"HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY" to my Albion chassis No. 361A

[lynx42]

I brought it home on a tandem trailer behind my trusty 1956 ‘FJ’ Holden. That is something you could not do today, 3.75 tons behind a car weighing just over 1 ton. Petrol at Rosedale was 64cents a GALLON. ($0.14.2 cents a litre)

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The chassis stripped down for straightening and sand blasting. The tyres were pretty sad.

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The engine was seized and I left it for 6 months with the chassis jacked up on one of the flywheel bolts. Diesel was pored into the cylinders each week and one day the chassis was sitting back level as the seized engine had turned over.

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more to come,
Rick

[lynx42]

The Albion engine has a dry sump system invented by Thomas Blackwood-Murray the founder of Albion. The oil goes to the 5 main bearings and the 4 cylinders. It then drips off the main bearings and collects in slinger rings which sling it into the big end bearings after which it is thrown all around the engine. The oil should be run off at the end of each day according to the brass plate seem above the exhaust manifold.

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The crankshaft was in excellent condition but missing the governor. I found one as well as the magneto cut out switch in Toowoomba QLD.

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The clutch plate was beyond repair as the lining rivets had ground well into the plate. The Albion has the linings on the flywheel face and the spring plate with a spinning disc plate, the opposite to todays practice. Where do you get a new clutch plate these days? Well, you cut one out of a circular saw blade which, I might add, are extremely tough but designed to carry heat without distortion. It is a lovely clutch to use.

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No.2 piston came out in 3 bits, so it was a case of welding it back together and hand filing down.

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still more to come.
Rick

[lynx42]

I took the restored chassis back to where it came from. A W Smith and Sons Leongatha. To show old Bert and his brother Clarrie who was the last person to drive her.

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I the commenced the building of the body using the body builders blueprints I received from the Albion company in 1971.

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Rick

[lynx42]

In 1983 the Albion was used in the first big Australian TV production, a 10 hour story called “The ANZACS” here it is on set in a ‘French village’.

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And also with a 1916 Talbot ambulance for company on site.

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A vintage lane in England? No our driveway a few years ago.

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So where is she today, On loan to the Bandiana Military Museum where it has been for a number of years. She was on display at the Australian War Memorial for 3 ½ years before going to Bandiana.

We often get her out for a run and will see her for a belated birthday drink in a couple of weeks.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY 361A”

PS.. 361A was used to promote the then new Unimog on their acceptance into the Australian Army all those years ago.

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Here also is a page from 1916.

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Regards Rick and Jill.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Rick

That is a real bench mark in the military vehicle community. The vehicle and you are lucky to have so much of the truck's history documented and photographed. Do you have all this on a display board to put out when the truck is on display, make good read for the general public to put the truck in context.

Cheers Phil

[Wayne Hingley]

Thank you for sharing this story with such detail Rick. Very impressive recovery and restoration of this unique vehicle. Happy 100!

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by lynx42

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY 361A”

I'll second that!

Thanks Rick and Jill for saving and restoring this great old truck

Hanno

[hrpearce]

Quite a milestone in the Albion's life, thanks for sharing.

[Peter Duggan]

Rick,

Excellent story, you have great taste in the vehicles that you have saved and restored.

Peter