1956 Red Goddess - No socks for this birthday!

[Frankenhealey]

I must have magpie genes somwhere as I get attracted by all that's flashy and shiny and all I needed was a reality check from you guys!

I have it on good authority from Rhys (God of all things Bedford RL) that with the right plugs and correct dizzy advance for modern fuel that she will do 55mph on the motorway and the plan is to have a set of low profile recovery beacons so the blind b@st@rds and the driver of the KitKat lorry who steers with his feet while reading a magazine can see me bimbling along.

Cheers

Ian

[PHUQ]

In that case then... original style it is!

Not planning on running on Rhys' bargain go-go juice then?

Still trying to find somewhere to keep one...

[blackpopracing]

Old style in my book too.

[Frankenhealey]

Actually it's now going to be Unimog stylee. 4 x bulb powered Unimog Hamburgers and matching 140mm reversing and fog lights ordered today.

Sadly none of the local garages were interested in passing on diesel contaminated petrol and one even asked me if I had a waste carriers licence

Thinking about Unimogs, take a Goddess, strip off the back and chop 10 feet from the chassis. Stick on a bed or crane and you've got high ground clearance 4 x 4 with a flexible chassis and a power take off i.e. a Bedimog ;D

[shed1978]

Mar 10, 2012 11:14:51 GMT Frankenhealey said:

she will do 55mph on the motorway

Hello Ian,

Been reading through the thread - looks a great build (I've an original Bedford S Type tipper that I use in the same manner – for transporting my classics to shows etc) as you've probably calculated you need the tipping bed to take out the "hump" at the top of the ramp...

Excuse the dodgy phone pics;





With regard to the GG cruising speed - My father drove my GG from Devon to London before Christmas and it would happily cruise at 50-55 with a few 60mph dashes on the flat) I was following the whole way in a new Range Rover - so can verify the speed.

Uphill was slower and a change down to third – but suprisinghly sprightly once everything (not just the engine!) is all warmed up.

I’d guess the fully laden goddess will be a similar weight to your stripped down version with a car on the bed?

Good luck with the build!!

Steve

[Frankenhealey]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the pictures and confirmation that the lifting bed and ramps will work.

I'm assuming you got the Georgie Maidment tipper from Brian Whiteside and is that a Jensen 541 on the back of the truck in the second picture? When I finally hang up my helmet I've always fancied putting an SBC in one as a grand tourer just like Donald Healey did.

Cheers,

Ian

[shed1978]

Hi Ian,

Indeed - the S-Type did come from Brian - he has a great collection of Bedfords. It was restored exceptionally well before Brian owned it - its a nice old lorry - I've just had the bed repainted (grey inners to green and a general tidy up for the show season)

The 1st picture is my Mk1 Interceptor and the 2nd is my Mk2 Jensen CV8 - fitted with a 496 cu in Mopar stroker - why would I need a chevy?

The Interceptor has exactly 4.5" clearance at its lowest; the bed height is 48" and the bed needs to be lifted about a 15-18" at the cab end to take out the "hump" - I had to get the trig calculator out to make sure the ramps were long enough.

Cheers,

Steve

[Frankenhealey]

why would I need a chevy?

Sorry I thought it was a 541

[Frankenhealey]

So down the pub tonight and planning what to bring to RRG12 and thinking 'Hooligan Healey' and 'Optimus Primark' stickers for the kids and Grizz and someone says what about an Optimus head to place on the top of the cab while parked. So thinking about converting blue plastic buckets, my level of modelling skills and Google is your friend (sometimes) I tripped over the plans for a simple folded paper Optimus head









There's a lot more here including paper rifles, aircraft, miltary hardware, Disney stuff, Gundam and scads more. Now where are my blunt scissors and sticky-back plastic tape? ;D

[Frankenhealey]

Finally some movement

I managed to arrange a temporary dry home for the Goddess right next to the welders. The plan is to get the sub-bed and the hydraulic bed dropped on in a couple of weeks and then I'm going to panel her. Need to get a sparky in, finish engine, find a new modern radiator and get that hosed up. At the same time I need to consider what to do with the roof as I'm NOT going to cover it with lino again like the originals. Trouble is that its a complex panel to try and do in ally and I'm wondering whether it would be easier to get a local bloke in who does zinc roofing. Whatever the solution it need to overlap the top of the vertical side panel so she's reasonably weathertight.

Waiting for the door to open fully



Gotta get this back on



Sub-bed and hydraulic bed waiting for a little fettling now they're galvanised



Tucked up in her new holiday home and only just fits

[colnerov]

Hi, have you thought about a fibreglass roof recycled off a truck or van luton body?

Colin

[Implandy]

why not simply skin it with fibreglass mat, its easy to work with, you can guarantee it will be waterproof and fibreglass is easy to get locally

[Frankenhealey]

I had a cunning plan that with the addition of some ally checkerplate over whatever waterproof layer was chosen that the roof would be strong enough to haul a couple of deckchairs and a cooler up there using a side mounted access ladder and have a good vantage point for watching events.

[Deleted]

The roof on the Goddess is a similar construction to some stables I used to work at and we used hot tar and that gravelly tar coated green roofing stuff (the name for it has completely escaped me). With the suggestion of deck chairs and coolers, it would make a grippier safer surface and you could protect the edges with chequer plate or flashing around the top of the cab.

The whole thing would keep the wooden structure waterproof, the plating would protect the waterproof covering from excessive wear and the whole thing would be nicely industrial looking. Wind noise is not going to be an issue, she's not exactly a quiet old thing.

[Frankenhealey]

and that gravelly tar coated green roofing stuff

Just say no to felt rooves (roofs)! You know it makes sense.

However you could try it on the Princess instead of a vinyl roof ;D

[Frankenhealey]

So, a little spring cleaning this weekend. Windows cleaned, inside hoovered (three bags full!) cab swabbed (yar!) and a list of stuff to be ordered. Mates Darren and Cassidy will be lending their incomparable skills for skinning, roof, paint and loads of other stuff.







List of useful stuff

1) CB Transceiver and Yorkie Bar
2) Satnav ('cos the speedo has a mind of its own)
3) Train horns ('cos if you can't stop too well it's best to warn the people in front of their impending doom plus you really can't have too many decibels)
4) Set of HID lamps for 4 headlamp conversion
5) Side running lamps
6) Reversing buzzer & camera
7) Cab lights

If you've got some other good ideas then add them to the list ;D

[IDY]

Mar 26, 2012 22:30:39 GMT Frankenhealey said:

1) CB Transceiver and Yorkie Bar
2) Satnav ('cos the speedo has a mind of its own)
3) Train horns ('cos if you can't stop too well it's best to warn the people in front of their impending doom plus you really can't have too many decibels)
4) Set of HID lamps for 4 headlamp conversion
5) Side running lamps
6) Reversing buzzer & camera
7) Cab lights

If you've got some other good ideas then add them to the list ;D

I am sure you must of thought of them but they are not on the list - work lights so you can see to load up at night?

[Frankenhealey]

work lights so you can see to load up at night?

Yeah, there's a discussion going on over this as when the bed's up it will block any roof mounted lights and lights on the bed will be totally useless if the tilt is on! Current thinking is a couple of demountable lights, powered from accessory plugs, and able to be moved around depending on the bed/tilt combo being used.

[IDY]

Mar 27, 2012 10:42:03 GMT Frankenhealey said:

when the bed's up it will block any roof mounted lights and lights on the bed will be totally useless if the tilt is on!

Cab roof work lights that can be raised on poles when needed? - don't know how practical that would be to make

[OVY871]

Mar 27, 2012 10:48:42 GMT IDY said:

Mar 27, 2012 10:42:03 GMT Frankenhealey said:

when the bed's up it will block any roof mounted lights and lights on the bed will be totally useless if the tilt is on!

Cab roof work lights that can be raised on poles when needed? - don't know how practical that would be to make

Could have the lamps mounted to the poles at either side of the cab and have the poles down the back of the cab, and the poles clamped on. When you want them adjusting (raising/lowering or make it face the side of the vehicle in case any maintenance wants to be done off the truck) you just unclamp the pole, adjust to the position you want and then tighten the clamp back up. Hope this makes sense, it does in my head