ruxy

Lot to be said for a brake light pressure switch, I changed mine easy on S2A 1961 109" - did not need to bleed as no air entered. Defender did it off the pedal-box in a different way. There is this switch :- http://www.lrseries.com/shop/product/listing/15/13H3735L-BRAKE-STOP-LIGHT-SWITCH.html?search=13H3735L&page=1 Listed as Series too. I have one (ordered in error) , the threads are bigger on dia. than the brass type switch. Don't think I ever determined where intended on a Series , possibly it went through a S/S number change & I was unable to follow track. Not same No. as a similar brass switch on a S2A dual brake pedal box (Optional Equipment). Possibly the leaf spring set up is to bleed a little through so as to dim illuminate when tickling the pedal & avoid all or zilch.

Use genuine (expensive) switch. Check the little leaf spring under the top mtg. plate is free in plastic bushes / split pin thingies. There is different bits for single or dual line , yours should still be dual , but a PO could have messed about. Don't bottom out the switch otherwise you will bust it. Y2K since I was last here - they can be reliable, forget now reason for the leaf spring , ISTR I worked it out it was to prevent bottoming out of the switch , as stated - set up break point a thread turn at a time , to save damage.

In anger , he should have the B&A SLI (pre Wylie) sorted & calibration checked + full re-test. I should have some B&A info. somewhere.

There will be a few bigger MV fleets owned by members of this Forum LoL

I had considered asking the same but decided not to, B.Sc. or B.A. it matters little , mechanical aptitude is not so important , what is important is that he has shown a interest in vehicle restoration as a career. His age & quals. - game of snakes & ladders. I started a 6 year craft apprenticeship in 1965 , the first year under Engineering Industry Training Board (EITB) , after 50 years it seems to have evolved into SEMTA http://www.semta.org.uk/careers They do cover the motor industry , probably just new manufacture. He would have to read up about the Resto. Industry - probably they don't cater - other than the MV courses that is garage servicing / diagnostics , panel beating / spray painting. There are still Modern Apprenticeships around and SEMTA have introduced a Higher Apprenticeship for 18 year olds with at least 2 A levels (that he must have) , probably he should consult with SEMTA and see if he can be fitted into a scheme (where he waould also be paid ££ whilst under training).

Small in Eire / NI , UK hard to answer. A vintage car is a vintage car , oldish , it may be big or small , it will have a body , may have chassis or monocoque , mass produced a or hand coachbuilt. So many variations - even mass market , but still follow the same basic plan. However probably more difficult to answer outside of museums. I only know of one top car shop , I asked the prop. a few years ago - who sends their cars here. Answer , they are all company owned , majority Hong Kong registered .. I suppose it is mostly a DIY hobby where basic raw material is now scarce & gets bid up higher than what it is worth due to demand , increased by forums & mags. People tend to buy twice the spare bits they need & shelve some to gather dust , probably they think they will do a follow up project and next time do it better ? keep on buying all sorts of tools they can't cram in their cantilever toolbox. I suppose most originate from one of the basic trade skills , so it is easy to gravitate to another. Sometimes a project gets trailered around specialists , at the end most cars seem to be well over the top on £££ and they still need to go to the "trimmer" to get maximum added value , however the trimmer makes lots of £££ , work it out . Nice & clean workshop smell of Connolly hide , no Swarfega needed or problems if you are on Warfarin , Master that make loads of money - then learn Tig & gas welding , make loads more money , then learn "re-finish" make loads more money (unless on MV's) , avoid spanner & socket work because you may be used for dismantling rather than boxing up LoL

Now, I'm fairly sure I know the answer to this one, but here goes! Is it possible to make a living working as a vehicle restorer? Or working for someone who restores historic military vehicles, to be more precise. I have no experience in mechanics, but it's something I've long had an interest in, especially military mechanics and restoration. As I said, I'm fairly sure I'll be told "it's a hobby, and a damned expensive one at that" but I thought here'd be the best place to ask regardless. ==================== If I were to part transpose :- ----- Now, I'm fairly sure I know the answer to this one, but here goes! Is it possible to make a living working as a builder? Or working for someone who restores historic buildings, to be more precise. I have no experience in bricklaying , but it's something I've long had an interest in, especially dry stone walling and masonry. As I said, I'm fairly sure I'll be told "it's a hobby, and a damned expensive one at that" but I thought here'd be the best place to ask regardless. Vehicle Restorer , the term is a bit like builder , he could be a DIY turned cowboy with van or a brickie who has adapted to ganger of his own small business with little demarcation between trades. I suppose a Master Vehicle Restorer , would be able to cover the individual trades other than trimmer , a bit like a master butcher - top lad who owns the premises & business (or as my mate did served his apprenticeship with Dewhursts and married the butchers daughter along the High Street , thirty years later he gets his name & title above the shop). Although I am mechanically inclined and too highly qualified for vehicle resto , possibly the better initial specialized training of value for making money - become a stitcher LoL

You need to take care who you blame. The Indian manuf. 36IV , have the two letters PA in bold on the body casting , BUT it seems not always. Apparently the PA is the worst 36IV Some of the UK 36IV manuf. by Burlen have no markings on the body casting. The cheapo Chinese 36IV have no markings on the body casting (but when new the castings are easily recognisable , they seem to have a slight chemical finish sheen - hologram like). The other external parts you would have to be a real 36IV expert to tell they were Chinese. All the UK vendors of the Chinese copy seem to use the same manufacturer , the box yellow label states "Made in PRC". The sinking plastic float was around before the Chinese imports.. You fill just one 10 gall. tank , now = abt. £50 , shop around - you can still obtain a Chinese 36IV for less £$ If you buy a copy 36IV , make certain the packaging has signs of being unopened , I have a theory . Buy a new (and expensive) defective 36IVR - you buy it in a genuine Land Rover supply chain box , return it - you get another fresh stock. Buy a new (and expensive) defective Burlen 36IV , it goes back to the manufacturers - who possibly have a slave engine for testing. Buy a new cheapo Chinese or Indian PA , it goes back to the seller , does it go back to the importer & then China for reclaim , or is it sold over the counter to the next punter to say it is £rap LoL

Yes, Maintain flatness with a small industrial quality palm sander, the RUPES I find although low on apparent wattage are not easily stalled - hence used by bodyshops , you are supposed to let the paper do the work , but pressure is always on.. Then hours of hand sanding & Scotchbrite , prep short-cuts are obvious to the discerning eye. You see - I remove light fittings to use a palm sander over as much of the panel as possible. Obviously - I stick to P40 (open) to get off the thick - that sometimes is not possible by chemical means. This is a photograph of a photograph going back over 40 years , I prefer to remove all panels on a Lightweight to avoid not removing paint at rear body upper panels to tub. You get set in your ways - but what you learn on one project you use on the next , but it is difficult not to get into the mindset that new products and techniques are to be avoided LoL

Great colour images , what I like is that it shows a DBG spray job covering all the galvanised body cappings. Raises the rivet-counter purist paint job question at Resto. a) as it left Solihull DBG with exposed galv. or b) re-sprayed , probably just prior to first issue from Ordnance Depot. I think b) is better Don't think those Rovers can have been on the streets long ?

Larry AFAIK - only has a Lightweight , but he may have purchased a Sherman on the QT. I do use flapwheels & flapdiscs , but things have moved on from the original Garryson type. I have yet to come across a type special for stripping paint. So much available , so much to test - I need another life. I have tended to use SAIT stuff esp. their thin (1mm) slitting discs , a factor I use was pushing Dronco over SAIT (probably he gets a better discount) , suggested their discs as a lot cheaper - I did but IMHO not quite as good but difficult to call on VFM. There again - I buy a bit of Pick-N-Mix off this factor & then bulk buy on the internet when I shelf stock. I suppose I will have to try these LoL http://www.dronco.com/xist4c/web/JET-Flap-Discs_id_41443_.htm http://www.sait-abrasives.co.uk/Products/NewProducts.aspx http://www.sait-abrasives.co.uk/Portals/0/Documents/Brochures/SL-Wind_UK.pdf I see where Larry is coming from , guard off to keep flap-disc flat as possible to surface , however - I don't think that is the intended usage - could be all this new stuff , there may be a thingie waiting to be found..

My chemical approach , sometimes works . Rough up the IRR with a 40 grit open coat using a small palm sander (aids spirit penetration) , the Italian make / model - I gave the link to RUPES they are good (I did work for B&D for over 5 years) , then on a overcast day to stop fast vapping off - I soak cheap standard thinners / industrial gun-wash into old towels and drape them over panels , one or two at a time - sometimes this will penetrate the paint and bleb it. Odd couple of times I have had excellent results on a couple of coats of IRR and it easily scraped off. I did once get lucky with a 88" CL that I dragged back from Ruddington , I noticed that large chunks of IRR were flaking off , so I blasted it with a steam cleaner , the whole lot fell off leaving sparkling DBG As suspected the factory delivery wax coating had not been cleaned off prior to painting LoL

Getting OT again ! Something like a carrier / armoured is a different kettle of fish (that I would use a different approach - probably needle scale the lot off then DA sand ) to prep thin Birmabrite (supposed) alloy panels on a Lightweight with loads of fiddly sticking out bits that you need to avoid , and the good going is relatively small area - Only the bonnet and a few other area can you crack on with a DA My aim is to get rid of the thick IRR clag , get a nice smooth & even base , fine papered to give good adhesion to a base-coat & then go from there ,,

Most of us at some stage have tried a hot air gun on IRR (along with several other methods - read the forums , oft. discussed topic) , can't say I have had results worth pursuing , that is two better Bosch models and a industrial one. Aluminium is a cold metal , heat dissipates quick , you will local scorch harden on more than lift. Most IRR is going to be through hardened before you try and remove , fresh stuff you may get better results (but better using another methods & quicker too). The idea of using a flap disc is totally barmpot , if I think so - then I will say so & you can think what you like , carry on with your own thing - you have no control against gouging in a uneven manner , L'wt the idea is to get a flat surface and keep improving on it , the curve on bonnet edge , fiddly bits like headlamp fairings are - dismantle & hand-work. In fact the whole lot is many hours of hand-work to do a good prep) - a bit of mental stamina comes in handy Lol.. . such as all the Lightweight body rope clips , tail-gate fittings - any contact & you will just shred the wheel & probably have the tool whipped out of your hands. Every flap-disc or flap-wheel I have come across has been a cloth backed ceramic / aluminium oxide type - in other words a linisher belt that is for metal dressing although it will remove loose paint along with rust . To remove sound paint then you need a open-coat paper , linisher belting is close coat that soon clogs. Yes, I do have a Vanco linisher , also worked on semi-auto linishers that buffed off aluminium castings , mop stage at the end using what to me was the same as Solvol Autosol . Plenty of scope for discussion on best make / type of sanding sheets - I keep trying different ones but fall back on to chopping up standard sheets of Mirka white production papers. Myself - I will sand to Solihull factory finish and no further , the alloy is coated with a few microns of alondising - I would not wish to harm this coating. Likewise - I use a Azenda pot blasting gun around the difficult parts for machine / hand sanding. BUT , as I said pointless going OT on other paint removal methods as the OP has set his mind on using a flap-disc , so probably best to let him carry on , he will come to his own conclusions (probably without injury or silicosis) and report back in due course.

He is asking for a abrasives short cut , no graft , desk-walla LoL , I have a mini DA sander - not impressed , flat panels sanding , you work flat , P40 , P80 , P220 & then 400/500 grit wet with the good old 3M rubber blocking , the only thing that has changed was when Scotchbrite came along IIRC abt. 1970 , rope cleats & other finger blades - forget green - start with red / finish with grey ..

Angle grinder Flapdisc - even to try and rough off - NEVER !! Even in expert hands a DA sander would be no use on your biggest panel area. You need to miss the fine details like pop-rivet heads . I only use two power tools , then lots of hand-work to prep LoL Power tools on intricate panels you need :- http://www.rupes.com/p/us/en/0271452533686 and http://www.fein-uk.co.uk/en_uk/multimaster/

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/11693767.Frank_Atkinson___the_man_who_built_Beamish___dies_aged_90/

Need a ruler for scale. Look like rubber cradle mounts for Land Rover crated engine cartridge. BUT colour wrong ,,

=============== It is a late-build Sankey --GB-- onwards "narrow-track" , the tubs are different in detail (these have the circular flap for hone on back panel) + a few other differences IIRC hollow AEON bump-stops being more obvious over the early conical type

What they did have was a massive bonfire of galv. Land Rover sticks - size of a house. I assumed they were selling Ex-MOD to farmers who wanted hard-tops. The son said to me - "they will sell" , I had my doubts at the time if there was a market - times have changed LoL

Dunno , but there was a White Scout Car , stood outside & starting to deteriorate IIRC shortly after that site was sold for housing.

R = resistance , heat range more or less same , suffix P = platinum (last for ever) , don't knock the fine wire & don't frig about with gap setting. ------------- R = Resistor (in this case solid carbide) - these are expensive plugs. S = Barrel style (in this case shielded) - (aircraft style threaded) N = Mounting thread (in this case 14mm / 3/4" reach / 13/16" hex spanner size. 12 (or 13) = heat range (you would never notice the difference between a 12 and a 13) Y = Electrode design (Y = projected nose) P = Electrode design (P = twin platinum centre and earth)

Me too

Have you neglected the end-shield lubricator at pulley end (big bearing) ? - if so try some oil , ISTR this is a Prestolite Leece-Neville spl.

Good clear photograph , hope it runs :- http://www.consett.org.uk/forum/download/file.php?id=2446&mode=view Write up and final ending scrap for WW2 http://www.consett.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6585