Richard Farrant

Clive, What sort of size thread are we looking at?

According to a number of entries on Google this was made for the Royal Navy as a gunsight for the 3.5" gun. http://www.byswordandmusket.co.uk/past-sales/telescopic-sights-and-mounts/ross-london-ww2-3-12-binocular-sight/

Until they go wrong then it is like a kid's Christmas present with no batteries

He will be like a dog with two tails now :-D. Great stuff, amazing what still turns up. Wish I could find an input shaft for a 1962 Dennis gearbox :-(

Sean and Wally, Just found what I was looking for, Inspection Standards for Rolls Royce B range engines, published by Central Inspectorate REME and dated 1952. At the end of engine testing they will be painted Sky Blue before crating or fitting to chassis. I am sure I have seen another reference with a date so will look out for it. regards, Richard

I thought all the Mk1/2 Ferrets were in the EA registration series. This conversion has possibly been done since it left military service, especially if it still has Mk1/1 on the data plate.

Hi Mark, Bedford engine colour was black at that time. See if you can find a photo of Bedford production line and you should be able to discern this even on a b&w photo. regards, Richard

Doug, I have worked on Fox during the whole of its service life and power steering was a common problem. Ensure your supply reservoir is kept to the correct level during bleeding, but not over full as I have known them overflow once the engine has stopped. I am assuming you have the front wheels off the ground so you can go lock to lock in bleeding process. The pumps did suffer badly, the roller vanes breaking up when in Service. This might have been caused by cavitation as I am sure the self sealing couplings were not a good idea on the suction side. I see you have now dispensed with that, good move. regards Richard

I was only guessing how your mind works !

Anything to do with latrines, wash houses or shower blocks?

Anyone know anything about this one then; 11EA05 FV432 Mk2/2 SAS COMCEN (PTAR3)

Hi Sean, I started working for the army in 1974, it was rare to see engines in Eau-de-nil then and in our engine remanufacturing section, I well remember seeing two very early Bedford 300 petrol engines come in for overhaul, they were for a RAF application and were Eau-de-nil, which stuck out as odd as everything else was Sky Blue by then. Also seen brand new Daimler Dingo parts packed in 1952 and painted Sky Blue. There was an instruction to change the colour of rebuilt Rolls B range engines from E-D- to Sky Blue about 1950 (without looking up.) As for the Mk1 Milly engines we were changing, I am pretty certain they were Sky Blue, but they would not have been long rebuilt. regards, Richard

Hi Wally, When I was working on Militant Mk1 in the Seventies, I recollect how a lot of parts were stamped "MAUD" and an inspectors number. Now either there was a female inspector at AEC called Maud or that parts for the Knockers were made by Maudsley. Another thing, during the war Maudsley produced a lorry for the army called a Militant ..... so did they have a big hand in the Mk1 6x4 and 6x6? regards, Richard

I'm impressed Lizzie, you have an eye for detail !

Could that be a Morris Commercial MRA1 in the background? Pretty sure it is not a K9

You are close .......... will PM you.

Ian, It is Terry Roberts 01189 731631 http://www.heritagemotorworks.co.uk Eversley, Hants

Hi Lizzie, Think you are teasing us a bit, looking forward to seeing more . And the anecdotes! cheers Richard

Sounds like a job for 'Metal Magic'.

Malcolm, I have a part list that was updated right through to when Ferret went out of service, the page with bevel box details is an amended one and the picture shows gear and hub in one. The riveted one was prone to shearing rivets and I suspect these boxes only crept into the fleet when an earlier type failed. regards, Richard

Hi John, Welcome to the forum. There are quite a few of us WW2 Bedford owners in this area, whereabouts are you located? regards, Richard

Hi Malcolm, I was pretty sure it would be a tracta. The problem is when topping up the oil, people often think that when the oil globs out of the hole as soon as they start filling, that it is up to level, whereas it is air pushing the oil back out of the horizontal level tube. The trick is to use a hand pump of low volume output with a small pipe that can be inserted right up the tube and thus letting air out as you fill, this is useful on other top up points as well. I have a converted grease pump which have been using for 20 years on many type of vehicles without issues. regards, Richard

What I was saying was that ZDDP is not in gear oil as I understand it.

Hi Mark, Going back to my 1963 Military oils book and talking from experience, the army only had one Straight grade (non-EP) gear oil, this was OC600, which was SAE140. This was to be used on any worm drive axle or any axle or gearbox containing bronze type metals. Where a thinner oil was needed in gearboxes, but not an EP, the army specified a SAE50 engine oil OMD330, such as in Bedfords, etc. Other than that it was OEP220 normally. In your quote, I think you mean OEP220. Richard

Lauren, ZDDP is a zinc additive for engine oils, it is not used in gear oils.