Simon Daymond

Yes, I had a look at your pictures again after I'd posted, the hole looks like damage. Martyn sells Matador spares, if you can't repair it I'm sure he can help. Do you think it was where a grease nipple went, but over time the hole has corroded etc to become what you currently have?

Hi there, welcome to the forums

...couldn't agree more with your comments on paint. It's hard not to want to get everything perfect, particularly when you've spent hours prepping it, then to get a run etc feels like I've bodged the job. But to step back, these things were painted to protect the metal, they weren't sold on the finish. Althought I can imagine that if there were too many runs, someone would be in trouble for wasting paint! I have runs all over the militant, and I have to stop myself from rubbing the bits down and repainting, some bits will get left but I must admit that there are a couple that annoy me too much and will be re-done.

is the hole jagged, or does it look as though it is missing something? There should be a grease nipple somewhere on the pump (I think) Is it the 7.7 you have fitted? You could try talking to this guy, he sells loads of matador spares, Martyn Callaghan 07887 535369.

you'll get there in the end, you'll be sick of taking the wheels and drums off by now?

Hi there, welcome to the forums.

Hi Ian, did you go to the show at Elvington last weekend?

really lovely job, how much paint have you gone through so far?

.. also the stag didn't have its' body strewn around it

think next job, is to write off for the history, just need to find the relevant thread on the forum.

ta for that, the unit on the spare wheel carrier is to stop the air system freezing. When I was steam cleaning the parts of the spare wheel carrier before painting, I found this: It reads; UNIT COLLECTING RAOC SS ATT 36 COMD WKSP REME COLCHESTER ESSEX CWL 812811789 - 2 of 2 W 0-0-06 Underneath REME, there is a stamped green star, next to which is written 08. The label was sellotaped to the underneath of an aluminium panel, which sits underneath the spare wheel carrier, on top of the chassis as a sort of cover. The sellotape had been painted over, and the card was exposed when I blasted the paint off. I think it is a collection/ parts ticket, but I would be interested to know what the writing meant, and where the workshop was, and whether the item was fitted there, or was it fitted by the UNIT, as it states 'they' were collecting it.

ok, bit more to post, the last lot of pics were taken in the run up to preparation for the MVT 'Crank Up' at York a few weeks ago. Since then the focus was on getting a little more done for the recent trip to the Wing & Wheels show at Elvington. Finally bowing to pressure after 15 years of pestering from my mum and dad, I decided the time had come to unearth the militant spare wheel carrier, oil bath air filter, and other related stuff from their garage. They don't drive, so I was fortunate to have been able to store it there for many years even after I flew the nest. The Saturday before the Wings & Wheels show, the militant made her first trip back to my mum and dad's, unannounced at 8am. My mum thought the noise was a helicopter flying low overhead, thankfully her neighbours looked on from their bedroom windows with amusement, but there was no hostility ( I hadn't realised it was quite that early, until I pulled onto the street, once I did, I only attempted one reverse onto their drive, rather than constantly shunt, and risk annoying the neighbours) Here are a few before and after pics, 15 years apart, they are on the same spot, but as you can see in the later ones she is a little further over, but as mentioned I wasn't going to shunt and risk peeing people off: In recent months, in an attempt to sort the garage out there have been a succession of raids, where things have been pulled out, then dumped back in, which made the job harder, as the spare wheel carrier was in two parts, right at the back of this lot (it's just to the left of the window): I extracted both parts, but was then faced with the problem of getting them onto the back of the wagon. My mum and dad are too old to be humping things like that around, so I decided to use my old painting trestles, place the item on the plank, then raise the plank at each end by moving the trestle out then back in with my foot, it worked ok, but was a bit too hairy really: After a couple of hours, all was loaded, inlcuding some rubbish for the bins at work, and I was on the way back from Bradford to Leeds: The spare wheel carrier was steam cleaned, and painted and was fitted into place at 2am last Thursday, by yours truly outside in the dark using the outside overhead gantry! I couldn't pick up the spare wheel from the garage as there wasn't the room for it, and to be honest I hadn't the energy to lift it into the back. Now the spare wheel carrier is fitted and working, I will go and collect it.

...with regards the off duty policeman, it just shows how things have changed road wise, when people who should know better have such a poor attitude. I was always taught that the speed limit was just that, not the minimum but the maximum. From what I saw off our bit of the convoy, everyone drove very well and appropriately for the road conditions. It makes me think when I go from driving the militant at 30mph flat out, and then jump in my car, just why I am I flying around so fast? I think we could do with a few more convoys, just to get motorists back into the habit of driving a bit slower i.e. within the speed limit, but I guess that's just a pipedream.

does anyone know what was wrong with the half-track that conked on the road run? I didn't see it on the return trip, so guess it returned to base ok?

thank you, but I wouldn't know where to start with this one! It's a shame it's left to sit and rot like that, no doubt it's been there for a while? - shame your mate didn't get the chassis no.

Just returned from what was a very enjoyable weekend, many thanks to those who put in such an effort, often unsung, to the make the weekend such a success. We went to this event, after the customary working till the small hours rush, we set off at about 4pm, and caused a little traffic traffic on the way. the weather wasn't as bad as expected, we arrived in light rain, managed to get the tent up and went to the NAAFI, after which we returned to finish the tent and unload etc, just in the nick of time as it chucked it down, this only lasted a little while and the sun came out. Saturday was a good day, a little overcast at times, couple of showers but nothing serious. The fly past was good, sorry the filming isn't fab, I'm no David Bailey, but it gives an idea after the flypast, we went on the road run, didn't take many pics as the battery went flat the road run was to Melbourne control tower to the former airfield, it was a nice end to a pleasant day. Sunday, we managed to beat the crowds, and got to the front in good time to watch a very competent display, where two 25 pounders were fired. We didn't have much luck here either with the camera as the memory was full, the videos are split into three, in between each was much frantic activity trying to decide what to delete from the camera to make some room. The quality isn't very good, but it gives you an idea: All in all a good weekend out, the weather, although not red hot was good enough. Hello to all those I spoke to, sorry if I missed anyone.

Hi there silent lurker ! Sounds like you have quite an array of gear, we'll be at Elvington from tomorrow (all being well) so come say hello, entry 205. (we've just tested the stove and kettle in preparation).

do the rear brakes work on a 'S' cam? Is this completely free both sides? Also, we've talked about your shoes, but are the drums ok, is there any signs of cracking etc? I clean brake drums with 80 grit paper before building back up. (any chance of some pics if you get chance?)

the voluntary is the cheapest way to go, you might find a reason why the effort is so low when you strip them down. If the shoes were contaminated once, they can sweat even if they looked spotless, if you are trying hard to get it to pass, particularly if you are nipping the brakes right up, this makes the sweating worse. You'll re-shoe the entire axle won't you? Otherwise you'll still keep the imbalance. Do you have access to a manual? If not I can copy the relevant pages for you. ( just re-read your post, I'd say that either the once contaminated shoes are sweating or failing that, you could try swapping the n/s & o/s rear drums, I was told to do this by a tester when I couldn't get a car through an MOT due to imbalance, it worked perfectly, TBH I think the re-line is the best way to go, otherwise you'll only have the same carry on next year)

good old Ebay, where would our resto projects be without it?

lovely, will we see more parts going on the fire to be paint stripped?

the price per shoe was a couple of years ago, but they were very reasonable, even though they will have gone up, they won't take your eyes out. The last set of shoes I had off them were perfect, I noticed the other day at work that we get our brake shoes relined through a firm called Fleet Factors, some shoes turned up recently with a Safetek label on them, so it's a small world. How easy was it to change the bellows seal? I've noticed that two of the rear hubs seem to be leaking a tad, but so far the brakes are unaffected. The drums will be off this Winter, if not before.

very, very nice

I used a firm in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, price was £10 per shoe. They were 'cold formed' overnight, and were just the job. http://www.saftek.co.uk/

you might find you've run yourself down a bit if you've been putting a lot of effort into the wagon recently, which makes you more likely to come down with stuff. It's worth the sacrifice though, looking very nice. (are the spots green? - could just be paint you know )