VICKERS MK6B's resto

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by colin jones

After some very careful homework, I know exactly where the brackets go and how they work. It's almost a shame I need to sleep as I can see it in my head and I want to get it made.

36 hours and 72 cups of coffee later, job's done.

[colin jones]

Thanks James, gotta do what you gotta do. No time for coffee tony, except when my wife brings one out to me which is pretty often
I have spent the last few days making the drivers hatch opening bracketry and again I am really amazed at the accuracy of the drawings I have and they're not even actual workshop drawings. I am getting two springs made to suit the original as they are a very specific size and I will get them next week.

[colin jones]

I am constantly making jigs and press parts for accuracy.

[colin jones]

My internet is really slow today

[colin jones]

Very good system and it works well.

[colin jones]

I'm now waiting on my main spring before I assemble them all together.

[jdmcm]

Ok now you're just showing off Colin!

[colin jones]

You might be right john One is bolted into position and it works like a bought one. Front hatches next.

[Chris Collins]

Colin, have you considered publishing this resto on the HMVF forum? the mainly british audience (a lot of armour enthusiasts) would find this fascinating, and their is a suprising lack of cross pollination between these two forums.

Looking forward to seeing them one day (not least because of the promised joyride!)

Cheers

Chris

[George Moore]

Originally Posted by Chris Collins

Colin, have you considered publishing this resto on the HMVF forum? the mainly british audience (a lot of armour enthusiasts) would find this fascinating, and their is a suprising lack of cross pollination between these two forums.

Looking forward to seeing them one day (not least because of the promised joyride!)

Cheers

Chris

A wonderful restoration, truly amazing, you may recall I was in touch ages ago re the engine layout, and now I have all the details from the incredible work you have done. I have one question however, do you have details of the drive shaft that runs along the side of the engine and connects to the fan drive housing that mounts on the gear-box / transmission cover, and any details (photo) of the housing for the fan drive ???
I look forward to seeing further progress......you may re-call I helped solve the mystery of the concave shape on the turret base.....it allows the starting handle to run from the rear and not foul the turret base.

Truly amazing work and such attention to detail.

George.

[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

[Dave lean]

looking at the lamp assy, I wonder of this is a propriety part as was commonly found on pommy motorcycles ? I know some early panthers had such a setup but in anycase , wouldn't be a challenge to knock one up if we had some measurements etc. cheers Dave

[Lynn Eades]

Colin, do you have anything of the dash panel?
I have kicked my Carrier dash panel thread to the front.
Early carriers had switches that were held in with two little screws. These were / are blade type switches, that are common to Valentine tanks. I don't know what else. (I have previously requested them on this forum)You can see them it post #2. You would know instantly about the switches, if there are these little holes, in an original dash panel. VCL have shown that they tried to use stock items. eg,your oil filler cap is the same as a carrier fuel tank cap.

In post #5 you get a good look at the speedo.
Also there, is the ARIC thermometer (temperature gauge) that is screwed to the panel by 4 screws through its flange. The oil pressure gauge is a similar style (can't remember maker)

Richard, Is the speedo able to be assembled, with the cable entering from the side? That's how it appears (to me) in your picture?

[Ben]

From a low res picture of the Bovington tank dash, I think the speedo, oil pressure gauge, temp gauge and starter button (no flap) are common to the MK VI and early British carrier.

The gauges may have been replaced over time but they are period correct so there's a good chance they could be right.

As far as I'm aware there isn't any solid proof such as a parts book etc for the Vickers that would confirm one way or the other.

Some of the gauges are shared with 1930's Bentleys, this is why they can be hard to find and expensive.

Ben

[Lynn Eades]

The speedos were not real hard to find years back, but I haven't seen one for a while. The odd carrier guy over her will likely have one. Being willing to part with them is another thing. Are they the same as Morris commercial?

[colin jones]

Thankyou everyone for their input as it's all a great help. In the short time I have been looking for dash parts I have just today received two correct NOS Aric oil pressure gauges, 1 starter button, 1 correct speedo on its way and possibly a second as well. The bezel on the speedo is different on the carrier as the Vickers has a serated edge. I'm amazed at what is still out there. I should have started looking a few years ago

[colin jones]

Here's a bit better picture of Platypus dash.

[Dave lean]

Col, I have a NOS CAV ammeter but its 24 not 12, I'll drop it off next time i'm out there, prob Sat am...

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by colin jones

Here's a bit better picture of Platypus dash.

Colin,
The water temp gauge is missing in the photo because there was a leak in the capillary tube and it had gone back to the instrument shop. The starter button at top left, switch was a common Lucas item, still available in 1970's, heavy duty type, we made the flap cover and flange which was mounted on face of panel and switch faced up on back side. Three toggle switches, first one is on/off/on for the red or blue tail lamps, second one is for the front side lamps, off/on, then the third is the magneto switch, off/on.

At the bottom on the left is a small square item with two screws securing it to the panel, and a large hole in the centre. This is the horn button, replicated it from a photo, I used a normal small Lucas push button switch and made the cover, inserted a brake cylinder cup seal of suitable size, worked fine and look right. the large brass switch was rather elaborate as it was for dimming the front side lamps, there are no headlamps on these.
More to come later on ......

cheers Richard

[Richard Farrant]

Hi Colin,
I have found the remains of two of the original festoon lamps from Platypus. Basically the brass bases and end pivots, one base is in straight order, the other one was damaged, but with your skills you would probably make a set by lunch time. Attached is a poor photo from my phone, are you are interested in them ?
regards, Richard

[colin jones]

Dave, Excellent and see you sat. Richard, are you saying you actually have those parts and if so I most definitely want them.
I sent another email the Borden museum asking (begging) that I would pay them to unweld the hatch and take photo's for me and I got an answer back this morning. They were able to shine a torch in side and said that there were no instruments left at all so there is nothing that can help me. Very disappointing.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by colin jones

Dave, Excellent and see you sat. Richard, are you saying you actually have those parts and if so I most definitely want them.
I sent another email the Borden museum asking (begging) that I would pay them to unweld the hatch and take photo's for me and I got an answer back this morning. They were able to shine a torch in side and said that there were no instruments left at all so there is nothing that can help me. Very disappointing.

Hi Colin,
They are my contribution to your project, they have been on the shelf here for about 12 years. the rotary part of the lamp is not there, this was all I had to go on to identify it, it has 'Lucas Birmingham' marked on it. There were 4 all together, one on dashboard, another to the side of the driver, near right shoulder, I think, and two in the turret. I located some reconditioned ones, a wonderful job by someone.
I have also found the template drawing of the dashboard panel, will have to redraw it first though.

regards, Richard

[Richard Farrant]

Colin,
Something else, on the dashboard in the centre is a socket for a 2-pin plug to use an inspection lamp, these 2-pin plugs and sockets were a common household item in my younger days, for table lamps, etc. Finding plugs and sockets was not so easy, but I did find one at home then some popped up on Ebay. I recall there is another socket on hull offside under the armour above engine bay, there was another in the turret which fed the spotlight, so the crew could unplug and use a inspection lamp if needed. The spotlamp is a commonly used Simms and they still appear at swapmeets and dealers at times. also fitted to Matilda.
Here is a picture of the 2-pin plug, socket is identical shape:

http://www.plugsocketmuseum.nl/GB/BS372_5A-2p_plugs.jpg

[colin jones]

Nice brand new rubber and they did an excellent job.

[George Moore]

Colin, hope these are of some use.

George