VICKERS MK6B's resto

[Dennis Cardy]

Colin,
Have been following your astonishing Mk 6 restoration with great interest.
And two of them to boot.
Me and a lot of others I'm sure…can hardly wait for video's of them running.

I have a question if I may.

After taking some Deuce shot's at the Borden Ontario museum for the G749 thread, I did some wandering around and came across this.
I'd forgotten they even had one. (Recently restored I'm told ….but I do not know to what extent.)
I know a bit about CMP's…but this is way out of my area.

Is it the same as your's ?…and were there variations between the Canadian and Aussie ones..?

Thanks,
Dennis.

[colin jones]

Hi Dennis, I was aware of that one in Canada and it certainly looks to be quite original too. Mine is actually a MKV1A and the one there is a MKV1B. There would not be very much difference between them apart from the front engine covers. As far as I know about the MKV1A/B's left in the world, there are two in the UK, one in the US three in Australia and a wreck in Egypt. There might be another wreck somewhere. I think Canada only had a handful so they are very lucky they still have an example left. I just noticed in the pictures that the tracks were very loose and I can see why. They have assembled the rear bogies opposite way around and have concealed the tensioner brackets. Also the rear wheels are facing the wrong way as well. I don't know how they could have missed that during rebuild but I'm sure they would be well aware of it. I'm glad you are enjoying this thread.
Colin.

[Dennis Cardy]

Hi Colin,
Thanks for your prompt reply.

That's an interesting comment about the track and suspension.
I live out in British Columbia and am just visiting family and friends in Ontario.

Perhaps someone on the forum who is more knowledgable about the situation could provide some helpful insite.

Dennis.

[colin jones]

All my small componentry is now together. One set of wheels is away getting blasted and nice new rubber. I now need to concentrate on the bogie units to sand blast them and reassemble ready for the wheels.
I know they are all lined up but that's how I keep tabs on what I need. I'd keep my children lined up if they'd stay there!

[Dave lean]

After reading through some of the replies since my OCD comments, I think some have misunderstood my humour. The point I was making is in the last part of my comment.. "Vickers Tanks all lined up". Let me know lads if this needs further explanation?
I'll catch up with you tomorrow Col.

[David Dunlop]

Colin.

Purely a neophyte curiosity question.

Leaf springs that have sagged and failed over time can be re-arched. Can coil springs which have similarly failed over time be restored in any way at a shop? Just wondering what sort of options (if any) might be available to you with your two suspension sets.

David

[colin jones]

Hi David, I'm sure they can be re tensioned. I am however, quite fortunate to have some NOS spring sets to replace any that are beyond use. Should they need to of course but as these tanks will never be fully loaded for war conditions I won't be as critical, but I do want them to sit level though. I am going to make some spring compressors that will give me some indication what they are like.
Colin.

[colin jones]

Originally Posted by Dennis Cardy

Colin,
Have been following your astonishing Mk 6 restoration with great interest.
And two of them to boot.
Me and a lot of others I'm sure…can hardly wait for video's of them running.

I have a question if I may.

After taking some Deuce shot's at the Borden Ontario museum for the G749 thread, I did some wandering around and came across this.
I'd forgotten they even had one. (Recently restored I'm told ….but I do not know to what extent.)
I know a bit about CMP's…but this is way out of my area.

Is it the same as your's ?…and were there variations between the Canadian and Aussie ones..?

Thanks,
Dennis.

I sent the museum a email about their Vickers tank and just got a reply back today.
Their tank is complete but in order for them to have it displayed inside they had to drain all fluids. The director told me that because of this, the tank is not in running condition. I asked if someone could possibly take some photos of the inside of the tank for me which I would be happy to have paid for but he said because of safety reasons it had been welded shut and was not able to help with my request. That Vickers would have been the perfect one for reference as it, I assume has not been touched inside and is probably as original inside as the day it was made.
Is there anyone here that has any influence over there or possibly know someone that does. Photos of the inside of that tank would be invaluable to me.
Colin.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by colin jones

I sent the museum a email about their Vickers tank and just got a reply back today.
Their tank is complete but in order for them to have it displayed inside they had to drain all fluids. The director told me that because of this, the tank is not in running condition. I asked if someone could possibly take some photos of the inside of the tank for me which I would be happy to have paid for but he said because of safety reasons it had been welded shut and was not able to help with my request. That Vickers would have been the perfect one for reference as it, I assume has not been touched inside and is probably as original inside as the day it was made.
Is there anyone here that has any influence over there or possibly know someone that does. Photos of the inside of that tank would be invaluable to me.
Colin.

Welded shut??!!???? That is so typical of museums in general and military museums in particular. You'd think with a vehicle of this rarity (maybe four known survivors?) they'd be somewhat sensitive to helping out a restoration such as yours. If not, then what's the purpose of even preserving the artifact in the first place? I do note that the Whippet and Renault next to the Vickers are both wide open and I will confess to crawling in that exact Vickers. They had left it wide open to the weather for several years while they were preparing the new museum building, that is after removing it from the concrete pad where it has sat since the end of the war. Yes, the interior is very complete and no, I didn't have my camera with me.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by colin jones

I sent the museum a email about their Vickers tank and just got a reply back today.
Their tank is complete but in order for them to have it displayed inside they had to drain all fluids. The director told me that because of this, the tank is not in running condition. I asked if someone could possibly take some photos of the inside of the tank for me which I would be happy to have paid for but he said because of safety reasons it had been welded shut and was not able to help with my request. That Vickers would have been the perfect one for reference as it, I assume has not been touched inside and is probably as original inside as the day it was made.
Is there anyone here that has any influence over there or possibly know someone that does. Photos of the inside of that tank would be invaluable to me.
Colin.

When I was seeking information of internal turret fittings on a MkVIA, a Canadian member of the forum went to check the tank out, it was outside at the time, and if I recall, there was a wasps nest inside and thought it unwise to try and open the turret up. Assume this is the same tank. The detail I needed was I think the signalling lamp which pushed up through the turret roof. I do not think it was present in the Puckapunyal one.

[colin jones]

Yes it is such a shame it's not open . AS these are so rare and as far as I know all the other examples left have been refurbished. The one at Pucka was also redone and the internals are not original as I was told by the curator there a couple of years ago. I think there is a wreck at a museum in Egypt so I will follow that one up as well. I have seen photos of that one and it does have significant battle damage but it is still original. I'm sure that the right connections could get access to the inside of the one in Canada. Looking inside tanks is something everyone wants to do at these museums and the openings could be covered with Perspex or glass if it was a safety issue.

[colin jones]

The suspension is now complete on both tanks as well as new cover plates. So the underside is finished. I am now waiting on my new wheels as it is so much easier to put them on in their current position using the overhead gantry.

[colin jones]

Wombat is now back on its wheels and sitting nice and level. Just having a good look this morning, I have a lot of fabrication to do on these two tanks before they're finished.

[Mike Cecil]

Bruce,

All the Mk6A tanks in Australia were named. You can see the list of tanks on line in AWM126.

Registrations C270 to C279 in this book: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C2143572

Great job, Colin!

Mike

[George Moore]

Originally Posted by colin jones

I sent the museum a email about their Vickers tank and just got a reply back today.
Their tank is complete but in order for them to have it displayed inside they had to drain all fluids. The director told me that because of this, the tank is not in running condition. I asked if someone could possibly take some photos of the inside of the tank for me which I would be happy to have paid for but he said because of safety reasons it had been welded shut and was not able to help with my request. That Vickers would have been the perfect one for reference as it, I assume has not been touched inside and is probably as original inside as the day it was made.
Is there anyone here that has any influence over there or possibly know someone that does. Photos of the inside of that tank would be invaluable to me.
Colin.

Colin, If I can be of help in any way, I do have some interior shots of the inside, let me know. I have a reprint copy of a publication dated 1937 for light tanks MkII to VI, which includes a wiring diagram for the MkVI....oddly the rear lights are shown as red and blue lamps....never discovered why a blue light was fitted and for what purpose !!

George.

[Ben]

The red and blue lights are common to the carriers of the same period. They don't have a convoy light under the rear deck to shine onto the white painted section of the diff like the later Universal versions. I've assumed that instead they had a blue light for convoy work? you can certainly select between the two colours.

I'd like to know if there's any definitive answers but that's my guess.

Ben

[Ben]

Hi George, would you mind posting the wiring diagram please? it could answer some questions we have about the instruments and any commonality between the MK VI and the carriers

Thanks

Ben

[colin jones]

George, unfortunately the fan shaft is one part I don't have detail of. I have the radiator and the fan but that's all. I have a drawing of the small gearbox that the fan sits on but no detail of the shaft runs along the engine. That is going to be another interesting challenge coming up. It would be great to see photos of the inside as I have next to nothing so any information is of great value.
Colin.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Ben

Hi George, would you mind posting the wiring diagram please? it could answer some questions we have about the instruments and any commonality between the MK VI and the carriers

Thanks

Ben

Hi Ben,
I would say that the only commonality between a MkVI Light Tank and a British Carrier is the same speedo. Everything else is totally different, I had to fit out the all the electrics and instrument panel on the ex-Aussie MkVIa which went to Jacques Littlefield, and have a lot of the details of it, but there were still areas of the vehicle which we could not replicate through lack of info.

cheers Richard

[Richard Farrant]

Colin,
Just found this photo of the dashboard of Platypus, follow link below. The large round switch to right of fuse box is a dimmer switch for the front lights, if I recollect it was a push pull type of varying resistance. Starter button was under a small hinged flap at top of panel. One of the Lucas Festoon lamps is mounted at top right of panel. I was able to repair or replicate some of the switches. The speedo and rev counter are originals, found the oil gauge for sale and it was a match for the original water temp gauge.

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/at...1&d=1458493229

cheers Richard