1944 Diamond T Tank Transporter (Pt.1)

This week the team get stuck in to bringing this 1944 Diamond T Truck back to its former glory.
Will we have it ready for show season ?

[@davidbarnsley8486]

Charlie did quite the job fixing the vent 👍👍

[@davidbgraham461]

As an RAEME Recovery herbert, in the 60's, l had a Diamond T with a Gar Wood recovery setup on the back. It had a canvas top; great for the Aussie summer. l loved that beast ! Watch youtself with the Jeep; they can sometimes trip over their front wheels ; disastrous for anyone who stays seated,during rollover! Keep up the fun, please.

[@TheBlebski]

Back in the day we had a few DT’s a Hercules and RR engined variant, we even managed to recab the RR one with a Ford D-series cab, it was obviously wider than the original which gave us more space, it worked hard as a wrecker for 30 years until our garage closed. It took time to get used to the twin stick gear shift operation but it would never let us down

[@DevilbyMoonlight]

Am going back about 40-50 years ago, as a kid I remember there was a well known Garage in Swansea that had a Diamond T as a breakdown truck for years and years...

[@legbreaker2762]

Looks like the team is growing. Be nice one day to get a proper intro for them all.

[@gnashman9894]

Totally agree, a Q&A introducing everyone would be fantastic

[@blitfire]

I feel like they're not the sort of people to talk about themselves at any length

[@dennis38y]

Jack would be happy to talk about his length

[@legbreaker2762]

@@blitfire I'm thinking just a quick intro for each one. Attach a name to each face and about 30 seconds describing their background and how they came to be involved. Nothing too deep and meaningful.

[@spudgunson]

30 years ago a friend of mine won a recovery contract for a section of road work on the M6. Unfortunately at the time he didn’t have a recovery vehicle for HGVs. Luckily for him he got in touch with a military vehicle collector somewhere in the midlands who was selling two diamond T’s, one was an open cab and looked amazing. The collector also had a Sherman which he fired up for us. Its engine ran like a dream. Anyway, the T’s were driven back to Lancashire on side roads and what an experience! No power steering, brakes and a turning circle similar to a barge. The straight six engines were incredibly loud and we must have woken 100s as we drove through the night. Great machines. They worked fine on the M6 and just required painting white and having turret light fitted. I’m looking forward to seeing your progress 👍

[@andrewwhitnet3557]

Charnock Richard?

[@spudgunson]

@@andrewwhitnet3557 correct 👍

[@russellletch7435]

Excellent work and talented team good to see young blood that’s what’s needed 👍

[@w.w.2restorations.vehicles698]

I have the same thoughts about folks who "quick patch" things in an attempt to make rust issues better. It just shows that the person at the time either was too lazy to fix it correctly or didn't have the skill to repair it properly. I have been fighting this battle since 1995 when I bought my first 1942 Chevy G-7117. Great job Lads, I can wait to see this Rare Old Girl roll down the road under Her own power.

[@tridbant]

Yeah,yeah. Wonderful to live in a perfect world where you have the time, space and money to fix things properly.

[@ewanstewart8011]

There used to be a few Diamond T’s up here in the Highlands used for ploughing snow on the A9 in the 50s until the early 70s they could push a lot of snow with chains on 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👍🏻

[@davidgibbings6085]

My friend Steve clay had a diamond T we went to loads of shows in it , once it was pissing with rain and wipers stopped so I had to manually go onto the foot plate and move them so he could see where to go first stop was the pub after that hard work and several pints later of home again , great days 👌💯😉

[@mikewinston8709]

I saw a REME Diamond T still in service in 1975 in the Field Workshop in Duisburg, Germany.

[@Icebuntrucker]

love a Diamond T. Years ago a recovery co used one to move busses spent hours watching them at work . Keep up the good work guys and girl .

[@highpath4776]

Love the building , the asbetos roof with the wind keeping out expanding foam must be nice and toasty all year round

[@avap2677]

Haha , fun . I thought the same ! Greats from the Netherlands.

[@MrHewes]

One day il buy a new roof but things take time

[@avap2677]

@@MrHewes Don't worry about it, it's an addition to your nice work .

[@davepearce6359]

The old adage, if the jobs worth doing then do it well. Brilliant effort by all on the diamond T. 👍🏻😊

[@tridbant]

So you’re out in the middle of nowhere where you have to finish the job without workshop equipment.But you say nah no slipshod job back you go and fix it properly.

[@paoloviti6156]

I have only seen the Dimond T on videos or period documents. A vehicle I like very much! Looking forward to see more about this restoration 👍👍👍😊

[@sparkplug0000]

I can do the mechanicals but I truly suck at bodywork, so I’ve always had great admiration for those who are good at it.

[@darrenhawken9766]

Great team work there Mr Hewes .Diamond T great looking workhorse 👍💨💨

[@Steve-bo6ht]

Well done Charlie that's excellent fabrication all about taking you're time and getting it right first time

[@brianellis4964]

In 1973 we had DT's carrying our Churchhill and Centurion AVRE's.

[@KevinWhittaker-z5y]

Blown away by your knowledge of the engines. I only commanded AFV's never knew what made them tick..REME job that...very impressed.

[@450moto9]

Can’t wait to see it up and running

[@ianwood9457]

Great work again lads lady and puppy dogs 👍🇬🇧

[@teamidris]

Tech tip swap; the internet fab guy gets a brand new earthmover gearbox housing in that they’ve dropped on the dock side. Big hole in the cast bottom :o He grinds it back and welds around the edge for a foundation. Then he welds in a normal mild steel plate. No cracky crack crack because the normal steel isn’t brittle. To say I was impressed was an understatement :o)

[@kreemkrackered3755]

Another banging video - looking forward to seeing this beast restored to its former glory.

[@derekdee9592]

Some serious welding going on there !

[@lesthiele4921]

Just another day for the boys, a five minuts vieo and it will all be 100% perfect, great work guys, bedt regards from a Kiwi living in Australia 👍👍👍👍

[@FrontSideBus]

Looking good gents, and lady!

[@rogerjayraphael]

Cracking Pair of Manifolds on that Paint Job. I seen what you did there 😉

[@martiniv8924]

My dad loved the Diamond T’s, used them in North Africa and Italy , Korea 👌🏻😎

[@paultanker5606]

G'day to you,it does my Old Heart good seeing a Brilliant Historic Piece of Machinery having some TLC done,about 20 odd K's from me there is a Bloke with a couple of Acres of WW2 Trucks and Uni. Carriers all rustingaway itbis so sad to see the GMC's etc just turning into Rust Piles! Expat Mancunian!

[@andygabbott5376]

Looking smart, well done everyone!

[@lancecluster]

Am I the only viewer interested in knowing who the changing cast of helpers is? Just curious. I also sometimes get confused about where the vehicle "appeared from", I guess I have missed a few updates. I do very much enjoy the videos and find them interesting.

[@MrHewes]

Il make sure to add more context in the next one!

[@p51dghostrider]

@@MrHewes its a freebie, like all the others...........

[@kmech3rd]

You've found a rare gem... the lady who enjoys working on practical things, or at least doesn't hate it. This is some fantastic content. I wish I had a shop like this and time and health to enjoy it.

[@WozWozEre]

Weird take. Loads of women love working in technical stuff.

[@peterthomas120]

Hi we're I live there is a diamond T parked up at a recovery garage was on show for years now down the back of the yard great videos

[@kimmurphy5977]

My father drove a diamond t Tank transporter across Australia during the War

[@johncart2082]

Hes probably not made it across yet at 20mph😂

[@brianwillson9567]

Each of you guys has more ability and commitment that a boat load of dinghy divers some regard as essential to our country’s wellbeing. Can do, will do. Admirable.

[@johnnunn8688]

‘Gonna need a bigger shark’!

[@KHGrinderboy]

Wow, the work you guys do is seriously good, despite the japes, piss taking and laughs. Awesome.

[@barrydavis3044]

What cool work you guys do i just love it.🤘

[@peterburton3147]

Well done mate!

[@matthewdickson7838]

Superb video and iconic old truck looking good ..

[@slickmouse]

Good skills from your bodywork guy

[@philglover2973]

Craftsmanship at its best well done lads👍🛠️🔧

[@trams66]

Very nice 👍 A pacific M25 would be really cool 👌

[@henrymichaelwilson8107]

Hello there. There are still a fair few about. There's a couple near us. One as the rag top and a 8 cylinder gardener diesel. And the other as a hard top and a 6 cylinder Leyland 680 diesel. They are both 980T s. Originally they were petrol. Imagine the fuel they would use pulling a tank around.

[@allanrichards3752]

I love the Diamond T. it is such a nice looking vehicle. I made a 1/16 scale RC one to take some of my 1/16 Tamiya RC tanks. I wish I could have a 1:1 scale Diamond T.

[@NeunundSechzig1]

Very cool Project 👍

[@eddielane9569]

Nice to see you guys work on other things other than tanks. I was in the United States Marine Corps and my first MOS was Motor Transport so I have driven a few different vehicles and my second MOS was M60 A-1 Tank Crewman and that was the one I liked the most. The 1944 truck is in pretty good shape for its age. I guess some people don't realize you can't put aluminum over steel and not expect it to rust worse than it was before. Look forward to the second video of this project. By the way the blonde women in the video makes it all worth watching. Tell her I said she's gorgeous.😊

[@mbak7801]

The English approach to praise is to almost do the opposite. 'Gorgeous' in US in the UK is 'Not too minging'. A good job is described as 'not bad'. A really good job is 'not too bad at all'. High praise that.

[@colderwar]

@@mbak7801 She's easy on the eyes

[@Brigadier9]

@@mbak7801 "How're you doing today X?" "Still alive, still kicking." - X

[@johnnunn8688]

What was your first MOS and what was the second? (Sorry to have to ask but there are so many Walts about 🤷‍♂️)

[@colderwar]

@@johnnunn8688 I got the notification for your question to the crayon eater above. Silly KZbin. But anyway, my MOS is LSD 666 - Unemployable Biker, First Class

[@twin40dave]

Nice rebuild, back in the day our local recovery guys had a Diamond T I think from memory it did 6 to the gallon 😮😮😮😅

[@BrumKid]

Cannot wait for 6th August to see all your toys and i might even get to say Hi to you all.

[@paulwalker427]

Fantastic job

[@solobushcraft1]

Looking well so far

[@matthewheutel3405]

Blessed be this old girl - proper bloke transporter do say so meself

[@stco2426]

More continued greatness and fun. Cheers!!

[@robleary3353]

Nice one! Nuff said!. 🙂

[@colinblick4903]

Diamond T an Ward LeFrance are some of the best military haulers going…..Dodge ain’t bad either😎💪🏼

[@DIVERBLOKE1]

Proper repairs. good to see.

[@markwest9658]

Making a silk purse from a pigs ear comes to mind

[@atligunnarsson2406]

You guys are great.👍

[@reddo84]

lovely Diamond T.

[@MaraDaCoriovallum]

Nice....a truck without plastics....😁👌

[@lukehann303]

Looks great, would love a Diamond but dont fancy travelling at 25 mph haha.

[@an_oshkosh_guy]

Cant wait to see it put together and driving, makes me want to restore one of ours

[@woodennecktie]

this channel is growing better and better

[@gordonagent7037]

Looks awesome, credit to Charlie and the team

[@davegreenwood7575]

Well done , The Hewes Corporation is obviously expanding...great work though...well apart from treating dogs badly.

[@Hugo51079]

A Good friend of mine, Will Brittain-Jones, has a peach of a Dimond T amongst his other toys. Even got a lap around Goodwood in her a couple of years ago. The gearbox is impossible to comprehend for a mere mortal like me….

[@Regmou5]

That painted winch cable is gonna look great rolled out

[@MrHewes]

The client doesn’t want to fit a new one. It’s up to him

[@patchmack4469]

oh yes in these cases you have to use the right Charlie, using the wrong Charlie can lead to further issues down the road and using dissimilar metals, great fun, that rust dust gets in there and soon eats everything, suddenly there's nothing left but flakes of paint

[@JohnSmith-qm6xx]

GREAT AS ALWAYS! KEEP THEM COMING?

[@samuelgoddard5248]

wouldn't wire the starter motor into the head light dip/main beam switch that will fuck it up real quick. definitely run it with tanks plumbed in with cab off as i know from when i did mine it's a lot easier to sort problems out.

[@bobrob2917]

Put some ear protection on guys, otherwise you'll miss 1/3 of what most people are saying in 5 years or so, it sucks!! Plastic hoop with foam buds on ur neck are easy, or muffs :)

[@al1971]

I have no idea if you are aware of the famous Wynns Heavy Haulage company from Newport south Wales. But legend says that shortly after WW2 Mr Wynn saw a US Army Diamond T leave skid marks on a road....he was that impressed he purchased a load of surplus Diamond Ts and modified them for his business.....once yours is up and running could you re-enact that skid? 😁👍👍

[@giorgioterzoni704]

👍Um ottimo restauro

[@wideyxyz2271]

Nice work as always chaps. But where is Ted? Substitute Ted was not quite the same!

[@nickaxe771]

Can I ask what engine is in this Truck.....I see its a diesel......would have expected a big petrol. Great work by everybody.

[@НиколайШабалкин-г1п]

Какие вы Молодцы ребята.Удачи............😀😀😀😀😀

[@gijohn2]

almost at 100k subs, good work!

[@MikeDent]

Now i know what I couldn’t get any expanding filler in Screwfix yesterday.

[@MrHewes]

My workshop is held together with the stuff 🤣

[@richardhainsworth5415]

I worked at Buckley brothers in Mossley 1971, we had a D T with holmes 750 wreakers on the back, lost sight of it in 1975 as I left the company Last see by me in 1977 on the M6 services outside Birmingham, no serial number comes to mind wondering if you have come across it on the restoration front

[@prophaniti1]

Have a chat with your boys about wearing eye protection when using a grinder, one of my lads recently lost an eye, he's not entitled to compo as he wasn't wearing work provided safety equipment.

[@diavlosforce5819]

cool old truck. did you ever make another video of this diamond t truck ?

[@mastercylinder1939]

There’s a fare few Diamond T’s, here in North America.

[@kamillwojtowiczz3324]

Nice truck

[@mikehunt3222]

With those fenders you shouldn’t need body filler for the dents because the metal is thick enough to pick and file it. But by the looks of the rest of the truck maybe they had to patch a rust hole.

[@allanbeck4634]

How many hours in repairs to this point? She's looking good!

[@MrHewes]

Weeks

[@scottnyc6572]

Rust is like a cancer,you can’t simply cover it up and pretend it was never seen.Good job men!!

[@johnnunn8688]

I’m confused. We normally see you, Jack and the bullied one. Who are these extra ‘workers’, people employed by the vehicle owners? How does it all work, how do you keep track; are you akin to the Mekon?

[@ДмитрийПопов-б5в]

Это была очень очень ценная машина. В Иркутской области они работали на севере, в Ирзолтрансе.

[@nicholassimpson8232]

Cheers mate

[@johnbooth4740]

Fantastic job! What engine is in it?

[@CockadoodleDont]

In-line 6 cylinder diesel made by Hercules. **Well it should of had that motor to begin with I should say lol

[@jenskmigselv]

Love the powertools! Are you sposored by Team Red?

[@MrHewes]

Sure am

[@tylerstansbridge4263]

F*cking too right especially aluminium 😂😂

[@samleigh7817]

Suppose it will only haul miss Diane and T34, your cents and chiefs will be a bit heavy for it.

[@johnnunn8688]

⬆️ there, a bloke says they had them hauling Cents.

[@paulriggers1558]

hold on, dog crying in the background, our old friend is missing, + a substitute dog getting a pet, now what is crimestoppers number again... looks like someone got mixed up between a welding torch + a paintbrush, just can't get the staff... keep it up young man

[@rmetcalfe8208]

Even Ted's had a new hair job...

[@tomcox3379]

Re: comment about people who do this should die... Don't take this to hart but the reason you have Bod's diamond T, is he is died some years ago. I would guess he put the check plate over the air vent so he didn't get cold. He was driving at quite a good age. He would do what needed to done to keep it going, without having time for doing a full restoration. I think he would be very impressed with what you are doing to the diamond T and the other work you are doing. Keep up the good work

[@nicovdv934]

Nice👍👍

[@ianb6595]

Good vid detail again

[@jeffparker4490]

My dad drove one of these in the war , on loan from the yanks I have a picture of him standing next to it ???

[@jessen00001]

We are looking forward to a lot of AquaBlasting videos 🎉😅