6 X 6

Tim,

 

A lot of features on this chassis of a "Commer cab" Ford, the post war 2E, 3E or 4E. The front hubs look like Ford WOT6, but must be same parts used on the 2E. The rear brake cyls, track rod, springs and hangers are all 2E style, not sure about the transfer box though.

 

I am going for a Ford 2/3/4E, if it has a winch, then it is a 4E 4x4 3 tonner.

If anyone is wondering what a "Commer Cab" Fordson looks like, this is one here. (But not at the same location)

As an ex recovery it will have had a very hard life and may well have a twisted chassis, so probably not the best one for a resto project. Factor in the damaged engine and the scrap value and it is a no brainer when you consider what a tidy complete one could be bought for.

 

18 years ago you could pick up an 'as new' Millie with nominal mileage from BCA for around £1k. Many had a set of 7 brand new tyres but there were few takers and a number were broken up for the engines which were exported to places like Singapore for use in boats. The AEC engine is largely cast iron and would withstand being cooled by salt water for long periods which made an expensive heat exchanger unnecessary.

I can remember Jeff Way telling me he once bought 60 Militants at auction in one day. Most would have ended up as 5th.wheel tractors, in distant lands*, working in timber extraction.

The most likely outcome for the eBay Milly is that it gets scrapped but you never know, buying MV's is not a rational decision and this one might just appeal to the "restoration as a personal challenge" breed of enthusiast. The more problems to sort out the more the restoration appeals to them. There are plenty of examples of this approach on this forum. More power to them I say !

* If you not PC for 'distant lands' please read Bongo Bongo Land.

Hey Luke,

Not only is Blandford Forum one of the most beautiful places in England, even when raining, but it's also right in what I call the "Golden Triangle" of big shows. A perfect place to live for both reasons. Good luck with finding a MV.

MadRat, thank very much for posting this very interesting update. It's hard to believe that the engine cover in younggun's 'photo is not one from your Pioneer. What a coincidence.

I'm pleased the engine fired up so easily. In my experience, diesel engines that have been idle for years often will, it's when you're stuck half way across a busy main road that they tend to let you down.

That's a really impressive collection. At least, over the years, people have had the foresight to put all this stuff into storage which will enable a wonderful museum to be created sometime in the future. Hopefully.

last week a chap walked past my Explorer, looked at the newly applied F.V.R.D.E. markings on the wing and said " it'll be alright when you get the proper R.E.M.E. markings on it!:argh:

That was me !

If you don't mind me saying, I think it's a bit inconsiderate of catweasle to go swanning off in his boat at such a critical stage of the competition. Some people. What if we all had that attitude ?

shame, can't see that one hitting the road anytime soon

This one has suffered physical, emotional, spiritual abuse and finding a loving home that will give it the support and stability it needs will not be easy. Let's all include it in our prayers over the coming days.

I can just about cope with the questions. I've had the usual, "Is it amphibious ?" asked of the Land Rover ambulance and a slightly more worrying, "Scammell, that's Swedish isn't it ?" but this is really what gets me.

There you are, at a show, with your pride and joy when a conversation starts that goes something like this;

Wild Goose, "I know where there's one exactly the same as that behind this barn just off the A38"

Me, "Has it got the same mudguards and bonnet ?"

Wild Goose, "Exactly the same"

Me, "Has it got the funny bit on the top and six wheels just like this one ?"

Wild Goose, "I'm telling you the one behind the barn is identical to your one'

Well, we all know how this story ends because it's happened to you as well. You arrive, panting with excitement at the barn just off the A38, or where ever, only to find some fairly modern lorry that is absolutely nothing what ever like your pride and joy. I know they mean well, and you have to take them seriously........just in case it's not another WILD GOOSE CHASE. grrraaaaa!!!!!!!

I'm not really sure but I reckon it could be "Village of the Damned".

If I'm right, could we have a new one ? Cheers.

I'm impressed by your project and look forward to learning more. What motor do you have in your FT17 ?

My other obsession is vintage saxophones and you can't beat a good quality Elkhart made instrument. Indiana saxes rule OK !!

Over to you then John! Who knows what else might be lurking in there still. I can't even remember what we went there for but in those days it was probably parts for 1930's fire engines.

 

- Mike

Mike, thank you again for posting these wonderful 'photos. Did you, by any chance, visit Watson and Sons' yard at Little Stoke, Stone in Warwickshire at about the same time. They had a very beautiful, and complete, open cab 1930's fire engine in a shed and quite a few MV's, Militant, Martian etc in their yard.

ok have a go at this one not to difficult,

It would be easy to stage a reenactment of this scene from vehicles owned near to where I live. The are QL's, a 'Q' type, a Tasker and Tilly not far from my home. As for what film is this scene is from, it's from "Reach for my Tin Helmet", starring Norman Wisdom.

When are we going to have more of the 'Schoolgirl Sluts" films featured on this thread ? I think they made about 11 films in total during the war. My favorite is "Schoolgirl Sluts Do Their Stuff at Stalingrad".

I have heard you all moaning .nothing interesting on the Forum at the moment,get your finger out its up to you.

Catweasle, I think it's time you were told. This might come as a bit of a shock but the truth is that you are the only human using this forum. All other posts are computer generated and none of the other posters actually exist in real life, they are all computer constructs designed to give you the impression that you are, via the forum, conversing with real people. Even me, I'm just a software program, sorry mate.

What film was it in,sorry:rofl::rofl::rofl:

"The Cab with No Name", it was released in 1973 and was the first "western" that featured lorries as the main characters.

I like the way your thinking,even tho you might of ruined the next one:-D

I think it was a champ in q/mass,there is a sci fi link i think.1960 remake 1995.

Did you mean to say I've got the next one right and, if so, could I have the prize ?

I can remember seeing a whole dealer's yard full of CD Thames the same as in your picture all with around 200 miles on the clock, all as brand new, for £100 each. Bedford QL's with radio house type bodies in same condition were £250.

catweasle, it's just occurred to me that as I seem to be the only who's actually bothered to enter your competition why

not PM me the answer and we'll split the prize money ? How about it ?

The driver's door has "James ?atch??? Ltd, Keithley, Yorks" sign written on it.

Does anyone know anything about this vehicle ?

catweazle.

Sensing an another opportunity for me to be totally wrong about something, I reckon this is from "Quatermass and the Pit". The presence of the Civil Defence Thames, an RAF LR and a complete absence of schoolgirls suggests some national emergency, maybe from outer space.

Was there any truth in the story, widely reported a few years ago, of a large quantity of US kit especially H.D. motorcycles being buried somewhere along the Dorset coast ? With so many people combing the countryside with metal detectors as a hobby, you would think that anything still out there would have been found by now. It's a lovely idea to think that there might still be something waiting to be discovered.

Same one - look at the white tape at the bottom of the driver's door.

Not to mention identical broken N/S windscreen (!) How will I ever live this down ?

Looks like I'm wrong yet again, oh well. Yep, it's same crane with the 'photos maybe taken at different times as the scrap around

it looks changed. No doubt Mike will soon tell us.

Just an early example of 'product placement' a bit like when they preview the latest Aston Martin in James Bond films.

Hold on a minute, we've bin had ! Dems two different "ones' at Hunt's yard. Which "one" are you referring to radiomike7 ?

Mike, as always you talk a lot of good sense. The real point about these vehicles, and it's sometimes easy for us enthusiasts to forget, is they formed part of a vital logistics resource. As you will know, with logistics, military or otherwise, flexibility is really very important.

The only behind the cab Hiab Milly I've looked at close up had permanently lost about 2' from the length of it's cargo bed in order to accommodate the crane. If they were all converted in this way and, I suppose they were, across even a small fleet you start to lose significant carrying capacity. One truck 'lost' for every ten that had been shortened.

If only they had asked us first.