question Interesting paint job on my 1989 LR FFR 90:

I bought this last week.

1989 90 FFR.

This was bought from the MOD by the defence contractor Thales as a radio testing platform. They never painted it (I have spoken to them).

Anyone identify the pattern? Looks almost like the Maltese or Australian army colours.

I have requested a report on the truck which will tell me where it served, hopefully that will shine a light on it.

Theres alot of bits inside I dont understand so Ill be interested if theres any other FFR owners here.

Thanks

Simon

Thales is French and to me the 3 colour DP looks typical French - Google on such as Saviem military trucks.

The 90" has the British MOD lighting features and front bumper , however I doubt if it left Solihull with one-piece doors & winding windows.

ISTR that the French don't allow British service vehicles in DP to pass through France , in the line of work it probably passed through the chunnel - therefore that would be my reasoning regardless of what you have been told.

Hi. Thank you for that interesting answer. You are right, it could be French paint but look also what I found on Google, although this example is left hand drive:

OK I think I sussed it - looks like its called NATO 3 tone or sometimes referred to as CARC:

As a result, in the mid-1980s a standard NATO scheme was agreed upon, adopted (with minor variations) by countries such as Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the United States. In the USA, this camouflage is frequently known as CARC, for Chemical Agent Resistant Coating, after the paints used.

Source: http://prepare-and-protect.net/2015/01/vehicle-camouflage/

But why its on a British vehicle and why it has french style doors but a right hand drive will be interesting to establish!

In common parlance , CARC is used for the paint mix. to differentiate from the earlier IRR , that was not chemical resistant for wash down.

There is the very rare colour photograph in books of British 3 colour on a Land Rover in Cyprus in the 1960's , (chicken wire & hessian) however the pic. is a bit of a publicity fake with a Bren on the bonnet. IIRC Earth / Sand / Olive + there may even be some black.

I am not aware of British Army in recent times using 3 colour - the only exception is a version of the Norway "winterized" (with hardly any photographic evidence) , 1/3rd black , 2/3 NATO Green IRR - however half of this green could be overpainted with Arctic white , then 1/3 / 1/3 / 1/3 . This would be used to end of tree line , the other alternative 1/2 black + 1/2 Arctic White , or 100% Arctic white. The Arctic White used seems to have been a emulsion.

----

The doors are not French style - they are Defender , The British Army just continied use of the two-piece door , the upper half being the alloy glazed door-top with slanted glass. There is a possibility it was a British Army 'White Fleet' , however these were civvy spec. so that does not tie-in with the lighting and front bumper which is typical TUL (Truck Utility Light) .

Hi. Thank you for that interesting answer. You are right, it could be French paint but look also what I found on Google, although this example is left hand drive:

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]126458[/ATTACH]

That seems to be a Otokar (Turkish built) , they IIRC use 3 colour NATO

The doors are not French style - they are Defender , The British Army just continied use of the two-piece door , the upper half being the alloy glazed door-top with slanted glass. There is a possibility it was a British Army 'White Fleet' , however these were civvy spec. so that does not tie-in with the lighting and front bumper which is typical TUL (Truck Utility Light) .

Thanks for taking the time to reply. When I say 'French style' I meant as in the images of what appear to be French military land rovers using the single piece door. I am aware it's a defender type door. The door is painted inside the same as the rest suggesting it is contemporary with the vehicle.

What I suggest - locate the 'Nomenclature' plate to gain the the Contract No. If the hard-top was as built up Solihull - then there is a Matrix for 'Supplementary Parts' and the doors should show up and this would would confirm they are original. If the hardtop was original - then that would tally as there would be no need for removable door tops.

Unfortunately - the Matrix for 'Supplementary Parts' that I have used comes and goes , it seems to be because it is ru hosted by a person who attended / still attends Land Rover Forums. Secondly - it is the 110 specific Contracts , however it has been reliable when I have used it for 90" things I was interested in as not dependant on w.b.

I normally have pulled it up by Gooooogling on the words Nightmail Defender Supplementary (however at times it pulls up undercad Russian ladies) , you may have to contact Green Machine Surplus - they probably supply a first print 'rip-off' copy for a few £

The plate doesnt have a contract number on it.

I would say from the internal paint that the whole vehicle is original. I dont think the FFR ever came in anything but hard top.

Interestingly this photo shows 2 110s one with a solid door and one with a 2 piece:

Done a check on a few pics. winterized 90 (winterized / waders) - single-piece doors would be correct on hardtops ex-Solihull

http://forum.emlra.org/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=13957&p=102191#p102191

Nigel Pountney (NigeP) was the expert on these - unfortunately there was a orbituary on Ex-MLRA last week , it seems he demobbed two years ago ,,

If the main Contract plate has been removed , then you may possibly find a additional small tag. plate , underbonnet or on seat-base. They are about 1" x 2" , IIRC they also indicate a Basic built up to a Contract Spec. level by Special Products Dept.

Ah thats interesting. Mine has wing top vents (one open, one closed) - I wonder if this is a sign of 'winterisation'? The photo above shows the 2 piece door vehicle without top vents and the single piece door vehicle with a snorkel. What you say makes sense.

Im waiting on admin to let me into the emlra