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Been sorting out the oil cooler and guard today. Also dug out my doner machine for the pump which was cleaned up, just got to get the drive cog off along with the key.

Great looking van and great to see its still earning its living.

Got to admit I'd allways be very wary of claiming that ive got the earliest of something, unless I had actually number 1. Theres usually allways at least one tucked away somewhere in a barn with a lower number that will suddenly surface. Still nice to see such an early example though and I loved the old Castrol oil can repair patches that somebody had very neatly carried out. It would be a great shame if this part of the vans history was lost for the sake of a shinny coat of paint. Am I right in thinking the rubber winged examples were produced for the post office only?

Heres a couple more shots.

A look on Dvla has no record of the number.

I don't think it is, but at a quick glance it didn't look too far away.

Went to Shrewsbury Steam Rally today, the show in itself was great however its the last time I will ever attend due to the last 2 miles taking as long as the first 65 miles due to the organisers only opening one of the entrances to the show to the public and causing a two hour tail back. (this is the 3rd time Ive experienced this ) and then having to que for another half hour on top just for them to take my money! I even witnessed an ambulance with its siren on getting caught up in the jam. Any way heres a few photos of items that caught my eye, like I said a great show once you got in. Particuarly loved the moggie van, its claimed to be the oldest RHD one, it was really nice to see one preserved like this in original condition.

Nice to see plant starting to turn up at shows, got to admit at first glance it looked like a converted forklift.

Today Ive pressed on with the laborious task of the top frame. Due to the chasis badly bending, this allowed the hydraulic tank assembly to drop down (common problem even on the latest beavers) and the couplings rest on the rear panel. This has led to bad distortion. This was beat somewhere near back into shape, rebuilt up with weld and ground, then given a skim of filler along with a couple of dents in the frame. After the bank holiday I will finish rubbing it down (may take a while to get all the nylon coating off), then paint it.

Yesterday I masked up the engine so I could spray up the hydraulic tank. The load lever has a little ball on the end that nearly allways get knocked off, when I checked with JCB they wanted a stupid amount for a new one, however I spotted one on ebay for a fiver that was identical apart being tapped to M8, so I simply drilled it out to 1/2" and bonded it in place. All I need to do now is to sort out the engine support bar then build up the hydraulics which Ive got most of the missing parts on a scrap machine to help keep the costs down.

it's 5 actually, this one, a solite, a beaver 1and2 and a compact 2,once finished I'm going to press on with the period breakers for them, then who knows.... Originally it was only meant to be one power pack, but I accidentally bought the others, I hope to get a video of them all running up on YouTube soon.

Have now managed to get the tank glossed up and decaled.

Had a bit of luck today, when we finally finished clearing out our old unit I came across this new old stock cooler guard just as it was about to be thrown on the fire with a load of old rubbish. At the present there is a later one fitted to this machine as I never thought I'd find a correct spec one, now ive seen what it looks like it wouldn't be to hard to make a copy should I need any in the future. As it was a bit marked I gave it a couple of coats of black paint.

Synthetic enamel, thinned as allways because of my allergy with petrol instead of thinners.

Chasis has now been built up.

Managed to get a quick break in the rain and got the chasis sprayed up, literaly 5 mins after I put it inside it started to pee down. Will it ever stop? Had a bit of luck on ebay, managed to obtain 4 obsolete filters for six quid each. Ideal for this, the compact and the beaver 1, so all My machines will have new oil filters.

Finally have got the frame some where near straight. Just got to wait for the next dryish day to paint it. (May be waiting quite sometime) Also today Ive overhauled the rear foot for this machine and the compact.

Today I made up a replacement axle. I put a piece of solid 20mm bar (the originals were hollow tube that nearly allways bends) in the lathe and drill and tapped 2x 8mm holes. Then I welded 2 washers in place. Now just needs another coat of paint to finish.

Have finaly today got round to cleaning up and repainting the stop switch. Ive also fitted the axle/wheels.

If it was mine playing up like that I'd pop the head off and regrind the valves.

Have you reground the exhaust valve? I'd have suppisions that it may be leaking.

Due to the frame being so battered on this machine, I had put it on the back burner whilst I looked out for a replacement chasis, however non have turned up within my budget so today Ive started on getting it back into shape. (Sod's law says one probably turns up for a fiver the day I paint this one). I used a press, vice and blow lamp to get it some where near, and have now started filling in the dents in the tube. I also today sprayed up a couple of wheels in yellow as I couldn't find any new ones the right size anywhere except in black.

Got the fuel tank all but straight today, theres still a few minor ripples left,- I'm guessing it was suffering from years of having the breaker and hose thrown on top of it as most people who use power packs seem to do. The weather with us was very damp so it has a slightly matt finish to it. On the next dryish day i'll give it another coat and see if I can get it to gloss up. Then it will be decaled up like the Solites tank. Then just the Exhaust heat shield and top frame left to do now.

I'm going to see what I can do for next year. I haven't done any shows scince Tractor World in 2011 because a few weeks later Keri(my wife) told me she was pregnant. Now the little un is 3 and a half so I should be able to start doing some again. It will also be nice to start seeing forum members again, rather than just taping away to them.

Try meetens for the red filters, they had some last time I asked, also they still had some of the oil bath type but the base of the carb and clips is different to the red type, so you would need to obtain these as well to convert. The b10/2 could also be had with the oil bath filter. The b 10/1 and b 10/2 are all but identical. The b 10 had a ball float instead of the black plunger type, but otherwise was the same as the other 2.