Thread: The Ultimate FC

Some more pics

These are of the same vehicle.
It is Salamander fire fighter first converted to a beach tour bus and then into a fun toy.
It is not amphibious, but is a close relation of the stalwart and would be water tight up to the top of the wheels.
It also has higher ratio diff giving a 50 mph or more top speed, but still has the low ratio of the stalwart using a preselector gearbox.
the salamander has a higher horse power spec motor.....higher compression, different cam and revs a bit harder.

Hang in there Ron, I can't imagine the frustration you're feeling but you only have to look back over this thread to see how much you've accomplished on the big beasty. I'm sure you'll get to swim it at some point.

As always, I love reading the updates you post, keep up the good work - huge pity about the bevel box seals. After sticking my head in it for a look, I shudder to think of the amount of work involved in replacing them.

Yes keep plugging away Ron, love the up dates. Brings back memories of watching the Stalwarts in the heavy vehicle trials in the uk as a young fellow. Even got a short voyage across a pond in one once. A truly awesome piece of Engineering

Funny how a simple thing like a exhaust pipe leak can lead you off in a completely different direction.
I was fixing the exhaust to stop the amber warning light from melting.
New tail pipes finished and trial fitted.
I could have left things there, I could see rust and corruption inside the exhaust box and some simple plates that need replacing .
Also there is a large rust hole though the hull at the bilge pump pipe were it goes though the exhaust box which I found early in the piece.
To remove the top of the exhaust box from the body requires disturbing the tail gate and side door water tight rubber seals and many broken , rusted UNF threaded bolts later with swearing and spanner throwing.
The end of the tail and side gate seals point upwards vertically with open ends, which means they hold rain water at the lower sections in side and behind the seals causing rust.

It was a days work to free things up and disassemble.



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I all ways knew there was cancer in the muffler box.
Access is poor and I didn't know the extent of it.
It turns out the stalwart has a little bit of a design problem.
The rust in the muffler box can lead to sinking the vehicle if swum and generally extending the rust along a rear body cross member.
I was toying with the idea at one stage to swim my stalwart by just doing a very quick patch over job on the rust holes.
I am glad I didn't as my Stalwart would have sunk in short order by the muffler box and in a unexpected way via water entering a rear cross member and then into the hull.
The muffler box on a Stalwart is not part of the hull and the effect of red hot mufflers burning off paint and water causes rust.
I have started cutting of a few previous patches and corroded metal , which was rust welded on rust and getting things sorted for fresh metal correctly done.
The mufflers and pipes will have to come out as the mufflers must be water tight to stop drowning the motor if swum and the mufflers have cracks and holes in them.
Most bolts are rusted and are just snapping off.
I am going to fit a door to the side of the muffler box as painting and inspection of this area is so important for swimming.