Ford Dingo Fuel Tank Bungs
 

Hello Aussie Experts, and Others who know of the Ford Dingo.
I have struck an interesting find, while restoring the rear fuel tank cover plate, I have 2 'bungs' which I have scrounged that provide access to the fuel tanks - but one is of the correct 3/8" which suits the plate , the other is 1/2" ? if it is not for the Dingo - maybe the Rover? or a 1/2" plated vehicle,Attachment 99972

Attachment 99973
I have attached pics ( I think )

I suspect that you are just seeing manufacturing tolerences. As long as they both fit the hole there would be no reason to reject the thicker one as it would serve its purpose just as well and possibly better than the thin one which I can see though would look neater.

These sort of low tech parts were often sub-contracted out to very small companies and I have seen a lot of variability in production of such parts from the UK, Canada and Australia.

Of course you are quite right, it could just be a verson for a better armoured vehicle.

David

Hi Graeme,

I might have been looking for them a few months ago but I decided to thin down the collection and have sold my Dingo to the museum in Cairns. 6 weeks after it left here it was on display.

Hope all is well over in the west.

Regards Rick.

Here is my Dingo now on show in Cairns.

Attachment 100070

The British had a different view of standardization than I perceive of the Americans. No.4 Lee Enfield rifle parts were made by dozens of subcontractors, using the equipment they had already. Each part tended to be made by one particular firm, such as Slazenger made walnut stocks instead of tennis rackets. There are some variations, rear sights especially, but the objective was to deliver. Look at an American M1 Garand, and you'll see only a few variations across a range of parts. Those differences were controlled by drawing numbers. Winchester for instance was always a few revision sheets behind Springfield. Look at M4 Shermans and the blur of variations. As long as parts installed without additional fitting, they got onto the assembly line. Perhaps that tolerance was born of British craft workshop attitudes versus the standardization practises of US assembly lines.

[QUOTE=lynx42;250741]Hi Graeme,

I might have been looking for them a few months ago but I decided to thin down the collection and have sold my Dingo to the museum in Cairns. 6 weeks after it left here it was on display.

Hope all is well over in the west.

Regards Rick.

Hi Rick, yes I have actually been in touch with Rob in Cairns, he checked out the rear plate to see if the later Dingos were up graded to 1/2", his being #212, mine #104, but no - 3/8" still.
I was able to give him the history of the 77212 body back to the 1970's in Bruce Rock WA.
Speaking of Museums, I have been unable to get any info out of the AWM ? do 'we' have a friendly there somewhere ?
regards Graeme