Stormin

The part of the rear bed rebuilt last year was just the lighter top frame with integral toolboxes. That was when we discovered the extensive corrosion to the main crane frame rails. It was then a wait of twelve months before I could find the obsolete steel section to make a good repair.

Being as the rest of the carb is metric I suspect it will be the jet bore in hundredths of a millimetre. Carb jets tend to come in steps of size, 5 being the step value. So the jet you have is one size larger than 130 specified i.e. very close. When it was new! Dependent on use and corrosion that jet size may be very different from the original specification now. I would be tempted to try the engine running with the jet you have there and see whether it runs rich or lean then adjust jet sizes based on your findings. Although the engine may be to original specification, modern fuel is very different. The other variable likely to affect engine tune is the custom made exhaust you have. The airflow charactersitics could be very different. I would say get the engine up and running on basic settings then get it properly tuned using modern equipment (crypton, gas analyser etc). I know it's not the traditional way but it's a better way of getting the engine running efficiently and making sure the engine enjoys a long life.

From my Ward La France restoration thread, just in case it gets missed. I guess the windscreen seal question is common other vehicles with same screen, GMC, Autocar etc.

Now a few questions for those who own of have extensive knowledge of Ward La France M1A1s. Firstly the simple one. What type of seal should be fitted between the bottom of the windscreen frame and the bulkhead? There are obvious holes in the top rail of the bulkhead, just not sure if it should be a webbing type seal like on the bonnet edges or a rubber affair. Next the more complicate question. I have two levers that mount below the seats for selection of winch/crane drives. I'm assuming the two levers I have are correct. One would seem to mount with the pivot below the floor level and the other with the pivot above. My question is do these simply fit direct to the floor? Are there any brackets or stiffeners? Any photographs of the area would be a great help, probably make it clearer than an explanation. I've looked at lots of photo's from others restorations and modifications and I'm still none the wiser.

I did after twelve moths of searching manage two find two lengths of 6"x3" Rolled Steel Channel to repair the frame rails. The rear body is now back together and sat back on the truck awaiting strip down of mechanicals then blasting and painting. I've also been busy with the cab panels. Bottom section of one door panel replaced due to corrosion. All panels blasted and painted. Windscreen frame wire brushed and painted. Just trying to sort out the seat mounting frames and winch selector levers.

No actually it is the one I intend to restore. The next set of pictures show just how bad the rot was in the main frame rails. They were worn very thin around the middle. Some of the cross members were very thin and the nuts holding the winch onto the frame were nearly corroded away.

Well I've not produced any updates for a while. With the price of scrap being so favourable there was only one thing to do. Take the gas axe to the Ward La France!

Looks like the restoration is starting at the front seeing as the radiator is now green. Did you have to re-build it or just a check over and paint?

Not as rare as I thought then with four on show in one video!

Off topic I know but just wondering how the POW's were dealt with after the war? Not like they could just walk home 300 miles off shore was it? Don't remember hearing much about it after the war ended but I was only young at the time.

You could wait and see how much this one fetches on Ebay as a guide. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280539146129&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT Also a few on Milweb around the 6-7.5 grand mark. http://www.milweb.net/classifieds.php?type=4

I think it's an optical illusion. The link joining bolts appear to line up with the edge of the link, even though they are offset inwards, due to the angle of the photograph.

Maybe the brake cooling was an option on were higher speed use was likely. The single transmission brake would then have come under significant strain. I imagine the engine compression ratio is quite low, coupled with crash gears would mean engine braking is not so good. Subsidy trucks were probably never likely to see the higher speeds necessitating the brake cooling so it was left off.

Again another analogy with modern machinery. Modern racing trucks use an almost constant supply of water onto the brakes to cool them. Just a dribble is all that's probably needed. Too much water would reduce the coefficient of friction and reduce braking effect. Just the right amount should burn straight off as steam and take quite an amount of heat away

I think he's going for a fully cast one piece wheel, just using the laser cut centre to help form the pattern. Does look rather like a handwheel as used on large penstocks or valves in waterworks though.

Interesting! That looks like a sliding plate throttle rather than the common butterfly arrangement. A system that seems to have been reverted to on high performance and race engines. Similarly when someone mentioned the Model T being on low tension leads to each cylinder it sounds similar to modern engines with a coil pack for each cylinder rather than high tension leads. Seems that new motors are reverting to older designs!

Isn't there some scope to slacken those lock nuts and reduce the tension on the clutch springs thereby easing the pedal load and increasing the pedal travel. I appreciate you have probably adjusted the tension so the springs are to a set length as per the manual. However I assume you are unlikely to be driving the truck fully laden so the risk of clutch slip from less tension shouldn't be a problem.

Maybe next year! Long way to go with restoration yet. Hopefully reassembling the cab this weekend.

Regarding the greasing of springs my opinion would be to leave them dry for the time being and see how the vehicle rides when it's complete. The interleaf friction may be required in the absence of dampers and may help stiffen the spring and keep the axle away from that vulnerable sump. It's always easier to add a little grease or oil to the leaves afterwards if it feels a little harsh on the ride. If the vehicle is to get little use when restored the grease or oil may help to preserve the suppleness of the ride. I was always amazed at how differently my old Land Rover drove on the way home from a trial or playday. Having had a good workout and loosening on the springs the roll on some of the corners was sometimes surprising.

I'll be watching the convoy at the traffic lights in Littleborough a usual. Only a short walk from my house. Only recall one military vehicle, the Militant, last year. May have been a few more that I've forgotten.

Obviously a ringer! Series II rear tub, leaf springs and 90 rear crossmember. No wonder it was used for a ram raid.

Is that an original tipping gear on the rear? Must be quite rare if it is.

Nice try but Mr Whitworth was the pioneer who came up with the standard threads before metric came along. The Amercians just copied them with their ANC/ANF which later became UNC/UNF. Only changing the pitch of 1/2" by one thread per inch to differentiate. Most UNC are interchangeable with BSW (apart from 1/2") same for UNF and BSF I think. I think they copied their tapered pipe thread off ours as well with only slight variations.

Make one in two halves that bolt together (up ramp and down ramp) and they could double as wheel chocks for winching operations. Surprised the Explorers don't carry some form of wheel chocks as standard equipment anyway!

It was going to take a lot of tree planting to go carbon neutral with a Scammell anyway so you might as well just forget it! :rofl: