Parts needed for 4.5-inch BL Gun restoration.

[matman41]

Thanks Mel, I have not seen any of those pictures of the 4.5-inch guns. They are very impressive when set up. We are currently having issues pulling the pin on the central trail lock that the breech is fixed to, when in travelling mode. All fun and games! Thanks again for posting the photos; you are not alone on the PC illiteracy, I certainly struggle too.

 

Hi James, Do you mean the pin that I have arrowed on the picture? If so on the arm that swings across to lock the legs, where it goes in the bracket on the opposite leg (where the pin goes through to lock it) there is a small screw blanking plug, when unscrewed there is a spring and a plunger in there that locates in a recess in the pin when it's pushed in. If you can get it out then you can apply heat &/or lubricant into the pin through that hole. I hope that makes sense?? :confused:

[James Shopland]

Mel you are a legend, thank you. I will try and take a look at that over the weekend but I guess it might be a good idea to get some more oxygen first! :cheesy: Have to admit your gun looks immaculate; I like the deep Bronze Green look! I suspect ours will be painted olive to match the AEC but that is a long way off to be thinking about just now.

[matman41]

Mel you are a legend, thank you. I will try and take a look at that over the weekend but I guess it might be a good idea to get some more oxygen first! :cheesy: Have to admit your gun looks immaculate; I like the deep Bronze Green look! I suspect ours will be painted olive to match the AEC but that is a long way off to be thinking about just now.

 

Hi James, Let me know if you need any more info with anything. The gun is Bronze Green as it matches my Mat, it's an old restoration and will need re-painting into correct colours at some point!! Cheers, Mel

[James Shopland]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]74458[/ATTACH]

 

Hi James, Let me know if you need any more info with anything. The gun is Bronze Green as it matches my Mat, it's an old restoration and will need re-painting into correct colours at some point!! Cheers, Mel

 

Okay Mel now you are showing off! :laugh: She is a beaut and a fine looking out fit. We are a long way off that. We restored our Matador gun tractor in the early 90's and she needs some work now. I have to admit I like the deep bronze green look; very National Service. My Father served in 56 HAA Rgt RA in 1952 with Matadors, 3.7-inch guns and radar sets all in bronze green. We are hoping to complete another Matador in the near future tow the 4.5-inch but we need to complete the gun first and the a Staghound! lol.....too many toys and not enough time!

 

[matman41]

Okay Mel now you are showing off! :laugh: She is a beaut and a fine looking out fit. We are a long way off that. We restored our Matador gun tractor in the early 90's and she needs some work now. I have to admit I like the deep bronze green look; very National Service. My Father served in 56 HAA Rgt RA in 1952 with Matadors, 3.7-inch guns and radar sets all in bronze green. We are hoping to complete another Matador in the near future tow the 4.5-inch but we need to complete the gun first and the a Staghound! lol.....too many toys and not enough time!

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]74481[/ATTACH]

 

Hi James, Great to see another Mat, it looks great I also have a 3.7" HAA but haven't ever tried to tow it with the Mat, the 5.5" is heavy enough to pull, I don't fancy the extra 3 ton of the 3.7", especially on the hills around here!! :nono: Going off subject a bit here, I have another Mat which is a 1951 build, and it has a frame in the back for what I think was for transporting a generator for possibly a radar unit, could you ask your Dad if he remembers anything like that in the Mats he was on?? Cheers, Mel

[James Shopland]

Hi James, Great to see another Mat, it looks great I also have a 3.7" HAA but haven't ever tried to tow it with the Mat, the 5.5" is heavy enough to pull, I don't fancy the extra 3 ton of the 3.7", especially on the hills around here!! :nono: Going off subject a bit here, I have another Mat which is a 1951 build, and it has a frame in the back for what I think was for transporting a generator for possibly a radar unit, could you ask your Dad if he remembers anything like that in the Mats he was on?? Cheers, Mel

 

Is it like this one.....

 

 

Dad says all his generator sets and radar vans were towed by standard tractors.

 

The one above was an RAF Unit. I will try and find a better picture and the serial number

 

Yours etc.

 

ps. Our old girl struggles with the 3.7" HAA Gun. Unless it is on the flat we don't even try these days!

Edited March 30, 2013 by James Shopland

[matman41]

Is it like this one.....

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]74519[/ATTACH]

 

Dad says all his generator sets and radar vans were towed by standard tractors.

 

The one above was an RAF Unit. I will try and find a better picture and the serial number

 

Yours etc.

 

ps. Our old girl struggles with the 3.7" HAA Gun. Unless it is on the flat we don't even try these days!

 

Hi James, I have an ex-RAF one (also a 1950's build) with a similar reg to that one, I'll have a look at what it was and let you know. The one I mean is on the attached pictures, the frame work and ramps can be seen in the rear body. I know 100% it an Army mod, as the truck has only been with one family since de-mob and it's never been touched!! Cheers, Mel

[James Shopland]

Hi James, I have an ex-RAF one (also a 1950's build) with a similar reg to that one, I'll have a look at what it was and let you know. The one I mean is on the attached pictures, the frame work and ramps can be seen in the rear body. I know 100% it an Army mod, as the truck has only been with one family since de-mob and it's never been touched!! Cheers, Mel [ATTACH=CONFIG]74532[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]74533[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]74534[/ATTACH]

 

Hi Mel, have to admit I have never seen such a conversion but it looks like a generator or pump of some sorts. Lovely original truck though. How many Matador do you have? James.

[matman41]

Hi James, 3 complete ones and 2 'half' ones at the moment!!!! :nut: Is the body on the back of your RAF one complete? I had a look at your website over the weekend, the cab frame looks great, have you thought of producing them? Cheers, Mel :-)

[James Shopland]

Morning Mel, It is always funny how we all say 'half' Matadors We have not list most of our old girls on the web site as they are properly tired. We have one timber tractor and a gun tractor in 'restored' condition and a host of others in various states of disrepair. The RAF generator truck is complete with the exception we have no generator; all it really needs is a good lick of paint. I am not sure we could afford to produce the cabs commercially. Best regards, James.

[matman41]

Morning Mel, It is always funny how we all say 'half' Matadors We have not list most of our old girls on the web site as they are properly tired. We have one timber tractor and a gun tractor in 'restored' condition and a host of others in various states of disrepair. The RAF generator truck is complete with the exception we have no generator; all it really needs is a good lick of paint. I am not sure we could afford to produce the cabs commercially. Best regards, James.

 

Hi James, yes it is a bit funny, though in my case, one is just a rolling chassis, though it does have it's old buff log book and about 20 old tax discs!! and the other is just a chassis cab, though half the cab is missing!! It was my plan to make 2 from one but i'm having 2nd thoughts now. I think my ex-RAF one had the same type of box body as yours by the look of it (though it's long gone) as you can see where the paint has gone around the edge of the bodywork onto the bits underneath where it would of been. Did you manage to get the leg clamp open on the 4.5" carriage?? Cheers, Mel

[James Shopland]

We have the remains of three chassis in the yard which are well shot but if they can be saved I am a firm believer in saving the old girls. Sadly I didn't get too far with the leg clamp; other projects kept me from the workshop for most of the weekend :embarrassed: We did have a big shuffle around in the garage in preparation for our rally at Tyntesfield House in June. We started a number of the Bedfords and loaded the carrier on it's trailer. All these things take so much time and you always end up with more things to fix than when you first started! James

[Artifficer]

The reason I asked is that these pictures are of the markings I found on my 5.5's [ATTACH=CONFIG]74386[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]74387[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]74388[/ATTACH]

Hi James, Matman amd all

The markings on your guns seem to be 201 Battery Herts and Beds Yeomanry which was part of 100 Regt RA (V) until 1996/7. In the 70's they had 5.5's converting in 1980 to Light Gun and FH70 in 1990, back to Light Gun and the dedicated TA battery as part of 7 RHA in 1997 The other batteries where 200 Bty surrey & Sussex Yeomanry, 202 Bty sufolk & Norfolk Yeomanry and in the late 90's 307 Bty South Notts Hussars.

I worked on 5.5's with 100 Regt as a Gunfitter,and via various promotions/postings worked on Light gun/Fh70 with 100 Regt until 1997. I have a 201 Bty sticker somewhere if I can find it, James, you are welcome to it.

Regards

Rob Grainger

[James Shopland]

Hi James, Matman amd all

The markings on your guns seem to be 201 Battery Herts and Beds Yeomanry which was part of 100 Regt RA (V) until 1996/7. In the 70's they had 5.5's converting in 1980 to Light Gun and FH70 in 1990, back to Light Gun and the dedicated TA battery as part of 7 RHA in 1997 The other batteries where 200 Bty surrey & Sussex Yeomanry, 202 Bty sufolk & Norfolk Yeomanry and in the late 90's 307 Bty South Notts Hussars.

I worked on 5.5's with 100 Regt as a Gunfitter,and via various promotions/postings worked on Light gun/Fh70 with 100 Regt until 1997. I have a 201 Bty sticker somewhere if I can find it, James, you are welcome to it.

Regards

Rob Grainger

 

Thanks Rob, that is very kind.

 

You don't fancy a weekend in Somerset reliving the days of your youth with a 5.5" :laugh:

 

Kindest regards,

 

James.

[Richard Hughes]

James

 

Just on the off chance you havent thought of this but have you spoken to Preston Isaacs I know he has some 4.5/5.5 bits for sale

 

cheers

Richard

[James Shopland]

James

 

Just on the off chance you havent thought of this but have you spoken to Preston Isaacs I know he has some 4.5/5.5 bits for sale

 

cheers

Richard

 

 

Thanks Richard.

[James Shopland]

Hi James, I have an ex-RAF one (also a 1950's build) with a similar reg to that one, I'll have a look at what it was and let you know. The one I mean is on the attached pictures, the frame work and ramps can be seen in the rear body. I know 100% it an Army mod, as the truck has only been with one family since de-mob and it's never been touched!! Cheers, Mel [ATTACH=CONFIG]74532[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]74533[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]74534[/ATTACH]

 

 

Hi Mel,

This is the plate on our RAF generator wagon :-)

I think it reads 085310542

Best regards,

James.

 

ps. I think the earliest chassis we have is 0853578

Edited April 9, 2013 by James Shopland

[matman41]

Hi Mel,

This is the plate on our RAF generator wagon :-)

[ATTACH=CONFIG]75134[/ATTACH]

I think it reads 085310542

Best regards,

James.

 

ps. I think the earliest chassis we have is 0853578

 

Hi James, The chassis number on my RAF one is 0853 10546, and it's reg was 73 AV 86, so not far off yours at all!! Has the early chassis still got it's early style cab? Cheers, Mel

[James Shopland]

Hi James, The chassis number on my RAF one is 0853 10546, and it's reg was 73 AV 86, so not far off yours at all!! Has the early chassis still got it's early style cab? Cheers, Mel

 

Hi Mel, I have to admit I am not sure of the differences. 10542 has no rear window in the cab and had steel window frames. Also I have noticed the doors have a metal strip around the edge but other than that the cab is very similar to the earlier models. I will try and post some more pictures later. Best regards James.

[matman41]

Hi Mel, I have to admit I am not sure of the differences. 10542 has no rear window in the cab and had steel window frames. Also I have noticed the doors have a metal strip around the edge but other than that the cab is very similar to the earlier models. I will try and post some more pictures later. Best regards James.

 

Hi James, yes the cab on mine has the same detail changes as the one on yours. It also has the lower rear drawbar and an air tank mounted under the fuel tank. Cheers, Mel :-)

[James Shopland]

Hi James, yes the cab on mine has the same detail changes as the one on yours. It also has the lower rear drawbar and an air tank mounted under the fuel tank. Cheers, Mel :-)

 

Yes ours is the very same. We dragged her out of the shed on Sunday; I will try and post some pictures later.

 

[matman41]

Yes ours is the very same. We dragged her out of the shed on Sunday; I will try and post some pictures later.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]75392[/ATTACH]

Hi James, Great to see it still has the body on the back :wow:. Would love to see more pictures of the whole body and your other Mats, I can give you my e-mail if you'd rather send them that way? Cheers, Mel

[James Shopland]

Hi James, Great to see it still has the body on the back :wow:. Would love to see more pictures of the whole body and your other Mats, I can give you my e-mail if you'd rather send them that way? Cheers, Mel

 

 

Hey no worries. Will see what we can do :cheesy:

[matman41]

Hey no worries. Will see what we can do :cheesy:

 

Hi James, PM sent. Cheers, Mel

[James Shopland]

Has anyone found any 4.5/5.5" gun parts in their travels? :cheesy: