Austin K series gallery.

[chevpol]

Morning all,

 

thought you might like this piccy I found, is it still about?

 

Mark :cool:

[Radek]

Here are any pictures from movies.

[Morris C8]

Austin used by a US Army Sig unit during the end of WW2. Original Photo from my collection.

[Morris C8]

The back of the same truck. [ The Nut House ] allso from my collection

[Radek]

Austin K2/Y on USAF airport

[les freathy]

The American K6 is interesting as its the standard wireless cabin one sees in the back of Jimmies here its mounted on a power truck base i wonder the reason why they did that. good photos

[jerry.ice]

Hi,

I came accross this pic on flickr. Taken I think at Solent Overord Executive Military Vehicle Club?

Is this an Austin ambulance, if it is does anybody know any history or details.

 

 

Looks like a great collection they have there.

 

Enjoying this thread alot.....

[Richard Farrant]

Hi,

I came accross this pic on flickr. Taken I think at Solent Overord Executive Military Vehicle Club?

Is this an Austin ambulance, if it is does anybody know any history or details.

 

Looks like a great collection they have there.

 

Enjoying this thread alot.....

 

That looks like it the REME Historic Vehicle Collection at SEME Bordon. The ambulance is one of the multifuel Austin FV16013 models. There are a few trucks about, but the ambulance is a rarity. They were to supercede the K9, but apparantly the engine was so noisy in the ambulance that they were removed..........this came from some of the old hands at REME workshops, who remembered them........have not verified this.

[jerry.ice]

Thanks for the reply.

Very interesting. When were these in service?

Has very nice lines, a classic British style in the same way the champ and Humber truck could only be British vehicles.

+ is this collection open to the public, seems to have a wealth of vehicles there.

[Richard Farrant]

Thanks for the reply.

Very interesting. When were these in service?

Has very nice lines, a classic British style in the same way the champ and Humber truck could only be British vehicles.

+ is this collection open to the public, seems to have a wealth of vehicles there.

 

The multifuel Austins were based on the civilian Austin WF cab which had a longer bonnet than the K9 (or civilian Loadstar) to accomdate the larger BMC diesel engine. They were introduced in the early 1960's, and I do recollect seeing an ambulance in service around then.

 

The collection is part of the REME Museum, I believe viewing is only by arrangement with them. Well worth viewing if you can, a wealth of interesting vehicles.

[jerry.ice]

Thanks for the info, would love to visit there, but don't know when.

[elvis]

Here's my k3 with chevy reme in attendence .

[Robert Farrant]

I took this shot at one of the Tenterden rallies, I think it was 83 or 84. This is the late Paul Suttons K5 before restoration was complete.

[gritineye]

This K2 doing the London to Brighton run on Sunday

 

[les freathy]

A few more photos of the K6 Coles crane, all photos from the Polish Institute

[HotBed]

nice pics les, thanks for putting them on

[Austin]

Theres a rather sad looking K6 on ebay at the moment.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/austin-k6-chasis-cab_W0QQitemZ230342432793QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_3?hash=item35a17a9819&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A7%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50#ebayphotohosting

[79x100]

There is a section in the 21st Army Group Administrative history which refers to piston problems with K5s in September 1944.

 

"© vehicle maintenance

During this intense period of activity the maintenance of vehicles inevitably had to be reduced, but partly due to the majority of vehicles being new no serious ill effects ensued. A major fault occurred in the engines of K-5 4x4, three-ton Austins, 1,400 of which, as well as all the replacement engines, were found to be defective and to have piston trouble".

 

Is this something that's commonly known in the Austin community and if so, what was the actual problem ? Do these duff pistons still turn up ? Was the K5 motor vastly different from others in the range ?

[Richard Farrant]

A major fault occurred in the engines of K-5 4x4, three-ton Austins, 1,400 of which, as well as all the replacement engines, were found to be defective and to have piston trouble".

 

Is this something that's commonly known in the Austin community and if so, what was the actual problem ? Do these duff pistons still turn up ? Was the K5 motor vastly different from others in the range ?

 

The K5 had a new 4 litre engine, an enlarged version of the 3.5 litre used in the K2, K3 and K4. The 4 litre was also fitted to the K6 6x4, it might be possible that a different piston ( or supplier of ) was fitted in engines built for the K5. According to the K5 workshop manual (dated Feb 1946), the pistons were made of "cast iron alloy". I think this materiel might have also been used for the pistons on the 3.5 litre as well, so perhaps there was a problem with expansion rate on the 4 litre pistons and they were siezing. It would probably be in a report buried in the Public Records Office.

[scott9643]

Here's a start! The first piccie is the K9 when we bought it last year. Unbelievable condition for something 58 years old, but lots to do none the less.

 

There's a before and after shot to show what we've been doing. The axles are just about complete now and the engine running -- well it was until the fan disintegrated and one of the blades took a short cut through the radiator in a bid for freedom!

[scott9643]

.....and there's more!

 

The suspect fan! If you look carefully, you can see where one blade has been welded and others are cracked right through to the rivet nearest the centre.

 

Also a nice picture gleaned off the web. It was anotated "4 Div A Troop Herford 1959"

 

Anybody got anymore pictures of K9s in service?

[les freathy]

I Love the parade ground photo reminds me of my pre teens looking through the fence at Lydd Camp

[les freathy]

Nice shot of a K2 RAF electrical and instrument repair workshop

[les freathy]

A couple of nice shots of K9 general service trucks in the middle east in the 50s

[scott9643]

Love the old pictures of vehicle in service Les -- got any more?