croc

Happy New Year everyone. For your enjoyment (or at least Andy F) here are some pictures in the snow between Christmas and New Year. As I got back to the yard the clutch decided to stop working, fortunately just as I was parking up. On investigation it wasn't the clutch itself but the slave cylinder arrangement. It looks to have been a fairly gash repair at sometime in the past and a weld had failed. There is a bit more snow now so I may well go out "testing" later....

How about having an "as seen in film" section at MV shows, that would give the spotters something to get excited about :coffee:

Hi Mike, I spotted you on Christmas Day... I was given some vintage GDSF films on DVD :-D

Went to work in the Explorer on Christmas Eve. Very thereputic driving home at four in the morning at 25mph, after driving a taxi all night. Got some good tidal waves on slush and sleet covered roads on the way home.

I can't think of a suitable exemption, so assuming an MOT is needed you need to work out the test class. I would argue that the Ferret is a Heavy Motor Car and therefore class 4. I would refer to section A4.3 of the MOT Testing Guide on the weights of Motor Caravans and argue that it is the same situation with a Heavy Motor Car. I don't believe that there is a requirement to put a vehicle on a ramp for MOT, as long as the underside can be examined. There is not alot to see under a Ferret anyway. If you look at the contents page of the MOT Testing Manual and imagine the process of conducting a test, most things, lights tyres etc. are easily done. Because of the drive train arangement a brake test could not be done on the rollers so would have to be done as a decelerometer test. For wheel bearing checks a Ferret would have to be jacked up one side at a time instead of front then back, this could be done on the floor. Due to the age of a Ferret the emissions test is a visual check. If a Ferret has failable corrosion issues why are you trying to MOT a range wreck? That is my opinion of how to MOT a Ferret. I suggest reading the regulations so that you know what to refer to when you speak to the tester. I would also talk through the process in advance of the test. The MOT system, in principal, should be a standard and fair test. In reality it varies from centre to centre. I have heard that the high street chains have a 15% to 20% higher fail rate for exhausts, shock absorbers and tyres than the national average.... go figure.

My best guess for a vehical definition for a Ferret would be a "Heavy Motor Car" Under C&U Regs. it "is a mechanically propelled vehicle, not being a locomotive, motor tractor or motor car, which is constructed itself to carry a load or passengers, UW exeeds 2540kg." As it is not a goods vehicle it should not be tested as class 7 so would probably be class 4. It would be a fairly simple test on a Ferret anyway. Heres a link to MOT manuals http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/internet/htdocs/index.htm Don't rely on other peoples opinions (including garages) do the research yourself. The more you understand about what you are on about, the better.

:yay:Happy birthday Nick.:yay:

I baffles me that a country on the same latitude as Canada and Russia grinds to a halt with the first whiff of snow We can reasonably expect snowfall from October to April so why does it come as a surprise in December?

I bet you are just saying that 'cos they can supply the right string to tie your batteries on with :coffee:

I would go to an agricultural dealer and look for something along the lines of 663. 663 and 664 are the same type but with the poles the other way round, so one of each makes a neater instalation.

The Tax system, explained in beer. Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to £100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this... The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing. The fifth would pay £1. The sixth would pay £3. The seventh would pay £7. The eighth would pay £12. The ninth would pay £18. The tenth man (the richest) would pay £59. So, that's what they decided to do. The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. "Since you are all such good customers," he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by £20." Drinks for the ten now cost just £80. The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes. So the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men? The paying customers? How could they divide the £20 windfall so that everyone would get his fair share? They realized that £20 divided by six is £3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay. And so the fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings) The sixth now paid £2 instead of £3 (33% savings). The seventh now pay £5 instead of £7 (28% savings). The eighth now paid £9 instead of £12 (25% savings). The ninth now paid £14 instead of £18 (22% savings). The tenth now paid £49 instead of £59 (16% savings). Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings. "I only got a pound out of the £20,"declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man," but he got £10!" "Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a pound too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!" "That's true!!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get £10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!" "Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!" The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up. The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill! And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier. David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D. Professor of Economics. For those who understand, no explanation is needed. For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.

On principal I wont go to an event if I have to pay to exhibit. As far as I am concerned if the public are paying to see stuff, why should exhibitors also pay to display it? But what if it was a closed event, without public entry? I would be more inclined to pay for something like that to contribute to event expenses. If, as Jack says, the best bit is the atmosphere without the public, is the purpose of the public just to fund our get togethers?

Does he get to drag Jacks truck behind his Scammell for a bit of fun, or does he have to sit in it:confused:

They used an Austin Gipsy.

Looking good Andy :thumbsup:, that goes a long way to prove that you don't spend all your time looking at other peoples Scammells on the internet. :-D

It's about time I answered this, videos now on YouTube...

I work on a pound a mile, which leaves me a bit over for playing. Anyone getting double figures should get something more interesting :coffee:

Landrover never did manage to produce an engine worth running. I have never understood why, when BMC bought Rover, they never took the best of the Landrover (bodywork) and the best of the Gipsy (chassis, engine and drivetrain) to produce something really good. Just another bullet in the foot by BL I suppose.

I have started using meths to preheat mine, rather than the petrol from the tank. It burns much cleaner and doesn't cover everything in soot, as a bonus the petrol lasts a good bit longer. Don't pump the pressure up to much until it is hot.

There was a difference between early and late cabs. I have an EMER somewhere about replacing windscreens on early contracts.

I have not been asked for the extra form, the computerised system doesn't seem to want it. The process is; go to the PO counter, hand over the renewal form and insurance, walk away with all the documents plus a tax disc and a receipt for a NIL transaction. I have had puzzled looks when I have gone to different post offices and the system hasn't wanted MOT or cash, but have never been asked for the form. I suspect that the way something is registered has an effect on the system and in some cases, if the system wanted a MOT certificate for something claimed to be exempt a form would be needed instead of the MOT.

320.5 is the best I have managed. If you feel this is becoming tedious and need a change try this one http://www.somethingwrong.co.uk/beat_the_meat/

If you want Sunters info then Dave Weedon is the man to talk to, contact details at http://www.classictracksandtrucks.co.uk/

at least it is something to do when Jack breaks the forum... http://n.ethz.ch/student/mkos/pinguin.swf

Maybe we should give it a name.... How about Andy :coffee: