Mad Scientist

John wrote: "I can only apologise for any upset this innocent headline has inadvertently caused, but remain mystified why a simple play on words, about the fact that it is a Scout Car using the title of Baden Powell’s famous 110 year old, scouting handbook, should have any negative connotations. Such plays on words are common in magazine headlines such as the ‘four wheels on my ‘wagen’ line on the cover." Here's my two pennorth... I think Clive got it right when he said 'These magazines are good at giving newcomers an insight into the range of vehicles that they might find attractive to own or model, particularly if someone has never been to a MV show' I also agree with him when he says 'Extraordinary that these magazines that are meant to be about military vehicles, seem to be largely devoid of any technical information about servicing & keeping them running'. Before we criticise John C too much, I'd like to point out that its hard to write day in and day out. I've spent seven years writing a microscopy textbook. Hard work, yet easy to slam it when its published and reviewed: anyone can do that, and they do. I have also been that side of the fence and reviewed lots of books. My reviewing style is easier on the author these days! cheers, Mad Scientist

Thanks Robin, I wondered whether to PM you directly, but put out a public post in the spirit of the forum. Yes, it must be the same bloke. I'll get in touch, all the best, Jeremy

Hi to all our friends across the pond, I was exhibiting my Ferret Mk2/3 atthe Harwell Feast, the local annual village fair in our village, today and a chap called Towrie came up and said that his brother was in the military vehicle scene in Canada. I said I'd put a shout out on HMVF. Does that name ring a bell for any of you? cheers, Jeremy aka Mad Scientist

Hi Tony, do you have details of the replacement unit, please?

Hi Robin, Its a crowbar. I know its non-standard. I saw one on another privately-owned Ferret and, because I don't have sand tracks, decided to lash this securely to the antenna tube. I covered the lashings with a short length of webbing strap. I got the crowbar cleaned and black enamel-coated, then painted the ends red. I think it looks the part with the front glacis furniture, but it also has two other functions. First, it provides a strengthened step-up when getting on and off the vehicle from the front, so the tube is not bent or damaged. I've seen a Ferret suffer side-swipe damage when a car hit it as it was exititng a T-junction, so a very much secondary purpose is to help minimise impact damage. Jeremy

Hello folks, Robin asked for pictures of these LEDs, Here are pictures of the three LED types compared with the original 5W incandescent sidelight bulb. Sidelight bulb = 1x brightness Classic cars LED = 2x brightness, warm white Chinese LED 1 = 6x brightness, cool white Chinese LED 2 = 4x brightness, cool white cheers, Jeremy aka Mad Scientist

Hi Robin, Thanks for your support, other have also raised very good points on this thread. As a newcomer to HMVF, I have found this forum very helpful and useful. I'll post some pictures in a day or so. My apologies, it would make much better sense to show these LEDs in place on the vehicle. As regards LEDs for the headlights, I'm waiting to hear from Classic Cars LEDs about the LED replacement for the BPF P36d headlight that they are developing, which should be available later this year. other than that, I have not heard of a headlight LED alternative, or found a 24V one online. This page offers 6v and 12v BPF LEDS, but I have no experience of buying from it. cheers, Jeremy aka Mad Scientist.

Hello folks, With the original post I constructed the heating curves because I wanted to check that the LED I selected wouldn’t overload the wiring or the lamp unit. The one labelled Chinese LED 1 (2) in the picture was a powerful one that I initially bought. I have decided not to fit it because it is cool white. Here’s a Google short URL link to the ebay webpage. https://goo.gl/c45GB5 The cost is $2.99 or £2.50. The one labelled Chinese LED 2 (3) in the picture came from a relative; sorry, but I don’t have the seller's data, webpage or price. The one labelled Classic car LED (4) came from Duncan Rickards of Classic Car LEDs. The 24v negative earth sidelight LEDs cost £6.99 for a pair, and the red stop-tail LEDs £15.50, including postage. I realise that there are a multitude of vendors to choose from, but I was very impressed by Mr Rickards on the phone, and took his advice to fit warm white rather than cool white for the sidelights as more in keeping with the classic incandescent look, and to fit the red stop-tail combined LED rather than the white version behind a red lens cap. The LEDs also arrived the next day. Thanks for the heads-up about the potential insurance company issue; worth looking into. For the time being I’m using them for safety and the E mark query can wait! I’ve fitted LEDs because I reckon that brighter = safer on a slow-moving camouflaged green classic vehicle. Robin makes a good point that you can always revert to incandescent bulbs. Hope this helps, Mad Scientist aka Jeremy

Hi John, PM sent, cheers, Jeremy

I've recently replaced the BA15s 5 Watt front sidelights on my Ferret with LEDs. These draw much less current and thus should be kinder to old wiring looms. The LEDs are also brighter - between two and six times brighter. I used a thermocouple datalogger to measure the temperature effect of three different compatible 24v LEDs, since the 4,300 lumen super-LED that I have replaced in my searchlight, which is seven times brighter than the headlight bulb, has to have a thermal cut-out incorporated in its circuit. I ran the lamps and LEDs for an hour each until the temperature reached equilibrium. The ambient temperature was 14-16 C. The old incandescent bulb reached 43 C. When taking the temperature of the bulb/LED, the air temperature within the space between the bulb and the clear glass lens (lamp holder cover) was measured. The thermocouple did not touch the surface of the bulb or LED. The temperature of the bulb holder was also separately measured. It reached 52 C. The LEDs reached between 16-26 C. The time on the X-axis is in minutes. Classic 5W incandescent bulb approx. 75-100 lumens. Fitting: BA15S Chinese LED 1 1156 BA15S 54 LED 3014 SMD Car Tail Backup Light Bulb White Emitted Color: Pure White; Colour Temp: 6000-7000 K Power, luminous flux = 540 lumens Voltage: DC 12-24 V Input power: 3 W Current: 125 mA @ 24V Size: 3.5 cm x 1.7 cm Ø Brightness factor over incandescent: 6x Chinese LED 2 Twin chipped high Power LED bulb Emitted Color: Pure White; Colour Temp: 6000-7000 K Power, luminous flux approx: 400 lumens Voltage: DC 12-24 V Input power: unknown Current: unknown Size: 2.9 cm x 1.7 cm Ø Brightness factor over incandescent, approx: 4x Classic cars LED 24 VOLT WARM WHITE 8 SMD 5050 LED BULBS GLB149 BA15S 5W Emitted Color: Warm White Bulbs;Colour Temp: 6000 K Power, luminous flux = 160 Lumens Voltage: DC 12-24 V Input power: 3.2 W Current: 134 mA @ 24V Size: 3.7 cm x 1.7 cm Ø Brightness factor over incandescent: 2x The Classic cars LED is warm white, the Chinese ones are cool white. Warm white will give a more authentic look. I'm told by Duncan Rickards at Classic cars LEDs that they are developing an LED replacement for the BPF P36d headlight, which should be available later this year. I use his red 24v stop-tail LED at the rear, since these are also brighter than the 21/5 W Bay15d incandescent lamps. If anyone wants the data for the stop-tail LED, I can also post this heating graph. I've decided not to replace the incandescent indicator 24 W indicator flasher lamps, because an electronic relay is required for the LEDs to operate, and the old thermal relay only just fits behind the instrument panel and its awkward to get to and repalce. I reckon its only worth replacing those lights that are on more or less continually. cheers, Mad Scientist

Hi Bob, Have sent PM re SMG pamplet. Mad Scientist

I've been looking for 1" Brass end tips to make up my own custom length straps for a while. The HTC site is perfect! :-D Thanks MatchFuzee, you're a star!

Hi Keith, Welcome aboard from Jeremy. I'm the Ferret owner in south Oxfordshire. Will see you, I hope, at the next MVT meeting in the new year. All the best!

Have to say that Paul Meekins Military & History books have been very fair, fast delivery and the book in mint condition. I will always go to a specialist seller and support them rather than Oxfam. Clive is right: you wouldn't want a business taking your job through unfair advantage, would you?

Many thanks, Adrian. Now you've told me the search term, I have found exactly what I need on evilbay. Very grateful indeed. This is a great forum :-D and I appreciate all the help I've been given. cheers, Jeremy aka Mad Scientist.

Hi Adrian, Doh! :red: Realised as soon as I saw your message that I didn't include measurements - which is what scientists do, even mad ones. These buckles are 1 and 1/4 inches at their narrowest extent, are 1 and 1/2 inches wide at their maximum width at the ends, and 1 and 3/4 inches long, measured in line with the axis of the webbing strap. I can PM to discuss further. cheers, Jeremy

Hello folks, I'm looking to buy 3-4 strap buckles like that shown. Don't necessarily need the webbing material, just the plain buckles. Can anyone help, please? cheers, Jeremy aka Mad Scientist, Oxfordshire.

Hi James, Good to hear from you. Acquired a Ferret two years ago, and a Fort Worth daughter-in-law one year later. We are not often in the Fort Worth area since we are the UK side of the pond but when we do come over, hopefully next summer, I'll PM and make contact. Mine is also a Mk 2/3, 1958 vintage, 01DC86. Fitted with Clansman. All good wishes, Jeremy

Dear Nic, Looks like you got what you wanted. Is it this handbook? If you need pages from this, PM me. cheers, Jeremy

Dear Chris, Many thanks, I am very grateful. Easy to buy a big red box because it looks good and then wonder what to do with it, but even better to be told exactly what it is and what it does. This forum is fantastic, thanks again for your reply. cheers! Jeremy

Hello folks, Please can anyone tell me how the red Control Box R.C.D.M. fitted into the vehicle harness and what is was used for. Currently on evilbay (401106681577). NSN 5820-99-900-9092. thanks, Jeremy aka Mad Scientist

Hi James, Welcome on board. Our eldest has recently married a lass from Fort Worth. Can't be sure when we're Stateside next, probably next year, but when we do come over I'll let you know. It would be great to see you and the Ferret. Mine's also a Mk2/3 1958 vintage 01 DC86. Yup, you get the green bug and have to acquire the kit. Its incurable, but there's a great set of mates and cameraderie to be had. All the best, Jeremy aka Mad Scientist

Hello folks, a serving RAF officer has contacted our MVT group. He is looking for our help to locate an RAF Blue Landrover. ‘My fiancé and I are looking for an RAF Blue Landrover for use as our wedding vehicle when we get married near Malmesbury, Wilts on 23 April this year. If anyone owns or knows of any such vehicle, we would be very grateful if you would get in touch.’ If anyone can help, this is a fantastic and very practical way to support our service personnel. You can PM me on this forum or contact Ian directly [ian.david.hall@gmail.com]. cheers, Jeremy

The Daily Telegraph obituary is in the paper Tuesaday 23rd February.

Hi George, It looks as if you have managed to save a nice piece of kit - well done! I wish it had been me There's one on ebay at the moment No. 231838627993 with an asking price of £80. Another from an army surplus seller has a price of £140. A Swiss army one is on ebay for £60. The smaller square foldaway No.2 MkII modified cookers are currently going anything from £40 up to £100 in good condition on ebay, and between £130 and £150 in very good condition from commercial army surplus stores. Hope that helps, Jeremy.