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Pig chassis number


stalwart

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Just acquired a Mark 1 Pig and need to locate the chassis number in order to obtain a V5c as there are no docs with the vehicle. I have looked all over the chassis including under the nearside front wheel arch to no avail . I understand that you can work it out from the miltary reg which apparently is 32 BK 06. Is this right ? Any help appreciated !

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I understand that you can work it out from the miltary reg which apparently is 32 BK 06. Is this right ? [/font][/color][/font]

 

Yes.

 

The difficulty comes knowing the legitimacy of the military registration. It is not unusual for the registration identity to be dreamed up if the chassis plate is missing.

 

32 BK 06 is a FV1612 Mk 2 upgraded to a Pig Squirt, I'm afraid.

 

If you give me the engine serial number I can tell you to which Humber it was originally fitted.

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Clive,

 

This looks like a mark 1. The brass plate on the bulkhed says Fv1612 it is fitted with radio equipment and six fold up seats in the rear, in fact it looks identical to the kahki one on the war on wheels site. I will root around tomorrow for the engine number, any clues as to its location ?

 

thanks,

 

David

 

 

Photo0043.jpg

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David it is a FFW FV1612 & has not been converted to FFR as there no 4th antenna mount on the rear OS. I think you will find the radio set up & seating arrangements are to the fancy of a previous owner.

 

The operator's seat should just be a swivel chair, that has a choice of two fixing points.

 

The engine SN is here:

 

DSCF0606a.jpg

 

Did this come from Cornwall?

 

You say it looks like one on WarWheels, which particular one were you looking at?

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Yes Clive it did come from Cornwall, apparently you spoke at length to the vendor. The War wheels photo I was referring to is a FV1612 belong to a guy from Tyne and Wear. There are your comments in the caption. Martin, thank you for the chassis plate photo I will look again tomorrow.

 

Excuse my ignorance but what is the difference between a FFW and a FFR ? :undecided:

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The War wheels photo I was referring to is a FV1612 belong to a guy from Tyne and Wear. There are your comments in the caption.

 

Ah yes there are some errors in the display at Bovington.

 

FFW/FFR difference is not as it might seem a change from 'olde worlde' nomenclature! All Pigs were manufactured with three antenna mounts. This included the personnel vehicle FV1611 with 12A dynamo & the FFW version FV1612 with a 2-speed 25A dynamo.

 

FFW was basically an installation tailored into the vehicle, whereas FFR was a more modular concept of installation that with minor adaptations could be installed in another vehicle.

 

A key external indicator of a FFR Pig is the fourth antenna mount locally manufactured by REME & mounted on the rear OS corner.

 

Although we both know you have a Mk 1. Don't be shocked or too confused because I think you will find that the chassis plate will call it a Mk 2!

 

Most Mk 1 plates make no reference to Mk. But on some contracts it says Mk 2, because the real Mk 1 is the FV1609 of which there were 20 manufactured in 1956. So the ones to follow are really Mk 2 & when the Army uparmoured them in Op Bracelet they should have called them Mk 3.

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So, if it is FFW the larkspur set in it may be correct ?

 

Yes.

 

BTW what I said about the 4th antenna mount is correct for all FFR Pigs. But if an earlier FFW had a 4th wireless set it had a 4th antenna mount as well.

 

I have a number of EMERs that cover the layout of various combinations of sets & receivers. The seats were up to a max of 3 pedestal seats according to the role, I would be cautious about the authenticity of 6 fold up seats in a wireless Pig.

 

I don't know whether there are other sets fitted but if there are I would not assume they should all be there. Enthusiasts can get carried away with fitting just too much stuff & bear in mind this was used by a film company.

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David, I've just noticed some interesting things.

 

radiosandpig012a.jpg

 

The yellow tube is the OS fuel tank breather feeding the red item which is a flame trap. Originally the breather tube on each side would exit beneath relevant antenna mount on each side.

 

This modification was to prevent fuel spillage in the event of the vehicle overturning. It was an urgent EMER issued in 1976 for NI applicable to Mk 2 Pigs.

 

I suspect this is in fact a Mk 2 that that been retro-converted by a previous owner to Mk 1 format.

 

The fronts of the wing locker lids look a little curious as does the mounting on the OS front belly armour. I suspect there is no curtain rail beneath the canvas roof cover. If you have some more pictures it would be nice to see if there are any features that indicate its true past.

 

In conversations I had with Cornwall I think we are going to find that the engine SN is going to be 8930. This is correct for a Mk 2 Pig Squirt bearing that registration.

 

If this is a reconfigured Mk 1 it is not a disaster & from where I'm looking it looks pretty much like a Mk 1. The principal benefit to you is that the Mk 2 tyres will be not only stronger because of their construction but newer than if they were Mk 1 tyres.

 

In the rear wheel stations you mayhave better the stronger Birfield rather than Chobham joints.

 

The things in the blue boxes are the front seat belt mountings fitted to Mk 2 Pigs in 1974.

Edited by fv1609
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