VICKERS MK6B's resto

[colin jones]

Yes Terry, very true, they certainly were extremely good tradesmen back then. The machines were only as good as the operators but it now the operators are only as good as their machines. Both received great results.

I got the top off the trans today after a reasonable fight and the gears are in really great cond. I am even more confident this little tank will have it's original drive train running once again. I have a very good old school engine recon man taking possession of the Meadows next week to totally overhaul it. By the time I am ready for the engine he should be done with it.

[colin jones]

I am well documenting this project because of its rarity and have already taken a couple of hundred pics.

[jack neville]

What is the plan to disassemble the gearbox Colin? A thorough soak in something for a time first? Or does it just look worse than it is?

[David Dunlop]

What type of alloy is the transmission case, Colin?

David

[colin jones]

Yes jack, i'm in the process of getting it apart now and it only looks bad because it is bad but not the gears. I think that the bearings are also untouched. The electrolysis has not effected the steel from what I can see but I will evaluate them when I get to that stage. The box itself is basically flat sides all around so my thinking is do each piece individually with all machining done prior to assembly, tack it all together with bearings, shafts and gears and then Tig it all together. I would use the original top plates as they came off in good cond and to answer Davids question, I would think that it is a aluminium alloy and I can be assured that it has magnesium in it but its I don't know its exact composition is. I will keep the pics coming as I progress.
It sure is an interesting little project.

[Lynn Eades]

Colin, is it possible there is a case laying around somewhere?
Are they special to this mark of tank or could hey have used the same gearbox in other Vickers Carden Loyd machines?

[colin jones]

Hi Lynn, as far as I know these boxes are only in the Vickers light tank and the odds of finding another exactly the same would be the old needle in a haystack scenario but I guess most things are possible. I think that if the gears were destroyed as well it would be a different story and by the end of today I should have it all apart. Then I can have a good look and make a better decision then. I might find that this one could be repaired which would be great so I'll keep my options open.
Colin