lee g Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 (edited) Just acquired a mercury tug but can't find many pictures or information! I believe it has a ford E93a engine and was produced in 1943 for towing bomb trollies on the bases dont have a picture of the exact one I've got but have a picture of an identical one any help would be amazing! Thanks lee g Edited November 5, 2014 by lee g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 Interesting as there is an American company that made toe tractors "mercury industrial truck" from Chicago But yours would be "Mercury Truck and Tractor Co" http://tractors.wikia.com/wiki/Mercury_Truck_and_Tractor_Co. As you said very few pictures floating around, where is the green one from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 Is that the fuel tank on the bulkhead behind the engine? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 I have a friend with one of these, I've e mailed him a link. His has a truck type back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee g Posted November 5, 2014 Author Share Posted November 5, 2014 Hi guys the green one in the picture above is from Sywell Aviation Museum, Sywell, UK it says it was made by the mercury car company? The petrol tank on mine is under the passenger seat like in this picture I have found! any ideas how I can find the age out? I have been guaranteed by the guy I bought it off that it's a 1943 as that is what his grandad was told when he bought it in about 1968 from a military auction near Nottingham! what is the difference between the mertrak and mercury truck and tractor company? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee g Posted November 5, 2014 Author Share Posted November 5, 2014 Was also told that they used to tow the bomb trollies? Struggling without any pictures to reference it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Was also told that they used to tow the bomb trollies? Struggling without any pictures to reference it! Try this link, it could be of help; http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Mercury_Truck_and_Tractor_Co Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I see my previous link is temperamental :embarrassed: hopefully this will link correctly http://tractors.wikia.com/wiki/CSJ_655 it is a RAF one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee g Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 Try this link, it could be of help;http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Mercury_Truck_and_Tractor_Co some great pics on this site thanks need some of the dials now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee g Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 I see my previous link is temperamental :embarrassed: hopefully this will link correctly http://tractors.wikia.com/wiki/CSJ_655 it is a RAF one hi still does not seem to be working!:undecided: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 that website is really irritating [ATTACH=CONFIG]98282[/ATTACH] looks like they say this was a 39 model Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 http://www.aviationancestry.com/GroundEquipment/Maintenance/Maintenance-Mercury-1960-1.html http://www.aviationmuseum.net/ImageLibrary/Vehicles/MercuryTug.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 that website is really irritating [ATTACH=CONFIG]98282[/ATTACH] looks like they say this was a 39 model That one belongs to a friend of mine. I'll ask hime for more details on it. I know it is currently sitting in a garage. Though there is a picture of a similar truck driven by a WREN, pulling trailers loaded with naval ordernace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee g Posted November 10, 2014 Author Share Posted November 10, 2014 Any more info yet gents? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adr1an Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 (edited) Hello, There are a few of these airport tugs around, one like yours but with a cab is at Brooklands race track. See: as the owner of CSJ 655 (pictured above) I can offer the following information. Firstly, it is interesting to note that CSJ 655 is larger than the other Mercurys pictured here. It has the same running gear but has larger wheels and a drop side body of about 6’ in length making the vehicle about10’ 6” overall. The engine is a Ford sidevalve 10hp (1172cc) but would have originally have been an 8hp 6 volt engine. The gearbox is a Ford 3 speed, the same as fitted in the Ford model ‘Y’ car and some Ford sidevalve commercial derivatives.The rear axle is a massive worm drive unit shortened to practically the width of the differential housing. It is much heavier than the engine. It is a 15 to 1 worm drive and gives CSJ 655 a ‘cruising speed’ of about 12mph and a terminal velocity of about 15 if you really put your foot down. This is more than enough with only rear wheel rod operated brakes to stop you! Years ago someone told me that the axle was a cut down Leyland Lion bus axle but I have never been able to confirm this. As the smaller wheeled trucks all seem to share the same running gear they must be rather slower. I think CSJ 655 was probably made in the mid 1930s as there are a few tell tale signs such as the centre accelerator pedal. The chassis number is 3288. I wonder what the chassis numbers are on the other trucks? Not that Mercury necessarily used consecutive chassis numbers though. By the way, I gather the Mercury Truck and Tractor Co. lasted well in to the 1960s until being taken over by Reliance and then Dennis Specialist Vehicles. One of their main fabrication contractors towards the end was FMW who, I’m told started making complete vehicles after Mercury folded in the 60s. With regards, Adrian Edited November 19, 2014 by Adr1an Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee g Posted November 20, 2014 Author Share Posted November 20, 2014 hi Adrian many thanks for the information I'm hoping to take delivery next week and start the work asap! could you send me some pictures of the switches and dials and also any of the driving compartment so I have a reference to go by! this would be a great hell and much appreciated many thanks Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adr1an Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Hi Lee, The next time I am at my garage I shall take some photos for you although CSJ 655 was a complete wreck when I acquired it and it only has two holes for gauges in the dash. I have fitted a 30 ampere gauge in one and an hour counter in the other, mainly because I had one that was the right size. It almost certainly wouldn't have had an hour counter originally though, I would have thought an oil pressure gauge would have been more likely. Switch wise, again everything was missing and I have a key operated ignition switch, which whilst not original is a good idea on the rally circuit as the whole vehicle is open and very attractive for children to climb on. It also has a foot operated starter switch mounted through the driver's footplate which is an original feature and for this reason I have fitted a kill switch on the battery. Everything by the way was fitted in to existing holes, and because I ran out of original holes I fitted a lamp switch on the new seat box. Interestingly, I did acquire the remains of another Mercury truck years ago to help with the restoration of this one which not only had front wheel brakes but also a speedo rated to 15mph, driven from one of the front hubs. It was from this truck that I got the radiator and numerous other parts like the double rear wheels all of which were missing from mine. What were you expecting gauge wise? Pictures to follow, although you will have to give me time to get them as the vehicle is stored near my parents house in Kent. At least I will be able to tell you what is original on mine and what isn't. Did you find a chassis number? Mine is on a brass plate on the front left hand of the chassis. You can see it in the photo above. All the best, Adrian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee g Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 Hi Adrian I just thought there would be fuel, water temp, oil pressure, speedo and maybe ammeter? Presume they would be identical to the ones on the early fords? cheers lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee g Posted November 27, 2014 Author Share Posted November 27, 2014 Few pictures of delivery today! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee g Posted December 2, 2014 Author Share Posted December 2, 2014 First days progress! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RattlesnakeBob Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Looks great ! Should be a straightforward enough restoration ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeePig Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Is that a heavy casting on the back? trevor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I know from pushing Adrian's one about, there very heavy for the size.:-D Ballast for towing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RattlesnakeBob Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Many years ago the engineering yard I worked in had a WW2 era David Brown ex-aircraft tractor as their yard 'dumper'... it looked a lot like a normal 1940s farm tractor except that it had full set of cast iron 'mudguards' on the back ...maybe nothing that weird about that you may say ? . except that the mudguards were at least an 1" thick and yes that tractor was mighty heavy too ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee g Posted December 3, 2014 Author Share Posted December 3, 2014 The engine has seized up but head is off and one of the cylinders is full of water! need a new gasket set, ammeter, radiator needs a new core, ignition/light switch, carb has siezed so not sure if it can be fixed? Just missed out on one on eBay for £25! :-( some of the tin wear needs re fabricating and a new tyre! Not sure if anything else needs sorting yet? I bought it to keep and use at shows but then I just acquired a mk1 universal carrier that needs restoration so this may have to be sold to fund that? Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.