VICKERS MK6B's resto

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by RichardT10829

can you not build up the corroded sections sufficiently to make a pattern to re cast a replacement ? I have no doubt this would be a very long process, but big hurdles have never stopped you in the past ?

looking at the corrosion product, it wreaks of dissimilar metal corrosion. I feel for you matey.

Richard,
As I mentioned to Colin recently, I believe the sump and its adaptor were made of a magnesium alloy called Elektron, which was very much in its infancy when this Vickers was built. It had a tendency to corrode in the early days, but later developments made it much more resistant to corrosion, just look at all the grey Ferguson TE20 tractors from the late 40's/early 50's that are still around, the gearbox casing was made of the same type of metal. It is very tricky to weld and need to be careful as it will burn. The fabricator that restored the hull of another of the Aussie Vickers MkVIa tanks brought back to England, had to build up the mantlet where it had crumbled away, it was a painstaking job, I think he was using TIG as I recall.
I don't think it was a case of dissimilar metals, but just an alloy susceptible to corrosion or breakdown.