I bought a big and joined the circus.

[puddlethumper]

40 minutes ago, Mally said:

Looks quite tidy.

Have you driven it down, or are you living up there now?

I drove it down yesterday. Steady 60 is a nice cruise speed. 15 to the gallon. A bit eek.

[puddlethumper]

32 minutes ago, HMC said:

Wow. And those wipers. Can we have a vid of them sweeping ? (Are they air powered?)

Dunno. Lecky I think.

[puddlethumper]

A mechanic told me that for not much loot you can get 600 fuckin horse out of these engines. Drifting Motorhome yo.

[sutty2006]

6 minutes ago, puddlethumper said:

A mechanic told me that for not much loot you can get 600 fuckin horse out of these engines. Drifting Motorhome yo.

Sounds like a ruddy good idea that…. Tally ho! 

[puddlethumper]

Some interior pics. It's not in pristine condition inside but everything works which is good enough for me. It's a front door job and in front of the passenger seat a piece of floor hinges down so it's all one level.

[83C]

28 minutes ago, willswitchengage said:

I thought the Dart just used Bs (with a strange tone difference between the early and later variants)? I believe the larger and rarer Lance had the C series.

ZOMG though, what a symphony.

Edit - I think their last fire trucks also used the C series, albeit they must have been only 4x2s.

The Lance did use the C as well.

The first Darts used the B (step Dart, Dart SLF etc). Around 1999 Dennis enlarged the Dart chassis to 11.3m, shoved a Cummins C 8.3 hooked up to an Allison B300 or Voith D853/4 in the back and called it the Super Pointer Dart - almost all were bodied by Plaxton. SPDs were easy to spot because they all sagged at the back end, the chassis and body frame weren’t really up to the job of holding the extra weight. Stagecoach, Lothian and Cardiff Bus bought a number of them, the ones at Stagecoach Gloucester went ok but were very arse heavy.

Around 2002 Dennis started fitting the updated ISB4/6 engines instead to the Dart, which changed how they drove and sounded. The 4 pot examples were quick but very laggy away from a standstill. 

[Mally]

23 minutes ago, puddlethumper said:

 15 to the gallon. A bit eek.

15 to the gallon's not bad when hauling all that about.

Looks fine to me.

Are you living in it permanently?

[puddlethumper]

12 minutes ago, Mally said:

15 to the gallon's not bad when hauling all that about.

Looks fine to me.

Are you living in it permanently?

My intention is to live in it as I'm considering retiring next year. Going to get a braked dolly and stick my 305 van on the back and wander about a bit. Sort of retro rig scene. It's the newest vehicle I've ever owned. I've advanced from the eighties to the nineties in one purchase. I think I'll have a lie down so I can take in this sudden advancement. 

[Tommyboy12]

43 minutes ago, puddlethumper said:

A mechanic told me that for not much loot you can get 600 fuckin horse out of these engines. Drifting Motorhome yo.

Cummins C series is old school. Turn the pump up, fit a bleed valve and 600hp should be achievable. It would definitely do worse than the teens to the gallon it currently gets though 😂

[puddlethumper]

1 hour ago, HMC said:

Wow. And those wipers. Can we have a vid of them sweeping ? (Are they air powered?)

There are two switches for the wipers so you can have one or both going.

[Mally]

6 minutes ago, puddlethumper said:

 Going to get a braked dolly and stick my 305 van on the back and wander about a bit.  

I'd be more inclined to hang a bike  across the back, or an electric scooter inside.

It's long enough as it is, and you would never reverse it with the van on.

[puddlethumper]

3 minutes ago, Nyphur said:

Those interior shots are fantastic. Like ready to roll really.

You say you intend to live aboard and mooch around a bit - do you think you will stay in the UK, or do you have any plans for continental travel?

 

I have friends in Spain, Portugal (where I lived for 18 years) and in Holland. So, yes, it's just a matter of which 90 days are the best to fuck off. Bloody Brexshit. 

[puddlethumper]

1 minute ago, Mally said:

I'd be more inclined to hang a bike  across the back, or an electric scooter inside.

It's long enough as it is, and you would never reverse it with the van on.

I was driving tractors with trailers when I was 13 and this has a rather good rear camera which makes it shit loads easier. There are two viewing screens with slightly different distance views so maybe two cameras. Dunno. 

[vulgalour]

15mpg is only bad when you compare it to other vehicles, compared to other houses that's pretty good.

[puddlethumper]

15 minutes ago, Tommyboy12 said:

Cummins C series is old school. Turn the pump up, fit a bleed valve and 600hp should be achievable. It would definitely do worse than the teens to the gallon it currently gets though 😂

Agreed. But could be somewhat amusing.

[puddlethumper]

1 hour ago, sutty2006 said:

Pictures needed of inside! I love these, proper home from home. But I do fancy an m938/9 or an m35 reo one day. Mmmmmm. 
 

6bt is a 5.9 is it not. 

It's an 8.3 six pot and it is also big. The engine cover is the bed. You can climb in there with it.

[puddlethumper]

Tax is £165 a year. Not bad for a house.

[Sir Chocolate Teapot]

I've just moved back to UK and need a new home, this would be ideal , maybe, if I had somewhere to park it.

[Mally]

14 minutes ago, puddlethumper said:

I was driving tractors with trailers when I was 13 and this has a rather good rear camera which makes it shit loads easier. There are two viewing screens with slightly different distance views so maybe two cameras. Dunno. 

Van on trailer yes.

Van on dolly is harder.

 

[loserone]

 I was about to offer you a place to park up if you're passing this way, but... How wide is it? I don't think it'll fit!

[puddlethumper]

3 minutes ago, Mally said:

Van on trailer yes.

Van on dolly is harder.

 

Agreed, but with a little practice I reckon I could do it. The best way is to park up where you don't have to.

[puddlethumper]

6 minutes ago, loserone said:

 I was about to offer you a place to park up if you're passing this way, but... How wide is it? I don't think it'll fit!

8ft ish. I'll have to measure width and height as it was a close fit at my mates Mot place. 

[loserone]

Oh, no bother then.  Holler if you're passing North

[808 Estate]

Bloody epic. I must admit a bike on the back would be cool.

[loserone]

2 minutes ago, 808 Estate said:

Bloody epic. I must admit a 305 van on the back would be cool.

I agree!

[puddlethumper]

20 minutes ago, Sir Chocolate Teapot said:

I've just moved back to UK and need a new home, this would be ideal , maybe, if I had somewhere to park it.

If you want to stay in one spot farms are a good possibility for not much dosh. While I'm still working I've got a couple of places not far away. One is a secure warehouse scene and the other is a caravan and motorhome storage site where the owner has had a couple of caravans stolen from and I reckon will be up for a bit of on site security. The other thing you can offer is a few hours a week doing stuff to pay for the park up. Depends what you are good at and if you can trade it.

[davidfowler2000]

15 to the gallon is pretty decent for that. I used to get 8mpg in my L10 powered Leyland Olympian. It truly was a 6 wheeler though... yours is 4 wheel, 6 tyres... ya fucking TEASE!!!

Although I can see where Mr @Inspector Moroseis coming from with his low opinion of Cummins C series engines, they are a nice engine when in good fettle (esp in 24v guise) but they are a VERY SOFT engine, especially for commercial applications.

[willswitchengage]

7 hours ago, puddlethumper said:

Tax is £165 a year. Not bad for a house.

Which band is that?

[sutty2006]

10 hours ago, puddlethumper said:

It's an 8.3 six pot and it is also big. The engine cover is the bed. You can climb in there with it.

That sounds like a great place to sleep. ☺️

[eddyramrod]

Seriously Lovely!