Digger's next Series 1, 80" 1950.

**Orkney 90** · 23rd February 2014, 05:00 PM

What an absolutely wonderful find! It would have been such a shame if it would have gone to scrap... I am so looking forward to seeing more and the restoration process, I'll be watching this space with much interest!

OverlandByLR · 23rd February 2014, 08:07 PM

Hi Digger
What engine is it side plate or core plug?
(can't read the engine number in the photo)
Are you coming to Melrose??
Nice Find
Have fun with it
All the best
Kc

**back_in** · 23rd February 2014, 08:54 PM

Hi Mate
interesting piece of history you have acquired
one wonders what she that scare the pants off you when the latest pride and Joy arrive home had to say!!!!!
are you working permanent night shift at the states finest task force.
you could have save yourself and the local Marine dealer a load of work and removed a couple of mine from the shed
are well they are still here when required
will we see you at Melrose this year, married or divorced?
speaking of marriage, went down that road late Dec2013
the third time, some do not learn...... Hey
cheers
Ian

**incisor** · 23rd February 2014, 09:22 PM

WELL DONE DIGGER!

**digger** · 23rd February 2014, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by OverlandByLR

Hi Digger
What engine is it side plate or core plug?
(can't read the engine number in the photo)
Are you coming to Melrose??
Nice Find
Have fun with it
All the best
Kc

Engine number is 862356, is from early in production.
most bits of car are 10/'49 stamped.

I have an earlier tray in better nick, a set of 5 split rims (land rover ones),
another windscreen, and some early doors, one side of which has the wire type top hinge. but none for the other side (wire top hinge)

still dont have seat backs, I suppose I can make the bases.
I have a straight grab handle (I think) some but not all dash bits...
fuel tank, brake /clutch tin...Ill be looking for a bit I think...

Should it be + or neg earth?
Both battery clamps are same size so no help there!

and no key slot and half wires hanging from dash--might take a while to start the bugger!.

Fan is a straight bar two bladed thing, I assume it should be 4 bladed.

**digger** · 23rd February 2014, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by back_in

Hi Mate
interesting piece of history you have acquired
one wonders what she that scare the pants off you when the latest pride and Joy arrive home had to say!!!!!

Minister for War and Fianace approved thankyou!!
(not loved..nor even liked but approved!

are you working permanent night shift at the states finest task force.

seems like it but 3 weeks nights, 1 week days and start again.

you could have save yourself and the local Marine dealer a load of work and removed a couple of mine from the shed
are well they are still here when required

If I "removed a couple" from your shed you'd report em stolen ya bugger

will we see you at Melrose this year,

I hope so, but still not sure

<<snip>> divorced?
I hope not!

speaking of marriage, went down that road late Dec2013
the third time, some do not learn...... Hey

Congrats Ian!

...

**JDNSW** · 24th February 2014, 05:17 AM

Originally Posted by digger

.......
Should it be + or neg earth?
Both battery clamps are same size so no help there!

...

All Landrovers were positive earth up to 1967, so, positive earth. (Positive earth was standard for most vehicles, particularly British ones, into the late fifties at least. There is a fairly obscure reason for this - given the standard Kettering ignition layout, the spark polarity gives slightly better performance, at least in theory.

John

**wrinklearthur** · 24th February 2014, 08:34 AM

Telephone exchanges have a 48 volt positive earth system.
When I asked why, I was told it was to reduce damage by corrosion to exchange equipment, stemming from the days when underground telephone lines were lead sheathed and electrolysis became a problem .

The positive earth system in British cars, I was again told was to combat electrolysis. I had more trouble with the generator wearing out than I ever did with electrolysis in the Series 0ne's. That said, I would keep the positive earth for originality sake.
.

**wrinklearthur** · 24th February 2014, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by JDNSW

---- There is a fairly obscure reason for this - given the standard Kettering ignition layout, the spark polarity gives slightly better performance, at least in theory.

I remember seeing a diagram in a book, of a lead pencil being used to show which way the spark was jumping across the gap on a spark plug.

Anyone holding that pencil IMHO was being setup to have a instant brain revival.

.

**JDNSW** · 24th February 2014, 09:19 AM

From "The Electrical Equipment of Automobiles" S.P.Smith, London 1945:-
"The common practice in GB up to about 1937 was negative earth though there was no particular virtue connected to it. On its merits, it is largely a matter of corrosion, which is usually less when the positive terminal is earthed..... There are points in connection with the high voltage system that also bear on this question. ....if the high voltage terminal of the coil is positive, the revolving distributor electrode and the centre plug electrode burn more rapidly....Again, the plug voltage depends largely on the temperature of the negative electrode, the hotter the electrode the lower the voltage. As the centre electrode is hotter...a lower voltage is needed when this is negative."

With conventional coils (autotransformer winding) positive earth give a negative HT terminal. The effects of polarity discussed above are fairly minor, and when the electronics industry adopted the widespread use of NPN transistors, and car radios became more common, in the 1960s, it was seen as an advantage to change to negative earth, and virtually everyone did.

Until about the 1970s car radios were widely available that could be used on either polarity.

The corrosion discussed above will only happen when there are leakage currents due to moisture.

John

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