mammoth

Engine looks similar to Continental, or at least to standard USA practise of the early '20's

Non original type tyres, radiator and firewall, and the search light bracket looks like it belongs in a tv studio. When did white steering wheels become available?

I could't find it on their website (which is just so humungous that you need to be something of an expert to navigate it) however try putting the question on facebook - AWMemorial

Are you referring to a second one or the one that they have had for a long while?

Ag. Thanks for identifying the confusion and the correction.

Clayton & Co qualified for the subsidy scheme following trialing their example in the War Dept trials.

Mike, I can't see the problem with that, especially as all the surviving presses designed for the job would still be calibrated (if they were ever calibrated that is) in tons. The Americans are probably still using units of 1,000 lbs. I wouldn't know what a kilopascal was if it ran over me. haha.

My current project with the 1911 Dennis fire engine will involve not just the building of wood wheels but the steel bands that tie those wheels tight and making of the press on tyres. The pressing off and on of hard rubber tyres is documented elsewhere in this forum but what makes for the correct interference fit? As it happens the new addition to the library - Mechanical Road Transport by Conradi, pub 1923 - has all the answers and the relevant chapter is below. In precis the wheel sizes which became the British standard are 670mm; 720; 771; 850; 881. American sizes are also provided and explained. Given that diameter measurements can be a bit wobbly the critical measurements are provided for wheel circumference and tyre internal circumference with the interference created by a tyre circumference at least 3mm less. There is a chart for the range of presures required to press on a tyre for each size etc Interestingly Conradi predicted that synthetic rubber would not catch on commercially to any great extent. hard TYRES specs.pdf

YAY! well done. Methinks that the propane torch that has been a stalwart for so long may be pushed to the back of the garage in favour of the new upstart oxy.

I agree with Doug - use a large welding tip and only heat a portion of the bearing, not the whole lot. We're with you!

reciprocating saw

The strength is down to the specification of the rubber compound and having a mould means they can afford to experiment to some extent. However making a mould takes the budget to another realm. Overman in the USA use moulds but only for a few imperial sizes and once freight is taken into account they are very expensive.

Getting back to my 1911 Dennis, there has been little progress while attending to other things. However I have visited a firm in Newcastle (Australia) who can vulcanise the tyres. I have copied the required profile from an almost new tyre of another size. In the absence of moulds the normal method these days is to "hand layer" strips on, bake that and then tidy it up after, however given that I need six of 120 X 720 they are considering extruding the profile. Might be a while before they get back to me with a quote. The next challenge is to get the steel bands rolled to exact diameter so that the tyre bands are a press fit on the wooden wheel bands, 10 off all up.

Interestingly, over here in Aus so many people were resistant to the idea of handing over their first born to BOC to get oxy that privateers have got on the scene with own your own bottle type schemes. The upshot has been that BOC has not only cut their prices by more than half but have introduced human staff in the accounts office. Oxy is the way to go with a concentrated point of heat. I have been using oxy propane which is good for heating but chews through the oxygen at a higher rate than acetylene and is not good enough for fusion welding. For this job I would be recommending the use of oxy acetylene with a large welding tip, and as previously mentioned do not heat the whole circumference just one point of the bearing - need to keep the axle as cool as possible to create the expansion differential. ...If only there was a way to get liquid nitrogen (from your vet) to the axle...

Refer to page 15 of the Commer Story by Geoff Caverhill. Photo of one of the first imports to NZ (Oamaru) in 1913, probably a heavier model than yours as it looks to have protruding hub caps. The chain cases were introduced on heavier models in 1912 as an option. A 1918 advert shows wood wheels, however back in the day it was not unknown to use older engravings rather than make an expensive new block for adverts.

Only an observation - the USA was using wood wheels well into the 20's parallel with cast steel while in the UK the transition was well underway by 1012 and 1914 is about the latest. As in the case of Thornycroft the shortage of steel casting capacity during the war didn't push manufacturers back to wood, instead they went to fabricated plate style.

With the lights, bells and whistles I suspect that the new one will serve duty as the yard tug.

I never had any luck trying to get info on early Continental engines. Seems the USA corporate culture was always move forward dump records and ignore the past. However for comparison I can refer to surviving Brockway catalogue snippets. The C4 4 1/8 bore was used in their 2 1/2 ton K model 1919 and to at least 1923. 36hp. Have valve timing data. However, looking at a 1920 Brockway owners handbook the pictured engine for the K looks nothing like yours!

Looks like a "soft start" or adjustable clutch needs to be incorporated into the starter.

Excellent buy. The larger (43/4 x 6") Continental engines of this era had cylinders cast in pairs. There were lots of different arrangements for the ancillaries and governor. For automotive use three point mountings were used, to accommodate chassis twist, often with a circular mount arrangement at the timing case.

As the French would have it - an electric hand

Agree, It is all there and there tyres look serviceable.

The nearest 'tube dipper' to me is 10,000 miles away so in my case I have a good reason to learn how it is done.

A component of the military approval trials was the speed with which the magneto could be changed to another. No time to dilly dally. So maybe a colour code on the terminals themselves would help with the pit stop. Coloured washers on the terminals??

With regard to the steel band around the wheel has there been an attempt to remove it and is there any sign as to how it was manufactured such as a welded join? The 1911 Dennis needs a new pair of these wide bands so I will be watching with interest.