Alvis Stalwart Restoration Project, Part 1.
Vložit
- čas přidán 6. 09. 2024
- Hiya and welcome to my video of the restoration of my Alvis Stalwart mk1 Amphibious load carrier.
This has been a bit of a ongoing project for around a year now, and these are just some of the highlights really that were filmed along the way which I thought may be of interest to some people.
Its taken a while to figure things out. I had never even seen one up close before buying one so I really didn't know what I was looking at and had to learn as we went.
The vehicle originally had a petrol engine in but that had been removed before it was purchased, so it was decided to put a diesel engine in instead, as they were a lot easier to get hold of and to run.
It was quite a thing to get another engine fitted and get running and we still have a lot to do to complete it. There may be some information in here of use to fellow restorers so I thought I would upload it so far as a Part 1.
This next summer is when the fun will really start as we are going to make sure its fully waterproof then try and swim the vehicle as they were originally intended !
Cheers for watching, there are another few videos of restoration projects on my channel if they are of any interest.
Ben
Good luck with restoring the two from Mr Hewes! I saw the link from him and came over to check things out.
Ideal cheers. I will be doing videos on the progress on them as we go 👍
Ok, I’m subscribing. Why? Because you showed a vehicle restoration in one video, under 10 minutes and didn’t drag it out into 25 videos full of ads and each “featuring todays sponsor…”. Awesome.
There is part 2 being filmed at the moment where we are finishing the vehicle and attempting to swim it ! Just waiting for some decent weather to film it, I have done 95% of the work 🙂
Brave man..she's a complicated old beast @ transmission end..they had a lot of wear bother when driven on dry surfaces due to the binding on turns (so bad they were transported long distances by road)... excellent if used on loose though👍
Love the old Stolley..last used one in the 80s on sunny Saltau.....ours had a Hiab on it for pack changes..sounded the dogs when the Rolls B80 was on full song with the fan packs screaming...wack it down a couple of gears and watch the flame on the overrun.....don't forget to paint the timing marks on the hubs so you can see when they are winding up....when we had to do a lot of road use we used to run them up and over the kerbs to try and prevent it winding up...halcyon days...
I remember a family day back in 69/70 whilst my dad was in the 2nd Tank Regiment, stationed in Germany. One of the vehicles in which we were given a ride was the Stalwart. It was a day I will never forget.
Used one of these as a off road recovery vehicle in Durham area at the height of twoc of Astras and Escorts etc, beast of a vehicle, would recommend changing the engine hoses, had a lot of trouble with water leakes.
I have changed the engine and all the water pipes etc had to be highly modified. I’m still using the original radiator and fan pack though so will keep a eye on that. I can’t wait to swim it !😍
That Diesel sounds fantasitc, suits the rig nicely.
Awesome! I remember watching BBC Grandstand back in the 60s. They used to dooff road racing with these things against Unimogs and other large off roaders! Loved watching these in water!
Thanks.
Nice job. I had no 38 off the production line. Sadly it's gone to the great big scrap yard in the sky now. I did save any bits l could unbolt. Let me know if you're stuck for anything.
Martin
STAL /ll/156
Ooo what bits did you save !
The army reg was 23EK74. I saved whatever l could unbolt. Some of it has been sold but l still have loads of odd bits. Too much to list realy. Got the floor plates, windows, some wheel stations, bevel boxes and loads of cab bits and bobs
Lovely old Alvis Stolly Ben..
Cheers. I wanted one for ages but again a runner seem to cost a lot so this seemed quite a cost effective way of doing it. Plus I have a diesel engine which is much more economical to run !
Excellent - I had a toy Stalwart when I was a kid, but I think I've only ever seen one, or maybe two, in real life.
I received the Matchbox Stalwart in the 70's as a child.
The video is a pleasure to see.
Looking forward to more updates on the Stollies.🫡🍁
Cheers. Getting there. Have part filmed the second part to this restoration now it’s all ready to see if it will float 🙈 Then I have the crane mk2 to start 🙂
This video brings back memories of driving the old "stolly" in Germany on exercise . Best of luck with your restoration when you're finished nip into Redruth to show her off.
Ha unfortunately I think I need a HGV license to drive on the road. I have just done my H license so I can drive the tracked vehicles ! But sadly that does not cover this 😞
For reference, I was born in 1968 and even as a kid I was already a petrolhead to the point where I knew which of my Matchbox, Corgi & Dinky collection were based on true vehicles and which ones were custom flights of fancy. Except two. As the years went by I discovered to my utter delight that the two vehicles I was unsure about their origins were indeed based on real vehicles and I have loved them all my life. One was the Lotus Europa and the other was the Stalwart.
Watching this, at first I shuddered when you said the original RR straight eight petrol will be replaced by a diesel lump but then I heard you fire it up and it sounded just as (if not, even slightly more so if I may dare to be so bold!) terrorising as the RR lump!
Its not often I subscribe on the strength of just one video but you have achieved that with this video and I look forward to updates as well as watching some of your other videos.
Cheers and good luck!
Congrats. Nice project.
Very nice timing - since last week I was searching amphibious military 6x6 vehicles for a project (to utilize wide tires for a snow vehicle)! Looking forward to see this restoration completed, will follow it. Wish you luck!
Very nice. Last one of these I saw on the tube had largely rotted out and was full of holes. The brakes are a massive job, I`ve seen that done.
Had 2 of them in the 90s converted 1 to deutz air cooled engine , great fun to drive ..but maintenance was a nightmare
Great. It looks like something straight out of Thunderbirds.
Awesome bit of kit you got there, Look forward to part two.
A design well before it's time! Still visually very pleasing!, First time I saw one was at Sennybridge , wanted to buy one ,but was put off it, was told very hard to work on! , so ended up with a humvee.
So fair play for you guys, restoring this!
Will watch with great interest!
😊
It’s not that bad to work on… just takes a bit of figuring everything out.
I love the look of Humvees also … 😍
A flawed design indeed. Vehicle suffer from shaft wind up due to lack of differentials.
That Diesel sounds fantasitc, suits the rig nicely.. Cool can’t wait to see it finished .
Brilliant ! Once again this is so important for history and preservation. On a more modest scale, I'm restoring a 1950 AJS and I've recently bought a 67 Morris Minor. Thanks again, great work.
Cheers and good luck with your restorations . I will put another video up when it’s ready to swim ! 🙂
Been across windermere a few times in ome, brilliant bit of kit, sadly the one at windermere isn't used anymore and is sitting by the side of the lake unloved
Ha awesome. Sadly they don’t survive very well outside for too many years. It’s a shame to see them cut up for scrap but it’s the way many are going now when they get too bad.
Brilliant progress looking forward to the next installment..👍
Wow! That's a huge resto job to take on and you have really done well so far. I've had experience on these Stolly's on the tank ranges at Bovingdon. Look forward to watching her come back to life. 👍
It's looking somewhat sci-fi . Can't wait see it swim ! Thanks for sharing.
Excellent Ben. A lot of work but well worth it. I restore 1920/30s motorcycles and know how much time and effort there is.
Good luck it looks like a big job. I think I had a Dinky model of the Stalwart.
Aaaaah, so you weren't tempted to paint it white with BP Exploration on the sides?
That's my first memory of these beasts as a kid a VERY long time ago 😀
I came close to buying one about three years ago, but sadly common sense prevailed and i didn't. A total lack of space to keep it was the main reason. When my mate mentioned what i'd almost bought to his dad, he discovered that when his dad was in the army he was an instructor on Stollies. He said that a common mistake made by owners in civvy life was running them unloaded to save on fuel. He said that some weight in the back reduces the angle of the drive shafts which reduces the stress on the bevel boxes.
I've ended up sating my needs (A BIT) by buying a 101 ambulance instead.
Off to watch part 2 now...
Ha cheers. Yes there’s a “mod” that we do to lower the suspension slightly which is supposed to make the bevel boxes last a bit longer, which has been done to this . Not sure it actually works but worth a try.
Yes was tempting to keep in white but figured it would be a nightmare to keep clean !
Built on the Saladin running gear, can't wait to see it come back to life.
Love the video ! I have just joined up to your site !
😍👍👍
This would be an excellent vehicule for those mud roads in many African countries.
I'd have been tempted to put a Cummins in it a 6.7 or 8.3 but definitely interesting to watch and I absolutely love the stalwart
Sweet Jesus, that looks like fu*cking Heavenly fun!
🤣👍
Smiles per miles
Personally I'd have tried really hard to get the Rolls Royce petrol engine. Not sure I'd take it for it's first swim in deep water. The transmission wind up is easy cured, you just have to get it airborne a few times. Spent many winter hours standing on the back louvres. The only machine that could give a CET a run for its money on Soltau.
I have 2 rolls Royce petrols now 😍 so might convert it back to a petrol when I get a chance. Got two more mk2 to do up now 😮
Very futuristic looking for it's time, a bit Thunderbirdish.
Always loved the look of them. Always thought they were way ahead of there time ! They are terrible to drive though on the road… the vision from being sat in the middle is awful 🤣
Excellent stuff 👍
Brilliant video as always Ben, been looking forward to your next one, great job so far would be great to see it in the water!
Cheers. Hopefully this spring summer, depending on how things go !
Nice job so far 👍
Cheers. It’s getting there. Swimming soon hopefully if I’m not sidetracked by other projects !!
Hay Ben,nice vid.
Thumbs up.
Nice job Ben
Fantastic
My favourite vehicle, shame there isn’t a differential locker mod to allow you to drive it on the road
You can take driveshafts off some of the wheel stations if your doing a lot of road trips but there’s no simple way of doing it unfortunately. It would be nice to have some air couplers on them that slide the driveshaft couplers in and out depending if your going off road or not, I’m sure it could be done !
Nice that it has a diesel. It will be a nice vehicle. I didn’t know there were disconnect-collars. Shame they aren’t on a lever :o)
Great vid Ben, thank you for time
Superb, good effort & very nice to see
Looking good mate
Cool can’t wait to see it finished 👌🏻
Interesting vehicle!
Awesome video as always Ben!! Please keep them coming we love them!
Designed by Derek Meddings and carried to the danger zone by Thunderbird 2.
They shot flames out the exhaust and gave them the name fire dragons .
miss driving these - has it got a BV for the Tea. - most important :)
It hasn’t at the moment … but it does have the bracket/shelf for it so I can easily fit one !
Here's from the channel where you got them.
This is another one, the two from Mr Hewes are yet to feature. Been waiting for the next part for a year now.
Ideal cheers. A few military vids on here amongst the diving and mining 🤣 but plenty more military vehicle videos on the way
👍Nice work ... was hideous in UN scheme.
Would liked to have seen more of the restoration ie the glass replacment ect
Damn! Very familiar with these. Can’t help but admire your vision and commitment. I saw a vid on the Scimitar you bought is that running? What is your ultimate aim with these? Just going to squirrel them away like someone else I know?
Ha thanks. It’s just a nice feeling restoring something especially bringing it back from the dead or saving it from being scrapped. The other one I have still yet to do is a cvrt scorpion, very similar to scimitar but different gun in the turret.
Just fun to restore and drive around, hopefully take to a few shows this summer. The bigger one (abbot) is road registered! Just need to do my license !
😎👍
Is there anything that can be done to remove the middle wheels dif wind up ?
would love to see her in full paris dakar type livery.
Do you have any history of this vehicle? My dad recognises the 24 EK registration number as the ones he was driving at 12sqn 1div. Back in the day.
I now have the vehicles history log with everywhere it’s been … what’s your email I will send it to you
As it's continuous 6 wheel drive..... does it suffer diff lockup if driven for a long distance on-road?
I know the Saladins used to......
hi.great video,glad the Bedford engine is good,they always were reliable, are spares still about ?
Cheers. There’s a few bits about still at the moment but I can see them getting harder to get. I have a complete spare engine so will be sorted for parts. They seem to like exporting them as a lot of trucks in other countries still run on them !
Awesome video, Stalwarts always seem so epic! What colour are you going to paint it?
😍😍😍😍😍😍😍💯💯
Front water splash plate is missing
Not too sure this ever had one. There are no brackets or sign it had brackets .
😅
If an 'official' accused you of being a " hoarder ", what would your response be ?
Just remember when the apocalypse actually comes, the time to prepare is over!
You won't find a water drive they were all taken off
Luckily this one still has it. Just missing front splash board and steering nozzles and linkage which I have drawings of to be able to replicate 🙂
@@BenoCam search salvage squad restore stolly
Next vid ???
It’s on the way…. Slowly !🤣
you mot have lot of money
i drove a stalwart in ireland during the ira war.
I would kill for an Alwart Stalwart , they had a Design way ahead of its time..
Alvis ?