Carruthers

HI Bob, Welcome to the forum mate. I can asure you that (Andy will agree) a British Jeep is perfectly acceptable. My MB has always been a Brit one and looks great finished that way. Where abouts in E Anglia are you?? cheers Simon

HI Neil Thanks for your kind comment. Last year I've seen complete C8s go for about £6000. Some higher, some lower. I'm looking at putting it out for £3950. It will need a rear wooden body making which will cost about £350 of timber and steel strip and then the tail/head lights wiring up (can't do that yet as the tail lights hang off the rear body!!). One advantage for a buyer is that he can see the condition of the chassis clearly and see how much work's been done. No reg plate yet but it comes with a MVT dating cert plus the manuals and phot doc of the resto. This way the buyer would have a complete truck for £4500 which is at least £1000 under it's value. I haven't thrown away bits and replaced them, but restored everything, it has an NOS cab canvas, correct WD headlights, original brass bezel instruments, rebuilt engine/elecs. What it really needs is a drive around as it hasn't moved for a few months.... I hope that price is about right. It does come anywhere near the time I've put in but I have really enjoyed it. I'd love to keep it and just take it to ONE show! Simon

Thanks Mark, I appreciate your comment. Let's hope others think so we I put it up for sale!!! I'm gutted really but it has to go. The main thing is that I know it's a good truck and now it's done it'll always be on the road somewhere....

In my enthusiasm to bolt bits on I decided that the windscreen halves could be fitted on the truck. That was my first mistake!! Now everything has to happen up a ladder!! Anyways it is probably quite easy to do with two people but on your own is tricky to say the least. The glass at that size is pretty heavy I guess you'll agree Jules. Here's a pic of the brass angle I made. That's blood on the channel!!! http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m58/krazy_kats/windscreenbasecobbector.jpg[/img] And also here's the first attempt at making a repro steering wheel boss. Not too bad for a first go. I will use a different material for the MCC letters next time. This was thin fibreglass sheet. http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m58/krazy_kats/MCCsteeringboss.jpg[/img] The finally some pix of the truck today. Nearly done!! http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m58/krazy_kats/GVJan08.jpg[/img] http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m58/krazy_kats/GVJan082.jpg[/img] http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m58/krazy_kats/enginejan08.jpg[/img] http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m58/krazy_kats/insdiecabjan08.jpg[/img]

Just doing the windscreen frame on my C8. The bottom frame is held in place by two small screw at each end set inside the outside groove. There is, I huess, on original trucks a right angled peice which fits round the 90 deg edge and is threaded to take these screws. I don't have these so I've made up the angle joiners from 1/16 brass sheet, tapped tham for 4 ba thread. These are actually hte correct size and thread screws ( countersunk head, and fit perfectly. It's a bit of a miniature engineering job but luckily part of my job for many years is biulding big flying model planes so I have all the correct taps and dies. Point is that a have about several of the right size but 2" long ( they have to be cut down to 1/4". )If anyone ( Rik/Jules et al etc) wants some some screws as these are often corroded or get lost ( or both!!) I have a few spare... When the project is complete I will have some bits left over so i'll let you know what these bits are.

yeah sorry i meant John. Durr... getting late!!!!

yeah I wonder if you're right... It's been re-bodied alright or possibly skinned in steel over the planks?? Mine should look pretty much like that when it's done: full screen no tilt in desert etc. Good find Rick.

Yeah I see the outside design is the same, but threaded differently. Something else I've learnt!! Rolf Ask had several rads when I was there in Nov, but until I can get someone interested in transporting the truck(s) back to Blighty I can't bring any of his Morris spares over here...... :-(

HI Andy, Only a couple of nuts have undone with a socket. Most have turned once and broken off. Prob seems to be the bolt shaft rusts and either expands and deteriorates or just seizes into the square hole for the domed end. Either way i have cut through the nut/end of bolt, then removed the dome head, then drilled out the material in the metal to reveal the original hole(s). As you say, the metal is incredibly hard. I bought a load from Screwfix and I'm replacing the plank sides where necessary at the moment. Hopefully some more pix to follow tomorrow. Only one vertical strap needed replacing as it was so corroded it was in pieces. 1/8 x 1.5 strip. I ground off the corners to it'll be exactly like the original. I'll give the whole thing a coat of varnish or sealer to seal the wood then paint it. If it stops raining I'll take a pic of the almost finished C8..... Simon

The wood?? Rik, it's your back garden fence. Look out the window!! :police: Seriously, It's a plained softwood from the local timber merchant. I explained that i needed ash or similar although, as i mentioned in earlier messages that the frame seems to be redwood. Metric to imperial sizes give a few probs but once that scarf joint is glued in place I'll drill and dowel it with 3/8 or 1/2 dowels. I'll prob add some side plates from 1/4 ply too. If the gluing surface is sound. If i can get a power sender in there I can true up the surfaces. Drilling out the coach bolts where they have rusted and expanded into the wood is time consuming but lots better than starting from scratch. Simon

HI, Finally got round to loading these pix on showing the work so far on the MW's wooden body. Now I've replaced the broken crosspiece and the offside rear lengthwise piece I will start to re-construct the side planks and finally replace the floor. There's a bit of metal work to be done too. Pix to follow. Simon http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m58/krazy_kats/rearbodyframe001.jpg[/img] http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m58/krazy_kats/rearbodyframe004.jpg[/img] http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m58/krazy_kats/rearbodyframe006.jpg[/img] http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m58/krazy_kats/rearbodyframe005.jpg[/img] http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m58/krazy_kats/rearbodyframe.jpg[/img]

HI Jules, I notice that the rad cap on my MW is the same as my C8 one so is it possible that a Bedford one will fit? It would widen the search if that's the case.... Simon

Didin't quite know where to post this but there's a docu drama on Ch4 tonight at 7.30 called 1983: The Brink Of Apocalypse. There's several MVs in it included a Munga which had no brakes. I know this because I'm in it when it goes down a hill towards the camera and wouldn't stop!!! Our group was asked to be involves as we'd done several in the Lost Evidance for the same TV company the previous year. Not sure if it's any good as I haven't seen it of course. I'm the R Sigs officer who reads the radio transition script and another sodlier turns to him as says " I think you've just started WW3!" ( unless they cut it out). There a big truck ( I only saw from a distance) plus some Russian cars too. Simon

Hi boys, Sorry. I thought everyone would know about Mike Kelly's site in Oz, as we're all MCC people so I hadn't mentioned it...... The drawings are really good but they don't show the floor or the front end, however I think the info is brilliant and concise, and must have taken ages to produce. I have spoken to Mike and he asked for info that's missing and I can supply floor layout and dimensions so he can update the site and make that part more complete. Jules, I'll measure it up over the wekend to give you a starting point. If anyone with a GS body can look for me to see if their body fits onto the chassis rails with little blocks to hold it off, or if it sits on two cross rails. This is the missing piece of the jigsaw and I think it's the later suggestion that's correct. It stands to reason as every most chassis designs have a higher point over the rear axle, so the wooden body rails would have to be kacked up fir it to sit level. This is the design on the CS8 I have access to, but designs varied for truck to truck. For example the MW front of the body is the rear of the cab too. On the CS8/C4/C8 there's a gap for tool bins etc. I think the Morris body is wider by about 7" too. Radek, the 30cwt body construction uses the same design and plank sizes, but obviously it's bigger. CHecking around, it seems most of the surviving 3 tonners have steel bodies - no surprise there. I could measure up my mate's OY metal body to give you a start if you wanted.... Simon

Hi Jules, Apart from the blog ( it's on its way!!) what I can do is photo every part , angle and component and sent it you on CD. I have got several 'walkarounds' of other trucks and have GS body photos completed. Luckily my mate's CS8 GS sits next to my MW in storage so I can refer to it too. The only different seems to be the width, which I think is wider for the C8 than the MW, however the construction is the same, and like most things, once I've done it the first time at will be simple if I have to do it again. Ideally I would make one for the C8 but I'm concentrating on the rest of it being done. (nearly there!) First job is get on the Screwfix web site and order 100 M8 X 50 mm coach bolts ( about £3 - bargain!!). The metal fittings are 1 x 1/8 steel strip, 1.1/2 x 1.1/2 angle between the sides and the floor and 2.5 x 1/8 vertical strips which hold the side planking. I have some bady bits going Rick's way so you could see them at his place as I don't thing he's far from you. I'll get some photos up pronto but anything I can assist with consider it done mate. Simon

HI mate. I wonder if the T bodies were just part of a Trop conract that never went overseas. Could be also that wood is different to non -trop. I thought that ash was used as it's very flexible and withstands vibration very well. The cross meember I'm replacing on the body I have is a very red colour. Def not ash... So maybe the different wood used meant that it could , if necessary, got to a trop environment, as opposed to another wood which would be not go in hot temps etc. They made about 66K MWs and when I got mine I expected that every photo I saw would be Bedford, but oh no, I would say the vast amount of 15cwt trucks I have in (many) books in my library are Fordsons. Dad's was a C4 MK2. Talking with Mike Kelly in OZ he reckons mine may be the only one with that body in the world when it's done, so i better get on with it.!!!!! Doubtless at that point another will appear!! Incidentaly I'm doing the Humber 1 ton truck for the next Military Machines mag... Now I'm off to watch the Spice Girls in telly...............!! Simon

HI Richard, There's no data plates on the truck. Can't see anything stamped on it under passenger side door on chassis as suggested. I know the body came off another MW as it was a mate's before he sold it to the bloke i bought it off. He came to collect the truck with me so that was quite funny!!! It's an RAF body and the original, and only, paint is still on it. Mark, I'm e-mailing the Harrington boys after seeing the site you mentioned. Thanks. We'll see if there's any info from them. Simon

thanks for this info lads. Mark I'll check out the site. Richard, would the T plate have been used on desert vehicles or was 'tropical' jungle use? happy new year Simon

I'm repairing the rear body on my MW. I know Rick W is going to do one as well, but if anyone else is interested in some pix, info I can supply it, either PM or as a blog. Wonder if anyone has info on a little metal plate with a T on it about 2" sq on the body side near the front?? Also where were bodies made?? I've seen some pix of gilrs making up the parts in a factory. reason I ask is that I have radio body ready for my Morris C4 which I'm in the process of restoring but can't find any info about them or where they were built. I saw some paperwork about re-bodying a Guy Ant from GS to Radio from a company called Harrington. Any ideas?? Simon Also here's the link to a film I just helped a guy do for a BAFTA award. Blink and you'll miss it. http://www.60secondsoffame.co.uk/bafta/sixtysec/East/_entry/0000000016f808e6011721e5e779044e/jsps/entry?foneblog=1199113714943

Hi Chris, Following your thread about the bike. Soumnds excellent. I have '43 WD Enfield ( just re-building the engine) and a '38 Ariel plus some other stuff but the BSA looks in great order. I laughed like hell when I read your 'I was drunk when I bid' message!! Great!!!!! Anyway wondered if you had the BD blouse still or whether it had been sold?? chers Simon

OK thanks. I'll get stuck in with the Nitromors!!! will advise Simon

HI Richard, Paint stripper on the chassis under the pass door has revealed nowt. I can see four small holes where a data plate was in that position. Andy - can you confirm the exact place on your MW please, to make sure I'm in the correct spot. Or have I got this wrong. I'm looking for a number stamped on the chassis, not a plate, right? Simon

Hi Andy, It's not an MWR or at least to bits that are left don't indicate that. My mate here has an FFW with the extra aerial points so I know about those specific features. Basically I have a running truck with a reasonable condition GS body which needs a floor. The cab is dismantled but I have all the bits. I'm not going to go for a ground up resto due to a) time and b) can't be arsed. Having just completed ( nearly) the C8 I would like to do something speedier and have it ready for W&P show, which is still a tall order given that I have 6 months and is cold and dark for most for them!! However I want to do a desert truck, pretty stripped down and very used so there will be no need for it to be perfect, and I can do that later at my leisure. Another truck in bits is what i don't need. PS I'll have a restored type 2 10cwt trailer for sale about Stoneleigh time ..... Simon Richard. Ta for the chassis numbers- that will date it nicely mate, if I can find the numbers!!!

HI Richard. As I thought it's the latter instrument set up. Will the chassis number indicate a rough production date?? Tony - totally agree about rebuilds etc. I am working with the components I've got to figure out the date as that's what I'll restrore it as. It will be in desert finish, that's all I know. Going to see a mate who has had one for years and worked on them in WW2. I'll do a complete photo walkaround which will get me started. Rik. Yes pix on the way pronto mate

Thanks I'll look for the chassis number tomorrow. There's no data plates. What's the difference in the dashboard layout between early and late and when did it change?