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WW1 Dennis truck find


Great War truck

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The completed tail lamp bracket - after being "cranked backwards" so that it avoids the tail board when the tailboard is in its dropped position, has been re-fitted to the Dennis. The potential problem of the tailboard "smacking" the lamp has been eliminated as the lamp is now situated completely under the lorry out of the way.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

No, i had not seen that. I did see another one a while back but when i asked the auctioneer for more information he didnt respond. I guess he knew i was not a potential buyer.

 

Anyway, the Dennis is fitted with a rather nice Engine Oil Level Gauge - there is no dip-stick arrangement and this is the sole method of checking the engine oil level. This had been working nicely, but the needle has suddenly dropped to "Empty" and we guessed that there must be a hole in the float in the gauge. This was dismantled today to reveal a pin-hole in the float and presumably oil has entered the float through it, thus rendering the gauge useless.

 

We are therefore faced with making a new brass float - or perhaps replacing the brass one with a cork one. Unless anybody else has any different suggestions!

 

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I'm sure that would repair with minimal effort.

 

Clean up with Brasso, or HP sauce if Brasso stocks are low.

Dye penetrant test to find the hole(s)

Drill out hole to let the oil drain.

Warm and dry.

Silver solder.

Back in.

 

Of all the jobs you have tackled on that I'm sure a float will be no big deal.

 

Talking about leaks - any decision as to whether or not to recast radiator top and bottom tanks yet?

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Tim,

 

That is a Rotherhams guage, used on Dingo petrol tank and other vehicles. One of the vintage car parts suppliers has them listed as made to size, so perhaps they can supply a new float. Will see if i can find the details.

 

Found it .. http://www.completeautomobilist.com/products/ca429-fuel-slide-gauge bit expensive but worth enquiring about a float.

Edited by Richard Farrant
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Thanks for the suggestions, Gordon and Richard! However, silver soldering is not an option - it has already been soft-soldered in its original construction - so the heat required for silver soldering would make the whole thing fall to bits! I guess Steve will have something to say about that when he picks this up later. But it will have to be drilled to let the oil out - and we can assess it again then. The brass is only paper thin so we must proceed with care!

 

With regard to your suggestion, Richard, then we picked up one of those at the Beaulieu Auto Jumble just a few years ago and paid £25 for it - brand new and described as "surplus". Should have bought more than one as there were several on offer but we had no purpose for it in mind when we got it - rather just thinking that "it might come in handy". And come in handy it did. The Dennis was never fitted with a fuel gauge on the tank but it rather looks as if the tank may have been of a standard design and construction for perhaps fitting to any make of vehicle - and there was provision in it for a fuel gauge just like this - although blanked off. With just a tiny bit of surgery - it had to be shortened, the gauge fitted like a glove and we have a fully operative Petrol Gauge on the petrol tank!

 

Tony

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Thanks for the suggestions, Gordon and Richard! However, silver soldering is not an option - it has already been soft-soldered in its original construction - so the heat required for silver soldering would make the whole thing fall to bits! I guess Steve will have something to say about that when he picks this up later. But it will have to be drilled to let the oil out - and we can assess it again then. The brass is only paper thin so we must proceed with care!

 

With regard to your suggestion, Richard, then we picked up one of those at the Beaulieu Auto Jumble just a few years ago and paid £25 for it - brand new and described as "surplus". Should have bought more than one as there were several on offer but we had no purpose for it in mind when we got it - rather just thinking that "it might come in handy". And come in handy it did. The Dennis was never fitted with a fuel gauge on the tank but it rather looks as if the tank may have been of a standard design and construction for perhaps fitting to any make of vehicle - and there was provision in it for a fuel gauge just like this - although blanked off. With just a tiny bit of surgery - it had to be shortened, the gauge fitted like a glove and we have a fully operative Petrol Gauge on the petrol tank!

 

Tony

 

Tony,

 

I think that I may have a brand new one boxed, no idea of what it fitted, something military, but too short for a Dingo petrol tank. Problem is the shaft length and amount of twist is calculated to the needle sweep on the dial, but you could probably use the original shaft.

 

Might even be able to find a good float, check the centre to centre measurement of the two rods.

Edited by Richard Farrant
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Tony,

 

I think that I may have a brand new one boxed, no idea of what it fitted, something military, but too short for a Dingo petrol tank. Problem is the shaft length and amount of twist is calculated to the needle sweep on the dial, but you could probably use the original shaft.

 

Might even be able to find a good float, check the centre to centre measurement of the two rods.

 

Thanks, Richard - will come back to you!

 

Tony

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Tony,

 

I think that I may have a brand new one boxed, no idea of what it fitted, something military, but too short for a Dingo petrol tank. Problem is the shaft length and amount of twist is calculated to the needle sweep on the dial, but you could probably use the original shaft.

 

Might even be able to find a good float, check the centre to centre measurement of the two rods.

 

Hi Richard.

 

If you have a float that you could spare, that would be fantastic! The centre distance on the rods is 1 1/4" and they are 1/4" diameter.

 

Looking more closely at this float, it has obviously cracked and been caulked in the past. I guess it is just suffering from being old brass. I will have a go at drilling a couple of holes in it and washing out the oil with thinners before patching them with some shim and a soldering iron. It is quite an intriguing piece of work really. Just how did they make them?

 

When I shortened the one we had in stock to suit the petrol tank, I simply put the rod in the vice and twisted it a bit more with a tap wrench. It had to rotate 180° from bottom to top and it worked out quite well in the end.

 

Another challenge!

 

Steve :-)

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Anvils, yes. Next one we get we are going to bolt to a very big lump of iron. Hope the gits dropped it on their feet when they loaded it in to their red Toyota pick up truck. Oh, i guess they couldnt have done or we would have heard from their solicitor by now................

 

Nice looking Dennis. A 1920's one i guess. Much larger radiator and different shaped bonnet. Interesting to see the bonnet catches remain unchanged. The rear wheels are on singles so i wonder if it is a smaller truck, maybe a two tonner. Hard to say. it would be interesting to know which engine and gearbox are in it.

 

Thanks for putting that one up.

 

Tim

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Anvils, yes. Next one we get we are going to bolt to a very big lump of iron.

 

 

...and then either round off the bolt heads or weld a steel bar across pairs of bolts to prevent them being unscrewed?

 

(Failing that, an anti-lift device of some kind - a switch and latching relay that operates an air raid siren on top of the workshop?) :-D

 

Chris.

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I have just made the pattern and core box for the Dennis subsidy engine cylinder block top covers. The castings have worked out well.

 

This is my first core box so I am pleased with the results.

 

I know you had problems with yours so you are welcome to the two castings or to borrow the patterns.

 

Ben

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What a super job! Core boxes are the difficult bit but you have done a very nice job indeed.

 

Yes please, I would very much like to have two castings if I may. Ours have proven porous and it would be a good time to replace them when we do the radiator, if not sooner.

 

Good show!

 

Steve :-)

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