1949 Dennis F1 Fire Truck Restoration

Last week I put the cast aluminium sump in to have the oil heater holes repaired. One of the holes was a fairly simple repair, but the other was a bit more difficult. When the internal baffle was knocked out and the holes drilled and hammered through the side of the sump to install the heater, the stress must have been too much for the sump, for hairline fractures had developed radiating out from the hole.

This would explain the large oil stain on the side of the sump when in service, but the cracks were not visible to the eye until the aluminium was heated up with the repair. Then the oily build-up of sludge oozed back out of the crack. The ally welder then had to chase the cracks both inside and outside, grind them out, and repair them. The photo below is the extent of the welding inside

You are a craftsman Bugly!
top workpersonship!
can t wait to see it finished

You are a craftsman Bugly!
top workpersonship!
can t wait to see it finished

Thanks Ferret! When I first got the truck I was almost overwhelmed by the size of the restoration. But then I realised that the one big restoration job is only a succession of lots of smaller ones, and I could handle all the smaller ones easliy! So just plodding away, asking questions, listening to advice, and doing' the best that I can!

What an attitude!
i am sure othesr wil be happy to read your story
very innspirationol way of looking at the job ahead of us.
one day i will learn to post my la photo of my looiy
max

G'day Bugly , good score on the switch on Ebay mate . Isn't it a big relief when a problem that you don't think you're gonna solve , suddenly falls into place, shes looking good so far , it will come up a treat, well done .
Harleigh.

Looks good Bugsy, the light looks like the Landrover ones. I agree with you about paint versus polish, some blokes polish there aluminium tanks, I painted mine red, the same colour as the chassis, heaps easier, and looks good too.