Old Vehicles
I have three old vehicles that I try to keep roadworthy with mixed success.
1947 Wolseley Eight
The Wolseley has been with me for a few years now. I have rebuilt the engine, and worked on virtually every component in one way or another. It arrived mostly intact but with nothing screwed together properly. She has been running reasonably for a couple of years but a new engine problem means it's off the road again.
1937 Armstrong Siddeley 14hp Saloon
The Armstrong Siddeley was bought so that if the Wolseley was off the road for any works I would have another old car to drive. It has hardly been on the road at all. To date the fuel tank has been off for repair three times before clean fuel was coming through, four new shock absorbers required and broken spring sections replaced. Then the cooling system totally rebuilt. All the time dealing with problems because it has a Triumph 2000 engine fitted and nothing fits well.
1959 Mercury Truck and Tractor Company Ltd. Airport Baggage Tug
The baggage tug is something I saw as a boy and I always fancied one. It is fitted with an E93A Ford engine although not the original one. Almost certainly off Heathrow Airport it had done 55,000 miles which, when it is geared very low and with a top speed of 15mph, is a lot of engine wear. The one fitted is older than the original by several years, suggesting this was part of a fleet and engines were changed frequently.
I have given it new bearings, brakes, several body panels and paint. It is currently the most reliable vehicle in the collection but unfortunately, although allowed on the road, very uncomfortable on anything that isn't perfectly flat.