Victork2 and Keets and their ultimate follies!

I could have sworn that the owner said it was a scammell & when I did a search for ‘scammell crash tender’ that image came up.

But I did another search and you are correct - Thorneycroft Nubian.

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Nothing to be embarrassed about bud. I wasnt sure either. British trucks are a mess at the best of times.

For all I know that could be a scamell chassis and a Gardner engine, built by thorneycroft, under license from foden who leased the design from aec who copied the design from scammell

This is why we don’t build trucks anymore :rofl::rofl:

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Along with a mixture of metric, AF and Whitworth fasteners.

Just like a mates (early) Triumph Tiger… :roll_eyes: :squinting_face_with_tongue:

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You can tell by a tool collection how we grew up….

“Yep, Got a spanner for that…hmmm it’s not quite 12/13mm”

looks over at Dad’s old tool kit. Well that fits, But I swear it’s a 13mm, WTF…

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Totally… no probs mate.

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Nubian?

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Well. Thought I’d better get my finger out and at least have the mule ready for summer before the truck lands and (I’m guessing) takes my full attention for a while.

Obi was a star today. Really helpful and enthusiastic. Which made putting it back together a good laugh. We still need to do the hub seals. But she seems summer ready at least

Obi over the moon he got to drive it first in 2026

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Loading completed this afternoon in the most filthy weather. I bottled it and let the previous owner drive her on.

I’ve got a video, but struggling to post it cos it’s too big, more because I’m knackered.

Horrible drive home, ugly pissy weather. The M48 bridge was closed due to the wind and all traffic at rush hour was going on the PoW M4 bridge. Took fecking hours to get through.

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These things come with time mate. I don’t doubt its daunting.

Least she is back and now the fun can start! Pleased still? Buzzing? Or got the needle :rofl::rofl:

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Still buzzing. :slightly_smiling_face:

It’s an interesting drive, de-clutching is now a new skill.

And the sound of that engine….. :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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It will become so natural, you’ll do it in the car and wind the wife up :rofl:

Looks a bloody lovely truck. You should be super happy with that

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How often do you have to drive it and service the water tanks and equipment in order to ensure that it will work when you need it to work?

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Or, after learning to drive in an early Mk2 Landrover, really impressing the assessor during the driving test.

Even if they do say ‘No need to do that in this car son, it has a synchro gearbox’ :squinting_face_with_tongue:

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Looks in bloody good nick for its age. Obviously been well cared for.

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Absolutely beautiful old girl … can’t wait to see some vids of you powering up the pumps :grinning_face::+1:

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Already said to the boss, we’ll need to do some practise. I’m rusty it’s been 30 years since I did all this. I will start putting some vids up. It’ll be keystone cops meets the fire service. :slightly_smiling_face:

It’s been well looked after. It’s never actually been used to put out a fire. She started life in Staverton up near @Victork2 neck of the woods and been moved around. Each time serviced then mothballed. I’ve got all the history of its “in service” time and it’s all sat waiting for its time/nuclear Armageddon.

The pump is pretty much all brass, it just works… I’m concerned about the tank, but most the time it’s been empty. The way a fire engine pump works is it can ingest water into the tank and then chuck it out later, or the pump sucks up a supply (mains or pond/canal/lake) and adds pressure then fires it out. I’m hoping it’s not been sat there with water in.

As for running, I’ll be spinning her up at least twice a month. Considering it’s a 1957 vehicle, it’s done just over 2500 miles.

Keets Caveat: remember I said all the above when it goes to ratshizzle. :grimacing:

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Excuse me but “what” is declutching?

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AKA double clutching.

TL:DR Use the clutch pedal twice when changing gear.

With a non synchromesh gearbox. In order to avoid ‘grinding’ the gears between shifts. When changing gears (particularly with downshifts), the clutch is depressed and the gear lever moved to neutral and the clutch is then released. The clutch is then re-engaged and the next gear is selected before releasing the clutch again.

Not to be confused with a constant mesh ‘dog’ box like most motorcycles. In that case you can just ‘bang’ it up or down through the gears without using the clutch… especially if it isn’t your bike :zany_face:

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Love seeing these old vehicles being preserved. In my youth I owned a couple of civilian Haflingers. My dream vehicle was an ex-army (Australian) 6WD Pinzgauer.

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Pinzgauer is an immensely cool vehicle. But probably a nightmare to maintain.