Minesweeper

What's a Fordson 7v?

Just to add to that - really about Museums which I think was something that Tim started - and I think that he was looking a long way ahead! At least, I hope he was. Museums can be wonderful - but as soon as you part with something, you lose control of it. Some years ago, a very friendly museum - good friends always and still are - were short of two particular wheels. We had two spares and were very happy to give them to them. On our two wheels were very good solid tyres and the deal was that they would take the tyres off and return them to us as they had new tyres which they were going to fit to the wheels that we gave to them. After a period,we enquired about our tyres, only to learn - "Oh sorry, we didn't know that you wanted them back and we had to cut them to get them off............." Original good solid tyres are hard to come by and we were very upset about it - so it does make you think twice. Barry (Asciidv) may want to add to this from a recent experience that he encountered - but I leave that to him! I guess that one problem that you might encounter in dealing with them is that there is often a change in management/personnel over a period and any successor may not know what their predecessors agreed - especially if no written agreement is made. Tony

Never fear - nothing is going to leave us! The immediate plan is to do the Thorny engine as we can cope with that and the existing lorries in the present accommodation! We have talked about Steve building some kind of shed at his place which will be big enough to take the FWD - that is much shorter than the Dennis or the Thorny - so that might be on. Our friend Roly has identified some good storage near him and that could be on - but there is no immediate need to rush for that. We certainly do not intend to part with any of them! Tony

Well, that did make me laugh, Roy! We have certainly found out that every job seems to have taken a lot longer that we anticipated that it would. We still have some final jobs to finish on the Dennis, but the pressure has been "off" with the "Brighton" out of the way, so we have been relaxing and doing other things. The next run will be to the "Honiton Hill" Rally in August and that will probably be it for the year. As you will have guessed, our minds have been working on the next project - which will be the Thornycroft "J". We still do not have a "diff" for it and that is the worry. But we shall "crack on", nevertheless in the hope that one will turn up as it did for the Dennis. We thought that we would do the engine on this one first as that is already in the Lorry Shed - so it will not be the case of trying to find more room for another chasis initially. One of the lorries in there when we get to that stage will have to be found another home! Tony

Still chuckling! Tony

I really enjoyed that one, Jack! Tony

I saw it as it flew over Taunton - twice - really wonderful! Tony

About 1979, I called on an elderly couple that I had not met before on business. They were a delightful pair and on their mantlepiece was a photograph of a young RAF Pilot standing next to his Meteor aircraft. I commented on it to them - they told me that this was their only son who had been killed when his Meteor crashed.......

The Hunters are based in Exeter - I understand that there are as many as 20 down there - but not all able to fly. The Hunter Formation Team of 5 has been mentioned in the local Press two or three times recently as the Hunters are to demonstrate as a formation team at the forthcoming Yeovilton Air Display. I think they call themselves "Team Vixen".

A C17 flying low over Axminster, heading in the general direction of Exeter Airport.

Is a Satin Paint the same as a Matt Paint - that, I understand, is a Gloss Paint with a Matting agent added to it, but with the Satin Paint not having quite so much of the Matting Agent in it to it to give the different finish - or is it different altogether? This has just come up on the Dennis thread, and I read from that, the more matting agent in the paint, the softer and more vulnerable the paint will be and liable to chip or scratch. I have found that!

Thanks, Richard, that is very helpful, We have tried a matt varnish in the past - it looks OK initially but it is inclined to go white after a period and looks bad. We will not try that again! Tony

That is interesting! When we bought the first lot of paint for the military Autocar some years ago, it was described as "Richard Peskett Brown" - which always amused us! I guess in the restoration business, having a paint named after you is equivalent to having a Rose named after you at the Chelsea Flower Show! So what was the final ratio of the mix - you haven't said! Tony

Many thanks, Rick! Tony

Some years ago when we first "kicked off" with this restoration, we bought sufficient paint for it at that time, in one litre tins, to see the project right through. I cannot remember off the top of my head if it was 12 or 15 litres - but there was sufficient undercoat which was grey in colour to go with it - so the total cost was quite significant. We had previously used Masons Paint on the other lorries and were very well pleased with that so had no hesitation in going back to them. The paint was ordered as "dull" or "matt" which would be correct for an army lorry. It was some time later that we opened the first tin and found that the paint was far glossier than we wanted - but by this time, Masons had ceased trading so that there was no recourse to them. We used the paint on the chassis and on the wheels - and on some other parts that would not stand out as "being wrong". But we could not continue with it and be content with the finish. I painted a piece of steel with the Masons gloss paint and presented it to another manufacturer and asked them if they could colour match it - but with a dull finish. This they did beautifully and supplied another large quantity of paint - and assured me that it could be used with the Masons undercoat that we already had so that we had no need to replace that. We have been well satisfied with the finish but are disappointed that the new paint seems to chip off easily, revealing the grey undercoat which seems to be quite impervious to any knocks and does not come off. Where the canvas has been rubbing on the top coat, it has just come off. Now we still have a large quantity of the original Masons gloss paint and I understand that it is possible to add a matting agent to it to turn it into the matt finish that we require. Has anybody had any experence of this particular exercise? What is the matting agent that you use - and what sort of ratio is required? I will be very pleased and grateful to have some advice on this one! Tony

The "Run" is just one way - London to Brighton - and that's it! The vehicles line up on the sea front after they arrive in Brighton on display - and then they disperse after the prize giving at about 5p.m. Tony

We had a lovely day - met so many friends as well which was even more "icing on the cake" for us. There were one or two exciting moments but generally, it was trouble free. Tim is preparing a full report with some pictures - he is at present heading for home in Oxford after spending the night here in Axminster and I guess he will do that before the day is over. Steve is still here - he returns to Leicester later today and we are now awaiting the return of the Dennis which is expected some time this morning. I think that I shall forget "lorries" for the moment and spend some time on all the other things that I have neglected during the last few weeks! Tony

That's Tom ("Charawacky") and his son William who brought the Crossley.

The FWD was the first to leave C.P. at 5.50 a.m. and the first to arrive at Brighton at about 10.a.m. Graham, the owner had problems with his first two attempts at the "Brighton" in previous years and was determined to complete it this year. He rolled the FWD off his Transporter, bump started it and really then just kept going until he got to Brighton! No problems this time. Well done, Graham!

The Dennis has been loaded up. We are on our way: We look forwards to seeing as many of you as we can. If you see us give us a wave. We look forwards to an ice cold Carlsberg in Brighton. "Line them up Joe" Tim

Thanks Seb - and everybody! All three of us look forward to meeting so many of our HMVF friends - please keep your fingers crossed for us! Tony

We plan to be there at 6 a.m. on Sunday morning in time for a 7 a.m. get away! Tony

The Radiator top and bottim tanks are both in a very worn and corroded condition - we did a lot of work on them fairly early on in the restoration - all the internal corrosion was cleared out - they were plated on the inside and sealed with Devcon between the new plates and the original aluminium of the radiator. We thought that they were then sound but a couple of the small holes have opened up again. They have been sealed again today from the outside but it does rather look as if we will ultimately have to make new tanks - pattern making yet again and two more castings! A great shame as we do like to keep original parts. Tony

Thanks chaps. Your comments, interest and support is our inspiration. Now, if i have done this correctly this clip should show the Dennis moving under its own power for the first time.

And then before all the gang dispersed, we erected the canvas canopy over the driving position. More canvas yet to do! Now ready for the Brighton run next Sunday. I will try and post some video later on.