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Poptopshed

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Posts posted by Poptopshed

  1. A bit off vehicle type but.....when I was a 2LT in a mech infantry unit (1/18 INF) we used to heat up our MRE's (meals ready to eat) by taking them out of the box, rolling up the foil packet and feeding up to six of them down the exhaust pipe of a M35 Duce. This was of course just running at idle, in about five minutes we would hit the throttle and blow all the MRE packs out (it really launches them!)....only problem was soot would cover the packs so you could not read the contents, so the Joe's would cut them open and the "you got mine, here's yours" would begin.

     

    Another one is on the radiobody 404 Unimogs. You have a heat exhanger tube under the front bumper to use with a swingfire heater for engine pre heating. We discovered that wrapping pasties with foil and putting them in side the tube, after driving for a while the water heated from the engine made a very good pastie warmer. :-D We then had the game of fish for lunch getting them back out with a hooked bit of wire.

  2. The Militant is very original, so it should be a good one to restore. Some rust to sort on the cab roof and doors which all Militants are prone to. Its running and driving but it has a couple of problems with the air system and brakes to sort. Crane is working but the spade on the rear will lower but wont raise back up. :roll:

     

    We used the dolly to take the load off the Militant, as it would be close to its limit for lifting the nose weight of the Militant and more importantly without the dolly the weight of the truck on the rear makes the front of the towing Militant very light and can make steering interesting. :-o

  3. I am sure the sensible way of recovering a Mk3 militant that is 225 miles away from home in the furthest corner of South Wales is to use a low loader and cruise there and back in comfort but wheres the fun in that? :-D

     

    Our chosen means was Grumpys Mk3 militant. The first leg was to Malvern to meet Militant Pete and collect Militant Grahams recovery dolly. (Cheers Fella's :-D ) At this point we switched on SimonNav, He then worked out our new route and promtly took us straight over the Malvern Hills. :-o Having given the Militants brakes a good work out and prepared us for what was to come crawling up and down the welsh valleys we made good time and finally made it to the B&B, took us about 7 hours all in all.

     

    width=640 height=480http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/Poptopshed/DSC00045.jpg[/img]

    Simon wondering where to start on his monster breakfast!

     

    width=640 height=480http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/Poptopshed/DSC00046-1.jpg[/img]

    Militant and Dolly outside the B&B.

     

    The dolly made light work of hooking up the truck. All set and ready to roll.

    width=640 height=480http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/Poptopshed/DSC00048-1.jpg[/img]

    We wondered if we should remove the front wheels for extra room on tight turns but left them on in the end and we still had plenty of lock.

    width=640 height=480http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/Poptopshed/DSC00047-1.jpg[/img]

     

    The people at the yard couldnt have been more helpful and gave us a escort out the village as it was narrow twisty lanes. Curtains were twitching as we rolled through. :-D

     

    width=640 height=480http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/Poptopshed/DSC00050-1.jpg[/img]

     

    It was very very long trip back, about 12 hours back to the yard. The welsh hills had us down to about 5mph on some of the long steep hills. things improved once we crossed the Severn and onto the M5 where we could maintain a steady 30-35mph on the flatter bits.

     

    Simon should be starting a restoration thread some time soon once we have all recovered from the trip! :shake: :shake: :shake:

     

     

     

     

     

  4. It was more normal to recover an Antar by use of a Tow bar behind another antar,

     

    We are about to set forth to collect Simons Mk3 Militant using Grumpys Militant and the recovery dolly. It seems there is no info on the web about using these and having used one a Kemble we were debating the need to remove wheels to allow extra steering movement?

     

    width=640 height=480http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/Poptopshed/DSC00057.jpg[/img]

     

    width=600 height=800http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/Poptopshed/DSC00054.jpg[/img]

     

     

     

  5. If it is the type with hydraulic brakes the master cylinder will probably be seized.

     

    All the one's in the yard are the older type fixed tub sankeys with rod operated over run brakes so no master cylinder to worry about.

  6. Dont forget you will need a trailer board, as the lights will be missing most of the lenses and bulbs. The bulbs could also be 12 or 24volt and it will still be fitted with the standard 12 pin military plug.

  7. 404 Unimog. Fantastic off road, puts landrovers to shame. Great for bombing around the arena at W&P, Sorry Si i got it a bit Muddy. :whistle: Steering can be heavy at low speed and gear change takes some getting used to, but for off road the forward and reverse leaver is a joy. Downside's are the thirst of the straight 6 and its habit of fowling plugs. As your right leg hugs the engine cover its hot in winter and burnt to a crisp in summer.

     

    Jon.

  8. A lightweight is probably the best place to start with your price range. Rough 101's are getting more and more expensive and some parts are getting rare now and expensive too. Quoted yesterday for rear springs if i can get them they will be over £200 each. :schocked:

    As stated mechanics of the LtWt are mostly standard parts so common and cheap only body panels are ltwt specific, but most are available.

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