|
Alvis Stalwart
|
Copyright 1999 Bruce Pilbrough.
|
The "Stally" today known as "Stolly" was designed in 1959
and was put in action in the mid 1960's.
It is a reliable workhorse that was designed to cross rough English
countryside terrain at a maximum 40 mph or traverse a water obstacle
at around 6 knots.
Advancement in helicopter design and the military change of mind
to an all diesel fleet put an end to the life span of the workhorse.
|
Copyright 1999 Bruce Pilbrough.
|
The Alvis Stalwart has his own URL
and a very active mailing list "STOLLY" on www.yahoogroups.com/
The picture shows the chief designer of the Stalwart (with the flat cap on) in the back of Dave's Stalwart on a local river.
|
Copyright 1999 Bruce Pilbrough.
|
David Deaville send me a picture that is better
than Madonna in the flesh an explosive view of a Stolly it is a jpeg 0.5 Mb pixel size 1750 x 1270.
Pictures send in by Jaap Rieuwerts and Frank Craig (Toms Stolly)
and pictures of Movie & Advert-Star Stolles and some pictures where
I do not know where they came from.
Can be found in a special directory.
Together with some MPG video
and more Stolly pictures
|
|
Engine, Rolls Royce straight eight B81 water cooled petrol
Capacity, 6516 cc's
Max. power, 220 bhp @ 4000 rpm
Max. torque, 335 lbs/ft @ 2500 rpm
Transmission, 5 speed primary gearbox.
Single speed transfer case.
Reverse and "No-Spin" differential in transfer case.
Drive to centre wheel bevel boxes.
Further drive to bevel boxes at each front and rear wheel.
|
|
It got a second life as a tour vehicle.
But sins it is a highly specialised offroader that was never
designed to run on asphalt, there for it has only one differential (left and right).
That means that the 3 wheels on each side rotate at the same revolutions
and that gives a lot of winding up.
So in the end something will break or one of the bevel boxes will give in.
That combined with higher safety demands by the US Cost Guard brings an end
to that second life.
|
|
Bruce on the Stolly mailing list said:
240 BHP dry sump engine with twin plate clutch, all wheel drive, twin circuit
brakes with dual servos, disc brakes all round, alloy wheels with 14" wide
tyres, central driving position, hand built, limited rearward visibility.
£ 15,000 (reputedly) when new in the mid 1960s and probably £ 250,000
or more if they were built today.
Fuel economy - "If you have to ask, you can't afford it sir"
Very sporty sounding!,
or is this close to the description of a tractor?
Bruce
|
|
This is Simons mk1, at this moment al that is missing is the swim board but
the restoration/rebuilding is complete with badging etc.
Below is an Email of the Stolly mailing list by Simon.
I think it more a poem than a mail. :)
This wonderful green six wheel monster.
Weather it be:
replacing wheel stations,
replacing main gearboxes,
repairing transfer box seals,
lifting the engine out and back in again,
matching up tyres,
replacing the exhaust systems,
changing gearbox oil,
watching wheel wind up.
What ever it may be I will always love my stolly.
I knew what was involved
when I bought it and I can say:
I have enjoyed every minute working on it.
Come on guys its a Stalwart,
you either love it or you don't.
There is nothing more exiting
than dropping in to a nice calm lake engaging the jets
and pulling that hand throttle back to 3000 rpm
and listen to it sing.
Simon
|
|
This vehicle will never die, if will sail into a never ending sunset.
The 4th, 6th and 8th pictures on this page are made by David Deaville
The 7th is made by Simon
The 5th must be made by Richard Notton
but I think that I'm in error there.
|
