gritineye

My solution to all this is to -

 

* Work on the basis that as soon as a new MV arrives home it becomes worthless

* Never buy anything with the intention of selling it on, let alone at a profit

* Only ever buy an MV because of your own enthusiasm for it

* Be guided by what an MV is worth to you more than what its supposed 'market value' is

 

That way you'll be penniless, have a yard full of worthless crap with no room to spare, but happy as a pig in sh!t

Exactly so O Wise One

I would add that like any addiction MV ownership has the potential will leave you penniless unless managed correctly.

For a first time buyer who worries about future values, I would suggest looking at a 'cross over' type, that will fit into more than just a military show, or can be re-painted by the next owner to be less military, these have more appeal as they can often appease the spousal problem.

Someone mentioned Scammell Explorers still selling well, this is why, they show up in all sorts of places, often owned by people with no military interests, and some have changed liveries quite often.

You're incorrigible Jack, they said it couldn't be done the first time, or the second, and how wrong they were!

You can easily spend a lot of money on a wreck that is not a viable resto if you're not realistic, so if it's a parts donor price it as such. If it is a viable resto, then think about a) how much you are willing to spend, b) how much pennies and time you'll spend finding the rest of the parts, and c) add a fudge factor because things never go to plan. Whatever's left, spend as little of it as possible as you will underestimate c.

 

You'll then meet at least one person who will tell you you were ripped off, and at least one person who'll tell you you got a bargain.

Plus you need to have bought it 20+ years ago to break even....

Often a valve can stick open on these after a while without running, just take the head off, penetrating oil to valve stem and tap it down with a rubber hammer or block of wood, turn the engine over and repeat till free...

when the MOS was wound up the vehicles carrying civilian registration numbers that remained in use continued to carry those numbers

That would seem to be correct Wally.

There where six Scammell Explorer with civy NGY number used by FVRDE, not sure if they all retained them but at least two did.

The one I owned NGY 584, is ex FVRDE was sold off in 1993 with that number.

Nothing wrong with brazing when used appropriately, in this case a pure shear force. Similarly Velocette used soft solder to assemble the front forks in some of their motorcycles.

Likewise, if you had to carry a 11/2" thick wall tube any distance you would begin to think it was over-engineered. They knew what they were doing, just that the accountants had yet to move in.

Looking at the cast in bosses on those arms, I would hazard a guess that earlier versions had cotter pins that fitted a flat in a solid shaft, as in push bike pedals, very liable to work loose and fail. So maybe to improve reliability and save costs brazing was a much better method.

Good decision Darren, it's hard but sometimes we just have to lighten the load, with all the hard work you've done someones going to get a bargain!

I love the way you're enjoying your Crossley adventures, and really getting the most out of owning it, not sure I'd take on some of your trips in something quite that old!

Thanks for sharing and keep it coming :thumbsup:,

They're made of folded steel with a shackle fitting welded on Rob, some but not all have two braces inside.

They really are best looking trucks! Nice pics :thumbsup:

Wasn't expecting that, where has it gone?:???

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Gone to a forum member to live in a purpose built shed in Scotland, I blame it on the human body being less robust than a Scammell!

It's castor you need to self steer Bernard, but I'm sure you meant that anyway

Correct Mike...:nut:

All that stuff's behind me now ........

:sweat: :shocked: :cry::cry::cry:.......enjoy your new home old friend :wave::wave:

can you remember when Laurie Maddox , suspend towed two home and explorer and a highwayman on the dead explorer, Wales to Sussex !! If I remember correct.

Not that one John, but I remember when a nameless petrol Explorer owner suspend towed a Ford Cargo with all belongings and a full length living van behind that. He went off no brake lines connected 'Cos the ones on the van might catch fire' up the road from Wadhurst, destination Ireland, to collect his Matador which he'd left laying in a ditch after running out of road.

As the golden rule of A frame or Bar towing is to keep the flame/bar level, to neither lift the front of the towing vehicle loosing steering (slope down) or lift the rear end loosing rear tyre grip (sloping up) I often wonder how he got on going down hill, all that lot trying to ride up his back!

Would something like an Explorer self-steer if towed on an A-frame, or would it require a steersman to make sure the wheels stay in line? I've had no experience of towing using A-frames other than shunting things around yards, and find the wheels end up on full lock being dragged along.

 

Are non-driven steer axles better than driven front axles in this respect?

Don't think an Explorer would self steer at all Tony, it's one of the few things they're not good at....

A certain amount of kingpin inclination and camber is needed to self steer.

Scariest thing being towed in an Explorer by an Explorer on a straight bar is when the towing driver :sleep:

suddenly pulls out round a parked car with out indicating his intentions, with all forward vision blocked the poor mug behind only has about a millisecond to work out what's happening and react! :argh:

Instinct saved me, I only just glimpsed the car's roof over the bonnet as we went by, no idea how I missed it! :shake::angry:sweat:

This wouldn't have been a problem at all using an A frame:drive:

Excellent, nice looking beast, what's the story?

Difference between a caravan and a showman's living van is that caravans are constructed solely to live in and not to carry the tools and equipment of your trade (belly boxes etc.) but a living van is, and so they're more robustly constructed to cope.

The same rules apply, keep it to personal items only and you're OK.

As far as I am aware no problem tow your caravan but don't try filling it with goods you are selling but why would you if you have a matador.

Because if the Matador is taxed Historic it isn't allowed to carry any sort of load or goods whether for private or trade use.

As Tony says, as long as you don't have any tools, equipment, bikes, tables, chairs, and anything else that won't be used for living in the caravan, all my research leads me to believe it'll be classed as an unladen trailer. All fixed caravan type stuff and personal items are permissible.

Some more stuff about this beast and engine internals in this thread: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachments/1911-fiat-s76-connecting-rod-jpg.2776114/

That's some impressively intricate pattern making Dan, it must be very satisfying when the finished casting finally emerges.

We all love a good restoration thread, keep it coming..:thumbsup:

Having sat in Andy's Martian during a painfully slow 50 mile suspended tow home with my Explorer and living van, I have to say that although the fueling is turned right down to save the drive train, the Cummins conversion must have improved power but hasn't done much to help when loaded, but I suppose top speed will be higher when running light.

He was giving the gearbox no mercy to keep it all rolling with all the drag.

The way the bonnet almost passed over the top of waiting cars at junctions in Tunbridge Wells was highly entertaining but that *&^%$ exhaust stack is a serious instrument of torture!

Agree about the looks of the Arty Tractor John, it was one of those that first brought the wonderful world of military heavies to my attention at Slab Common many years ago.

You may want to look at getting the headlight lenses replated, not cheap, but will give shiny lights for another seventy years.

 

It is easy to distract from the original appearance by fitting modern indicators and brake lights, no matter how safe they appear. Might be worth investigating 6 volt LED lights which can give a lot of output for a really small light size and they can be much less distracting visually.

 

Ironically if you keep it totally original it should have what we call 'legacy compliance' and be quite legal to run as it came off the production line, but any alterations / additions / improvements have to comply with current rules and regs, of course.

 

If it was mine I'd keep the full original lighting system, and add LED indicators, brake lights, maybe even a high level brake light. Probably some extra reflector capacity on the rear so that modern speeding traffic doesn't get caught out.

Reflectors are fine and rather snazzy I think...

There is only one center rear light fitted originally and I have added modified period repro stop/tail/indicator lights and made some period looking brackets for them.

At the front the indicators will be hard to see when not on, and I'll keep the cowl side lights, so I reckon it'll all be quite acceptable.

Might look at LEDs, didn't know they where available 6 volt, good suggestion thanks.

Thanks for all your relies chaps much appreciated.

I've decided to replicate the original wiring harness using braided cable coloured to match the illustration in the manual..

Any additional wiring to power safety features like flashers and stop lights will be done in modern wiring.

I'm desperately trying to disturb as little as possible on this car but it's not easy to make it mechanically safe to use without spoiling the originality.

As the National Trust uses a similar approach this should keep me and some of the rivet counters happy. :-D

Advertising on forums as always been a contentious issue, mainly because contributors feel they give their input for free which is quite understandable.

It has been the subject of much discussion over the years on HMVF, mainly because Jack in the early days had no idea that interest would grow like it has, and he really does hate adverts, so quietly shouldered the running costs himself for quite a few years for our benefit.

In the real world people visit a forum hourly, daily, every so often, when they come across it, or when they have a problem they need help with, or just for a chat.

Getting such a disparate bunch to agree to contribute regularly is never going to work, some will but not the majority, so adverts seem to be the fairest way to fund a forum such as this, no one is out of pocket or feels beholden.

If anyone has a problem getting over the minor peripheral vision distraction caused by a few adverts I reckon it's a poor show, the last thing any one want's to do is detract from our enjoyment on here, but when push comes to shove some thing has to give.

Lighten up out there it's only the inter web after all....