Richard Farrant

Hi Giles, It has a RL gearbox, but engine is a normal Perkins and a Borg and Beck clutch. Once removed and taken to a motor factors, a replacement could easily be matched up. As I said previously, a ceramic paddle clutch plate is used as they are harder wearing in this sort of vehicle.

Hi Garry, If your diff cover is distorted or damaged, I have a brand new one and a genuine Bedford gasket still in army packing. If interested, let me know as I will have to search it out! regards, Richard

Try looking for Commer or Karrier from 1940's, same engine. Have you treid Speedy Spares?

I thought this vehicle belonged to Lance? After all the efforts to restore it, seems odd to want to sell it so soon after completion.

Tim and Steve, This might be worth following up, a clearing sale in Australia, with two Thornycroft chassis'. No details, but might be worth contacting the auctioneers to see if they have any photos. May be something built quite later, but WW1 era trucks do show up over there. http://www.elders.com.au/livestock/upcoming-sales/plant-machinery-clearing-sales/detail?id=C1802 regards, Richard

Quite amusing hearing the narrator talking about the driver of the armoured car using his judgement on cross country driving. The Drivers hatch is closed with him looking through the vision block, so no way can he see the ground directly in front of him, he would be luck to actually see anything closer than 10 yards in front of the vehicle.

Been there before Ian, doubt you will find any new cylinders, at least in this short time frame. If it is just rubbers, then phone Past Parts Ltd at Bury St.Edmunds, but I suspect the bores might have rust or pitting and that would mean sleeving (another job for Past Parts).

A great job there John. Getting all the kit together it will make a good display. regards, Richard

Danny, There should be a couple of plates on top of the steering column support bracket, as you look through the steering wheel, one was the contract plate. Probably missing, usually are. The chassis number is stamped in the area just below petrol tank on pass. side if I remember, and will be prefixed with letters, QLD, QLR, etc. Most YX numbers I recall were QLR, but would not take the distributor as proof as it may have been substitiuted in later life. regards, Richard

Danny, If you mean the repair data plate approx 3 inches square, normally on passenger side of chassis near cab, then the top details are the post-1948 army reg. number, but I suspect it may not be XX, but more likely YX. Is this a QLR chassis? If the other number is also on the chassis, prefixed QLC, QLD, QLR, etc, then it could be a 1944 build as 36122 falls in that year of production. You may able to trace the post1948 number through the key cards at Deepcut, that will tell you contract details.

Just a heads upon an event in Kent which is becoming firmly established on the events calender, it is Combined Ops, run by IMPS on 11th/12th August at Headcorn Aerodrome. This is going to be a great show this year. Apart from the usual MVs and Living History groups the schedule of air displays this year looks great, and it’s not affected by the Olympics ‘no fly zone’restrictions as Headcorn is outside the zone, so aircraft can fly freely into and out, so there are some great classic planes booking in for the show I’m told. Some people may know Andrew Robertshaw, the military historian and TV broadcaster. He is going to be at the show, giving a talk about his role and experiences as the Military Advisor to Steven Speilberg on the film Warhorse,which should be very interesting. He has done a number of talks for the IMPS club nights and is a great speaker. He will also be selling and signing some of his books. There’s more info about the show at www.combinedops.co.uk or www.imps.org.uk I will be at the show again this year, with my Bedford QL, doing a spot of marshalling duties at times. regards, Richard

Tony, A simple google and you will find it was a massive US Ordnance Rebuild Shop in Germany, Schwabisch-Gmund

Thanks Andy, Quite possible for a worn pump, I had told my friend to do a pressure check, but not sure he has the full technical manual to know what is correct pressure. Truck is 10,000 miles from me, so unable to check myself!! Reason I mentioned pulley, was that I found this on a RB44 related web forum, and another post said how steering was hard at low engine revs, comments also said that pump was not running fast enough (hence larger pulley equals more speed). The RB technical dept phone number is no longer working, we had been in touch with them late last year, but have a feeling they might have moved.

If the distributor clamp is physically tight, then how do you know it has jumped a few degrees? If you are checking with an electronic tuner or such like, then maybe the points have closed a little since you last checked them. Problems starting since a lay up could be dirty points, not uncommon to get a slight haze on them. Could also be a fault in the auto advance mechanism.

As the thread title say ..... a freind overseas has recently bought a RB44, straight out of service, via a dealer. Only 10,000 miles on the clock and in good condition, looks like it could have served with the Army Air Corps. To the point, when it is cold, power steering works reasonably well, but as soon as the oil warms up the assistance to the steering rapidly diminishes. I found something on a website about fitting a larger diameter pulley to the steering pump to make it rotate faster, but do not think this was an official mod., just something done by a private owner. Would like to hear from anyone with similar problems. regards, Richard

Jon, There were some Ferrets, possibly last contract, that had common oil throughout, have forgotten now how to identify them, but when in service they had something stencilled on them. The prototype Fox may predate them.

Better inform your insurance company that it has been Race Tuned :-D

As the thread title says, a mate overseas has just bought a RB44 and when cold, steering works fine, when up to temp, the steering assistance is reduced by a long way. Reading on various sites on the web, there was a history of this and one person said way to go was a larger diam. pulley on the pump ( to speed it up). Anyone got any experience of this? regards, Richard

The army have used these adaptors for donkeys years, for running the smaller gen sets, such as Onan and Powerlite.

Wayne, assuming your question relates to testing a Land Rover or Humber engine, then you will not need gravity, as you would connect up to the fuel lift pump and run out of a jerrican or similar. Now if you have an engine without a working pump then find a petrol tank of a n old mower or stationary engine, where it has a tap at the bottom.

Mark, Only one dipstick as a Fox differs from a Ferret, in that it is one common oil flowing through gear and transfer boxes.

Hi Ian, If you are depicting a trailer or vehicle as in WW2 period, then you really do not need one of the plates as they were only usually fitted after the re-numbering around 1947-48.

Hi Richard, I have a feeling the company became part of British Oxygen at a later date.

Hi Rick, I reckon they were made by Allen-Liversidge Ltd, in England regards, Richard

Good grief, just realised I took my Bedford QL to the 50th anniversary at Arborfield ........ where have those 20 years gone?