AEC Militant 6x6 First drive!

[@basiltaylor8910]

What you have rescued and coaxed to smoky noisy life from the bone yard , is a a late Mark One AEC Militant, short wheelbase civilianised artillery tractor originally designed to tow the 5,5inch medium gun.. The rear bogie ,hubs wheels and tyres are non standard , commercial, lacking the sling flanges on each rear hub as specified by the British Army for quick loading unloading by ship mounted derricks. On another video detailing the chassis and axles, I noticed the wheels are not standard for this model, being plain off centre discs, the Millie would be shod on military pattern' split rims' , easily identifiable by a ring of small studs just inside the rim. This unique feature enabled REME mechanics to quickly change a tyre and tube with the wheel rim still on the hub, important on makeshift, repair and servicing depots close to the front line. Millies engine is AEC,s A220 ,a 150hp 11,3 litre direct injection diesel, based on the 9,6litre A204 of 1938 designed by John Rackham with technical help from Harry Ricardo. Chassis is pure Matador apart from the rear bogie and gearbox, five speed instead of four, a bit of a handful due to its odd driver unfriendly gear gate , reverse ,second ,and fourth gears on the top , first, third and fifth on the bottom. Rear bogie is adapted from the 6x4 Marshall Mammoth, using spiral bevel primary reduction gears , double helical 'herringbone' spur gear secondary reduction with built in differential . The axle casings are the same as a Civilian Mammoth that use a single reduction overhead worm differential designed by David Brown of Meltham Mills Huddersfield. Millies are popular in UK as Timber Tractors, ex army Millies converted for that role by Douglas Engineering of Cheltenham, and make very good breakdown recovery tractors, a number of bus operators including London Tr- ansport used them to tow, recover failed buses and coaches. An old Millie will out perform any modern 6x6 on the rough stuff, and loved by fairground owners for their on site mud plugging ability.

[@RuthNewstead]

Wow

[@basiltaylor8910]

@@RuthNewstead Thanks ,AEC is my fav lorry maker, Dennis Brown a local timber haulier has restored a rare Douglas 6x6 Timber Tractor based on Millie mechanicals, rare in having a Thornycroft 'Big Ben' rear bogie regularly shown working with a steam driven mobile saw bench at my local steam rally. To start, drive, and do a bit of tree stump removal is testament to AEC,s seriously quality engineering. That same quality engineering saved Australia from being invaded by Japan in 1941-42, a single AEC 8x8 Colonial Tractor built in 1933 by AEC Hardy Motors kept Darwin in the fight supplying vital military material ,guns ammunition spare parts food ,and fuel. Its three Dyson trailers grossly overloaded and with basic maintenance , AEC,s Colonial Tractor clocked up hundreds of miles on terrain you have second thoughts driving a newish SUV, on 20 less of the Millie,s 150hp. Some trips the gallant AEC ColonialTractor hauled four trailers over axle breaking dirt tracks that would defeat a Toyota Hilux .

[@nigelbranthwaite8471]

Just love the sound of AEC engine,for me really beautiful sound, hope you keep us up to date with Miliant restoration.

[@hurricanedaniel]

A very nice sounding engine they are. Have not had much time to work on her, but i will keep chipping away. A few projects on the go. Need more time and sheds haha

[@olafb.9304]

Sounds awesome. Looks very good too.

[@hurricanedaniel]

Shes abit ruff but shes no young anymore ether

[@oldamericaniron5767]

Very nice truck, do you have the drivers door or was that missing? Beautiful scenery, it always seems the scenery somewhere other than where one lives is beautiful. For me I enjoy wide open spaces like the Dakotas and Nebraska in the U.S. I don’t know if I ever told you but I’m in southern Wisconsin, near Madison.

[@hurricanedaniel]

It really is a nice old truck and im really happy i saved it off the back of the scrap truck. Know idea where the door is. That my mates farm. Im off to the right into the bush, not alot of space for me to drive it around at home alas. Might have to talk to the bloke behind me with the farm. He has 100 acres or so of open space :) . U might have noted the area u live in. I like a bit of space without to many people about

[@oldamericaniron5767]

I live right on a state hwy, I’ve had friends comment as to how can I stand living that close to the road. I actually like it as I get to display my equipment for those who like it and have met many nice people who stop to look, I give them what I call the nickel tour. But I don’t have next door neighbors to contend with. On your truck, next fix the brakes, find a door, and so and so forth. If your like me, projects never really get finished, but are a work in progress. If you get held up on one project just move to another one is what I do.

[@hurricanedaniel]

@@oldamericaniron5767 well im down a dead end road, no hwy around ether. So no road side displays. No neighbours would be nice. Yes, the old truck could do with some brakes. Ill remove the water tank and if the chassis looks ok ill chip away at fixing the cabin. I know what you mean with swaping around with projects. Some are never finished like u say. Good thing we live for ever ay!

[@oldamericaniron5767]

I would think the frame should be fine, you haven’t had the pleasure of having road salt used to melt winter ice destroy your vehicles. If you can’t find a door I would think something usable wouldn’t be to difficult to make as it appears it would be flat. Another question, if you would ever attempt to get it roadworthy, do you have paper work to register it. Here if you don’t have a title it can be difficult and time consuming and costly to get a vehicle registered.

[@hurricanedaniel]

@@oldamericaniron5767 yes. No road salt is a bonus. Things still rust out here though over time. Door and cabin look pritty simplr in shape so that would make it easyer. No need for a title here. Just a receipt with very basic info on who sold it. Unless its been stolen or has finances owing on it. Then it can ve tricky

[@billalbion]

Not a bit of smoke.

[@hurricanedaniel]

@@billalbion was very impressive even on forst start up after sitting all those years it didnt blow any smoke. Motors running very well