Right in for a penny in for a pound…. The smelling salts have done the job and the fainting fit is over. Hanno you are quite right about the purists and I would humbly align myself in this august body of gentlemen.
Keith you make a very valid point with regard to the sound, smell and speed…… to me it's all part of the 'time machine experience' that makes collecting and restoring military vehicles a life's work. That sounds a bit heavy, but I take it seriously, getting things as right as possible. To give you a little example….
Recently my son David and I in our C15A 12 cab and Steve Stone in his C30 11 cab attended a show that required us to travel late at night. Part of the route took us up a 1:5 2.5 mile climb onto the Cotswold plateau….. the sound and sight of two 216's working hard in low gear on a deserted winding country road well past midnight under the light of a half moon is something that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck, writing this brings the experience flooding back . Sad as it may seem it was one of those life memories for me.
Over the years I have been lucky enough to have similar memories from the other trucks I have owned, Canadian, British and US all with original engines and transmissions long may it continue.
Having said all that there has been a number of discussions in the Oxford CMP crew workshop about engine/transmission swaps. The increasing cost of fuel along with the now frightening differential in speed between our trucks and modern British traffic is the issue here. In the future we may be forced into gas conversions or God forbid diesel engine conversions to keep our trucks mobile.
Gone for ever will be that haunting (and I use the word deliberately) sound of a straight six or V8 petrol working under load to be replaced by the snarl and rattle of a modern diesel, and while we're at it we could supper charge it as well.
But what would we have? a 12" to the foot replica to show future generations what my father went to war in, for me at least not a time machine.
But there are a number of you on this forum who will know that from the cab back my truck is totally new, indeed I have sent some of you plans of the body....... so what does that make mine replica with 216 engine?.
Difficult answer for which I do not presume to have an answer, for me it works…… and I guess that's what it's all about for me it works and if putting a conversion in your trucks works for you then that fine too.
One last thing if you take out good original units either keep them safe or pass them onto others who can use them for the purpose for which they were intended.
End of lecture
Regards
Pete
