VICKERS MK6B's resto

[David Dunlop]

Interesting "Mystery Mount" you have there, Colin.

Seems like there are two possibilities for brackets in vehicles: All needed parts are contained within one assembly to mount/anchor an item, or, more than one mounting assembly are spread out to perform the job.

If there are no visible/logical other locations nearby that may have had another mounting item attached, was this mount then essentially self contained for the purpose it was built to serve? Any signs of a steel, or fabric strap anchored under the mounting bolts for this mount? Something that perhaps came up from between the mount and hull plate at the top and wrapped around the object being restrained?

A close look at the mount raises some interesting points which suggest it is adjustable for taking whatever fits on it, and also suggests whatever was fitted to it may have required a specific orientation.

Take the steel rod bit. Why did they bother with it? Why not simply have drilled two threaded holes in the front lip of the main assembly to run a pair of bolts into? That rod looks to have been designed to be adjustable enough in it's own right to allow a pair of bolts to line up correctly with it before being run home.

The two holes in the front lip are not a perfect match to the pair in the rod. They are elongated somewhat. This suggests the rod was intended to rotate in its mount to allow bolts to line up and the odd little hex head fastner on the lower left lip of the mount is itself set in a slotted hole. A locking mechanism?

The last little odd ball item is the hole in the lower right curved face of the mount. To me it suggests two possibilities, (a) it is there to allow a protrusion like a bolt or screw head on whatever is there to be cleared so the item sits flush against the curved surface, or (b) perhaps it is a guide hole. Whatever sits on this mount has a guide pin that must line up with that hole to ensure the item in question is properly mounted.

On this latter point, could it be possible that whatever sits on this mount, has two bolts built into it which fasten into the two threaded holes on the rod assembly? Rotate the item until a guide pin drops into place, fine tune the process with a slight turn of the rod to get the bolts lined up, run them home and lock the rod in place?

I have probably raised more questions than helped on this, Colin, so I think I will quit now and go make some soup.

Cheers,


David

[colin jones]

David, I was going to take two asprin but I think I better make that 4

[James P]

Good lord the work you are investing in these two tanks/tankettes is right off the charts. If they ever revived the series "Tank Overhaul" I would say they need to show your work.