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Converting a Ferret for my disabled Dad to drive.


oily

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hello all you technically minded people, - here's a little puzzle for you all.

 

My 74 yr old Dad, Bob Kill is a registered disabled driver, who is able to drive automatic cars only, his current vehicle is a 2.4ltr Volvo C30, it has a fold-down throttle pedal for use with Dad's left foot, since his right lower-leg is a false one. He copes remarkably well with this arrangement, and walks without any walking stick or crutches. The fact he only has 1 and 1/2 legs is only apparent when he sits down, and the artificial knee joint shows up as 2 'bulges' in the knee of his right leg. Recently, at 'Overlord 2011', another forum member, and colleague from S.O.E. (the show's organisers), let my Dad climb in his trusty, (and slightly crusty!), Ferret. When the show had finished for the day, and members of the public had dispersed, 'ax40', let my Dad tootle-off to the now deserted arena, with me as 'commander'.

My Dad drove Ferrets, Saracens, and Centurions, (and other vehicles too), 50 odd years ago, when he was serving in the Queens Own Hussars, and 3rd The Kings Own Hussars, previous to that, so you could say he knows more than a little bit about these vehicles....

Anyways, -heres to my main reason for this post,.... Dad is umm-ing and ahh-ing, as to whether it would be feasible to easily and cheaply convert/adapt the pedal controls in a Ferret as follows:

Modify Throttle Pedal to allow operation by left foot, (leaving original in place to allow right-foot operation).

Modify Brake Pedal for operation by either left or right foot (so normally abled driver can use it.

Next comes the stumbling block:.... if there is provision for a left foot brake pedal, it would possibly encroach on the space needed for the GCP, (Gear Change Pedal), making the pedal area a little 'crowded'

I think, looking at the space available it might be just possible to do this mechanically, but also I was wondering if there's any way the GCP could be operated pneumatically, for when Dad is driving, and by the pedal, when a normally able driver is using it? Of course I realise there is no standard engine driven air supply on a Ferret, as there is on a Saracen (Tyre pump), but I think an electric compressor could be rigged up, and hidden in a side bin, to provide a suitable compressed air source.

Any thoughts or constructive ideas are welcome.

Dad has been thoroughly 'bitten', by the Ferret-bug, and is thinking of selling his car to fund:

 

a) my sister Debs' Wedding,

b) finish the restoration/modification of his Trojan 200 bubblecar, (which I'm so far successful with,-replacing it's original 198cc engine and manual gearbox with a modern 250cc scooter engine with CVT belt transmission)

and since driving the Ferret again,

c) buying and adapting a Ferret Mk1,(turretless for ease of access)

 

We are also wondering about the legality of such a conversion, since there is probably no commercially available kit to convert/adapt a Ferret in this manner.

 

Can you all rack you brains and feed me your opinions/ideas?

maybe we can get an 'Old Soldier', back on the road, or maybe just round the arenas at shows?

 

many thanks,

 

oily

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Just an idea or two

 

It might be better to change the accelerator pedal to a hand throttle similar to a quad bike but that would mean leaving only one hand on the wheel which would be extremely tiring after a while.

 

You could mount another foot pedal on the same rod as the original pedal its only located with two pins through the pedal and rod.

 

Air supply the bottom crankshaft pulleys on both the alternator and dynamo have spare grooves so potentially you could fit something in the area. It wouldn't be easy so little room.

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I dont know enough about Ferrets to be of much use, only driven them a few times, but rigging up a small electric compressor in a side bin so that the GCP can be worked pneumatically with a hand control would be quite easy. And not that expensive, if you used second hand bits from a bus and coach breakers

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Here is my contribution.

 

Remove the GC Pedal and fit a second accelerator pedal in its place .

 

Operate the gear change with a hand lever instead of a pedal . ( A left hand lever )

 

Your dad could use his left foot to brake and accelerate. As he drives he selects the next gear (up or down) with his right hand , and when selected he operates the change lever with the left. Basically he would pull it back, releasing the brake band pressure , and allowing the change to occur. When it has changed he would allow the lever to return to its normal position.

 

The lever could be quite long to overcome the significant pressure clamping the brake bands in the on position.

 

Dont know if it would be legal on the road , but it would work safely for arenas. Once the correct gear has been selected it would be driven as normal. After all when you change gear on a manual car gearbox, you have to take your hand off the wheel so what's the difference?:D

 

If you want to get complicated you could install a geared servo to operate the gear change lever at the gearbox end, energised by a button on the gear selector lever ? i.e. press the button to make the selected gearchange ?

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