andypugh

I think they called it "seasoning". Googling for "seasoned castings" found this: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/factory-storing-castings-outside-to-age.1015700/

The opinion of Messers Thornycroft seems to differ, though. If I recall correctly the goslings used 3 thou because that is what it said to use in the Thornycroft manual. I wonder if it is possible that they were using a special grade of iron, though?

That sounds like they might actually be better than the electric light on my 1921 motorcycle. Which really doesn't emit any useful amount of light for seeing with. The one time I rode it in the dark on a country road was terrifying.

The vehicle photo shows shackles front and back of the rear springs, whereas the chassis photo only seems to have them at the back. But I don't think that necessarily precludes them being the same, as Dennis made vehicles with both arrangements, some with 2 shackles and a torque arm, and some with 4 shackles and sliding blocks. (I think that Ben has one of each)

Would it be fair to assume that these emit practically no light at all? I am aware that Acetylene lights can actually be very effective, but I imagine that this is not as much the case for oil lamps?

How much of the clutch-release shaft do you have? I suspect that there is quite a lot of work in the pull-links etc? (And that these will need to be a non-standard length)

It runs with ballscrews on both axes.

If it helps I have a lathe that can be configured for oval turning.

I think that pistons were generally machine circular in the time period when these vehicles were made, and one reference I found seems to suggest that this was the case right up to WW2. ( http://www.voc.uk.com/net/docs/3.1/3.1-653-15.pdf ) Also bear in mind that the clearance required for an aluminium piston will be much more than that for an iron piston, which might go some way to reconcile the disparate numbers suggested here (from 3 thou specified by Thornycroft to 12 thou specified by a poster here) I suspect that the Goslings might even be able to fix their problem with a bit of judicious piston swapping. Maybe the biggest piston is in the smallest bore at the moment and things are otherwise within spec.

It lives! But your air-viscous drivetrain might limit top speed.

Did they abandon the dual ignition on the later models then? Starting our 1916 is _reasonably_ easy.

They are making something of a comeback with "belt ISG" (Integrated starter/generator) on so-called "microhybrid" vehicles. If you can find one of those second hand it might be an option. You _probably_ don't need to fit a CAN bus to the Merryweather. Just make sure you set the belt tension correctly 🙂

I am somewhat surprised that it doesn't have a twin-ignition system with a trembler coil like our Dennis does. But then I don't think anyone could ever swing that fast enough to get the magneto to catch, it is as much as most of us can do to pull it over the top.

Am I misremembering, or did you turn the pistons to size? My conservative instincts have me preferring shrinking pistons to expanding bores, just because bores are much harder to re-make. Inspection might make it clearer which way to go. If it turns out to be the top ring-land that is looking all shiny then I would look at rethinking the steps.

Quick thought... Is the seizing possibly due to still running rather lean and rather hot? Probably not, as one might anticipate steam and other obvious signs on a vehicle with this style of cooling system.

The "Lurry" spelling is mentioned in the Wikipedia page on the horse-drawn lorry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorry_(horse-drawn) (Though I half expect that it was you who put that there :-)

What year is it? It is rather nice. Was it originally on solid tyres?

Also interesting to see Scammell and Nephew selling a Vulcan. (Advert on the left) I wonder if this was the Scammell factory? https://goo.gl/maps/MSNcod92mas

10,000 mile guarantee? That would be nice. Perhaps we should pop round to the Hammersmith address with the Fire Engine :-) [edit] Queen Street has disappeared, but 7 Caledonian Road looks like just the sort of place that might have new-old-stock solid tyres: https://goo.gl/maps/kzJAGLBT39C2

The deadline was, rather, imposed by the Armistice of Compiègne. I don't think it is wise to take the truck as it is, but with a week (or so) to go I think I would be looking for the problem to see if there is a solution. But I can imagine that the team is somewhat burned out by now.

You could also re-check the ring-end gaps too. Maybe there is a tapered bore?

How well can the painter cope with the position? Or is the plan to run unpainted for a while?

Yes, we have a stretcher and shrinker set in our workshop. They work remarkably well. Here is one being used to make a front wing flange for a Dennis N-type. https://photos.app.goo.gl/QYtJSq0ZatOqrF8S2

Have you seen the (extremely similar) 1914 Dennis and 1908 Dennis threads? Whilst the 1914 is approaching completion, the 1908 looks like it has plenty of time to run. (I feel something of a link to the 1908, I first saw it in-situ under the house where it was entombed)

An induction heater would be ideal, but I think that the cheap 1kW ones from eBay would be too feeble for the task.