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nz2

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Everything posted by nz2

  1. I note it was last upgraded on 10/10/1950. It has got past the trend of renewing paperwork! It has been overlooked as " due for revision" "outdated" or otherwise seen as "not fit for purpose'" as so many officials want us to believe. Interesting word believe, in relation to Santa. Do I believe in Santa? I support the idea.
  2. Now to find the all the other bits for a Leyland.!
  3. Tatra . The Ultimate in off road transport.. Accepting these ones are prepared for such events, it is the original design of the suspension giving the wheels the ability to follow the terrain, that is the factor. Tatra is the third oldest Auto manufacturing company still operating under its original name. We have an earlier Tatra 148 here in our collection. Doug W
  4. One could make up a sprag but not have it operative.I know of one vehicle in NZ with a sprag welded in the raised position. Doug W
  5. Have received my copies of the new book from Rod Dux and Mike Hibberd titled: British & Dominion Formation & Unit Vehicle signage 1914-18. The material presented is well documented, and presented. It follows the earlier publications from Rod in being precise and detailed. There was an earlier recent posting regarding this book, but I couldn't find it, hence the new topic. Doug
  6. What is the body made from on this ? What is the all up weight?
  7. My error in assuming these were a heavier tyre of the type used on a lorry. These 23 inch tyres therefore being like those on some vintage cars of the time. What is the ply rating on these tyres? Doug
  8. The tyre size you refer to as 23 inch. Is this a recent tyre size where the original size would have been 24 inch? 24 inch being a common size in the 1920's Trying to find 24 inch tyres that are usable is a problem for the restorations here. Doug
  9. I have a marinised M4. It would be interesting to have a copy of the manual to compare particularly for the starting mechanism.. Mine has a chain drive fron the front pulley to shaft running along the top of the engine with a small crank handle then attached.Overall condition is not good.
  10. That upright support on the off side does appear in photos of some workshops as a mounting for a drill press. The body at Duxford has that wooden post and drill attached. The layout of workshops does appear to have varied according to use and the type of specialist repairs. Photos show some with an engine and generating plant and others with line shafting including drive with a flat belt of the lorry flywheel. Also here we must consider an evolution over time, where development steadily changed the design as required. Another possible use relates to the heavy roof beam with this being for lifting items. Again the specialist link arises as if for some work on items that could not be manually lifted to work on, ie. small field guns or mortar repairs. I ask if there are holes in the vertical boards indicating attachment of machinery, and also likewise holes along the roof beam from which a steel rail could have been suspended. Remember those rails about the butcher shops for hanging meat carcasses from. That brings in another option, could the beam be used for hanging carcasses of meat in transport? As for using a workshop type body , that what was available at the time and location. Farming and crop growing was an important part in activities back from the lines. My thoughts are that these workshops were widely varied for specialist use, with the different fields of engineering all being involved in keeping things going. Great to see this area of the supply line being restored. Doug
  11. The aim is to reduce the inflammable air mixture in the tank . A CO2 fire extinguisher directed into the tank will replace the lighter oxygen, the heavier carbon dioxide remaining in the tank. Can do the same using nitrogen. Visit a tyre supplier and fill an old tube with nitrogen to flow into the tank. Needs a bit of fiddling with the valve to discharge. Doug W
  12. I thought it was time to make this post, as Steve, Tim, and Tony are too modest to do it. Incredible is the only correct description of their accomplishment. It’s beyond any other words that I can come up with. Decades of searching, labor, scholarship, and perseverance. Congratulations gentlemen, you deserve the Nobel Prize of vehicle restoration. Thank you for many hours of entertainment. You bring much joy and happiness to many people following your exploits! Further to Eds comments; I too would like to say thanks to the Gosling family for their time they have put in, Not just to the restoration itself, but to the sharing of information and methodology used. It is the recording of the step by step processes as has been shown on these pages, that help those of us trying to undertake projects of a similar nature. Your willingness to share information and helpfulness to others is highly commended. Doug W
  13. A great line up of rebuilds. The gun poking out on the left has not had any mention over the years. Is this a secret project you have tucked away?
  14. Excellent research material. I wonder how much of these vehicles were of donated items considering the range of makes. Particular the cars and lighter vehicles that became ambulances etc. We can only wait and hope more lists like this surface.
  15. nz2

    Errol

    Errol, Can you photograph that chassis number again shown where on the chassis rail it is. That gearbox could be a replacement box, or the use of old stock hence the earlier date. Doug W
  16. nz2

    Errol

    Welcome to the solid rubber tyre group. Can you check about the chassis for other ID plates. The Diff and front axle should have then ( unless removed) Also on the front wheel bearing caps should be a series of numbers and the letters AEC stamped. On the plate you have photographed, the top line is series no., the centre section is part no. ( which in your case is blank) and the lower line is date. Trying to collate the AEC chassis I have seen ( In NZ) and from any publications of the time, it does appear the date sequence at times was in a code of letters and numerals. The other problem occurring is the use of spare parts from another AEC and as a result dating sequences don't match. Lets compare those other data plate numbers and see how they relate. Doug W
  17. David your points regards emotional links in restoration as so true. It's the physical effort with different attempts at solving problems , the second and later attempts, the research and the time occupied that give that feeling of endorsement for me. That link to it's earlier use is so important. To me a rat rod is a recent creation object extending a persons realm of fantasy! Park it in the middle of the paddock, set fire to it and then use the vintage fire engines to on display in a role they were designed for. Harsh words towards non historic items. Doug W
  18. One other aspect in considering restoration formats is how many others are the same. If set out in a display line say twenty Dennis Fire Engines all look the same. The industrial pump will probably be plainer and of a different colour scheme, and the agricultural pump would show as receiving less cosmetic attention. If people walked down such a row of engines on display, it is interesting note the length of time each engine receives. The multitude of red and brass gain passing glances, while the odd or different one tends to receive a longer look. These comments reflect my own observations at events, where the line up of identical display items can be any of vintage type. Some people prefer to restore an item to be the same as others, while some will take a different approach. Doug W.
  19. The comments from QL Driver hold merit. A check on the dating of the Merc engine would perhaps give a link as to its status. Is it an uncommon engine now? It is often too easy to say a restoration of a commercial vehicle is to be as original, when during its working life so many trucks were modified to suit the need required, or as parts needed replacing. Like so many restorations its a matter of how much money is available to be spent, and to what state of finish is one wanting. In this case is it to become a fire engine in a high state of finish, or as a industrial pump unit as in latter life. Both can be seen as important aspects of history. Doug W.
  20. The image here has a name plate on the side of the chassis reading Sandow. An American manufacturer.
  21. Like Redherring comments on early Leyland vehicles, early Thornycrofts were also under continual change. The early model J had 670 mm wheels on the front and some of these would have been obtained by the War Department at the out break of war. My J has 670 mm on the front, being exported well before the war. Doug W
  22. nz2

    chain drive

    I too have considered the option of it being a modified axle from one with wheels, however a couple of points would shun this change. On either end are threaded sections for adjusting the spacing of the rear axle and chain tension. The blocks that allow the unit to be attached to the chassis are narrow and show no flat areas as per a spring base or holes where the spring mounting bolts would occur. Doug W
  23. Can anyone identify this drive unit? Stamped on the crown wheels is 8 and 91 the numbers being upside down to each other. There are 91 teeth to the crown wheel, and it is 13 inches in diameter. There has been an alloy casing about the diff as evident from the few bits remaining on a bolted flange.. The mounts for the chassis attachment makes it a 3 foot wide chassis. The two supporting tension bars across the housing should be a feature for identity. Chain sprockets have 17 teeth with 1 1/4 inch pitch. Centre to centre of the sprockets is 47 1/2 inches. The front axle also in the photo has nothing to do with the chain drive unit. The start of another project ! Doug W
  24. After reading through these posts on the lamp brackets I had a look through some of the lamp brackets that we have collected up and one becomes aware and notices the various styles of manufacture as described above. Thornycroft and Leyland have a common shaped lamp mount aside from the T section where it is bolted to the scuttle. The Thornycroft T is flat as per the scuttle while the Leyland T is curved to fit the scuttle radius. A common supplier for these parts? Doug W
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