What a shame to let it go like that, thanks for posting pictures.
Jona with its history what a project , and what an epitaph to JM , I have got the skills and the time to resurrect such a challenge but unfortunately I might not last the distance , as you well know it’s takes time and dedication to do justice to such an icon ,I hope it will be taken on ? Ron
May be one day, we may be able to rebuild humans to the same standard , as we do with trucks Etc Ron
ronhawk:
Jona with its history what a project , and what an epitaph to JM , I have got the skills and the time to resurrect such a challenge but unfortunately I might not last the distance , as you well know it’s takes time and dedication to do justice to such an icon ,I hope it will be taken on ? Ron
What’s the name on the door Ron? I can see S.Jones on the headboard,obviously a subcontractor.
David
5thwheel:
ronhawk:
Jona with its history what a project , and what an epitaph to JM , I have got the skills and the time to resurrect such a challenge but unfortunately I might not last the distance , as you well know it’s takes time and dedication to do justice to such an icon ,I hope it will be taken on ? RonWhat’s the name on the door Ron? I can see S.Jones on the headboard,obviously a subcontractor.
David
Hi , David here is a better vew of the cab door , I like the sand piper on the step that sounds like JM , Ron
The 1/2 shaft that had broken in the Austin probably saved its life ? Unable to drive it was parked up in the chicken coop for decades .stripping the engine down ? finding the main bearing split this would have lost oil pressure and could have ruined the engine ? ( IE Rod through the side ) thankfully I had the skill to put this right , this was an alloy cap which held the White metal shell, bolting it to a steel plate cutting out a V I had it pre heated and argon welded by Cyril Wally ,then I filed it down close to its original spec !! Then using a glass bottle with fine Emory cloth I carefully rubbed it to perfection using engineers blue ,then re drilled the oil way !! Job was good rebuilt re bored new valves & guides , new chain ,over sized Pistons this engine was just perfect , running slow you could count the fire order ,with its double flywheel it was music to my ears , that was just the Engine, Ron
Ron, where did you learn all these skills? It is not the sort of thing one does every week. To have had a such a skilled and resourceful orry mechanic like you in the garage must have been great for the drivers. Johnny
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Well thanks Johnny for those kind words , first let me start by congratulating the German Market in Birmingham it really is very special with the fairy tail setting and christmas lights, that continues for 1/2 a mile ,the Brass band of the Salvation Army playing Christmas carols ,the crowds of people from every corner of the world drinking and eating , other street bands playing , we moved from one to another the atmosphere was fantastic this is the way our world should be all the time ,getting back to the trucking I was an exception to the rule . My leaning started at the walsall bus depot, 1951aged 15 under a great fitter Herbert Wolf top man ,a great place to learn all skills , overhauling Gardner engines with the crank shaft , white metal in line boring fantastic to see the cutting tool turning ribands of metal by hand to perfection after final scraping with engineers blue ,polishing the copper oil pipes these engines where brilliant and would last for ever with very little trouble , ( the fuel pump glass house )calibrated the pumps and injectors we had a body shop that rebuilt the double decker buses using ash framing and Alloy sheeting rolled into curved shapes for the bodies , the upholster section making new rexsean covers for the seats every thing was made new again in this Wonderfull garage of highly skilled men . Gearboxes , Diff’s steering boxes brakes ,welding hand painted , sign written , the compleat Bus went out on service like a new pin It certainly moulded me Into the man I am ,and with the Gold Spanner Award From ■■■■■■■ Darlington i relished any challenge that came to test me ,and still do . Ron
Thanks Ron for your "apprenticeship’ overview. I get the impression it was a win win situation. You were motivated to learn and the company benefitted from your expertise.
You must have had some colleagues if you were rebuilding ■■■■■■■ engines and buses.
Johnny
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Working at the Walsall bus depot, in the 50s we worked on the two engine turning frames Ray Dolman & Ken Adshead had one, Herbert Wolf & me had the other overhauling the 5 LW s This one time Mr Cox the GM said build these 5LW engine with ( experimental ) high compression Pistons ? This was not heard of Gardner Experimenting ? These Pistons had flat crowns instead of the reset pointed fuel mixing chamber , with cut outs for the valves clearance , well we made the two engines very Special all the copper pipes where polished ,Herbert Wolf attended to the degrees of the firing on the compression stroke , and finally they where put into ? I think No 10 and No 28 guy buses , They where brilliant even sounded throaty and pulled away faster all the bus drivers wanted either 10 or 28 They where better and when we lifted the 1/2 cab side bonnet we kept the engines polished Ron
Rumour Has it that when they was tipping in the sea one of the tippert doors broke off and had to be rescued out the sea Jerry may shed some light on this. Metal Mickey probably welded the door he couldn’t weld for toffee. Jona
Jona:
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Cracking pictures Jona, thanks for sharing them,
Thanks for the pictures Jona
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Just a few shots of the good old days thanks to Cookie 1, when we checked our boots for cockroaches every morning , and the new day stunk of last nights crap ,in the land of sunshine and sand ,memories that are without doubt unforgettable, would I do it all again ? Yes may be not the 6- 1/2 years but certainly the adventure of 2- 1/2 years with Trans Arabia was the Best because of tief mountain and the trucks ,that went on & on for ever , with the sound of the Jake brakes holding back the heavy loads exciting times I loved it , Ps thanks for your card Mirlin I try harder ? In the new year , Ron 
