MWMike

The previous mail was crrect- out of the factory they were black, post maintenance they painted them the bluey green colour- "duck egg blue" i believe, so that they could spot oil leaks! Mine is black! mike

Hello Hans, If you don't have the answer to the wheel question, I have a 43 MW general service truck and it has the wheels with the 8 bolts holding the two split rims together. You have obviously done this type of restoration before, but the usual warning re split rims applies - don't undo them unless the tyre has been completely deflated!! I guess you have a manual for her? Happy to see another MW on the road. Mine cruises along at 35-40 MPH and gets around 15 mpg. She will do 45 but she revs a lot and is very loud!!

I can also vouch for the John Morter filter adaptor- I've one fitted to my MW and it works a treat! I think his son Chris is picking up the business, I've just bought some brake linings and a seal kit from him. mike, Ipswich

Well, I've eventually got my MW ready for the Poppy LIne next week, having cleaned out the engine and radiator using some Holts 2 stage heavy duty rad flush stuff- and removing and rebuilding the rear engine drain cock, then fitting a new thermostat she doesn't foam at the nose any more.....but why was she doing it in the first place? I'm not sure.

Ive done a little thinking about this and i think this is how the strange radiator cap and dip tube arrangement works and why its shouldn't make any difference whether the dip tube is in or out......... rad cap drawing 1.pdf

Mine too hasn't got the dip tube, which according to the manual is there to "stop the anti-freeze being diluted" by overfilling, but the radiator cap does not seal down against the castellated ring, the dip tube is held up against it with a spring with a rubber seal on the underside of the castellated ring. I'm in the process of making a dip tube for mine, and will get hold of some piano wire and wind a spring for it, as I doubt there's many of these things around. John Morter didn't have one when I picked up my water pump. I don't see that it makes much difference really- the radiator cap valve will see the same pressure anyway- if mine still foams, then I will suspect that the cap diaphragm valve is passing (or the springs weak- like someone else on the chat suspects) I haven't seen a radiator cap anywhere that looks any better than mine! heres a scan of the manual. Do you have one?

I've had a similar problem with my 43 MW, she needed a new water pump and during the fitting of this I found she had no thermostat, but I've not had her on a run since. She usually "foams at the nose" after a short burst of power after she's hot, but post fitting the new thermostat she seems to run (in the garage!) a lot better. I too did the compressions and got a consistent 140 psi on each pot, and there's no oil in water or water in oil! someone said to me that i could have overfilled her with water, but after a run when she's foamed the water level is below the fin tops on the rad and I'm not sure that that is correct! I'll give her a run friday and see what happens, and let you know. I may fit a water temp gauge and have it hidden somewhere, though I would like to keep her original, I don't want to toast a good engine by thinking she's just blowing a bit of excess water when she's got a real overheating problem! I'll be back mike

Hi, I thought I had already posted an intro.....but maybe the smell of hot oil and half burned petrol is finally taking its toll and old age is setting in..... So.....I have a 1943 Bedford MWD truck, (TEP 843) I'll post a photo next week when I have more time.....she is based in Ipswich Suffolk and I plan to take her to as many places as practical in a truck that does 35 mph flat out downhill with a tailwind....... Just changed the two rear tyres for some Michelins 255/100 16s (the old dunlop runflat bar grips had bonded to the rims with age and you could see the canvas through the cracks in the rubber!) What a task getting the old ones off! Shes still a great thing to drive, with all that torque from the 3.5 litre engine...and 15 mpg which i dont think is too bad! :-D

Good news, I picked a good '43 MW up before christmas and it now lives here in Kesgrave, Ipswich, its my first military truck but i've done old cars before.....there's at least one other around Ipswich. Not sure how original mine is though! But if you need to look at anything let me know! mike

Hello from Suffolk- Ipswich to be precise, After a lot of looking and soul searching and parting with some beer vouchers, I've just taken over the care of a '43 Bedford MW GS truck, that has been in Kent for a long time, she fits into my garage (just!) and i'm looking forward to using her for rallies and various other things next year. The garage is now full to bursting point....i've had to farm out my motorbike for a while (and I shall have to get rid of my MGB- but she is a real garage queen so I'm not so worried there!) I'll be running her as much as I can, I know theres another in Ipswich or near, as i talked to a chap with one at the Martlesham Heath Control tower Battle of Britain weekend thing. mike