Zero-Five-Two Posted January 16, 2012 Author Share Posted January 16, 2012 :-D :dancinggirls: :yay::yay: :dancinggirls::drive::drive::drive::drive::drive::drive::dancinggirls::yay::yay::dancinggirls: Guess what we did yesterday!! Can't stop grinning!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted January 16, 2012 Author Share Posted January 16, 2012 (edited) Yep, after all this time we finally made it out onto the Queens highway. Unbelievable day out. Was like a dog with two tails. Big grins all round. I keep watching the video to make it sink in. Covered 14.9 miles according to the mileage trip with only one problem, aswe went past my Dads house I thought I'd gave it a loud one on the air horn. The horn stuck on!! panic for a moment thinking the button had got stuck down or something, but it appears to have been the horn itself, because after what seemed forever it tailed off with a bit of a whimper and just sat there leaking air. Fortunately not enough to affect the brakes. I feel quite annoyed about it, that was a new horn and it wasn't cheap. In the main everything was fine, nothing leaking, brakes and steering OK. Engine pulls like a train and the exhaust roar when going for it uphill is just something else. Gear change is easy and quite slick, so clutch adjustment must be good. Does well over 30mph to boot. Loads of pedestrians and other drivers looking and pointing, certainly made an impression, if only for the queue of traffic building up behind us. Stopped a couple of times on route to check nothing had fell off, and finished up at the local tavern for a spot of lunch and a celebration drink (only had half though) Took a few still pictures as well as the video. [ATTACH=CONFIG]55797[/ATTACH] It is tight getting through this gateway, that wall is going to get it one day!! [ATTACH=CONFIG]55798[/ATTACH] Just to prove we made it to the main road, first stop for leak checks etc [ATTACH=CONFIG]55799[/ATTACH] This is after the horn incident, investigating the leaking air horn [ATTACH=CONFIG]55800[/ATTACH] Loads of space in the Pub car park [ATTACH=CONFIG]55801[/ATTACH] A pair of silly b*gg*rs posing, self and son Stuart after lunch!! Well pleased with day, got to finish welding the crane together now. Going for a chassis steam clean next week, and hopefully top coat on the cab in February. Watch this space. First show is planned for 31 March at Detling showground Edited January 16, 2012 by Zero-Five-Two change wording Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gritineye Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Great stuff, know the feeling!....:clap: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulbrook Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Ah the joys of a knocker gearbox......I am all misty eyed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antar Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Nice one, its a great feeling ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyFowler Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Well done Rob ! Glad to hear she is living up to your expectations ! What is the show at Detling in March please? Not jealous at all by the way !!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Thanks for the comments guys, hardest bit was working out how to get the video onto utube. The show at Detling is the Kent Agricultural Society Heritage transport show. I,ll put a thing on the events thread with details Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Daymond Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Looking very good, but you've either got very good with the gear changes, or there was a bit of sly editing going on! Thought you were enthusiastic when you jumped down from the cab, bet you won't do that too often? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Hi Simon, No sly editing, Have to admit there was one or two missed gears, but generally they were OK. Seems to change easier than yours, especially up the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulbrook Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 My first troop were knockers (1977). The best drivers only ever used the clutch to start and stop. For the less experienced the trick was to put weight on the gearstick and actually start to move it before depressing the clutch. Oh and you gave up releasing the handbrake correctly soon after skinning your thumb or knuckle on the angle iron below the windscreen, replacing it with techique where you would grab the lever about 6 inches below the breakneck, pulling the lever back then throwing it forward hard (when it hit the stop the handle would continue forward and release the cable). Its over 30 years since I last drove one. Maybe I should put one on my wishlist..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Oh and you gave up releasing the handbrake correctly soon after skinning your thumb or knuckle on the angle iron below the windscreen, replacing it with techique where you would grab the lever about 6 inches below the breakneck.......... Funny you should say that, despite best advice given a while ago by his Grandfather (an experienced Militant driver) son Stuart now has a big lump missing from his right hand. I didn't laugh too much :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulbrook Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I rest my case yr honour....................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooky Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 My first troop were knockers (1977). The best drivers only ever used the clutch to start and stop. For the less experienced the trick was to put weight on the gearstick and actually start to move it before depressing the clutch. Oh and you gave up releasing the handbrake correctly soon after skinning your thumb or knuckle on the angle iron below the windscreen, replacing it with techique where you would grab the lever about 6 inches below the breakneck, pulling the lever back then throwing it forward hard (when it hit the stop the handle would continue forward and release the cable). Its over 30 years since I last drove one. Maybe I should put one on my wishlist..... Slightly OT but I was talking to a friend who lives in Milnthorpe (Cumbria) that is on the A6, he reckons that in the days when the A6 was the major North South trunk road that nobody who lived near the traffic lights ever got any sleep as the sound of the ratchet handbrakes being thrown of all night kept them all awake!!! I will concur with the comments regarding throwing them off I had a Hippo and after catching my hand always used the technique ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEC Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 I rest my case yr honour....................... The worst thing to do on a knocker is a compression and leakage test. Claiming in and out, the heat, the smell of hot diesel, being covered in diesel and kneeling in the passenger foot well. Failing my class 2 HGV test in a HAA. But they are lovely rugged bits of kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulbrook Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 And dont forget the self-exploding batteries...especially on a cold morning. In fact come to think of it they were bloody hard work....................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted January 19, 2012 Author Share Posted January 19, 2012 In fact come to think of it they were bloody hard work....................... They still are, but some of us like a good beasting :nut: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulbrook Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 I must scan what piccies I have from the 1970s. I also have some cine film of taking them cross country somewhere (well I know where the cross country was - Haltern Training Area - its the location of the film that is in question......) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Daymond Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 My militant ended up as a driver trainer, perhaps Rob - we have the culprit for my clutch!? (along with you as well) Always pleased to see any pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 Secret is not to use the clutch, once moving. OK if you time it right, but when it all goes wrong, your first reaction is to stamp the pedal into the floor, which locks the clutch brake on and that just seems to make things worse. Panic and embarrassment set in, as you fight with the damned thing trying to get a gear, any gear will do, and you try them all!! Meanwhile the truck just rolls to a standstill. Then you can start all over again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted January 21, 2012 Author Share Posted January 21, 2012 Had to invent this one for Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gritineye Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Had to invent this one for Simon :rofl::rofl::rofl: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Daymond Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Sounds familiar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 (edited) "WARNING" The following post contains images of an extreemly bright and shiney nature. Readers of a nervous disposition and those with a phobia about MV's not being green are advised to look away now. Anybody else who wants to look at a quality paint job, don the sunglasses and read on!! Been in the paint shop this weekend, putting the top coat on the cab of the Militant. After a good many hours priming and flatting in some very cold weather lately all the hard work has been worthwhile and produced a cracking result. I must highly recommend the man on the spray gun, Bill of Lambs Commercial Paints at Rye in Sussex, and I can't thank him enough for his time, effort and quality of work. Superb job and at a very reasonable price. It's a fair run to his place from Sittingbourne. Just short of 50 miles each way, and not exactly the best roads for heaving a Militant round. Still, I'm was well pleased with the performance of the old girl on her first real long run, Returning a good 10+ miles to the gallon. I have to say also that it wasn't me that was holding up the traffic on the A229 on sunday afternoon, I was stuck behind a tractor bl**dy thing was only doing 20 mph. Spent today putting the finishing touches to it, fitting door and grab handles back on and polishing all that brass. Seemed to take forever, but well worth the effort. Couple of shots of her in the paint shop, before and after as usual and a nice scenic view parked in a layby when we stopped for a brew on the way home [ATTACH=CONFIG]95115[/ATTACH] Edited August 6, 2014 by Zero-Five-Two Replace photos 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daverwheeler Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Nice job, its always worth putting the effort into the prep work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyFowler Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 She looks great Rob , a real credit to your enthusiasm and hard work mate ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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