Ron

I'm waiting a month now for parts from Germany. According to DHL there was a problem with the address label and the parcel has been returned to Jurgen. He says the address label is correct but will have to pay again to resend it????

In the meantime, I've got the barrels finished at last. Broken fins repaired, bores honed, new valve guides fitted and valves refaced and seats re-cut. The valve seat angle on these are 30 degrees as opposed to the normal 45 and the only place I could find a cutter for the seats without taking out a mortgage, was India. It's 57mm and was less than £20 with post and did the job ok. The heat resistant satin black has air dried nicely.

I'll have to wait for a buddy to help me on Saturday, as since the engine is already in the frame, we will have to install the pistons in the barrels first and then offer the whole thing for putting the gudgeon pins in. I've done it that way on smaller engines...but these are right old heavy lumps!! Ron  

Hi Kit.

I've got a couple of small end bushes being made and the bore has been measure and is a bit tight for the piston, so it's going to have a couple of  extra thou' honed out. I've also ordered a new set of rings from my piston guy and I've filed off the scuff marks. All in all.....Hopefully it will be like a Poodle with a new bow. Ron

It looks like the bracket that holds the field-stand spring clips has been ground off. So I've cut a new one from 4mm steel plate, ready to weld on tomorrow.

I've also done a trial fit of the original field-stand pivot clamp that I acquired a few months ago.  Ron  

The spare timing cover is now sold!

But despite my diagnoses and efforts, the engine clatter was just the same, so I pulled off the head and barrel, to reveal that the small end bush was loose and wobbling in the con-rod. I was told that the barrel and piston were NOS and it does look that way, with 'standard' bore and piston. Understandably the piston is scuffed now, so I'll be taking both the barrel and piston to my engineer for measuring and inspection. Hopefully with a new small end bush, a hone and some gentle filing to the scuff marks it can all be re-used........If not I'll have to track down an oversize piston🤔 Ron 

I'm still waiting for parts from Germany! It seems DHL were unable to tell the difference between 27 and 37 so the parcel past my door and has gone back to Germany😖

In the meantime I've been fashioning a pillion seat. The pillion passengers grab handle is being bent up by my tube guy. I'm copying the arrangement of this other CAV that belongs to a friend of Arnaud in France. Ron

After quite a wait, my 5SW timing cover is back from my engineer after having new cam bushes fitted. In the meantime I acquired a NOS unused 3S/5S/3HW timing cover which is now surplus to my requirements. It cost me £45 if anyone wants it (I also had a new quill fitted to it)  Ron

Yes I know Lex! But as long as everyone is happy !!  Ron

I've just fitted this WD Miller tail lamp to my Velo MAF. They are extremely rare as they were only ever fitted to WD Flying Fleas, Velo MAF's and the few Miller equipped Matchless G3L's . I do have a spare looky likey if anyone's interested,  PM me for pix.. 60 quid plus post. (Edit! now sold). Ron

Yes got that book Lex. It's how I was able to calculate the census number. Ron

When this nonsense first reared its silly head, we were told that anyone who requires a licence (by nature of the type and age of the vehicle as laid down by the latest rules) Must register with SPIRE for the OGEL.

Once you are registered, there is no need to carry or present the licence at any port or destination. You must simply keep a log of your movements......To be presented to the authority on request........Probably sometime never!!!  Ron

But isn't the OGEL all about temporary export? ie going on holiday.....  It's still a load of old bollocks to me. Ron 

PM sent.  Ron

My engineer has honed the barrels 'true' and refaced the valves, but the  valve guides are badly worn and two of them are actually broken, so he's going to make and install new ones. I'm also still waiting for parts from Germany, so just fiddling around at the moment.

I decided to have a go at the markings today.  Ron

I finished rewiring it yesterday, waiting for the barrels and pistons to come back from Ainsley. 

(No! I would have been on my own. No fun in that!  Tim is on Guernsey , Tony was working on his newly acquired 'Chief' and Graham is far to old). Ron 

I've been doing some research and this CAV of Tim's is definitely one of the 325 from the canceled French contract that were supplied to Great Britain. I've calculated it's tank census number. These were never used as front line machines by British forces and Tim has agreed to let me mark it as 'Anti Aircraft Command' ......Stencils ordered.

I think the red patch with bow and arrow is very appropriate!!  .

I managed to blag the assistance of a mate who was on a day off work, to help me lift the engine crankcase assembly into the frame. Ron

After a bit of a hunt, we found some suitable 400x18 tyres which my local friendly tyre firm fitted for me today (I just couldn't face it with current back issues!)

I spent several hours just fitting the front wheel and new brake shoes! You definitely wouldn't want to fix a roadside puncture on one of these!! Even on these relatively skinny tyres the front tyre has to be deflated to get it past the drum which has to be already fitted to the right side fork leg. The bike has to be seriously jacked up to get the 27" wheel under the exceptional front overhang of the mudguard.

Likewise, the cables and wiring run inside the handlebar, which is another work up, but I have worked on them before, so I have an idea of what to expect.

I also greased up everything that I hadn't already greased on assembly........ These Chief's have more nipples than the Luton Girls Choir!!!  Ron

After 30 years of ownership, my Jeep finally sports it's correct 'M' number.   Which is thanks to the research and help from Nick Thomas, which led me to the key cards and he even supplied a photo of a Jeep with a very close number. Mine was part of the post war 'Far East Land Forces' ( demobbed in 59)👍 

The other markings are of course fictitious. Ron

😃😃 Chris you will come to realize that working gets in the way of your hobby......So I stopped some time ago!!

Wheels, handlebar and hub parts top coated today, and here is that great big lump of an engine! Barrels removed for inspection and fin repairs.

I've also started to do some work on my newly acquired 5SW.   Ron

Tim came round with another mate to help me lift the frame back into the workshop and I've been building up the front end.

I've also spent some time on the wheels, Which aren't too bad as it happens. Some flaking paint and three loose spokes which all tightened up no problem, and I've replaced all the wheel bearing rollers with new 'one thou' oversize and given the wheels some heavy coats of red primer after a good clean up and rub down.

I'm hoping my local tyre firm who removed the old tyres for me can find the 400x18 that I'm looking for.....Otherwise it'll be an internet search. Ron 

I've gone with 'Mid Bronze Green' which is not a million miles from the original gloss colour used. Ron

I guess so. 

R

Hi Andy. I think this thing is worth a few pictures. This picture shows how they were painted for the French government contract. I guess they were ordered before hostilities were well under way. Tim wants me to stick to the colour scheme, but I'll compromise on the shininess. I'm picking up 'eggshell' finish paint today.  Ron 

I've been asked by a friend to help with his military Indian Chief....... I'm doing the paintwork, headstock and wheel bearings, brakes etc. Whilst he attends to the engine and gearbox.

It's a 1940 model CAV (with matching numbers) of which I think 5000 were ordered by the French government. Paris fell before they were all delivered (lots of those where taken by the Germans of course) the rest were reallocated, some into UK.  There is a good book which I haven't had time to read through yet, called "An American in Paris" about the whole story and renovation advice, colour scheme etc. 

It took 3 of us to lift the frame and each mudguard weighs about the same as a Triumph frame.....No wonder it needs a 1200cc engine😅  These items now in primer. Ron

Right! Well i collected that 10 C 39 and it is very "Nappy Brown", so I will talk to my paint firm about this new colour. Cheers Ron