scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
Sept 15, 2019 20:39:54 GMT
|
The 'Walking' part of it is its way of movement.. Always backwards (away from the hole it's dug) and at 1200 tons to heavy for caterpillar tracks, it sits on a circular base with two large 'feet' which operate via a large cam affair across the machine and lift the rear end of the base, dragging it along a few feet at a fraction of an mph. Bucket dug 40 to 50 tons at a time, here seen behind our cars.
|
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
Sept 15, 2019 20:31:48 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
Sept 15, 2019 20:28:34 GMT
|
There's some SIMCA content in this post but this was at the open days for the preserved 1200 ton Walking Dragline Excavator at Swillington near Leeds. Built in 1948 by Bucyrus Erie in Milwauke this monster was imported in the early 50's with 2 or 3 others to get opencast coal mining going as machines of this size just weren't available here. It worked in South Wales for some years, then at Cannock in Staffordshire finally arriving at the giant St Aidans coal site in Leeds, having to be dismantled and rebuilt each time. It worked there until '88 when the nearby river Aire burst into the 300ft deep workings and flooded everything. The majority of the Machinery was saved including this machine and the much bigger 2000 ton British built Rapier Dragline that had joined it in the mid '80s. surprising as these machines move so slowly. When the River and nearby canal were re routed into a straight channel and the workings were drained mining resumed in '98. The 1150B dragline now preserved wasn't put back to work and surprisingly not scrapped.. instead it was presented to Leeds council. I'm part of a group 'the Friends of the Dragline' who host open days through the year. Old vehicles are always welcome at these to add to the show and the events draw good crowds, with young & old enjoying sitting 3 storeys up in the driver's seat. I took a different SIMCA from my collection each day and they were joined by tractors and a spectacular Plymouth Barracuda. Photos below...
|
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
Aug 29, 2019 21:18:11 GMT
|
Here's one in the USA. An early model from the '60s with the round rear lights.
|
|
Last Edit: Aug 29, 2019 21:18:58 GMT by scmick
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
Aug 25, 2019 20:58:07 GMT
|
Rear door pillar sections have arrived from Belgium. Just needs a load of grinding and some accurate measuring before the 'transplant'. The will weld plates into the open back of the pillar to get rid of the muck & rust trap that causes all the rot.
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
Aug 18, 2019 21:33:43 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
Aug 18, 2019 21:30:59 GMT
|
This year I missed out on my RRG 'fix' in favour of the 'Motorfest' where the whole of our 'crooked spire' hometown here in Derbyshire was given over to transport for the day. I live near the centre so got 4 of my cars out for our club stand. Photos below....
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
Aug 17, 2019 22:08:08 GMT
|
there are a few in the USA along with the Bertone coupes on the same base. I'm in touch with the owners of one or two on Facebook, SIMCA Club America. Here's some of my collection here in the UK.
|
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
Aug 16, 2019 20:57:55 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
Aug 11, 2019 21:42:49 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
|
Thanks for the link. I already have a pair of rear wings to go on it. I can make the rear door pillar parts to repair the right hand side but it would have been easier if I already had the panel like I have for the left hand side. I had a pair but have already used the right hand one on my Rallye 2. I got them at the Zolder Classic Club race meeting back in the '90s. We used to go there every October until the last one in 2005.
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
Jul 28, 2019 16:38:36 GMT
|
We've had loads of SIMCA 1000s since the '80s and that rear pillar area has been the worst bit on most of them...caused by a real mud trap behind and by SIMCA using 3 layers of thin metal spot welded together holding in moisture where thicker gauge stuff would have been better. I remember seeing ones in scrapyards back in the day where you could open the rear door and the pillar came with it..!!! Surprisingly the wing screws usually come out easily... sometimes because they are screwed into 'fresh air'.
|
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
Jul 26, 2019 20:39:02 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
Jul 26, 2019 20:37:03 GMT
|
Just collected this today. '72 SIMCA 1000GLS (1118cc) that has been sitting in a garage under a plie of junk since 1984ish. It has rust in some of the usual SIMCA 1000 places but everything is there. Also it's done just 19000 miles. First job will be to get it going then assess the welding needed. Outer panels will be no problem as we have a set of decent wings and the doors have survived better than most. We have a set of Revolution Wheels to go on it and, if the engine is OK, a single 40DCOE carb and manifold & 4 branch exhaust. Photos below...
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
Jul 24, 2019 12:49:57 GMT
|
A few weeks ago my brother had his '76 MATRA-SIMCA Bagheera cut out completely on a busy slip road. He called the AA who were there very quickly as he was stranded in a pretty dangerous place. The AA guy who turned up already knew what the car was and, after getting the car to a safer spot, said he was an old car enthusiast and really enjoyed working on it and similar stuff (despite the Bagheera's near zero engine accessibility). After trying various other bits, he spent ages rebuilding the distributor with bits from one Kev carried as spares and got it running spot on. Superb service and he asked Kev & Lesley if he could take a photo of the Bagheera when he'd finished.
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,500
|
|
Jul 15, 2019 19:20:44 GMT
|
Photo from 'les Constructeurs Sans Patente' French facebook group where loads of wildly modified Dauphines can be seen from back in the day to now
|
|
|
|