N.O.S.

An update: The DAF engine is now coupled up via a clutch to an Autocar U-7144T gearbox. the box is an army rebuild, ex Italian Army stock - if its wooden crate had survived better there may have been less corrosion inside the box but the gears cleaned up reasonably well. The clutch cover which came with the DAF had 3 rows of fierce springs which were never going to move without power assist, so rather than try removing one complete set of springs Roy found a diaphragm type cover from a Leyland DAF which, although a bit smaller, works well. This lot now sits in the White chassis on new mounts - made up before the gearbox choice was finalised. One unforeseen problem was that the Autocar box is quite short, causing the shifter mechanism to foul the cab's front floor plate. With mounts modified the engine is now back as far as possible, bringing the shifter arm into the cab. Note the wild array of levers alongside the box - high/low, front axle drive, winch PTO, and something else (winch brake?). The White handbrake lever is shown in off position - unusually you push it forward to apply!

Looks like this one (rated as a 4 yd3 - level load):

Just type "BALER TWINE" into the search box :whistle:

Mrs. N.O.S. only has the counterpart paper thingy - never paid for a photo card licence. It would appear the counterpart licence on its own is valid until you are 70 so long as you do not change address - at which time you have to subscribe to a photo card version. The whole photo i.d. licence card scheme was flawed from the outset - it was doomed never to realise its full potential. I wonder under what circumstances (e.g. offences) you would be refused rental in UK or Europe, given that in USA / Canada it seems no checks / conditions have been made to date?

Was the air compressor common on CMPs?

I've got an idea: How about a credit card sized driving licence with a decent quality photo on it, and a little chip on which data can be stored, and which you send off to get points put on it. Stupid idea isn't it………

That's probably because they could not imagine in a million years that any country would issue a photo i.d. driving licence yet require a stupid folded sheet of paper to accompany it. :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: So am I right in thinking that now instead of just producing a credit card i.d. driving licence, you have to go online to get a reference code? Or is this reference code an alternative to the photo i.d. driving licence? Why not just take the credit card sized licence? Surely if they have sight of your driving licence they would be able to tap the licence number into a database and access whatever info they require (heaven forbid they could scan the card or something logical like that….). What then is the point of a photo i.d. driving licence at all? When mine was replaced (I had to send in a current photo), the quality of the image appearing on the licence was so bad as to be effectively useless at identifying me (the first one was not too bad at all). Anyone else out there thinking life is getting too complicated? :rolleyes:

Hi Rob, They are metal pans - a couple of stillages full of them here for £25 each and cables too, if you look closely you'll see the mounting lugs: http://www.crouchmilitarysales.co.uk/listing/ex-army-recovery-equipment/ Tony

You must have influenced Richard, because I was given a guided tour (well it was spread out a bit….) of his new ambulance some weeks back, it was like walking through a 3-D MRI scan! I particularly liked the body rotator jig - but glad my osteopath doesn't have anything like it. I could see at first hand how complex the WC54 body construction is and how difficult it is to repair properly. Suffice to say Richard is winning, in the best military tactical style, a serious war against the tinworm

This might be more recognisable

Ah damm - I thought it was Half Term this week …...:cool2:

That's good - less brake cylinders for you to worry about, and more vehicles available for the rest of us to squirrel away On the other hand if you don't intend to use a vehicle it doesn't need any brake cylinders at all! I would think that possibly 70% of all restored mvs out there sit for long periods of time out of use, e.g. over winter months. I've had cylinders reclaimed by sleeving on one very infrequently used vehicle. It was far more effective in both cost and time to get the cylinders sleeved - also we're trying silicone fluid in that one. Since then we've had two other vehicle sets sleeved (cost similar, main advantage was time over trying to source replacements and the advantage that they will never suffer with water issues), but went for DOT4 as they will be used more regularly. Oh hang on - was it one DOT 4 and one silicone? I do recall being very indecisive about what fluid to use, I must make a note to check and mark the reservoirs!! The very infrequently used vehicle with silicone stopping power, despite having a good turn of speed, has no suspension and solid tyres - so is not the first choice for nipping out to the pub in. I'm not keen on the idea of silicone fluid in non-s/steel lined cylinders, because I'm led to believe that water (e.g. from condensation in reservoir) will tend to collect in one place in the system and therefore increase risk of corrosion at that point. Apparently with mineral based fluid (e.g. DOT 4), water tends to disperse more uniformly throughout mineral oil. Or so someone told me……..

The real benefit of s/steel sleeving must be its use on vehicles used very infrequently. Often standing idle is the killer of original type cylinders where water sits in one position.

Weren't the Humbers amongst the new vehicles still being built when declared surplus to requirements, and delivered pretty much straight to Ruddington saleground? Or was that just an old tale?

Yes - many thanks for the interesting info Cosrec. Food for thought.

Swapping fanbelts - can you enlighten us a bit more on what effect that has please, Cosrec?

Which lends more weight to the variation in seal compatibility claim. Makes you wonder if the market is contaminated with counterfeit seals of dubious quality - especially suppliers of older style seals who may have no choice but to source from non - OEM manufacturers? There is no excuse for a supplier of seals and silicone brake fluid not to make the compatibility issue clear at time of purchase of either or both. Tony

This makes for interesting reading, Howard: http://www.adlersantiqueautos.com/articles/brake1.html Mr. A is seemingly not a big fan of silicone (you were right - dot 5 :thumbsup:) The point about engine contamination from leakage past hydrovacs is worth noting - on the plus side it could be a lazy way of deglazing bores :cool2: Then again here is a well-balanced assessment worth a read: http://www.buckeyetriumphs.org/technical/Brakes/Fluid/Fluid.htm The claim by PP that some seals can be affected by DOT 5 is a bit very concerning - and a maybe bit of a cop-out? My thinking is that if after all these years of dot 5 use there really was an issue, then product liability would have kicked in and the likely-to-be-affected seals or the fluid quickly withdrawn from the market. But since some people have used silicone successfully for many years it might suggest some variation in the spec of rubber seal materials used? What did the seals you removed look like compared to new?

Hey Nick, careful where you're pointing that can - large chunks of my posts are disappearing! :argh:

An A frame attached at two points on the towed vehicle becomes rigid in the lateral plane, causing it to follow exactly the towing vehicle. A straight bar requires the towed vehicle to be steered. This is why A frames are used on tracked vehicles, which then act as a trailer on tracks. With conventional steered vehicles it is normal practise to lift the steering axles - they would be unlikely to self-steer. In which case an A-frame is essential to keep the suspended load secured laterally. With a straight bar, an un-braked load being slowed by the towing vehicle could slew to one side and over-run the towing vehicle. An A-frame keeps the forces in a straight line through the towing hitch. Similarly, when pushing a load with a straight bar it is easy to get out of line - in which case the forces can quickly push either or both vehicles to one side and out of alignment.

I suspect the XZMs might be remoulds.

Might that be a Warner Electric Brake Rheostat?

Agreed, many times the plough pan has been my friend!!