VICKERS MK6B's resto

[George Moore]

Originally Posted by colin jones

I sent the museum a email about their Vickers tank and just got a reply back today.
Their tank is complete but in order for them to have it displayed inside they had to drain all fluids. The director told me that because of this, the tank is not in running condition. I asked if someone could possibly take some photos of the inside of the tank for me which I would be happy to have paid for but he said because of safety reasons it had been welded shut and was not able to help with my request. That Vickers would have been the perfect one for reference as it, I assume has not been touched inside and is probably as original inside as the day it was made.
Is there anyone here that has any influence over there or possibly know someone that does. Photos of the inside of that tank would be invaluable to me.
Colin.

Colin, If I can be of help in any way, I do have some interior shots of the inside, let me know. I have a reprint copy of a publication dated 1937 for light tanks MkII to VI, which includes a wiring diagram for the MkVI....oddly the rear lights are shown as red and blue lamps....never discovered why a blue light was fitted and for what purpose !!

George.

[Ben]

The red and blue lights are common to the carriers of the same period. They don't have a convoy light under the rear deck to shine onto the white painted section of the diff like the later Universal versions. I've assumed that instead they had a blue light for convoy work? you can certainly select between the two colours.

I'd like to know if there's any definitive answers but that's my guess.

Ben

[Ben]

Hi George, would you mind posting the wiring diagram please? it could answer some questions we have about the instruments and any commonality between the MK VI and the carriers

Thanks

Ben

[colin jones]

George, unfortunately the fan shaft is one part I don't have detail of. I have the radiator and the fan but that's all. I have a drawing of the small gearbox that the fan sits on but no detail of the shaft runs along the engine. That is going to be another interesting challenge coming up. It would be great to see photos of the inside as I have next to nothing so any information is of great value.
Colin.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Ben

Hi George, would you mind posting the wiring diagram please? it could answer some questions we have about the instruments and any commonality between the MK VI and the carriers

Thanks

Ben

Hi Ben,
I would say that the only commonality between a MkVI Light Tank and a British Carrier is the same speedo. Everything else is totally different, I had to fit out the all the electrics and instrument panel on the ex-Aussie MkVIa which went to Jacques Littlefield, and have a lot of the details of it, but there were still areas of the vehicle which we could not replicate through lack of info.

cheers Richard

[Richard Farrant]

Colin,
Just found this photo of the dashboard of Platypus, follow link below. The large round switch to right of fuse box is a dimmer switch for the front lights, if I recollect it was a push pull type of varying resistance. Starter button was under a small hinged flap at top of panel. One of the Lucas Festoon lamps is mounted at top right of panel. I was able to repair or replicate some of the switches. The speedo and rev counter are originals, found the oil gauge for sale and it was a match for the original water temp gauge.

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/at...1&d=1458493229

cheers Richard

[Dave lean]

looking at the lamp assy, I wonder of this is a propriety part as was commonly found on pommy motorcycles ? I know some early panthers had such a setup but in anycase , wouldn't be a challenge to knock one up if we had some measurements etc. cheers Dave

[Lynn Eades]

Colin, do you have anything of the dash panel?
I have kicked my Carrier dash panel thread to the front.
Early carriers had switches that were held in with two little screws. These were / are blade type switches, that are common to Valentine tanks. I don't know what else. (I have previously requested them on this forum)You can see them it post #2. You would know instantly about the switches, if there are these little holes, in an original dash panel. VCL have shown that they tried to use stock items. eg,your oil filler cap is the same as a carrier fuel tank cap.

In post #5 you get a good look at the speedo.
Also there, is the ARIC thermometer (temperature gauge) that is screwed to the panel by 4 screws through its flange. The oil pressure gauge is a similar style (can't remember maker)

Richard, Is the speedo able to be assembled, with the cable entering from the side? That's how it appears (to me) in your picture?