FUGLYONE

Hi all I am converting a B60 from wet sump to dry sump to use in my ferret . The wet sump engine had a REME rebuild in 1991 and was crated . It all appears as new, and has its engine record in the tube. I am using the fluid flywheel off the old (ferret) engine. The dry sump/oil pump etc has been converted, and I have started bolting things on. I have put new bearings and seal in the flywheel , and when preparing to install noticed the bolts that hold the flywheel casing to the end of the (piggy) crankshaft have not been drilled for a split pin. I had a close look just on cases the previous person had just wound the nuts off, leaving the cut pieces of split pin in the hole. The old engine used split pins , but the piggy engine had none? I will have a better look in the daylight , but is it possible that by 1991 they were using thread lock instead of split pins? Or did it have a locking plate ? Any advice please gratefully received.

Thanks for the information.

Thanks Gents for your help.

Hi - can anyone assist, I am looking for a gunners seat for a Mk 1/2 Ferret. Also eventually looking for a drivers seat.? James - Derbyshire

Thanks Robin, I will make a note of that and add it to my parts available list. Have you any spare wheelnuts?

Hi - Steel or aluminium case?

Hi - so far I have been lucky. I bought the back end of a ferret complete with two wheelstations, and two bevel boxes. Then I was offered a mark 1/2 turret which is correct for the vehicle. The hull is completely stripped and my parts store is slowly building up. I found the brake drums, rear backplates and another 2 parts wheelstations. I have all the propshafts. After finishing stripping the hull out, I freed off all the hatches, and am needle gunning the hull. Its quick and cheap, and I can do in sections. Engine is "soaking". Gearbox not touched yet.

Hi Laurence, I have sent you an email as a reply to one you sent me a few weeks ago, should be in your inbox now . Regards James

Yes you are right, wrong pic. 😁

And then it went rusty again...

Sorry, wrong pic 😘

Bike is progressing. Also bought a Ferret basket case.

Thanks Phil, I could do with two new backplate assemblies.

The numbers have also been stamped into the engine casings, and it certainly appears that the Greek government did a professional job of registering the bike into their system. I have been speaking to the family and I have a pic taken in the early 60s. By this point it was leaving the Post office and becoming civilianised.

Yes please ! I am interested, but have not worked out how to send a PM, please can you give me a call ? 07866 367059

I am looking for any Ferret wheel station parts to help get a ferret back on its wheels. I am looking for any parts, NOS or parts you have taken off and kept? As long as they are usable I don't mind work in dismantling, cleaning, blasting etc to get the parts into a usable condition? I also need a coil spring, and an off side engine cover. If I can get these parts together then its a worthwhile project, but the vehicle is borderline parts donor itself. Better if it could be put back together. I am in Derbyshire , but am happy to travel. Here is my wish list: Engine cover ( O/S) Coil spring Wishbones (any) Driveshafts / joints Hub parts (Etc) Brake drums - Brake parts Longer term I am after all the tinny bits that rust, but that's a long way off at the moment. Please let me know what you have and a price . 07866 367059 Thanks

That would all make sense, so maybe the bike was sold as surplus at the end of WW2 , and a batch went to Greece, then the new owners (Greek Post Office) restamped them all, so if this one is number 450 , there may have been a lot over there?

There is a number stamped vertically in the headstock, see picture. Not sure if is on any other W/NG frames? Is that top letter , the letter Sigma, or just a M on its side. Anyone else seen one of these? Bottom mark looks like a crude crown shape?

The light olive colour/ light stone is the base layer, then there was a layer of black, and the the bright green ( was that when the Greek post office had it after the war ?) and then it had another layer of black. The bike was made I'm 1943, and ended up in Greece being used by the post office, then it went into private hands. Stripped down in the 90's and put in boxes and stored. The frame etc was shot blasted in the 90's and painted in red lead before storage. Mudguards, stays , brackets are all really solid. May have gone to Greece towards the end of the war with the British forces, or may have been bought as war surplus by the Greek post office.? Probably will never know.

Started r to strip tank and found some original paint. It's a light olive colour.

Thanks Ron I have looked closely at the parts and cannot see anything really other than black, but brown might be hard to differentiate? I will have a better look min daylight. Cheers

Hi No, not yet, still sitting in my shed ! Ready to go though, and I am looking for £150 for the lot. Please contact me on 07866 367059 if interested. James

Hello, have been away from MV's for a bit but now have a Ariel 350, which appears wartime. It all in pieces, but the frame and engine numbers are correct for a batch that were desptched between April and November 1943. It spent time in Greece then ended up with the Greek Post Office post war , then into civilian hands. I am interested to know if the bike would have been black or military green when it left the factory? Also what finish is correct for the rims, handlebars, engine and gearbox casings etc? Thanks

I have several boxes of RR B series bits and bobs, for the B40 / B60 / B80. Nothing exciting , mainly oil pump parts, oil pick ups, some distributor parts , and some pistons. I have not been through the box fully but t may contain a few handy bits. I am based in Derbyshire. Mesage me on here or 07866 367059 if interested.