Richard Farrant

The J1 ( 1/2 to 1 3/4 ton ) has the same wheel cylinders as a MW, according to the Lockheed book. The Lockheed seal kit number is KL.71432

Alex, The MW rear axle ratio was 6.20 : 1 Sorry, I don't have any data on the OB bus.

Fred, You would not need your Hi Viz coat either !

Alex, I have fitted a late 214 to a MW, but the owner wished to retain the gearbox. I had to change the 214 bellhousing and refit the MW one, this also meant changing the flywheel back to the MW 28hp one, as the diameter is different and starter would not line up, but at least it meant the rear engine mounts did not need altering. Another problem was the 28hp flywheel has four stud holes, and 214 crank has six studs, so the flywheel had to be drilled to fit the crank. I doubt that fiting a 5 speed box will give you much gain in speed, what is done over here is to use a diff from a OB bus or coach, that makes quite a lot of difference. The BHP from a 28hp ( when new) was 72 bhp, the last of the 214 engines produced 100 bhp.....not bad for an engine of the same capacity. I might be able to find some pics of it.

Found the number, it was 12 AK 57 and was still in service at the time......given a new lease of life !

Ted, Knowing how those lower panels rotted out, they may not have had S type ones available, but only R type. I did a complete rebuild of one of these in late Seventies, right down to the bare chassis. Cannot read the reg. number in the photo, to see if it was the same one. Yes, I recollect the access flap was civvy type, with chrome handle, as you describe.

The Bedford Lacre runway sweeper on the right, has a RL cab on it by looks, headlamps in lower position. Unless panels have been changed and RL ones were fitted.

Hi Philip, Nice photo. You can't keep the old ones down, still plenty of life in them :thumbsup: regards, Richard

Nigel, It is not the size of the company, it is how many contracts they had for the Utilities, and just having a quick look at the list, it looks like Morris had five, where as I have a master parts list for Austin utilities and they supplied at least fifteen contracts. Each contract is for a differing number of vehicles, but just to put it in perspective.

Not J1 (1/2 to 1 3/4 ton) rear cylinders, use J2 to J6, they are the correct size.

I can also vouch for Past Parts work, have been using them for about 12 years, and had stacks of cylinders done, without a problem. In fact they come back looking better than a new one.

After reading my post again, what I should have said, was that the tracks should not have less than the minimum amount of links specified for the particular vehicle.

Nigel, I know that Austins carried on in service right into the 1950's with the army. More than likely the Morris Tillies were disposed of, after the war, and / or passed on to other countries as military aid.

If you have old cylinders and the pipe inlet and bleeder hole are in good order, it is more economical to have them sleeved with Stainless Steel. I have had a great many cylinders done and never experienced any problems. Don't throw any old cylinders away, you may be able to reclaim them for yourself, or someone else. For the Bedford Boys........I would suggest this as a way of getting over your MW cylinder problem. I would be surprised if the process is not available in NZ, there is a brake company in South Australia that does it.

Phil, Looks like a CDSW........if you go back have a look on the dashboard, extreme right hand side, it looks on your photo, like a Contract No. plate. If you get the numbers off that, we can identify exact type.......if you are interested. Must say, I have travelled across the country after talking to a seller and when you arrive, you cannot beleive it was the same vehicle that he was describing.

Nigel, Morris is probably the rarest of them all. In numbers, I would say highest is Austin, then Hillman, Standard and Morris. Our new member Mike will be able to give a good estimate from the Tilly Register records though.

About 16 years ago we were rebuiding a heap of those in same roll over / crashed condition, from Bosnia, then they were sent back out there. Sadly no photos.

Another thing to check is that there are equal number of links in each track, no unknown to be different, if they are worn. Failing that, and track tension, band adjustment, etc., are correct, then it may be "track drift". This can only be checked on a flat smooth surface, a long time since I did one last, but it checks how far offline the vehicle goes in 100 feet ( I think, but might be less). This is corrected by shimming behind the appropriate sprocket. Obviously more noticeable when driving on straight roads, more than cross country with no clear track to follow.

Hi Phil, They were electronic, but a lot bigger than those you are working one, they were used in the Leyland DROPS.

I came across Ferrets fitted with baskets on the rear deck, long before the first Gulf War, they were first seen on ones used by the Royal Engineers.

Back in 1991, I was on a DROPS repair course, it was three weeks long....one week was taken up with the ZF auto transmission. No chance in stripping one in your own garage though, because the gear train cannot be removed from the alloy casing without the casing being heated. A test console is used to test the box so without this you could be wasting a lot of tiem and money finding a fault.

Hi Rob, You must live close to me then. I recollect you had a 4x4 ambulance at one time. Humbers are something that I get involved with in my work, we should meet one day. regards, Richard

On the local radio in Kent I hear that 36 Engr Regt are out helping the community in Land Rovers, delivering Meals on Wheels, etc. Back in the bad snowfall Kent had in 1988, I was snow ploughing around the camp at Ashford in a blizzard, when a Chinook landed in front of me, unloading crews for army ambulances which had been placed around the county. Thankfully that snow only lasted about a week or so, but it did cut off the A20 for days ( before the M20 was completed ).

Martin, I can confirm head gaskets were used on the BSA, I have overhauled a good many of them and was puzzled by Tony's reply as you were.

Airbags would be the best solution to lifting it at the rear, with another at the front inflated to control the lowering.