Magpie and a Myth.

OBL arriving in Camden Town early Sunday Morning.

I went to London to collect a nice gold seal engine that I had bought from a fellow J type owner. 

Why did I need another engine? Well not the whole engine but the cylinder head I hoped would be better than mine. Even though the engine in ROD was a gold seal unit dated 1962 it was a much earlier engine dating from 1951. These engines were known to over heat and I hope to get a much later (modified head) with larger waterways which I did.

It also came with a good clutch and gearbox and a new old stock water pump which will be very handy to have.

Mr Myth's  van is a 1952 model but he is going to fit the later "B" series engine and gearbox to it.

 I left home at 8.10am, Sunday morning, got to Camden Town North London at 9.05am. I let Mr Myth, as that is what he calls his van (after the reg number) drive my van up to his lock-up garage  in N4.

We loaded up with the goodies, and I let him drive the van back to the the A40, near to Euston Station.
The van does drive better when its loaded. Mr Myth loved my van and he hopes to going to get his 1952 van ready for the big Wythall get-together in June.
Most mechanics are done on Mr Myth's van he just needs to have some room to reassemble. 

A nice little trip, a lot of the tourist out side the museums were craning their necks to see the van, many flash bulbs were popping.

A very empty road going into London, just about to go by the White City and the home of the B.B.C.

Taken in 1972 at a school sports day in Tolworth, South West London.

OBL 432 in yet another livery

Love the loudspeakers!

Well how did this all come about? The firm R G Jones found a couple of old pictures of two of their old J type vans and wanted to recreate one to celebrate 80 years in Business. They trawled the net and found the J type register, who passed on my details. They were looking for a van to buy or at least hire for a few major events. It had to be black or dark blue, un-sign written and the owner would have to be happy taking it around to various shows and to leave it on display for maybe 3/4/5 days at a time. I fitted the bill, there was talk about many large events and this was looking like it could be a good "earner" but it never happened, one show 5 days displayed at the Henley Music Festival, the speakers were working, softly playing 50's music to the crowds waiting to get in to the event. It did appear in the company house mag, but not much else, not even the local newspaper.

OBL 432 and CBY 358D On the Ridgeway Run

OBL432 on the Ridgeway Run, organised by the local branch of the HCVS, a nice 50 mile road run from Henley on Thames to a preserved steam railway. Seen here being driven by my dogs I am driving one of my other vehicles the 1966 Red Post office van that is following, well trying to catch up at least.

ebay Austin 101 BUY IT NOW of £2000 paid!

Saw this on e-bay and knew the seller!

I also put a bid on it!!!

This guy  bought some leaf springs off me, and I kept them for 7 months before he collected them..
He promised me that if he was going to sell the van he would offer it to me, I must have missed his call, never mind, ROD is taking all my money as it is..
The History of this van is a bit thin but When I first saw this van it was on the road and owned by a guy called Brian Brimson in Leicester.

It was then bought by J Register member and Morris Minor racer, Reg Salway. He did tell me he'd sold it on but did not say to whom..., so now we know.
I have asked the seller a mr william staniforth (who is into buses) when he acquired this and how, but I doubt he will reply.

Magpie's artistry

Rod now his engine is running better has come out, to be turned round.

My painting techniques are discussed on Tinworms site but here, in response to Tinworms compliments about the apparent quality of the black wings, I summarise the process:

"rubbed down to bare metal, rust converter, then Dulux metal primer, then body filler slight rub down, then hammerite smooth, three coats with a rub down between each one.
They look better in the pictures than they are. Waiting for warmer weather to do a much better job."

I should explain that I am not planning a harlequin livery. I have just painted the side of the lorry which wasn't parked up against the fence first.

Piston Rings FOUND!

A side view of the steering wheel and some of the MELTED wiring, various connectors had got very hot at sometime and melted causing the horn and lights to stop working.

This vehicle must have been driven into the ground. Yet more parts that were found broken, the top leaf spring plates from the back axle, these were both cracked and split. Luckily I had good spare one's to hand.
Rear axle showing just how much surface rust and mud had to be removed.
A view down the bores before the fitting of new pistons and rings.
A flying Rod chatting to OBL, you can see the paint brush has been busy.

I have found a set of rings for £47.00 plus vat, in
stock on the shelf and in the post tonight!!
Will I get them by Saturday?
Popped home lunch time and cleaned the oil ways in the engine, and once the rings arrive all the pistons can be re-fitted.. Lets hope they arrive.

Well they did and I was able to fit them and reassemble the engine.

While the good weather was on, other work had progressed cleaning and painting to name just two.

Dr Who Fans, Watch this Space.....

Filming in Cardiff.
At a Dr Who Convention, selling my sets of Photo's, van models and copies of the scripts.

OBL and a look alike car that Jon Pertwee drove in the 1970's episodes of the Dr Who stories.  

The top picture was taken on set, out side Magpies shop.I will be adding a link here shortly so you can see all the fifty pictures I took while doing the three days filming down in Cardiff. Thanks again to the BBC crew who were great and put up with me, and also to the actors who were so  happy to freeze their bits off in the cold March wind and rain.

The other pictures were taken at a Dr Who convention in Essex.

I was invited as the van was a star of one episode.To cover the cost of petrol I was selling various item, I had hoped to make a hugh profit from all the avid fans, most were interested in older Dr who items.

Oh, Superman! no Super Van!!

Great signs Harvey!Which one has the better pose?
Real American number plates, 6677JB, fantastic.
It took me a long time to make that dummy Daily Planet newspaper
OBL 432, being photographed with Donald Standon, who is he you ask, well he was Christopher Reeves stunt/body double on both superman 1+2 films which were made at Pinewood Studio's which is a couple of miles from me.

So with period American number plates and the van with suitable sign-writing a photo shoot was set up.

Rod is moved over to gain access to the off side, the wing needs welding and a bit of panel beating.

The very rusty nearside front, needs all new pins,bushes and leaf springs.

The grease nipple/front pin has been replaced with an old bolt. Also looks like somebody had a bit of a problem with the drop link from the steering box. 

The offside rear, just started to wire brush all the mud and rust off.

Work started on Rod, lots of parts sourced, a lot of parts I had "in stock" the wheels, tyres and brakes were tackled first, all new parts fitted if they were needed. I have been playing with old vehicles for thirty years and in that time this is the worst one I have worked on. Every nut,bolt,spring,clip,screw is solid,worn,bent,snapped or corroded.

Most bolts had to be cut off and replaced with new, not one item of the old braking system could be reused.

Lots of wire brushing of chassis took place but as I was working in my drive I could only ever work on one side at a time.

Sidevalve piston rings desperately sought

Water and oil in ROD's Sump.Under the engine, checking the shell bearings.
Broken rings on all the pistons.

Nice picture of oily water in the sump, why is it not
water oily? there's more oil than water..

Spent Monday afternoon, in the snow stripping out
piston number 4, from ROD, what a !!!!!! job, cold
hands, laying in a puddle, vehicle dripping on me as
the snow/sleet/hail stones melted..
Well I broke the lower oil control ring, this was a
surprise, as all the books on this engine show it only
having 2x compression and one oil control ring, my
engine has 2x compression and 2x oil control rings one
of which is on the bottom skirt of the piston, hence
me breaking it..
Pushed the piston up through the block, on inspection,
top ring was broken and stuck in the piston only one
shiny spot on its surface, lots of burnt carbon round
most of its edges.. also the piston was sized on the
gudgeon pin.!!
Got any spare side valve rings? +40 thou??????

ROD does have his new laminated windscreen fitted! I
have yet to do/ fit all the interior trim.
Got to find a wiper blade and arm!!!
Got to fit the screen washers.

Gave up on trying to get the original horn working, it
stayed in energy saving mode, a spare Morris Minor one
is to be fitted shortly..
Still hunting for piston rings, failing badly the
answer is no, so far, from all my contacts.
Re the front shot of ROD, this is proof that the
camera lies!!! The wings are not that good.
 What has been put together 50 years ago
I can break, I have found out.

TARDIS
Totally Against Rust Destroying Is Simpler

Magpie's Masterclass

What the heck is this?
OBL looking over the fence, to see why he has been displaced.
Rod as he arrived a 1955 J type Chassis no JR22741.

Other vehicles in my fleet are, a Royal Enfield motorbike,  1966 Morris Minor Post van, 1953 Morris Minor pick up, 1953 Post van with rubber wings (this is the earliest known Morris GPO van with chassis number 30!) My 1960 Morris Minor 4 door saloon which I bought 34 years ago and is my every day drive.