Derby Emergency Services Show

Well, after all the months of spending and hard work (the latter mainly by Tony....), 32 made it's official first outing at the Derby Emergency Services Show in mid-June.

The aim was to get a large gathering of ex-AFS vehicles for static showing and later the ring display. This we achieved as we had many varieties of AFS vehicles from many parts of the midlands and north, my own 326 included.

As you can see, 32 has been fully repainted and sign written. The tilt frame we had to have made from scratch using an original from another RL as a copy. The indicators are back where the delivery pics provided by John Thompson (author of the ‘Green machine’) from 1965 show them to be (very few RLs had them on the cheek panels, only tankers and fuel vehicles it seems, for some reason now lost in the mists of time). We’ve also popped it onto larger tyres which improves the economy and road holding no end. The larger truck mirrors fitted by Clywd Fire Brigade have gone as have the two tones on the roof, leaving quite a few holes which needed filling. The exhaust is longer so it doesn’t feed into the cab through the floor – quite useful, that…. The flashing yellows work and we now have two vintage fire extinguishers to use to help construct the extinguisher holders that were on the front bumper. The canvas tilt will follow when funds allow….!!

 

We think it looks good! It goes like stink although it’s a trifle noisy as it’s blowing at the manifold so we’re replacing the troublesome three-piece exhaust manifold with a one piece item later this week….  

Further progress updates as and when, the next planned outing is the Nene Valley Railway transport festival in late July. 

More Derby photos can be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mj_100/sets/72157634141372659/

32 in action in the ring:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mj_100/9063241218/in/set-72157634141372659

 
 

I'm in pieces...

...not any more!! After painting, the vehicle is now back together again and looks fantastic! Although not exhaustive, the list of things to be done was large and included:

• New tyres - we've fitted 12.00 x 20 Goodyear G388s which are slightly larger and more modern
• The wheels have been painted
• Carburetter cleaned and rebuilt
• Manifolds cleaned and re-attached, a difficult job as the exhaust manifold is in three pieces and you need an octopus to help hold it and re-attach!!
• Exhaust painted in high temperature black
• The rear body has been re-attached
• The steps have been fitted to the tailboard
• Mudflaps fitted
• Radiator canvas cowel replaced (the last one was missing)
• The new indicators are fitrted together with the complex backing plates
• The headlining has been painted
• New wipers and arms fitted
• Tilt frame painted and fitted
• Flashing amber lights fixed and wired up
• Headlining painted

The pics give you an idea!!

It's a green (clean) machine....

Progress continues apace with the green now applied to the cab. Looks good!

I'm painting the town red - still...

Well, super lightning speed down in Suffolk! The rear has been blasted and now primed today. Looks good....

I'm painting the town red...

Well, some painting progress to report. Howard has been busy and after sanding the cab down, the first coats of primner have been applied.

Painting Harmony....

Some news from Tony today in deepest Suffolk...

The rotten woodwork on the tailgate has been removed and renewed and looks excellent, good for another few years!!

The sanding of the cab has also started in readiness for painting:

However, removal of the headlights has revealed a little rot which will need to be repaired:

The clutch also has oil on it so that will be replaced too.

The Fake Sound of Progress

Now, with the cold and snowy weather hopefully banished for a few months, I managed to get down to Suffolk to join Tony and Howard and do some preparation work.

In order for Howard of Rusty Bits to get on with the blasting and painting, there were a few bits of preliminary work to do.

I got on with sanding down the side and tail boards. This was mind-numbing but essential. They're heavy old things and fiddly, too, but with an orbital sander good progress was made. Until I broke the sander head on day three by pressing too hard. Oh well. Almost a job done and most of the panels are ready to paint!

There's a little bit of rot in places but not too much. The tail gate is the worst and we've decided to replace three of the boards as the rot had gone too far.

Since I last came down and after Tony's heroic work with an angle grinder in the cold, the rear body has been removed as has the fire wall. The body is now sat inside and with these removed, it gives good access to the chassis and back of the cab.

 The chassis rails have a light coating of surface rust:

The back of the cab is covered in overspray as there is no room to get to it with the body and fire wall in the way!

 Tony also removed the cleaned up the brake master cylinder:

 The body is inside awaiting attention. It's solid with little rot:

Tony also made good progress with filling the many holes in the cab with chemical metal to enable the cab to be blasted and repainted:

The old indicators have also been removed - the petrol carriers were very unusual in that they had (when built) indicators mounted on the cheek panels rather than the wings, even though the wings had the holes with a grommet in. At some stage this has been converted back to the more usual RL configuation: