TooTallMike Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Someone asked if there was anything else to come out of the yard I've been helping clear. Well I guess this is my prize: It's an Autocar pontoon tractor which has been retrofitted with the twin boom Holmes gear from a Diamond T 969, and a hard top cab. The last photo shows what it should look like. It is in very sorry condition and I paid a little above scrap value for it. It's going to have to be stored for a year or so while I get other projects out of the way but I'll start collecting parts, manuals etc. My initial thought it to return it to soft cab configuration but leave the Holmes gear on as it makes it very practical. I'll also fabricate a box to go between the cab and the crane to hold kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 20, 2007 Author Share Posted February 20, 2007 3 more pics... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Got some work to do there Mike, how old is that I have never seen one of them :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shane taylor Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Got some work to do there Mike, how old is that I have never seen one of them :dunno: Mark it is WW2 and you don't see a lot of them - I bet the 514th would like it! I saw one in a museum in France some years back, they look weird to drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 20, 2007 Author Share Posted February 20, 2007 Fortunately it's quite complete but there certainly is a lot of work to do. This is the other reason I can't face touching it while I have any other major projects on the go. The soft top cab makes it post 1942 build. I won't be able to do the chassis number bit until it's out of the brambles. I don't know how they figure in the rarity stakes, but most of the survivors of this type are the U 7144 T which is a swb tractor unit without the box. According to Crismon, only 2,711 Pontoon tractors were built. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Mike, this may be a daft question.....bet what is the condition of the engine? Cheers jack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 20, 2007 Author Share Posted February 20, 2007 Don't care cos' first job once the cab is off will be to pull the engine and install a Cummins B (5.9l) + turbo 8-). as Mark says, real trucks don't have sparkplugs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Right on :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 20, 2007 Author Share Posted February 20, 2007 Mike, this may be a daft question.....bet what is the condition of the engine? Any ulterior motive for asking or just inquisitive? :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 There is a restored one of these in Plymouth. The owner also took out the original engine and put a diesel in it. Tim (too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Any ulterior motive for asking or just inquisitive? :-) No not really Mike......but could you PM me the price please :whistle: :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 20, 2007 Author Share Posted February 20, 2007 There is a restored one of these in Plymouth. The owner also took out the original engine and put a diesel in it. Tim, I don't suppose you'd have any contact details for him would you? - Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I will see if i can find out and get back to you. A friend of a friend of a friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Any ulterior motive for asking or just inquisitive? :-) Mike, thanks for the PM - you have one back........and yes I am interested. Cheers Jack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Oh hang on the Plymouth one was a SWB 7144 version as well. Would you still like to find the guys number out? Tim (too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas pinkie Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Fantastic looking project mike...... Just ashame you have to wait so long b4 you can start it. If you are anything like me you must be champing at the bit to get cracking. If you here of any more interesting project, give me a shout!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Wow yu sure have an interesting new vehicle, when you have it at home, will you take some more pictures for us? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 24, 2007 Author Share Posted February 24, 2007 Oh hang on the Plymouth one was a SWB 7144 version as well. Would you still like to find the guys number out? I would still appreciate it as I believe a lot of the parts are interchangable :-) . Wow yu sure have an interesting new vehicle, when you have it at home, will you take some more pictures for us? Thanks :-). Should be moving it in a couple of weeks' time and we'll be sure to get some pic's to post on here. - Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Tim, I don't suppose you'd have any contact details for him would you? - Mike Sorry. I am told that the owner (who must be over 80 now) has sold it and they dont know where it has gone. Somewhere "Up country". Sorry to be of so little help. Tim (too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest matt Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Hi Mike,There is/was a guy in Shropshire with a soft cab Autocar tractor unit,I'm afraid I don't know his name though. He has been to several shows with it,if I get chance do you want his details? Matt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Tim, I don't suppose you'd have any contact details for him would you? - Mike What sort of approximate time frame do you envisage this taking to complete, Mike? (given all the usual interruptions). Mark B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 28, 2007 Author Share Posted February 28, 2007 What sort of approximate time frame do you envisage this taking to complete, Mike? (given all the usual interruptions). Mark B I have to be good and sheet this up and walk away from it for now. I'll get manuals, tyres and needed parts as and when I see them. I must rebuild the WLF cab and re-wire it next winter so I realistically can't do anything major on the Autocar until winter 2008/2009. Having said that, I'm hopeless at putting down my toys so we'll have to see! Once started I imagine it'll be a long winter's work. If anyone comes across one of these or similar at a show, could you please get contact details on my behalf? I'd really appreciate this :-) :-) :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Rippingham Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I know the feeling of one too many projects. i bought and moved house and realising i had more space then proceeded to fill it with my new project (fwd har-1) which was in a similar if not worse condition of that autocar. That was Christmas 2003, i then had to renovate the house, whilst building an extra large double garage + lean to. Whilst spending more money than i'd like to admit on my garage build i found myself having to cash in my beloved weapons carrier. Having finished my garage and enough of the house to keep my wife quiet in 2005 then proceeded to restore my truck. Although i never imagined just how much this truck was going to cost to restore, the hardwood body alone probably stands me at the price of a 'good gmc!' and last year thought it a good idea to cash in my m3a1 scout car project which i bought prior to the truck so i could afford to finish this truck and buy something more restorable hence my inter m5h6. having not done any shows for a few years am looking forward to the forthcoming show season!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Rippingham Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 fwd har-1 christmas 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 wow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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