Nobody could start WWII vehicle from 1943 until team of volunteers finds way to bring it back to life
Published on Feb 27, 2026 at 11:09 AM (UTC+4)
by Jason Fan
Last updated on Feb 27, 2026 at 11:09 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Jason Fan
A WWII vehicle, the Daimler scout car better known as the Dingo, had sat silent for years before a team of determined volunteers decided it was time to wake it up.
Built in 1943 and now owned by the Internal Fire Museum of Power, the compact British reconnaissance car arrived as a non-runner with a box of missing parts and plenty of unanswered questions.
Nobody knew when it had last fired into life.
However, that uncertainty only made the challenge more appealing.
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This WWII vehicle was no speedster
The whole restoration process was featured by YouTuber Mr Hewes.
The Dingo is a fascinating bit of wartime kit.
Weighing around three tons and powered by a 55-horsepower Daimler straight-six engine, it produces about 18.3 horsepower per ton.
It also features a five-speed pre-selector gearbox with five reverse gears, meaning it can technically go as fast backwards as it can forwards.
Of course, most sensible people probably wouldn’t try this feature out.
When the volunteers first hooked up a new battery, they were encouraged to find the engine would crank.
Unfortunately, compression told a different story.
One cylinder barely managed 10 PSI, while others showed healthier numbers around 90 PSI.
The discrepancy in the readings made the team brace for bad news.
However, instead of panicking, the volunteers got methodical.
They adjusted valve clearances, rotated components to clear possible debris, and even rigged up a homemade leak-down tester using an old spark plug and an airline fitting.
Air escaping through the carburettor pointed toward a valve seating issue.
After a bit of careful tinkering, compression numbers dramatically improved, with previously weak cylinders climbing close to 100 PSI.
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It took a ton of patience to bring it back to life
Fuel delivery proved to be another headache.
The carburettor was partially blocked and had been assembled incorrectly at some point in its life.
After stripping, cleaning, and reassembling it properly, the engine began to show real promise.
It would cough and splutter on starter fluid, but still refused to fully catch.
The team then turned their attention to the ignition system.
Although there was spark, the wartime coil appeared weak, especially after warming up.
The fix was a practical one: upgrade to a modern coil, new HT leads, and fresh off-the-shelf spark plugs.
It might not be perfectly original, but reliability won the argument.
With everything bolted back together, the moment of truth arrived.
The Dingo fired up almost immediately, settling into a surprisingly smooth idle.
The team readied themselves for horrible noises or dramatic smoke, but neither happened.
Instead, the 1943 engine came back to life, and it even moved under its own power.
For a WWII vehicle that had been dormant for decades, that first cautious drive was a triumph.
As it turned out, all it takes to revive history is plenty of patience.
If you want to watch the full restoration video, you can do so below:
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Jason joined the editorial team at Supercar Blondie in April 2025 as a Content Writer. As part of the growing editorial team working in Australia, and in synergy with team members in Dubai, the UK, and elsewhere in the world, he helps keep the site running 24/7, injecting his renowned accuracy and energy into every shift.
