Diamond T Gallery

[dizzy-t]

Yes Matt there are two. When I visited in early 2008 they had not moved in a while. One is the ex-Watts of Lydney 981 with a Rolls-Royce engine and the other is Severn beach garages own 981 in desert cammo. He may still have his Pioneer gun tractor too...

 

Cheers,

 

A

 

Hi Adrian. Just looking at your letters, you may remember that I found the Diamond T in Cobbaton Combat Museum (its on the spreadsheet) The Museum told me that this was the one from Watts of Lydney, so if thats true, where did the one at Severn Beach come from, Gloucester or Monmouth?.:trustme::thanx::coffee:, have had an email from Watts, the lady there is going to try and find out all info for us, but as WATTS garage closed down about 10 years ago, she says she doesn't know where to look.

Edited November 19, 2010 by dizzy-t
Cant spell & new info

[dizzy-t]

Adrian & I are compiling a list of all Diamond T's which were produced during WW 2, we feel that it would be of interest to all Diamond T owners or future owners, if you have a Diamond T of any model, we have compiled a list of questions which need to be answered for me to add them to our spreadsheet.

 

A). Model Number.

 

B). Chassic Number.

 

C). Date of Manufacture.

 

D). Engine Make.

 

E). Engine Serial Number.

 

F). Military Reg.

 

G). Civilian Reg.

 

H). Cab Type.

 

I). Cab (Original of replacement).

 

J). Body.

 

K). Modifications.

 

L). Date of Release.

 

M). 2nd Owner.

 

N). 3rd Owner.

 

O). Location.

 

P). Condition/Fate.

 

Q). Relevant Notes.

 

R). Photograph, (Not a close up one as I cant add it to the spreadsheet, a very small one please).

 

If any one spots one in a garden or scrap yard, I must have the chassic number, so that I dont record the vehicle twice. I will make seperate sreadsheets for all Diamond T's, at the moment we are doing 980/981's, other spreadsheets will follow when I get the information in.

Thank you and I will look forward to hearing from you in future. You can email me on this site or vj3346@hotmail.co.uk or vj3346@talktalk.net.:tup:::goodidea::writing::mailforyou::coffee::drive::drive::drive::drive::drive::drive::drive:

[ruggyjohn]

hi dizzy, will try to get some details of my of dt to you shortly. it has come back from northern ireland recently where it spent many years in heavy haulage.

[diamond-t-steve]

Hi all

 

This has got to be one of the strangest re-cab for a DT I have ever seen. I have not posted the picture here as it is not mine to post but here is a link to it.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DIAMOND-T-T-K-CAB-/200551512166?pt=UK_Car_Parts_Vehicles_Automobila_ET&hash=item2eb1cd3866

[Adrian]

Hi all

 

This has got to be one of the strangest re-cab for a DT I have ever seen. I have not posted the picture here as it is not mine to post but here is a link to it.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DIAMOND-T-T-K-CAB-/200551512166?pt=UK_Car_Parts_Vehicles_Automobila_ET&hash=item2eb1cd3866

 

Strange, but not as bad as some I have seen.

[dizzy-t]

Strange, but not as bad as some I have seen.

 

Looks like a Bedford TK cab to me:whistle:

[Adrian]

Looks like a Bedford TK cab to me:whistle:

 

I Concur. Being a bit of a puritan I don't like most of the cab conversions, so much so that when 3630DW came up for sale year before I bought mine I resisted simply down to the horrible cab. it would have been much cheaper and less work as it was fully restored but not sorry though, I am more than happy with mine, even with all the work involved. That to me is the fun part.

[Dave]

Wasn`t 3630 DW an ex- wynns Diamond T?

if it was there would be plenty of history.

[Adrian]

Wasn`t 3630 DW an ex- wynns Diamond T?

if it was there would be plenty of history.

 

It was, and yes it ws packed with history. Certain people were trying very hard to persuade me as it was on ebay but I just did not like the cab and refused to bite. Had i bought it I would probably have horrified people by grafting on an original cab (after first finding one).

[croc]

Wasn`t 3630 DW an ex- wynns Diamond T?

if it was there would be plenty of history.

In Dave Weedons care.

http://www.classictracksandtrucks.co.uk/Photo%20gallery/PICT0009.JPG

[dizzy-t]

It was, and yes it ws packed with history. Certain people were trying very hard to persuade me as it was on ebay but I just did not like the cab and refused to bite. Had i bought it I would probably have horrified people by grafting on an original cab (after first finding one).

I have the WYNN's Fleet book and according to the author 3630 DW, had a fleet no of 91, and it entered service in 10/1963, & it was an ex WD vehicle, just a shame they decided to put a foriegn cab on it, as the original would so much better, although I would imagine the made up cab was easier to get into. In the book there is a photo of 3630, but does no appear to have a write up about the vehicle. If any one requires more info about this vehicle, you could try writing to the Wynn's Preservation, Vintage and Enthusastics Group, (I have but am still awaiting a reply)

[ruggyjohn]

i beleive the cab on dave weedon's dt was made in house at wynns as they needed a crew cab for the work it was going to do. makes sense realy as there is not a lot of room in the standard cab, you are very much shoulder to shoulder, on the other hand maybe i need to shrink a little,maybe after xmas though.

[antarmike]

i beleive the cab on dave weedon's dt was made in house at wynns as they needed a crew cab for the work it was going to do. makes sense realy as there is not a lot of room in the standard cab, you are very much shoulder to shoulder, on the other hand maybe i need to shrink a little,maybe after xmas though.

I have heard it said that the reason Wynns changed cabs was simply the old ones had rusted out and were beyond economic repair.

[Dave]

Wynns obviously get credit for some serious abnormal load haulage but their workshop blokes seem to go un-noticed.

As well as re Cabbing the Diamond T`s to their own spec, look what they did to the pacifics,

From what i`ve read a wynns pacific was probably as good as an early constructor and no doubt a lot cheaper.

[brianthesnail96]

I Concur. Being a bit of a puritan I don't like most of the cab conversions, so much so that when 3630DW came up for sale year before I bought mine I resisted simply down to the horrible cab. it would have been much cheaper and less work as it was fully restored but not sorry though, I am more than happy with mine, even with all the work involved. That to me is the fun part.

 

We were talking about that today funny enough, came to the conclusion that you are a muppet :-D

[Adrian]

We were talking about that today funny enough, came to the conclusion that you are a muppet :-D

 

Maybe so Matt, but none the less a happy muppet and I know who you were talking with, and out of that group I am, so far, the only one to put my money where my mouth is. It’s all well and good to talk.....

 

Dave - you are quite right about the Wynns mechanics. The development of new cabs, replacement engines, and the great work they did on the Pacifics was testament to their abilities. I did hear that the Pacifics were bought for about £100 each. The constructors where something like £3,000 so I am sure, even with all the modifications they were substantially cheaper. When you think about it the Wynns boys really got a good deal with their ex-militaries!

 

The Wynns/Anderson cabs were far more functional but the look of them was never appealing. Not that they were built to look good, a working vehicle and functional cab. The original cab is painfully small, following the tradition which all the American manufacturers followed for years after. One cab conversion which is appealing is the Morris cab – again small but looks in keeping.

[brianthesnail96]

Well that's thrown down the gauntlet :cool2:

 

I actually prefer the Wynns cabs- but I'm strange.

 

Being a happy muppet is, of course, the important thing. And your DT is a very impressive restoration and somewhat more satisfying than buying one "off the shelf" I suspect!

Edited December 14, 2010 by brianthesnail96

[dizzy-t]

Well that's thrown down the gauntlet :cool2:

 

I actually prefer the Wynns cabs- but I'm strange.

 

Being a happy muppet is, of course, the important thing. And your DT is a very impressive restoration and somewhat more satisfying than buying one "off the shelf" I suspect!

 

Can any one tell me why the Yanks insisted on putting silly little rear view mirrors on the DT's, how the hell were they expected to see what was behind them with a mirror that small. Sorry about my observation regarding the TK cabbed DT, I didn't read the description properly, Happy Muppet that I am, Some of you are talking about the Wynns DT cabs, well in the Fleet book there is a photo of a TK cabbed AEC Matador YDW 22, (fleet No 216) (08 1961),this looks very smart (well I think so).:readpaper::coffee::coffee::coffee:

[16svt]

Can any one tell me why the Yanks insisted on putting silly little rear view mirrors on the DT's, how the hell were they expected to see what was behind them with a mirror that small. Sorry about my observation regarding the TK cabbed DT, I didn't read the description properly, Happy Muppet that I am, Some of you are talking about the Wynns DT cabs, well in the Fleet book there is a photo of a TK cabbed AEC Matador YDW 22, (fleet No 216) (08 1961),this looks very smart (well I think so).:readpaper::coffee::coffee::coffee:

I remember seeing a Matador with a TK cab in a lovely old school HGV breakers in Ross on wye in about 1990. i wonder if it was the same one?

[Austin]

Found these pictures on here http://idf-armor.blogspot.com/2008_05_18_archive.html

 

IDF Diamond T trucks towing captured Egyptian Missile launchers Six Days War 1967

 

 

 

 

 

[dizzy-t]

Does anyone remember watching *Antiques Roadshow some years ago, I forget where it was coming from but a guy brought along a wooden model of a Diamond T 980, complete with Trailer & Tank, the models had been made out of wood, and the detail that the builder had added was brillaint, ie, tool boxes in the ballast box, complete with all tools, the models must have been 1.25th scale or more, he had got all the dimensions just about correct apart from the cab, this didn't look quite right, but you knew that it was a Diamond T.All the models had been made by his (either) Grandfather or Father, and this person had recently passed away, and the family had no idea what to do with this great model set, so it was either give it to a museum, or throw it away, I wrote to Antiques Roadshow saying that if the family were going to chuck it, I would buy it from them, as per the norm I never had a reply, but according to a great friend of mine (who has a model supply shop in Colne, Lancs) he saw the same edition of the *AR and commented to his wife, I know who would like that, Dick would bite the owners hand off to get his hands on that model, I just hope that the family did not throw it away and actually gave it to a museum.Does anyone else remember that edition of the *AR ??:banana::coffee::coffee::coffee:

[Austin]

This one?

 

 

 

:-)

[utt61]

This one?

 

 

 

:-)

 

Breathtaking!! I wonder where it is now.

[abn deuce]

I have no idea how a person could do so precise a job from scratch , he didnt even have a lathe ! according to the son . Not only looks amazing from the outside but complete interior details , even the tool kit bits ! gobsmacked !!

[dizzy-t]

This one?

 

 

 

:-)

Thats the one, thank you so much, I will write to The BBC and see if they have records of who & where, it would be awfull if they have dumped this fine model, which should be in a museum somehere for all of us to view.:thanx::coffee: