1944 Austin K6 ex WD ww2 truck restoration.

[Matchless]

Have a chat with these guys, they may be able to advise.

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If I were to take a stab at it (which I'm not!) I'd be considering something along the lines of removing every other leaf from both springs?

Are you able to make a reasonable estimate of the weights before and after you've removed everything?

No, but it must be at least two tons lighter at the rear, maybe three tons, than when it had the full gantry body, winch with cable, pulleys etc. the removed front number plate mount bar is around 45kg!

 

[Matchless]

Proper thick paving slabs are good , they're flat and easy to deploy in the load area and still leave a flat surface for 'stuff' ..

I am trying to add lightness, lightness = speed, and 38mph is a bit slow for the M25!

 

[Matchless]

Likely came from 61 Station Workshop REME Strensil when it closed down ???

How much head space more do you need ?

From my days attached to a big regimental unit :-

A full route survey using height rods was done on the kerb side and crown of the road . At low places six or seven measurements were taken & all reading meticulously recorded on sketched plans for action by the Brigade planners . All within limits for a big radar set & gun tractor towing it .

Come the move along the route a few weks later ..... " Clang ! " tractor " AEC MATADOR " and radar trailer stuck fast under a railway bridge , just when it decided to chuck it down with serious rain for 4 hours .

German police about like a bad dose of chicken pox, all trains stopped , trying to arrest someone till it was discovered the difference in the road survey figures the regimental surveyors had done .. local authority had resurfaced the road three days earlier and raised it it up 120mm and not changed the road signs to indicate a reduced clearance . The recce team would have picked up the difference in heights shown on the roads signs as they had been doing it since the early 1950's


Solution let the air out of all tyres and stick loads of full jerry cans in both Tractor and trailer set. A clearance of 250mm was obtained , tractor pulled the lowered trailer through and spent the next couple of hours getting all tyres reinflated with the help of both of the REME support trucks as well as the Matador's own air line .

Basically I have around 7 foot, maybe a few inches more, headroom, so the cab roof is about the max, I will need to be creative with the hoops to support the tilt, they need to be able to be dropped right down to cab height, then erected when required, maybe a gearbox jack to lift each hoop, one at a time,

 

[Porkypine]

I am trying to add lightness, lightness = speed, and 38mph is a bit slow for the M25!

I had a 109 Series 3 Land Rover with a Perkins 4203 engine once, that used to do exactly 38mph flat out

 

[Matchless]

Likely came from 61 Station Workshop REME Strensil when it closed down ???

How much head space more do you need ?

From my days attached to a big regimental unit :-

A full route survey using height rods was done on the kerb side and crown of the road . At low places six or seven measurements were taken & all reading meticulously recorded on sketched plans for action by the Brigade planners . All within limits for a big radar set & gun tractor towing it .

Come the move along the route a few weks later ..... " Clang ! " tractor " AEC MATADOR " and radar trailer stuck fast under a railway bridge , just when it decided to chuck it down with serious rain for 4 hours .

German police about like a bad dose of chicken pox, all trains stopped , trying to arrest someone till it was discovered the difference in the road survey figures the regimental surveyors had done .. local authority had resurfaced the road three days earlier and raised it it up 120mm and not changed the road signs to indicate a reduced clearance . The recce team would have picked up the difference in heights shown on the roads signs as they had been doing it since the early 1950's


Solution let the air out of all tyres and stick loads of full jerry cans in both Tractor and trailer set. A clearance of 250mm was obtained , tractor pulled the lowered trailer through and spent the next couple of hours getting all tyres reinflated with the help of both of the REME support trucks as well as the Matador's own air line .

I used to drive to Oberhousen, Duisberg every month to collect BMW spare parts, I often saw lorries stuck under a railway bridge in Oberhousen!

 

[Dapph2]

Basically I have around 7 foot, maybe a few inches more, headroom, so the cab roof is about the max, I will need to be creative with the hoops to support the tilt, they need to be able to be dropped right down to cab height, then erected when required, maybe a gearbox jack to lift each hoop, one at a time,

Look up the Bedford RL 3 ton gs cargo the super structure on them & the air portable version which were such that things could be dropped down to half cab height for air portability . Similar superstructure set up too for most 1960's to 1980's military trucks .

 

[Matchless]

Look up the Bedford RL 3 ton gs cargo the super structure on them & the air portable version which were such that things could be dropped down to half cab height for air portability . Similar superstructure set up too for most 1960's to 1980's military trucks .

Mine has the air portable cab, not all K series had them, but I am not sure why a gantry crane truck had an air portable cab!

 

[Matchless]

I have most of it home now! first picture shows the entrance to my garden through a garage (to stop me buying big things!) second is on the way to the car port, third is it unloaded and under cover. I will now concentrate on finishing my Mk2 Jaguar over the winter with just a bit of lorry tinkering on nice days!

 

[Dapph2]

Mine has the air portable cab, not all K series had them, but I am not sure why a gantry crane truck had an air portable cab!

Perhaps because the gantry was able to be dismantled & stowed below half cab height for shipping below decks of a LSL type ship ?

 

[Dapph2]

I have most of it home now! first picture shows the entrance to my garden through a garage (to stop me buying big things!) second is on the way to the car port, third is it unloaded and under cover. I will now concentrate on finishing my Mk2 Jaguar over the winter with just a bit of lorry tinkering on nice days!

View attachment 513790View attachment 513791View attachment 513792

Perhaps put some trestles or oil drums under the frame and lower it down onto them .
A decent hard winter with a few feet of snow & ice on the roof & the combined weight of snow , ice and the frame might collapse the carport .causing you goodness only knows what expenses and problems .

My Bro's gable end carport , the gable end & caravan roof collapsed when they got a good 2 foot of snow & ice on them back in 1982/ 83

 

[Matchless]

Perhaps because the gantry was able to be dismantled & stowed below half cab height for shipping below decks of a LSL type ship ?

Aha, I have not yet seen a gantry truck in the flesh, I will look for signs of dismantlability!

 

[Matchless]

Perhaps put some trestles or oil drums under the frame and lower it down onto them .
A decent hard winter with a few feet of snow & ice on the roof & the combined weight of snow , ice and the frame might collapse the carport .causing you goodness only knows what expenses and problems .

My Bro's gable end carport , the gable end & caravan roof collapsed when they got a good 2 foot of snow & ice on them back in 1982/ 83

It is already down on a trestles one end and axle stands the other, roof props may come into use if we did get a heavy snow fall, the ratchet strap was used to lift it off the trailer,

 

[Dapph2]

Contact the REME museum at Lyneham , they might get a photo or three for you , as I understand there may be one or perhaps two K6 gantry trucks there .

Welcome | REME Museum

Sharing the story of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers: keeping the British Army’s equipment battle-ready since 1942.

www.rememuseum.org.uk

 

[Matchless]

Contact the REME museum at Lyneham , they might get a photo or three for you , as I understand there may be one or perhaps two K6 gantry trucks there .

Welcome | REME Museum

Sharing the story of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers: keeping the British Army’s equipment battle-ready since 1942.

www.rememuseum.org.uk

I did contact them a while ago but no response, I have just sent another email to Richard the curator,

 

[RWD3M]

I did contact them a while ago but no response, I have just sent another email to Richard the curator,

If I can be of any help re the museum, let me know. I live about 5 or 6 minutes away from there

 

[Matchless]

If I can be of any help re the museum, let me know. I live about 5 or 6 minutes away from there

That may be useful, I feel a visit may be on the cards provided they will give me access to take a good look at a K6, I would have thought info like when it was delivered, where to, and even when sold off would be available but I have emailed IWM, REME, and someone else? and no response so far, pictures of my lorry and the data plate have been forwarded! I would love to know where it served, many were attached to RAF airfields from what little info I have.

 

[Mikes]

Have you tried the Royal Logistic Core Museum. They have the archive of the British soft skin military vehicle record cards so might be able to tell you its service history (not the oil changes type!)

 

[RWD3M]

That may be useful, I feel a visit may be on the cards provided they will give me access to take a good look at a K6, I would have thought info like when it was delivered, where to, and even when sold off would be available but I have emailed IWM, REME, and someone else? and no response so far, pictures of my lorry and the data plate have been forwarded! I would love to know where it served, many were attached to RAF airfields from what little info I have.
View attachment 514122

If you do, let me know. Always a pot of coffee on the go in the 'shed'!

 

[Matchless]

Reply from the REME museum, not over helpful! No individual vehicle records at all, and...............

I can confirm we have an Austin K6 gantry recovery vehicle that forms part of our reserve collection. I should point out however that the Museum does not allow members of the public to touch our vehicles, or to climb on or into them. Please contact me if you would like to make the necessary arrangements to see the vehicle under these specific conditions; note that you will be allowed to take as many images as you wish during your visit.

 

[Matchless]

Have you tried the Royal Logistic Core Museum. They have the archive of the British soft skin military vehicle record cards so might be able to tell you its service history (not the oil changes type!)

I will do,