Tim has kept you very well up to date with our endeavours - and I have just gone back to the Gearbox after other diversions! The first of his last three photos shows the lid coming off the gearbox for the first time last Christmas - and the two other photos shows it after its first "scrape" to get surface grease and muck off before we get down to some serious cleaning. The "feet" to bolt it to the sub chassis are still sound, but there is a Transmission Brake with its mountings cast into the gearbox and these are looking very fragile. The most sound of the three gearboxes that we have already has one of these mountings broken off - so we think that there must have always been a problem of fragility in this component - i.e. - the harder you brake, the more stress you place on the alumnium casting and something will ultimately break!
The Gearbox is in a terrible state with all external fittings badly rusted and corroded so getting it apart is not going to be an easy exercise. But we shall persist and I guess, will eventually get there.
Since Christmas, we have worked on other engine components so that they are ready to fit - and all we really need now is the water pump to complete the engine - Steve ands Tim have seen an original on another preserved (albeit in pieces) lorry - have photgraphed and measured the components so we are ready for pattern making. This will be Steve again - we shall get the bits cast at our local Foundry and Steve has already given me the final drawings so that I can machine them up here at "base" in Devon as soon as they have been cast.
It is an interesting exercise and has kept the three of us very amused and occupied - and all "pulling together", which to me, as the "Patriarch" of the family has given me a great deal of pleasure.
Tony
