VICKERS MK6B's resto

[Lynn Eades]

Hi Colin. The hinges look to be the same as those on a riveted U.C. folding flap
on the upper left side front armour. The have 2 inch hole centers.
Looking great as normal. Enjoying your thread. Keep it coming.

[colin jones]

Hi Lynn, yes you are right and after looking at some carrier photos I see the speedo on the MK1 carrier is the same as the Vickers so my next question is!
Has anyone got a 1 or 2 MK1 speedos in any condition that they would part with.

[Lynn Eades]

We are of course talking a Britsh Smiths type?

[colin jones]

Yes we are.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by colin jones

Hi Lynn, yes you are right and after looking at some carrier photos I see the speedo on the MK1 carrier is the same as the Vickers so my next question is!
Has anyone got a 1 or 2 MK1 speedos in any condition that they would part with.

Hi Colin,
The Smiths speedo is listed as being the same as the British Carrier one, the numbers on the face are:
A-787169
X25660
and it is marked as 0-40 mph
This is from the original speedo fitted to Platypus.
Also the Smiths rev counter is same size and similar appearance, markings as below;
R-R 9955
2-1
marked as 0-4000 rpm

Will email you soon with other info re. electrics and instruments.

regards, Richard

[David Dunlop]

Colin.

Is the driver's hatch a two part clamshell arrangement? The recent photos posted suggest the assembly you just completed would be a lower portion that would be opened last and closed first, with a heavier angled upper door lapping over it in the closed position.

If so, does the lower door simply rest open by its own weight, or does it lock open and closed? I suspect a counterweight system of some sort will be part of any upper hatch setup. It would be quite a head flattener otherwise.

Must be quite a turning point for you now, actually thinking about instruments and other internal fittings.

Cheers,

David

[colin jones]

That's great Richard as that means that there should be some spare parts still lying around somewhere.
David, I am still a ways off the electrics but I don't want to leave things to the last minute as I am making quite steady progress now. I hope to have my other wheels back at the end of next week and that is only a few hrs to paint and assemble then it will get turned over an work on that one until it is the same as Wombat. In the two drawings shown, the blue circled are what I have just made and the red it what you are refering to. The other drawing is a complicated spring mechanism that holds the hatch open. I will have to ponder that one on my verandah with a cup of tea for a while . But your observations are indeed quite correct .

[colin jones]

After some very careful homework, cross reference and finding original holes in both hulls it all became as clear as the nose on my face. Now I know exactly where the brackets go and how they work. I have enough drawings and photos of Littlefields tank during its reconstruction to piece together the not so complicated shutters and spring loaded drivers top hatch. It's almost a shame I need to sleep as I can see it in my head and I want to get it made. I have machined both openings for the mech so they are identical. The pieces welded in the first photo is just so I can put it in the machine vice then I'll grind it off after. It's a lot simpler than packing it up on the mill bed and clamping it down as well as the angle pieces are easy to do with a rotating vice. A couple of days should see both of them done and the mechanism as well.

[James P]

Colin, that is jaw dropping attention to detail and going all in on the restoration work you are doing on these tanks.

[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.