Modern Commer Replacement

[Perdu]

http://www.rootes.com/Catalogpages/p910_suspension.html

I just found this USA link, might be helpful. Sshows studs and lug nuts (as our cousins so cheerfully calls 'em)

HTH

Bill
 

[Ferrari Spider]

Just to get slightly back on track guys, does anyone know where I can obtain some modern Commer replacement wheelnuts and studs?

Mr Zarse if the american connection proves fruitless, there are a couple of workshops near me that produce car parts to spec.

[mgmark]

Just to get slightly back on track guys, does anyone know where I can obtain some modern Commer replacement wheelnuts and studs?

Andy - tried here?

Macs Factors (Andrew McAdam)

"For ALL your Post War Commer, Hillman, Humber, Singer & Sunbeam Spares. Large quantities of New and Used Parts including Body Panels, Brake & Clutch Parts, Suspension Joints, Engine Parts, Gearbox Parts, Lubrication Charts, Workshop Manuals, Handbooks and Original Parts Lists."

Tarn Hows
Wormegay
King's Lynn
Norfolk
PE33 0SG

Phone: 01553 841252
Fax: 01553 842105
email: macsfactors@cwcom.net

or here?

http://www.swanley.freeserve.co.uk/vehicles.htm

[Andy Zarse]

Thanks for the help guys. Just found some at Speedy Spares in Hove.

[Perdu]

Phew, Andy! The Commer lives to scare another day! Great news, at least we tried huh?

Bill

 

[BigH]

Aaahhh, Lightnings.
My old man used to take me when I was a young boy to the airshow at RAF Acklington every year. As an eight year old in shorts I'll never forget being surrounded by pipe smoking men in flannels and tweeds who smelt slightly musty and maybe of mildew in the drizzle. When my old man told me a Lightning was on its way and something shot up my inside leg, I thought my time had come. I was still searching for my eyebrows somewhere round the nape of my neck when the noise arrived. And from then on I was hooked.
A few years later at school a Vulcan just missed our Maths lesson on a Wednesday afternoon and went on to create a sizable crater just beyond the hockey pitches, one of the aircrew almost leaving his tackle on a keep left bollard by the tradesmens entrance. Rumour had it that it was fully tooled up, in a nuclear manner, and it wasn't long before the whole place was cordoned off by men with guns and their trousers tucked into their boots. I reckon they'd have got there a hell of a lot sooner if they hadn't had so many eyelets to thread with laces.
Such was the impression it left that I was down the careers office the next day to find out more about this daredevil flying business.
If you're ever in the area take a turn off the main road and head down to Wainfleet Sands (TF 504535) and watch the Tornados and F-15s doing their training. It's absolutely soul stirring. You may even see a Tornado go down, they seemed to do it pretty regularly when I was there. I still have in the garage a couple of empty Smoke and Flash 'missiles' that they use to knock the sh*t out of the wrecks beached there.
Glad to hear you got your nuts sorted Andy, I wish I'd been equally blessed.
H

[Mr. Rick]

Ah, H, got a sad story for ya re. Lightnings....

If you ever have cause to trundle up the A1 anywhere near Newark, please keep your eyes fixed firmly on the road ahead and under no circumstances should you look to the east when slightly north of Newark (who could live in a place which is an anagram of "w**k*r").

It is a sad sight and sadly getting worse. I prefer to trip across to Bruntingthorpe and get all moist under the wings of Buccaneers  

[BigH]

Hi Rick,
It's a while since I've 'been up that way', as it were, and you've got me puzzled now.
I seem to remember an old Lightning on static display in someones garden round those parts. Or are you referring to some old girlfriend of yours who is now reduced to standing in wintry verges on rural roads hoping for the odd generous trucker?
H

[Mr. Rick]

Sadly H, no such ex-girlfriend type tales to tell and after I'd posted, did a bit of a saddo trawl of t'internet knowing there would be a piccie of it somewhere and sadly here it is below together with some relevant text:

On the subject of crying shames, the Lightning above is a sorry sight. XN728, one of the few remaining F.2As, and just look at it - abandoned and vandalised. Placed in A1 Commercial Sales Yard to attract customers back in 1983, since the yard's collapse the Lightning has been left to rot. Presumably the receiver thinks it is an asset which is why it hasn't simply been bulldozed away. XN728 was used for BDR for a while and carries a few patches to prove it, and for transport to the yard the wings and tail were simply cut off. Reassembly was carried out using large sheets of metal to hold everything together once more, and they have rusted badly and warped under the stress. The landing gear was considered too weak to support the airframe (which is complete with engines) and accordingly the belly was supported with a framework of girders. Unfortunately at some point someone nicked the radome, and the change in the center of gravity tipped XN728 on her tail; the belly tank wasn't up to this and the girders have cut right through and are now firmly embedded in the belly. The rear fuselage is badly holed and as you can see the entire aircraft is liberally spattered with graffiti. It's a sad end for a proud fighter.

And.....

XN728; C/N 95105 ff T.M.S. Ferguson 26-10-61 Samlesbury. To 92 Squadron as ‘B’, 1-4-63. Under-carriage collapsed, 3-4-68; during repair converted to F 2A, returned to 92 Squadron as ‘F’, 24-6-69. Became 8546M. Owned by A1 Commercial Vehicles, Balderton,Newark.

[BigH]

Yikes Rick!!!

I've just remembered that I didn't trouble you with any readies at LM! Anyway, I've just put it right via the link, keep up the good work mate.

The Lightning is indeed a sad sight, although I have to say I have mixed emotions on this one. The schoolboy in me (shut it!!) still holds it in awe, and it has to be said it's a fantastic piece of Dan Dare kit. I lost count of the different Airfix versions I put together, and my bedroom was witness to many Spitfire/Lightning/Canberra/Hawker Hunter dogfights. Of course, the ME109E always bought it, horribly. But the lightning was in action during a peculiar time, with the skies full of prowling bombers packed full of ordnance just waiting for the red phone to ring with Strangelove on the other end.  It was a time of paranoia alright, and I thank Steves satsuma sized abcess that it was never used in action (the Lightning that is, not his abcess), if it had then I'm sure Armageddon wouldn't have been far behind.
H

[Mr. Rick]

Ooh you top chap you for aforementioned donation - splendid! (and don't worry the rest of you, I'll be on yer backs soon enuff as there are only 5 TTs left!).

Ah, Airfix dogfights! It is a sad statement of our sad little lives that these days old Airfix kits mean little more than a tidy little profit on ebay. Just think of the hundreds of pounds we all painted badly and/or smashed to smithers upstairs a la H.

Me109s always bought it in my room too funnily enuff, that and the old Red Baron!!! (Bless 'im!!)

 

[Perdu]

Oh Bl**dy hell. I made a pretty good, class winning model of 728 in 92 sqn markings, many years ago so that picture is heartbreaking.  

Less heartbreaking is the possibility of selling my old stock of kits on eBay, must hustle off over to see how rich I could be. Might finance a visit to the Classic Le Mans next year.

 

Bill

[Andy Zarse]

Changing the subject slightly and setting aside for one minute the infinitely more interesting subjects of BAC Lightnings and citrus fruit sized anal fissures, someone sent me an "out of office" email today. I quote it below verbatim:

INFO ONLY JULIE FROM LONDON CHAMBER OF COMMERS CALLED, WILL CALL AGAIN    

I'll certainly be speaking to Julie tomorrow morning and I'll  let you know what she wanted. It's probably to do with the wheel nuts. Or pile ointment.

[mgmark]

A number of posts to respond to:

Particularly glad to hear that the requisite parts for the Commer have been found and that Andy will not have to resort to welding wheels and hubs together

Glad to hear that the Lightning and Vulcan evoke good memories and emotions.   I pass the pictured Lightning on the A1 regularly and it is in an even sadder state now than pictured - even fewer bits left on it and more hanging off and not a lot of paint left on it.   Although commonly thought that the Lightning did not have to fire a shot in anger during its 28-year operational life (thus preserving us from the Strangelove scenario) the Lightning is, however, credited with one operational mission resulting the downing of an aircraft - one of our Harriers.   This was after the Harrier pilot had ejected due to a major system malfunction, but the airframe decided kept right on flying straight and level instead of obligingly heading for terra firma....the decision was taken to shoot it down whilst it remained over known territory and a Lightning was duly vectored onto it and shot it down.

Airfix kit destruction - my preferred method was having made the kits was to hang them from the trees at the bottom of our garden in dogfight mode and then retire to a distance and shoot the c**p out of thenm with my dad's air rifle.....if only we had known that keeping the kits in unopened pristine condition would have brought us a few bob 30 years on instead of enjoying them at the time.......

[mgmark]

But the lightning was in action during a peculiar time, with the skies full of prowling bombers packed full of ordnance just waiting for the red phone to ring with Strangelove on the other end

Just to show that the boys in light blue in the Lightning were active in keeping the UK skies clear of the bogeymen.............