julezee001

I had considered a holiday to Malta with a view to tracking down one of the two Scammell Explorers which were in service with the British army on the island. It is in need of some TLC by all reports, but not as much as the other. The second is apparently still on its wheels, but sadly sitting in 600 ft of water outside one of the harbours, having fallen from a barge many years ago! The vehicles pictured look like good projects, hopefully they may find good homes on Malta if they can't be re-patriated! Jules

As usual looking with my eyes half open late at night! The axles looked to be related to the vehicle from the stud pattern and the hub nut covers. What a pity the fire damage is so bad inside. Is the running gear complete, engine and box there? Jules

Any idea how much such an offer should be bearing in mind the recent crash in scrap prices?? It's a shame the axles for it are now seem to be incorrectly mounted on the roof. Looks like a great project though, although not many around as a guide to rebuilding. Anyone have a spare workshop manual?? Jules

One of my first memories was a series II SWB Landrover used for parascending by a CCF unit in 1970. I ended up buying it in 1987 along with its sister vehicle ( 1961 IIa SWB). The first one I sold in 1989, but the latter was my present to my wife on our wedding day in 1997, and is still a great drive! The Militant MK1 arrived in 1990, and the Explorers in 1997/8! Sadly not currently allowed any more??? Jules

Wow! You'll have to have those "pretty" go faster blue silicone pipes and hoses to set those mounts off properly (they work fine on my Explorer!), along with some tasteful sill and windscreen washer lights (I only use Christmas tree lights occasionally)!! Then again I'm sure they will do the job, and allow more a slightly more comfortable driving experience. Jules

Is the left hand one the ex-RAF Explorer that Amos bought from a windmill owner? Must have been about 7 years ago? Jules

I bought the engine mounts off the shelf from a local truck repair shop, and I'm sure they must still be manufactured by someone. After a quick search I found a company in Suffolk, called Robush Ltd, who supply "Metalastic" rubber mounts. Robush Ltd for Metalastic rubber mounts Tony Grover, General Manager Robush Ltd, Bridge Farm, Ash Road, Wickham Market, Suffolk, IP13 0AA Tel 01728 748336 - Fax 01728 748332 I would hope they might be able to help? Jules

Sadly with both headline incidents involving legally owned firearms, the licence issuing forces either failed to follow the home office guidlines, or ignored the local officers assessment in the issueing/renewing of Firearms Certificates. In spite of this, the huge majority (yet a small minority of the UK population)of law abiding gun owners have either lost their sport altogether, or face an ongoing regime of increased legislation and expense. This all with the idea of making the UK a safer place. Clearly this has actually had little effect on the use of illegal firearms or the resulting deaths, leading now to the idea that banning de-activated, or replica weapons again held by a small "non PC" minority will be the solution! Going on the previous misdirected consultations running up to poor legislation, I can only feel sorry for holders of such weapons as the future looks bleak! Jules

As mentioned a few threads back we had the same fault on PSY 974 with the rear axle flange loose. I found it difficult to tighten the nut to line up the single hole for the split pin, I might file the nut next time and build up the wear on the flange face with weld too. It travelled about 250 miles to Bethune and has some play again now, although the sliding joint is looking a bit tired too!! The engine mounts for the Meadows (Metallastic?) are still available as far as I know as I bought some from a local truck workshop a couple of years ago. I'm not sure about the gearbox mounts... Good luck with fitting the crane. Jules

Glad to see you're making good if painful progress Andy. I think the idea with the seals is right, as I'm sure many Explorers sat around waiting to leak oil far longer than spent going through deep water. On the subject of winch cables. Only take it off if you have somewhere dry to store it. Mine sat out off the winch for years and was knackered when it came to fitting. I managed to find a new one, which was actually quite easy to fit, even with the rear floor on. Although I came very close to snapping off the feed rollers, stopping just in time to spin them upright. Someone had already broken them in the past! A job ideally for two people or more as the cable is quite heavy to tug about too! Jules

Congratulations Youngun!! Welcome to an excellent band of excentrics?? I hope you have as many hours of enjoyment sharing the experience of Scammelling as I have had with mine and others! Look forward to seeing you both next year at W & P maybe?? All the best, Jules

Hopefully a holiday and then a return to light duties!! I don't know how long Vicary's owned and used her, or whether it came straight out of service to them. Peter Seymore is still the owner, and I've met at least one person who drove her there for recovery jobs too, although I can't remember his name. I'm sure Peter could fill in his part of the history if you got in touch. He came out for a fish and chip run in PSY 974 to give his son a treat shortly after being bought from John Bird. Jules

When my brother finally put the Militant on the road he insured it on the chassis number for running to the M.O.T. test, and then had to drive it to the LVLO, then in central Brighton, for it to be registered! Although someone from the same office came out to home to check the chassis number on a Landrover to register it? If you don't intend to road register it, I would have thought one of the many insurance companies would cover it. Jules

I was there, but never saw Jack!? Definitely no tea and biscuits out in Cephallonia!!

Good grief!! Amazing what a bit of imagination, probably quite a lot of time and effort and a few tools can produce. Clearly requires the last couple of hours to make it lovely? On a different subject, seeing where the Explo-ver currently resides, does anyone know the fate of the Explorer that was in Pembroke docks? Someone mentioned it to me about 6 years ago, but I never chased it up?

Good to see you're making progress Andy. Luckily John Davis did all that on my Explorer (158 UXL). Unfotunately it took me a good few years to finish the rest of it. Keep up the go work! Below similar photos of the work John carried out!

What's the name of the second DT? After Bertha ??

Problem was mainly a loose output flange on the gearbox, but also possibly a tired u/j on the short front axle propshaft. Took the opportunity with the main prop off to replace the leaking rear axle oil seal too having just changed all the transmission oils (almost nothing left of the leather, but found a new leather one cos it's kinder on the flange?). Sadly I think the main prop needs replacing sometime soon as the sliding joint is very worn. I'm not sure if I have a spare in the collection of bits and pieces, but something will turn up! Jules

Sincere apologies for the lack of plate! Sadly propshaft vibration was so bad on the way to and from Biggin Hill only the 4 was left from a brand new plate after 80 miles. All better for W & P, but no one making plates there this year! Made one on the day for Bethune, and did everything except fit it! It made it slightly awkward for Simon at Dover when the clerk tried to find the booking using the army reg. number. Once in France it was one of many running with army plates?? Jules

A few photos of PSY 974 on the IMPS 2008 trip to Bethune.

I don't understand why I took so few photos this year on the trip to Bethune, especially so few of the Militant. I hope someone else has taken more/ better pics! I think flat batteries (on the camera) and rain were the main cause. Never mind next year will rush round! p.s. thanks to a suggestion from 6 x 6 in an earlier thread I had no repeat of the brakes sticking on, problem solved!!

Thought I should post a couple of photos of a rather tidy Pioneer which came on the IMPS run out to Bethune. Based near Chichester, it drove out and back without fault as far as I know.

Obviously this is another subject with rules as clear as mud (as per M.O.T's, licence requirements, mods, etc.). From quickly skimming through various web sites, it suggests that a vehicle has to be over 2.9m wide to have a legal requirement to notify the police of your route etc. Legally if it is not in a special category it can only be 2.55m wide (100" or 8' 4"). However, according to a judgement on the net relating to American motorhomes, which are often 102" wide and regularly imported these days, no one has yet been prosecuted on UK roads for being over width with them. I suspect Scammell Explorers fit into the special vehicles category as a Recovery vehicle, interesting as on another site it mentions that the AA now uses recovery dollies which when in use are 2.49m wide, which is over the 2.3m permitted behind a <3500kg vehicle! As to registering overwidth vehicles such as the OT, one would hope that if someone wants to go through all the hassle, and move/drive it as a wide load etc, what's the problem? I guess that would just involve too much common sense?? Jules

As far as I can find in looking quickly on Government sites, the minimum width for notifying routes etc is 2.9m of 9.51ft, or 3m for a load. This is what I have understood to be the case for years. Despite dire warnings about being over width, I had no problems either registering or insuring my Scammell Explorer 3 years ago (its 8' 7" across the front axle hubs). Surely if there were a problem with vehicles of this width, they would be a great deal more difficult to insure? The Stalwart is 2.616m wide, hence is also too narrow to require notification. I understood 432's to be 9' 7" wide when on my driving course, but reading a book with dimensions it is shown as 2.844m which again is under the limit?? Hope this helps, Jules

Hi Les, Bernard as usual is correct. On the way out on Thursday evening, and returning Sunday from this years IMPS trip to Bethune, commemorating the towns liberation by the British and Canadians in September 1944. No problems with either truck, just rather damp weather, and very tired shoulders from driving the Militant around far too many windy country lanes and roundabouts! Jules