An Introduction: Chris Collins and Morris Tilly Project

[Chris Collins]

Hello All,

Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Chris Collins, Reenactor Anglophile and now Military vehicle owner! Here is the Tilly that Hugh Davies had located for me, a rather battered relic, but due to its location has remained largely free of serious rust. Heres some new shots of it in my mates workshop.






Our first step is to strip back to the "chassis", make it sound then on to the steering and suspension, so bits are progressively being sent off to the local sand blaster then being undercoated, plenty of "minion" work for an unskilled/inexperienced knucklehead like myself, leaving the more technically challenging work for my Mate /mentor/master John Neville.

Unexpectedly an opportunity came up to acquire some more! through Hugh Davies and negotiations by John Neville, i met Lenny Watkins, who offered me two more, it was an all or nothing offer, as he said as soon as you see the good one you won't be able to leave it. Despite initial misgivings, I don't regret getting them both. Especially since much of the sheetmetal of the "rough" one is sadly as thin as egg shells and of little use. We may get an engine and lots of useful fittings out of it though.





The Good one is, extremely complete, its not without issues but despite not being ran for 15-20 years with new points, goes! and moves under its own steam! Very exciting! My Wife has named it, rather appropriately, Matilda! Its not without its isues and may need the sacrifice of a morris 10m









Since a feature on the first tilly was placed in Tilly Text, a chap called Andrew Curran in Perth, currently restoring a Austin Tilly offered me parts he rescued from a Morris Tilly in a garage due for demolition many years ago, which should be arriving tomorrow at my work. Exciting times!

Chris Collins

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Chris,

Welcome on MLU and what a great (set of) project(s) you have there.

One thing I would like to ask you is to attach pictures to your posts rather than using links to Photobucket - we have learned the hard way that one day sooner rather than later they will disappear making this thread worthless.

Here is how you learn how to post images - let me know if you have any further questions.

Thanks!
Hanno

[maple_leaf_eh]

That is a cute looking little vehicle! And good thing you saved it from becoming razor blades or shopping cart frames.

In a strange way you are getting into the hobby with the best motivation - you have found something(s) that attract your attention, and you want to make things right. This might be why Jeeps, Land Rovers, Universal Carriers and the relatively small CMP trucks get so much work. The uglier one (not saying anything about the owners...) are the big vehicles with funny lines or very heavy parts, seem to get no respect. There is a thread from a fellow in Czech Republic I think whose passion is a great big 10-ton Mack heavy hauler. Only a true devotee has that kind of time, space or money for a project like that.

[Mike Kelly]

Chris

I think I met you on the HMVF

I have a Morris tilly parts book

If you twist my arm I might let you have it

if you catch me on a good day that is

Mike

[Chris Collins]

Hello Hanno,

hope this is better from an archiving point of view!

Maple_Leaf_eh: Thank you very much for your sentiments! Besides the obvious charms of owning a Military vehicle, something a bit different from the usual, i also like the idea of helping to preserve something evocative of a very different time and place. and you're right its amazing how many CMPs floating around in Australia, that just don't get much love.

Mike Kelly: Yes I recall chatting to you on HMVF, that parts manual would be a very nice thing if one day you decide to part with it. There was allegedly one floating around at Corowa this year but it changed hands before i got the chance to get it.

Cheers

Chris Collins

[Mike Kelly]

Originally Posted by Chris Collins

Mike Kelly: Yes I recall chatting to you on HMVF, that parts manual would be a very nice thing if one day you decide to part with it. There was allegedly one floating around at Corowa this year but it changed hands before i got the chance to get it.

Cheers

Chris Collins

The book is dated December 1940 , an early date for a tilly publication . I loaned it to a guy in West. Aust. , he also has a Morris tilly and he was planning on restoring, don't know if he ever did .

The book is just sitting here so it may as well go to a good home . It has large fold out drawings in the back . They refer to the mono chassis .

send me a PM Mike

[maple_leaf_eh]

I've seen roadkill animals with more meat on them than this unfortunate specimen.

Good luck

[Itzik Merkado]

Our warehouse waiting for better days

[jack neville]

Having finally got all the Tilly photos on to a computer that is easier to load on this forum than using an Ipad it is time for an update and a few more 'before' photos.

Chris aquired over a peeriod of about four months either complete(?!) or the remains of a total of four Morris Tillys out of what we beleive was forty that came to Australia. All so far have been 'knockdown' versions with removable rooves. There was enough to complete two vehicles as detailed above. To date we have completed the rebuild of two rear axles, front axles, two sets of springs, tailshafts and steering boxes. Out of the total of about ten complete sets of front and rear springs I salvaged enough leaves to reset two complete sets. Many of the leaves were broken or had splits running lengthwise, which I had never seen before. Many hours of hammering to reset the leaves sand blasting and reassembly.

[jack neville]

This original vehicle had come via Hugh Davis from outback South Australia. I believe when Hugh rescued it it was upside down which may have saved alot of the sheet metal and at some stage an excavator bucket had been rested on its roof. It looks alot worse than it is with all the timber having rotted away. The initial thought was it could be rebuilt but after assessing the complete Tilly from Len Watkins the chassis of both are a bit too far gone.

[jack neville]

More photos