hull. Still - on the plus side - my L60 now plays a nice "Compare the Meerkat" tune, until the battery runs out that is. Markheliops PS - thanks for you're help David - no sympathy though!!!

Happy Birthday honey (done prior on FB). Have a cracking day. xx

It's worth what someone will pay for it but they tend to fetch more money in the states for some reason.

I think you mean tootall and Heliops last year. Can the tankies amoungst you - infact anyone bringing a vehicle - please try and bring any appropriate recovery attachments for your vehicle. It would help in case someone splutters to a halt - especially if you have non-standard recovery fittings. Ta Heliops

Great news. Congratulations to the Joris Clan. I think you need to buy a Playstation or X-box now mate - give you something else to do in the evenings. Jack - you're obviously not giving him enough work to do - too much time on his hands. Markheliops

Fair point Chris - but I'm looking forward to seeing how it works out.

Hi Robin. My mate Hans can get you gama goat parts - he has two of his own. PM me a list and I shall send it to him. Regards Heliops

Hi Rodney. Crack on mate. All the (oh no - how can you butcher such an original vehicle) discussions happened when I converted my Ward La France to a cummins diesel lump. Best thing I ever done. I was in the same boat as you - I wanted to use my Ward but the petrol lump was far too under-powered and too unreliable. I took some convincing (4 years) to see the light but never had any problems since the conversion. It basically boiled down to: do I want to stand and look at my vehicle and say, wow, isn't it original but I'm not going to drive it as something will break - or do I want to enjoy and experience driving and using the thing. It will be interesting to see how your conversion works out - best of luck. Markheliops

Hi all. I have had something interesting passed on to me so if you have had any weapons stolen........ it may be worth your while making some enquiries: Article is from a Devon local paper. Military enthusiast raided combat museum A military enthusiast raided a combat museum and stole a cache of disarmed weapons worth £3,200. Michael Cassemis, from Cardiff, had travelled to the Cobbaton Combat Collection museum in Umberleigh, North Devon, on August 13 for a special Second World War enthusiasts’ charity event. The event was put on to raise money for the Burma Star campaign. But at some time over the weekend, Cassemis went back into the museum through a fire exit. He stole a Webley and Scott .38 revolver, a Smith Wesson .38 revolver, a HPJM49/57 sub machine gun, a Browning pistol, a HE 76 Assault rifle, a M59606 Chinese Assault rifle, a Bren light machine gun, two AK47 assault rifles and a grenade. Cassemis, aged 44, pleaded guilty to burglary, at North Devon Magistrates’ Court yesterdayFRI. He also admitted buying stolen goods, namely four other guns stolen from the War and Peace show in Kent on July 30. The case was sent to Exeter Crown Court for sentence on November 4. Cassemis was remanded on bail. Link to the article is below. http://www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk/Military-enthusiast-raided-combat-museum/story-13503977-detail/story.html I know at least one forum member who went to purchase a side arm at this years show but unfortunately the weapon had been stolen from the owners car the night before. Lets hope some weapons find their way back to the rightful owners. Regards Markheliops

Good to hear. I've never had any issues with DVLA. Markheliops I

Hi Robin. Sorry mate - I have no idea if the front and rear smoke dischargers are unique to the ARRV? I'm sure someone will know ................ any takers Gents? Regards Mark

Hi all. I have spent the first couple of days working on the ARRV and as promised will share the highs and lows with you. I have two issues with the mechanical side of the ARRV at the moment: A) The GUE control lever is stuck in the load position so when you fire the GUE up it immediately revs up - which is bad due to the GUE having a dry stump so the oil has no chance of reaching where it should - the GUE is the small engine which charges the battery and provides the electrical power for the crane / gun turret, etc. I am presuming the cables are siezed due to being under water as they are in the bottom of the hull which was under 6 inches of water. B) The steering is a bit restrictive on the right hand tiller so requires investigating - I'm thinking the inter-locking pin that stops you pulling both tillers back at the same time - which would damage the gearbox - needs looking at as it was under 6 inches of water until I drained the forward hull. After wondering where to start first I selected the commanders cupola to be first to come off for no other reason than I keep banging my head and it is very restrictive when you are trying to attend to items in the hull. After consulting the tech manuals I found the copola would come off after removal of the brush box (a small electrical control unit) and 10 copola bolts. Oh yeah I thought - just like a Haynes manual - we'll see! To my great surprise - it came off without any issues at all. After blocking the cupola (I will attend to the cupola at a later date) I started to strip out the hull fittings such as the commanders seat (a bit on the heavy side), floor plates, batteries, battery boxes, battery trays and other associated items. The reason I was stripping the hull was to get to the 2 x bowden cables which control the GUE fuel supply and load / off load functions. Whilst I was down in the hull I decided to give it a spring clean and get all the muck out - of which there was plenty. It was wet, dirty and very smelly. I also found the usual 1/2 inch spanner and a couple of screw drivers to add to my tool box. I then needed to get to the business end of the GUE control cables (drivers position). I removed the drivers seat as it is seized in the down position by removing just four bolts. Again not the biggest area to work in so moving the seat made sense. The control cables can be seen in the picture above, just by the right steering tiller. They were very challenging to thread out through the hull. Due to their design you can not bend these cables or you risk damaging them. Eventually I managed to thread them back through to the hull and tied them to the crane controls, as high as I could. The point of this was to get them as high as possible to lubricate them as replacing these cables is not an option unless the fancy removing major assemblies - which I do not want to do without trying easier methods first. The method I am using to lubricate the cables is somewhat crude - but will hopefully to the job. That is as far as I managed to get in two days but I was quite happy with what I managed to achieve. I shall return to the steering inter-locking pin on my next visit. Markheliops