OBL 432 as used in Dr Who, filmed in Cardiff.

The back end of OBL 432 and some people in fancy dress. 

(this image bought on e-bay, all others taken by the me!)

David and the van.
Getting ready for a quick getaway! ( a deleted scene)
Billy has a "dry run" of her first shot.
Standing around in the cold waiting to film the next shot.
The fantastic shop filled with working televisions.

Based on "The Idiot's Lantern" Dr Who episode, this Code 3 model is very rare. I made 45 and have sold all but two.

Fast progress, its all coming together at last.

It might not be mot'ed  but it's taxed. A nice touch, a 1955 tax disc.
Rod basking in the sunshine, I always take plenty of spares with me on any journey, maybe a spare engine was a bit of overkill.
ROD the builder, out side a building site, the missing door has since been fitted.

Oil filter modification on a side valve.

Old and new side by side, lucky I had an old spare canister assembly and a new Minor oil filter kit to hand, without having to strip the one off the engine first.

During the initial running of the engine I ended up with water in my sump, as I was having to do another oil change it became apparent just how tight for space there is when changing the filter. So I decided to modify and fit a spin off filter. The top picture shows an old housing laid out with a Morris Minor kit. So it needed a bit doing to it, to make it fit.
The upper part in this picture is of part of the old filter "nose" welded to a ground down part of the kit. The long threaded part on the right is not needed.
I was then able to fit a new "o"ring in the housing and tighten up the central bolt.
It was then so easy to spin on the filter despite the tight space. I refitted the housing to the engine, I then ran the engine and had no leaks! In future I will have easy oil filter changes and also much better filtration. The kit was £18 and took about an hour to modify just sawing/filing/and mig welding required. Spin on Oil filters are cheap and there is less chance of a leak. I know that other people have done a similar modification but this way seemed easier.

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.