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BATUS Ferret 00CC78 Refurbish


albertamj

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Your so right Andy, after I turn on the ignition, a subtle change in the sound of the pump lets me know that fuel has reached the carb then all that is required is a touch of the starter. You have a good point about priming the engine with oil as it turns over though ...

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Paint!

After numerous setbacks we have finally painted the hull. I remember my first assessment of the Ferret when it came to paint almost a year ago "Oh, it's small, how much work could it be?" Even though this hull had no corrosion issues and only one layer of paint (that I could detect), cleaning and scuffing all of the nooks and cranny's took hours. After paint, the fenders and exhaust were mounted for the last time. We used black header wrap on the exhaust tubes and a thicker exhaust material on each side of the hull for a better seal. Next up, bins and rims ...

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What a wonderful job you are doing. A real drag about the fuel pump.

 

I wonder when I look at the straightness of the fenders (wings for our UK readers) how many times they have been on and back off for tweaking.

 

What paint are you using and what type of gun?

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Hi Robin,

 

Thanks for your comments, as I'm sure that you are aware, painting is 95% preparation (hence, the many hours spent working on the fenders). Painting without a proper paint booth presents its own challenges, so doing this in the spring is the best of a bad situation (no bugs).

 

As for paint, we use Cloverdale single stage Industrial Speed Enamel and cut it about 20% with their No. 11 thinner. We matched the color off of a Daf released from Suffield. The spray gun is from KMS Tools: https://www.kmstools.com/vaper-hvlp-spray-gun-10864

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So when you matched it to the DAF you were able to get a panel that had not been sun bleached I am guessing?

 

I wont make any comments on colour as computers and cameras lie horribly.

 

Will you be wearing carpet slippers to operate it? I once visited a guy in the UK down the road from Duxford who made me take off my shoes and put on booties and only walk on tea towels draped over the bins. It was scary. Nothing wrong with starting nice and clean and straight. I have been gettig really good results in other oil painting using a 3 inch wide foam roller. Local hardware store keeps them in stock for me. I find they get in everywhere and cover well.

 

Oh yes, bug season will be upon us soon. Wise man.

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We used an interior panel from the DAF and the color match was excellent. Your're quite right, photos distort color, especially when the pictures are taken in the evening. I have several NOS parts from the U.k. that are painted in the contemporary British Army green and it matches very closely. I've added a shot of the rear ...

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Very nice work and attention to detail. Just like you did with your previous restorations. Top Notch!

 

 

 

 

 

We used an interior panel from the DAF and the color match was excellent. Your're quite right, photos distort color, especially when the pictures are taken in the evening. I have several NOS parts from the U.k. that are painted in the contemporary British Army green and it matches very closely. I've added a shot of the rear ...
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Thanks Gents,

 

CaptMax, you have probably noticed my obsession with the the color right - I've seen quite a few Ferrets in North America, restored in various shades of O.D. green, some even in CARC. If you own it, you can paint it any color you like but I prefer to stay true to the vehicle and the country it served with. Outside of Bronze green, the British NATO green is quite pleasing, especially with the black camouflage added.

 

I have uploaded one of the many reference photos that I have found on the web. The restoration of this particular Ferret inspires me (photo originally posted by Bo Bergmann Christensen on the FV700 site)

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Thanks Gents,

 

CaptMax, you have probably noticed my obsession with the the color right - I've seen quite a few Ferrets in North America, restored in various shades of O.D. green, some even in CARC. If you own it, you can paint it any color you like but I prefer to stay true to the vehicle and the country it served with. Outside of Bronze green, the British NATO green is quite pleasing, especially with the black camouflage added.

 

I have uploaded one of the many reference photos that I have found on the web. The restoration of this particular Ferret inspires me (photo originally posted by Bo Bergmann Christensen on the FV700 site)

 

albertamj, Thank you for the reply. I agree with you on the idea of keeping it as correct as possible. Bo's restoration is a beautiful example too and I am well aware of it. Like yours, his work is inspiring as well. I will say it again, "Beautiful Restoration". :thumbsup:

CaptMax

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  • 2 weeks later...

Mother Nature has been messing with me! A late snow storm has made working on the bins difficult - I prefer to sand and grind outside rather than in the garage, so I've put my orbital sander aside and started working on the radio equipment. The first photo shows the recently painted Interconnecting Box IB2 - I ran a new power cable from the Radio Junction Box (not designed for my sausage fingers). The newly covered head rest on the side hatch is also visible. I paid way too much to have a local auto upholstery shop recover them. I still have to repaint the crew boxes, however, everything has been tested and is working fine. I have a Clansman 353 and 352 en route from the UK along with all the accessories and cables needed. The Aerial bases have been added. The final picture shows the addition of some of the upper hull accessories (this is the detail stuff that I love!).

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  • 1 month later...

Hi All,

 

It's been awhile since I posted - for the most part, life and work have conspired to slow my progress. I've chipped away at some of the little things when time permitted such as refurbishing the splinter screens ...

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Now for the next big step - stowage bins! I would hate to count the number of hours that I have into smoothing these things out. I just finished painting and will install them tomorrow (or tonight if I get too impatient :cheesy:

I have a deadline as I've committed to showing the Ferret at the Alberta All British Motoring Society Annual Field Meet on June 10 (I work best under pressure ...)

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Thanks Toolman,

 

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel - still tons of little bits to sandblast and paint. I'm even getting some room to walk around in the shop (as all the parts start going back on)! Interior shots ...

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Thanks Sexton,

 

I already have an M38A1 and a Bombardier Iltis restored with an M38 and early Script GPW patiently waiting. The latter will be a factory restoration so it will last several years and be enjoyable (as there is no rush to finish). The Ferret on the other hand, will represent my one attempt at armor (I don't foresee trying anything like this again). Compared to the jeeps, it is a major investment in time and money. It is also like nothing I've ever owned before - the cool factor is off the charts! I hope to take her to many MVPA events over the next several years so it has to be done right and reliability is everything.

 

So this is supposed to be the fun stuff (putting parts back on), however, we've been pushing so hard to finish that it feels more like a forced march than a leisurely stroll in the park! Nonetheless, progress it is - camouflage has been sprayed, rims have been stripped and painted and the lights are nearly completed. I will push back the inspection until Thursday (supposed to rain tomorrow) so this gives me a little more time to prepare.

 

We also had a leaking hub seal - after all the work on the brakes - ugh! Off comes the hub and associated gears and needle bearings (yet again), only to discover some grit around the backing plate surface - nothing major but apparently enough to start a small leak .... I can say with confidence, that the Ferret's floor is dry and we only have a drop or two at a couple of the corners - all in all, nothing I can't live with.

 

The final picture shows that my detached garage is full of MV's, now my attached garage is full of MV's and my wife's car sits on the driveway - trouble is brewing!

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Hi Terry,

I'm using my memory (suspect at best), but I recall that without the plastic sheet and using only the inner and outer black felt, 2 X 1/4" thick pieces of glass worked perfectly. Everything fits nice and snug and looks factory fresh. The biggest challenge was getting them apart as some of the slotted head bolts seized in pretty good. Luckily, I had a good impact driver and broke everything free.

 

Darcy

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