Richard Farrant

Hi mate, I will give you full marks for perseverance on getting the engine out! I have done that job many times on in-service RL's, we had a cradle that sat on a large trolley jack, and once clear you could lower it making it more stable to move around. If you are going to put it back the same way, I would use solid wheels and get a sheet of strong ply, or some old steel plate so you can move it under the lorry easier. Your mention of sump being dented, I think you have the wrong sump for a 4x4, it should have a deep well at the front. This is why they fitted sump guards in front. regards, Richard

It looks like an engine stand, not a crane. Probably a rotatable stand.

It has a FV number so you can be pretty sure it is British, but if G stands for gasoline, I too have wondered unless it was for some military vehicle that was being exported to a country that referred to petrol as gasoline.

All I can come up with is a NATO Stock No. 6MT1/6680-99-881-8694 with the description "Indicator, Liquid, Quantity"

Baz, you are right there, I have friends across the world due to our shared interests in MV's. 👍

I wonder if the sender part of this fuel gauge measured the weight of the fuel hence the difference at the full mark. I have come across gauges such as this before in airfield crash tenders for the water tanks. So was it for a multifuel engine perhaps.

Hi Baz, It was not meant as a criticism of your post, but an additional observation. I have also been working on and looking after military vehicles as full time occupations for the last 45 years so do know my way around British vehicles predominantly as they are my main interest., doing repairs, overhauls and restorations. In fact the actual Bedford in the photo I have worked on. The overhaul plates on the chassis are mostly post-1949-50 when the registrations took over from census numbers. The dates on these plates of overhaul or rebuild are mostly in the Fifties. Prior to that there were smaller rebuild plates denoting rebuilds in the Forties that were placed in the cab, I recall one on a MW that I restored. I would think these were often removed on a subsequent rebuild, so these vehicles may well have had two or more rebuilds in their service life that current owners would not be aware of. A long part of my working life was in a REME workshop and I am well aware of what went on as at the time I started there were still the odd WW2 vehicles coming in. All fascinating stuff and always interested to read what comes up on here. cheers Richard

I know Graham's lorry, you will also see it has sling plates on the front hubs. These were introduced in late 1943 as I recollect. Not many vehicles of this era would have remained in the exact spec. that they were originally built to. Some surviving ones may have gone through several rebuild programmes in their life. The chassis number denotes its age, but other features could have been change over the years. Do we have to restore our vehicles as they left the factory, or leave them as they were in service later? Also previous owners may have changed a few things whilst restoring.

Well done Phil, With Ferrets, Saracens, etc. it was not uncommon for this to happen with a bit of wear in the linkage. From the distant past I recall a small plate tack welded to the hull with the hull (chassis) number and an abbreviated date. I think it was behind where the large data plate was mounted. Upper hull to right of drivers right shoulder ??

Hi Phil, I have a feeling the Leyland 19H trucks used by the RAF in the Fifties (refueller, radar, etc) had the O600 engine. Only saw one in army service and that was a tipper.

Graeme, Check this out: https://www.mrmotorparts.com.au/index.php/order-parts-online/leyland-parts/engine/valve-inlet-suit-leyland-600.html .... The number is on there 👍

Unable to check the part number, but to answer your question on what vehicles the Army used with Leyland 600, I seem to recollect the Marshall Gainsborough loading shovel was powered by one.

The chassis number on the plate shows no resemblance to a Bedford chassis number.

The letters OEP on the rear diff stand for Oil Extreme Pressure and probably would have had the number 220 below. This is basically an ordinary 90EP gear oil. The WNR number is I believe a reference number to a rebuild and would be dated from 1950's I think, the letters VM could well stand for Vauxhall Motors. You can be pretty sure this is an OY, by the army references afore mentioned. The chassis number is stamped on side of chassis, below passenger side of cab and will be prefixed OYD if it is a cargo, or OYC if it had another type of body such as tanker.

There is a link there, it would cost a lot of LSD to fit LSD's to WW2 vehicles !!! 😎

I believe Porsche was developing LSD in Germany in the 1930's for racing, probably got patents on it. British vehicles went on extensive off road trials before being given contracts to supply and costs would have been a factor as the country was still getting over WW1. Even the Yanks did not have it, .... or did they ?

Could be, as the lights look German style and British did use German made vehicles in Berlin, such as Munga. There are some features that remind me of the Lightweight No2 trailer however.

It could be a 1/2ton Lightweight No.2 trailer going by the body. It has mudguards and rear lights as later additions if it is a No.2

Hi Bryan, Thanks for putting this link up, an excellent video, with some wonderful old machinery and a fantastic venue. 👍 regards, Richard

King Dick adjustable, useful tool, still have my father's one in my toolbox, think it was in his 1950's Austin lorry tool kit (civilian) and a smaller one in the Austin Seven tool roll.

Hi Ian, My error, should have been 2,000 trailers. That group of numbers was allocated to that contract. There was a plate on my brother's trailer, but barely readable although the serial number and census number were clearly stamped. I think that someone may have replicated these plates some years back.

It is a 10cwt Trailer, Lightweight, No.2. made under a contract by Motor Panels Ltd, and only a 1,000 supplied. I forget the year of manufacture, but think it was 1943. My brother bought one many years ago and it had been in service with the Norwegian army before disposal.

All good advice, but I would add that while you have the valves out, get them faced, ensuring the edges of the valves are not too thin (the edge of the valve can burn away if they are) and get the seats cut. Then lap the valves in to the seats. It is likely if the valves have been sticking the faces and seats could be burnt if the valves were not right down on their seats when closed.

Thanks Adrian I actually looked briefly at this generator yesterday and did not think it looked like B&S and the engine data plate was not easy to read, so my mistake. Thanks 😊

Engine is made by Pioneer. Martin, the manual is dated 1943, so it is very likely a WW2 era set.