Side/indicator light fittings back in the front wings and working

Peter

That 8s my understanding Craig

Peter

Hi,

Dad used to be Foreman Toolmaker at METAL PROPELLORS (who made the props for the R101 airship ... and never looked back). but more recently have gone into stainless steel petro-chemical columns.

He made a stainless exhaust system for his Austin 8, which used to HISS down the road.

I have just started to regret not asking him to cobble me a stainless Series front bumper. I'm guessing that an aluminium front bumper would also have been "within his gift". Hmmm!

602

My father registered a 1965 tractor that had never been on the road before and when the V5 arrived, he had a 1965 number plate but it said, non transferable on it. I assume that means you can't transfer that number onto another vehicle but nothing to stop you transferring another number, to that vehicle?

Craig.

Hi,

RAF Sharjah was a "staging post" on the Persian Gulf, two hoots and a holla from Dubai, where the village lights went dim when the Sheik turned his palace lights on. I was "in" at the "dragging into the 20th century". I delivered a scrap Coles crane from Sharjah to Dubai to get building a new power station started. An interesting experience ... only four controls ... steering wheel, hand brake, hand thottle, and gear lever. We used the battery from the Sheik's Chevrolet to start the huge petrol engine ... in gear.

Once moving, my mate clambered round to the font bumper, disconnected the battery, and handed it to the Sheik. Once he was back in the cab, I yanked the throttle lever, and away we went .... Full throttle, clutchless gear changes and glorious roar from the huge petrol engine ... 3" dia exhaust pipe with no silencer.  . I parked it in the construction site, and left them to it.

Some 30-ish years later, my son sent me a postcard showing the Dubai skyscrapers poking through clouds. No more sand main street with mud walled shops, and "barusti" roofs ... nor a huge pile of dead fish on the jetty.

602

Not today - actually yesterday.
I went to All Wheel Trim and collected a rather nice full length sand canvas tilt with side windows. Nice heavy quality canvas. I'll fit it and see how it all goes, but I was impressed.

I then went over to Allmakes in Abingdon to meet some old cronies there for a brew and a catch up. I was shown their new facility opening in late September. Wow! Anybody who thinks the Land Rover parts business is slowing down is clearly mistaken. It is a vast facility! Really impressive and shows the level of commitment and investment going into this sort of business these days.

I'm guessing much like we had in Bosnia - being shot at from lunatics up in the mountains firing down on us, but I too would love to hear!

By 1961, I was driving such trucks in Arabia ... our Hawker Hunter fighter jets were returning to base with rifle bullet holes ... fired from above.

You will have to explain that one John!!

Ian F

The rear door is one place where I still have the new, old stock original seals. The side doors never seemed to close with those seals hence using the softer Baines seals but the rear door always worked well.

I have a side opening door with a 750 x 16 tyre mounted on it so maybe that helps to give the weight to squash the seals.

Baines sell straight lengths of course, not sure how well it would go around the corners at the top of the door. If you can't get the seal to curve nicely, you could try a reproduction top door seal and use the Baines stuff for the rest?
https://www.johncraddockltd.co.uk/396113-rubber-seal-for-rear-door-top.html

Craig.

Hi,   

I passed my driving test on 8th March 1957, after three lessons with BSM, in Redhill, Surrey, aged almost 19, in a 1935 Austin 10 Lichfield, Registration CS3333 (which had bent rear axle, and no rear brakes ... but we won't go into that.

I passed my driving test AGAIN (Ministry examiner)  after five "miscelaneous" lessons (during "sports afternoons" at RAF Weeton, mixing it with trams and holiday makers along Blackpool sea front. This time it was in an RAF Bedford 4x4 RL truck, in circa 1960.

By 1961, I was driving such trucks in Arabia ... our Hawker Hunter fighter jets were returning to base with rifle bullet holes ... fired from above.

Happy daze!

602
.