Author Topic: 172793  (Read 5641 times)

Offline Bluebell One-eight

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172793
« on: August 24, 2015, 02:47:48 PM »
Well here she is, rescued from a paddock a few Kms from home. The truck is in fair condition with a little rust in the cab and a lot of changes at the hands of the RFS in NSW. The RFS bought it from the auctions and when they finished with it a saw mill in central NSW used it as a fire truck. It was then purchased as a recovery vehicle by a local operator. It had been in the paddock for a number of years and was just starting to suffer from the metal maggots. Got it just in time.If the chassis number is a guide then it was the first cargo Mk4 built. When it arrived it only took a battery and a few strokes on the hand primer to get it to fire up. The tray is missing the sides, posts, seat hurdles, tail board, bows and canopy. The tool bin was gone, but have been lucky and found one. The tyres are all buggered, with only the spare any good, but have found enough to get it on the road. The brakes have gone to lunch ( as expected ) as well. The winch is ok, apart from a sloppy drive flange and worn out brake lining. There is a lot of cleanup work and minor panel beating to do, but it could have been a lot worse. It's got 36000 miles on the clock. More in due course.

Offline dkg001

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Re: 172793
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2015, 06:15:12 PM »
Nice looking truck, looks like a 282  in it, some of the Mk4's had a 283 engine listed in the data base, do you know if they were the 283 with twin carbies?

Offline Bluebell One-eight

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Re: 172793
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2015, 08:22:04 PM »
Nice looking truck, looks like a 282  in it, some of the Mk4's had a 283 engine listed in the data base, do you know if they were the 283 with twin carbies?
Hello David, firstly the Mk4 you rounded up looks like a beauty, looks like it was bogged to the gunwales. On the 283 engines in Mk4s I don't think so, I've heard that some were special builds as gun tractors, but an old mate ( who was with the dropshorts for a few years ) I served with says that a specialist tractor came with a crane, to handle the ammo boxes. I've seen a couple of Mk4s with the tall engine cover, which some claim is evidence they had the 283 but I've seen more on Mk3s, probably a replacement at some stage. The records have 283 engine numbers on some Mk 4s but they could be due to errors in the records or replacement rebuilds that weren't recorded, a 283 block was often used in a 282 rebuild. I've  been looking at the records for Mk3s and they are a mess. There are chassis numbers missing, and some in 2 trucks. It seems that the same applies to engine changes as well. It's probably the same with these trucks too. Cheers John

Offline Bluebell One-eight

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Re: 172793
« Reply #3 on: August 25, 2015, 10:19:33 PM »
This is the reason for the "got it just in time" comment. the first is the roof above the drivers seat, and the second is the inside of the driver's door.

Offline dkg001

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Re: 172793
« Reply #4 on: August 26, 2015, 03:54:26 PM »
The rust doesn't look too bad, has it penetrated through anywhere? I was just looking at the Mk4 RPS trying to get to the bottom of the twin carbie rumour and noticed that it is showing early models with the single exhaust, I thought all No 1's were modified to twin pipes earlier than 1967.

Offline Ravvin

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Re: 172793
« Reply #5 on: August 26, 2015, 07:09:50 PM »
The EMEI to replace the single exhaust with the dual type was issued July 1974.
They had to cut away a piece of the compressor mounting plate to make room for the front header section.
Mine has this mod but still has the single carby and oil bath air filter.
The MK3 I checked out down Hobart a while back had both the duel exhaust and alst the dual carbies, but the engine didn't match the one on the REMLR list, so must have been swapped later. The new engine still came out of a MK3 though.

Offline Bluebell One-eight

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Re: 172793
« Reply #6 on: August 26, 2015, 09:10:38 PM »
The rust doesn't look too bad, has it penetrated through anywhere? I was just looking at the Mk4 RPS trying to get to the bottom of the twin carbie rumour and noticed that it is showing early models with the single exhaust, I thought all No 1's were modified to twin pipes earlier than 1967.
Hi David, Ravvin is correct in the timing of the EMEI that authorised the replacement of the systems, We tried to get authorisation to replace a MK3 exhaust with a MK4 setup in mid 72 and were knocked back. The situation in the 1968 RPS is really interesting, because group JS which is clearly for MK3s has the single system marked as for a Mk 4 as well. Group JS/A which is for MK 4s has no allocation for Mk3. There are are a few errors like this in the RPS.  It's one the  "ärmchair experts" who think because it's in a book, it has to be right should take note of.  The rust reptiles have managed to eat their way through the floor in the footwells, only small but another fix. The door headers on both sides have to be replaced too. The cupola hatch hinges have seized and one is broken where some one has tried to open it at some time. The air gauge is from a Mk3, and the numbers have fallen off their perch as well. I found a new air gauge so that's taken care of. The timber under the tray needs replacing on the drivers side too. There is some tray decking that needs renewing, but it's not too bad, the price of being outside for too long. A rear view of the beast.
« Last Edit: August 26, 2015, 09:15:37 PM by Bluebell One-eight »

Offline Young Eric

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Re: 172793
« Reply #7 on: August 26, 2015, 09:22:28 PM »
The rust doesn't look too bad, has it penetrated through anywhere? I was just looking at the Mk4 RPS trying to get to the bottom of the twin carbie rumour and noticed that it is showing early models with the single exhaust, I thought all No 1's were modified to twin pipes earlier than 1967.
Hi David, Ravvin is correct in the timing of the EMEI that authorised the replacement of the systems, We tried to get authorisation to replace a MK3 exhaust with a MK4 setup in mid 72 and were knocked back. The situation in the 1968 RPS is really interesting, because group JS which is clearly for MK3s has the single system marked as for a Mk 4 as well. Group JS/A which is for MK 4s has no allocation for Mk3. There are are a few errors like this in the RPS.  It's one the  "ärmchair experts" who think because it's in a book, it has to be right should take note of.  The rust reptiles have managed to eat their way through the floor in the footwells, only small but another fix. The door headers on both sides have to be replaced too. The cupola hatch hinges have seized and one is broken where some one has tried to open it at some time. The air gauge is from a Mk3, and the numbers have fallen off their perch as well. I found a new air gauge so that's taken care of. The timber under the tray needs replacing on the drivers side too. There is some tray decking that needs renewing, but it's not too bad, the price of being outside for too long. A rear view of the beast.

How about some pictures of the Series 2B in the background.

Offline Bluebell One-eight

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Re: 172793
« Reply #8 on: September 02, 2015, 06:30:40 PM »
Here is another view of the driver's side, shows the missing tool box. The second is the inside of the brake master cylinder. Eric I have some photos "somewhere", the old camera has gone to heaven when it's replaced we'll see what can be done. The F/C is a twin cab with drop side tray. I'm thinking of parting with it..... changes in life situation etc. I will need to sort out the spare parts, there is a mountain of them every thing from a PMC tray to a NOS ENV diff, spare axles front and rear etc. Time is the biggest problem right now. cheers for now

Offline john.k

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Re: 172793
« Reply #9 on: September 02, 2015, 06:45:11 PM »
Dont panic about the brake cyl,I suspect the grainy material is the glycol reacting with ally.Most[all?] of these trucks have stainless relined brake cyls throughout,so just replace the perished ,hardened rubbers.Incidentally,a full kit for just about any 1 1/2" cylinder will work ok,it doesnt need to be specific.The rear cylinders are very specific though,as they have a hole thru the centre.A steel sleeve fits up the centre,and this is the hard part to fix if its corroded,but its not difficult to make from a bit of stainless.I made a heap of these for the RFS,using discarded boat propshafts from the boat shop nextdoor to my works.I also sold them a lot of diff centres and axles stripped from reco,d axle assys.Regards John.

Offline Ravvin

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Re: 172793
« Reply #10 on: September 02, 2015, 11:37:23 PM »
Hmm yer. That brake master cylinder looks familiar.  ;D



If you have to use compressed air through the bleeder nipple to pop the piston out, aim it out over some nice soft ground. It's amazing how far they travel. And cover the 2 holes in the reservoir with a rag or you get twin jets of smelly brake fluid right up the nose.

Greg.