Richard Farrant

From my days of working on RE plant in REME workshops, some of the machines technical documents were not in EMER’s but were in book form. I did work on a Mk2 Gainsborough once but it was in mid-1970’s so memory of the manual is no longer there!!

I have seen one in private hands and in restored order a few years ago, it came from South Africa and I understand there are others still out there on display at ex-serviceman clubs.

British WW2 - Crusader cruiser tank

Hi Rob, Your mention of mirrors reminded me that we were doing an official modification in the late 70's using mirror arms from Bedford RL to the AEC Mk1 Militants. Your tanker looks to have these arms.

Neil, I have looked back at photos of your engine and you have the civilian type manifold made for a Zenith carb and the orientation of the carb flange mounting is different to WD manifolds (inc. QL), also it is a different oil filter to the military ones, so mounting holes for that are different. It depends if you are changing the carb to the WD spec. Solex.

Check the position of your oil filter mounting on the manifold and see if it matches the QL one.

This quote has errors in it, they refer to the 4 gallon tins as POW (Petrol, oil, water), which is incorrect, the POW can was the 2 gallon standard can which was introduced just after the start of motoring in Britain. The army were still using them post war.. I still use one which is about 85 years old for my mower petrol.

FV432 on a civilian truck traveling south bound on the M20 between J9 and J10

Hi Steve, Personally I would continue to grind down the slot you made on the inner track and also do one at 180 degs to it, then drive a chisel down the first groove in line with the axle, that may be enough to split it, or event get some penetrating fluid in there. I remember in the distant past when I was in agricultural engineering, blowing damaged bearings off shafts on combines with oxy-acetylene without marking the shaft. With a small cutting torch you have more control. You only need a break in the track and it will release the grip.

Robin, I have removed this part many times to access gearbox adjusters, from memory it is basically a thin metal sheet, with I think 4 captive nuts on front edge. I could easily be made if one was not available, just need dimensions from someone. Years since I last touched one!

Hi Mike, From when I was a little nipper, I helped my late father clean his .303 target rifles with a rod and '4by2' as he called it, loved the smell of the gun oil! Hope you are not snowed in, sounds like they have had a lot in some parts. regards, Richard

Just had a thought on the rod shown, it could be a 'pull through' for cleaning a pistol barrel.

I have a similar Girling spanner that was for adjusting the spring on Girling rear shock absorbers on motorcycles.

These census numbers are in a batch on the Chilwell list for vehicles allocated to the Free French Forces.

Here is a photo of the WOT6 Workshop truck that I was involved in restoring, the lights are unobtrusive and bring you in line with lighting regs. After all, if owners are going in for full originality, there would only be one masked headlamp fitted, and no indicators or brake lights. WOT6 rear.pdf

Don't forget, a lot of these trailer boards will be too narrow for the rear of a lorry as the lamps have to be within a certain distance from outer edge of vehicle, also you will need round reflectors and not triangle ones as a trailer would have. On my Bedford I used the military type glass screw-in lamps (as on Land Rovers, and all in 70's and 80's).. You can take originality too far sometimes and safety is more important on the roads.

I recall in 1985, having to go out to a FV432 to remove the pack to deal with an oil leak. It was probably the first one to be fitted out for Ptamigan as it was at the Hunting Engineering works in Worthing. They had a building full of different military vehicles that were there to use for making the installations for the Ptarmigan system. We noted it had recently had a rebuild and the interior panels to the engine bay were a sealed fit and possibly NBC proof. We had not seen this before. The data plate had it as a FV432 Mk2 SAS COMCEN PTAR3. I believe once they came into service with Ptarmigan they were re-designated as FV439.

Looks like an Austin number, possibly a K9?

Are you sure that is the correct number as it is listed on Merlin as a Saxon?

Hi Richard, That is a bit of a blow, maybe there are other canvas suppliers in your area as it is a bit of a haven for boaters. regards, Richard

Simon, The attached link will explain more about its WW2 use. http://www.pillbox-study-group.org.uk/gazeteer/home-front-defence-sites/england/hampshire/hazeley-heath-tank-testing-ramp/

Richard They do Olive green and I have used their Brown for WW2 vehicles and my clients approved the colour

Richard, You have a canvas supplier right on your doorstep in Fareham. https://www.kayospruce.com/ I have bought canvas from them some years ago and good quality.

I remember the TRW still in British Army service in mid-70’s and as said, they were in gloss Deep Bronze Green and still with the gold lining on the tank, that added a bit of class to them! Those ordered by the Canadian military may not have been in this colour, the best avenue to check is to join the Maple Leaf Up forum as there are owners of TRW’s in Canada on there as I recall.

🙂 You were lucky, I just happened to have the MT4 Vocab beside me, hence the speedy reply!