don282 Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Hi my name is Don and I am another newbie, I don't have a MV but I am involved in helping restore a Diamond T981 which will be shown at the Alice Springs Truck show in Central Australia the last week in August. We have been working on it for about 2 years. It has been interesting to say the least, I have never worked on anything this big or old or heavy before. those diffs are beasts. We have rebuilt from 4 diffs 2 good ones with all new bearings and all of the teeth intact, new tyres all round. Stripped it bare and had it sand blasted, cabin had all rust removed and new "A" pillars (the doors fell off), new glass all round and new paint. Guards and bonnet being done now. We have put another Hercules engine in as the original ran a big end about 25 years ago and had the piston and pushrods for No 5 taken out, the oil hole blocked with lead and a hose clip around it and the injector pipe stuck in a gallon container which was emptied back into the tank about every 2 hours. It was run like this for few years before it went to pasture, literally, in a farmers paddock till we retrieved it a couple of years ago. More to come if anyones interested, it has a varied history. Me... I am retired, I am a Ham Radio operator, I love machining and have a reasonable workshop 60 x 25, a couple of lathes , Parkson Mill - modified it is about 13 years older than me and most of the other things you need, MIG,TIG,OXY etc. Keeps me out of trouble.:-D Sorry for the long winded intro but tend to be vocal when I write. Regards, Don..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 G'Day yeah I can't stand the cold. Last time I was in Victoria though it was stinking hot... a bit of a shock. Yep piccies are always good... welcome... good bunch in here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Welcome, as for the weather, teach you to live at the wrong end of the planet!:-D England curently enjoying it's two weeks of summer. To quote the Goons 'You know Minn, the rain is so warm I think I'll take three of my vests off'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polecat paul Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Hi , i was born in Lilydale and my family are still there is it near you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Hi my name is Don and I am another newbie, I don't have a MV but I am involved in helping restore a Diamond T981 which will be shown at the Alice Springs Truck show in Central Australia the last week in August. We have been working on it for about 2 years. It has been interesting to say the least, I have never worked on anything this big or old or heavy before. those diffs are beasts. We have rebuilt from 4 diffs 2 good ones with all new bearings and all of the teeth intact, new tyres all round. Stripped it bare and had it sand blasted, cabin had all rust removed and new "A" pillars (the doors fell off), new glass all round and new paint. Guards and bonnet being done now. We have put another Hercules engine in as the original ran a big end about 25 years ago and had the piston and pushrods for No 5 taken out, the oil hole blocked with lead and a hose clip around it and the injector pipe stuck in a gallon container which was emptied back into the tank about every 2 hours. It was run like this for few years before it went to pasture, literally, in a farmers paddock till we retrieved it a couple of years ago. More to come if anyones interested, it has a varied history. Me... I am retired, I am a Ham Radio operator, I love machining and have a reasonable workshop 60 x 25, a couple of lathes , Parkson Mill - modified it is about 13 years older than me and most of the other things you need, MIG,TIG,OXY etc. Keeps me out of trouble.:-D Sorry for the long winded intro but tend to be vocal when I write. Regards, Don..... Hi, would love to see some pics and possably a blog of the restoration! Cheers, Ad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don282 Posted July 29, 2010 Author Share Posted July 29, 2010 Hi , i was born in Lilydale and my family are still there is it near you? Hi Paul, no I am about 300Km west from Lilydale which is on the eastern extreme of the Melbourne suburbs. I am near the Grampians. Don..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfy Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 Welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airportable Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 Hi and welcome, would also love to see a few pics. of your project. Andy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plushy Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Hi Don , Welcome to the forum , i am looking forward to seeing the restoration photos . I live just down the road a bit from you , i am in miners rest near ballarat cheers James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Welcome Don282 , not to worry about being to wordy it goes with the Green affiction cant be helped or cured . Sound like you have had your hands full doing a complete restoration on that Diamond T , Nice You have been able to keep it from the scrape man so another generation will be able to see and hear a fin old Historic Military vehicle . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Hi Don, Welcome aboard. If you use the 'facilities' at the Clubhouse workshops, please check for any of those nasty spiders falling out of your dungarees - we don't want any left in there to cause incidents :cool2: The Diamnoid T you've been working on - not anything to do with a certain SON OF THE RED CENTRE by any chance, is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don282 Posted July 30, 2010 Author Share Posted July 30, 2010 (edited) Hi all,many thanks for the welcome, I presume the gentleman from the Red Center refered to Kurt Johansen, no association at all, also I don't think Kurt is with us anymore, busy driving the Road Train in the Sky now :-(. Don't worry about the spiders we have the appropriate size boots to look after them!, we don't like them either. I must make it clear that I'm only a helper albeit a lot of hours, but I don't own the 981. I generally get to do the awkward things ie electrical etc. At the moment making a 2" to 3" kingpin adapter for the 5th wheel so we can hang a load on the back and try and wake it up from its 20 year sleep :yawn:. Pictures, I will try and get some but they are a bit reluctant to publisise it at the moment as there is a lot invested in it, and there are not many in this country and they are a bit nervy, but I will ask again. Regards, Don....... PS approx 1400 trucks this 10th aniversary meeting at Alice Springs and 3000 beds short in the town, the mind bogles..... Edited July 30, 2010 by don282 Spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don282 Posted July 30, 2010 Author Share Posted July 30, 2010 Hi Don , Welcome to the forum , i am looking forward to seeing the restoration photos . I live just down the road a bit from you , i am in miners rest near ballarat cheers James Hi James, I would like to catch up with you one day, I am at WILLAURA. Don..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don282 Posted July 30, 2010 Author Share Posted July 30, 2010 Hi all,many thanks for the welcome, I presume the gentleman from the Red Center refered to Kurt Johansen, no association at all, also I don't think Kurt is with us anymore, busy driving the Road Train in the Sky now :-(. Don't worry about the spiders we have the appropriate size boots to look after them!, we don't like them either. I must make it clear that I'm only a helper albeit a lot of hours, but I don't own the 981. I generally Get to do the awkward things ie electrical etc. At the moment making a 2" to 3" kingpin adapter for the 5th wheel so we can hang a load on the back and try and wake it up from its 20 year sleep :yawn:. Pictures, I will try and get some but they are a bit reluctant to publisise it at the moment as there is a lot invested in it, and there are not many in this country and they are a bit nervy, but I will ask again. Regards, Don....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plushy Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 Hi Don , it would be good to meet you and have a chin wag . Dont know if its any help for the Diamond T resto ,probably not seeing as your nearly done but i have a Maintenance manual for the 981 . you probably have one but if you dont sing out and i will see if i can get this one copied for you . I have been through Willaura quite few times my father owns a few thousand acres up at Laharum and i spend a fair bit of time driving round the western district looking for old military vehicles and trucks . cheers James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoggyDriver Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 Welcome to the forum. Freezing????? So it's only about 70 deg then?:cool2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 Welcome to the forum mate! I'm currently sitting in Brisbane - and the locals all think I'm nuts wandering about in shorts and tee shirts. If this is winter in Australia I'm emigrating as soon as the daughter mk1 finishes Uni!!! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don282 Posted August 3, 2010 Author Share Posted August 3, 2010 Welcome to the forum mate! I'm currently sitting in Brisbane - and the locals all think I'm nuts wandering about in shorts and tee shirts. If this is winter in Australia I'm emigrating as soon as the daughter mk1 finishes Uni!!! :-) Hi, well take a visit down here and see if the t shirt and shorts work for you here, expecting 0deg C in the morning and between 0 and 1 each morning this week. My son who is a copper up there keeps rubbing it in too lol. Don...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Why do you think we are in Brisbane?? Does your lad kow a Sgt Mike Dicken in the prosecutors office? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don282 Posted August 5, 2010 Author Share Posted August 5, 2010 Why do you think we are in Brisbane?? Does your lad kow a Sgt Mike Dicken in the prosecutors office? HI Neil, I dont know but will ask when I ring him in a day or so. He is pretty busy at the moment,he has just gone into training for child abuse in his quest to become a detective. He has had his fun for a few years in the hoon squad and has done his drug squad training and now this and then a couple more modules and he will be another Dick Tracy HI. He has done a lot of prosecuting so he may well know Mike. Don...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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