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https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-67997406

The mentioned ERM Contract(s) - do you know of their DIS years ?

Have you known of any ERM - GS dated 1977/78 ?

If only I could remember to my memory all this !

As far as I am aware - roughly (financial year) as they fall in step :- GB = 74/75 GJ = 76 , 77? GN = 77 , GT = 78/79 , GX = 77 / 78 then it was HF = 79, 80? , HG = 80, HH - 80 , 81? HJ = 81? etc. Don't recall any 'GS' Contract Year ?

That would account for the very short service life with RAF - 1959 to March 1963 when it received civvy First Registration. https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/VehicleFound?locale=en

PLASTIC & there are others similar - cheap for tractor cabs etc. The Defender style mirror by Ashtree is quite good and a close copy of the original by Britax, there are also copies just as good (IIRC made in Taiwan) sold by the 'aftermarket'. A genuine steel shell type made by Wingard / Britax as used on late model LWT - new or used could be quite expensive £

Your grille mesh has a aperture for bonnet release - this is civvy, I think S2 were like S2A no bonnet release - as reliant on a pair of spring-loaded bonnet catches & the weight of the spare tyre helped. Your razor edge bonnet - does it have trace of spare mounting ? Is your tub civvy or military - if the bulkhead/transom has facilityto secure the spare wheel - that's more civvy. If not but has a hook spine thing to secure a T bolt - then that is a military feature to mount a 1/2 Jerry for engine L.O. I think your truck is a Solihull /RAF AMALGAM , it may have RAF nomenclature but it does seem a civvy basic utility, a true military spec. has many more fittings. For base facilities - a " cost-cutter". I stored a front axle tube (no diff.) for 4x2 and IIRC it was for a early S2A Ex-RAF & as strange as it may seem ISTR it had twin petrol tanks. The tube was just that with a pipe-flange each end to bolt the chrome swivel housings , I still have it but it's under 2ft of concrete along with a few dismantled leaf springs for riverbank anti-flood reinforcement.

I have the book - just need to find it ! Paint colour - I tend to look where people fail to rub down prior to brush/roller or spray - because it's out of sight. Cover plates on dash - remove , seat base / bulkhead /tub - often original paint extanct. Few places underbonnet / firewall. You are certain to find Solihull factory evidence somewhere. I have known hoods to be painted yellow on roof - sometimes they have a vinyl roof glazing for 1/3 to 1/2 approx. area, this is not just with glider tugs.

Have you considered setting up a Ltd. Company , business of Abnormal Load ESCORT , you having the Lion's share of £100 paid-up ? Capital equipment , vinyl chevrons, couple of amber beacons , old Ford Transit or Toyota pick-up or even a old Range Rover or Fiat Panda 4x4 LoL (I have one). ISTR that brokers love real commercial business and 5+ vehicles insurance & the premium £ tumbles.

Normally a S2 88" would be a Rover 6 (a S2A 88" would be a Rover 8 or 10). I doubt it was a Rover 6 as I think it was more a straight civilian BASIC spec.. It does have 'stacked' front light fittings indicating a military spec. however over 60+ years wing panels do get changed. Presently I can't lock on to the Contract / Item No. FV18003 was this 10 cwt 4x4 truck / VAN airfield lighting maintenance vehicle in Series One form kitted for a crew of four. (Rover 3 , 86" w.b.) 134 vehicles supplied to RAF in 1955. I can't fully remember but the S2 'run-on' may have been 4x2 , possibly provided by Ministry of Supply (Ex-C.D. top-up) It would IMHO have been a Contract Code B - meaning a BASIC civilian spec. with a few military bolt-on (Optional Parts - such as a tin-top & cat-flap) + a few one-off military spec. parts such as a single 'dickie' seat in the tub - basic ladder rack & extension ladder. It would probably have a NSN of - 2310-99-893-3439 or one very near. Your chassis No. is probably in the range 141100963 to 141102369 or near ? Part of the nomenclature could have included CL (ComerciaL) and ISTR Army actually allocated a VRM --CL-- , CL semed to be extinguished for all S2A military production but was reactivated for S3 (but not inclued in VRM). Perimeter track work + airside - I would say it probably was all yellow , airside would normally be roof = yellow. Bit of a strange one - sorry can't assist any more.

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I think I would be using (after cleaning) aerosol ROCOL , or similar manufacture , Chain Drive spray - periodically to get the latest thinking of extreme pressure lubricant & additives where it's needed.

If it has 'brackets' made from flat-plate abt 3mm thick x approx. 50mmx80mm affixed to the top door hinge - then these are correct part for fitting the 5/8" stem mirrors or the Defender mirror. Unfortunately the common bodge is to bend the hinge and drill abt. 1/4" dia. to bolt the mirror on direct (secured with two hex. nuts then hidden behind the hinge. More than a fair share of KD LWT I have seen with Defender alloy door tops (used prior to civvy single piece doors) , in fact probably all the few KD I have seen , so I suppose these were fitted on Solihull line. Perhaps on-highway safety is to be considered more than time-line accuracy. You need to see the rear O/S corner , as close to rear & behind & overtaking vehicles. Due to differences , human build , Defender seats etc. I would say tilt-rolled up & choke on exhaust fumes , interior mirror & Defender with convex glass. Modern vans are better equipped but any LR with a hood or tin-top seems to have more danger than Classic vans BIG or small. Have you noticed that overtakers sometimes appear out of nowhere ?

btw - wings went unchanged with door mirrors - they just fitted a grommet. 1979 on - proper FFR front wings had a spade lid for co-axial connections box & IIRC miror hole was deleted.

S2A & S3 had 'long-stem' wing mirrors with a oblong head (that cracked at the corners) , in the 1970's I was also fitting door mirrors/brackets by Wingard - from the lR Optional Parts book - you could use the oblong or round head (that did not crack) but also fitted a 'overtaker' , these civvy parts had a 1/2" dia. stem. It would be 1979 VRM of HF , that the wing mirrors were dropped and a WINGARD door mirror was used with a heavier hinge bracket , these have a 5/8" dia. stem with bigger oblong head - these had a steel shell and are now RARE although many plastic copies very near - these were from the "commercial catalogue". Defender arms/heads - I think Solihull may have fitted on very late KC & KD , also by Britax/Wingard , the parts bin was probably empty and superceeded by the Defender type that had come on stream & arguably better (in convex). Defender type - the Britax type were coped by others - you would be hard pushed to tell the difference , most of these made in Taiwan and are a fract.ion of 'genuine' ££ (As used on LWT - boomerang spring mechanism was on all Britax-WINGARD) cheapo wing mirrors often just clamped with a pair of large flat washers. . For rivet-counters - genuine long-stem wing type NOS are a top $ totally stupid price most Rover 1 / early S3 resto are spoiled by lacking. Real r/c.trs would only fit a proper metal shell head to a door mirror.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-frames-and-dollies/a-frames-and-dollies

I suppose most people just accept the word 'dashboard' like garage without question to origin , I think the construction / finishing of this Peerless dashBOARD - finally nails the matter - other than DASH & btw , I don't know the origin of the word garage ?

But it's 20+ years since MVS handled the S3 fleet disposals m, £ inflation during this period ? MVS - £2K would have been average / good but not VGC , a low mileage Minta unblemished was £3K Presently - £ have slid back - but average / good (unmolested) - you are looking at £8K to £10K private & if you can find a genuine low mileage minta with MOD service record - then the £ valuation would be well north of that for S3. These Super-Traxion should be a good long lasting tyre , or tire as they are U.S. manufacture and arguably their standards will exceed the UK / Euro. minimum requirements of E Conformity, they are expensive , the £ is high but probably enter UK on a pallet not in a 40ft container. It would be interesting to see what private import £ would be for a set of 5 (but I always use old tyres for spares).

4 qty. in (UK) stock - however you would have to launch the boat out ! http://www.northhantstyres.com/sta-tyres-sale/650-16-sta-super-traxion.php

Those Vredstein Classics (but out of stock) - on 5.50 rims are a very good tyre - suit me as best all-rounders. 7.00 were always the best tyre on a civvy 88" Basic utility / CL , at least with a 2286cc diesel you did arrive https://www.vintagetyres.com/vehicle-make/land-rover/land-rover-series-3-88

Nip over to France for some 7.00x16 , a far better size for a LWT than 7.50x16 (and does not need a change to speedo head) , shop around - you should find them lots £ cheaper. Approx. 2 years ago I read a article about the Series One LR "REBORN" vehicles , starting at £80K +++ for a repaired chassis from OZ fitted with lots and lots of spurious parts and for 6.00x16 - they were fitting new Bar-grip / NDT https://pneucollection.com/en/military-4x4/1167006469-tire-firestone-700-16-100n-ndt.html

AFAIK E Conformity confirms both EU and International standards bound by the UN (thus UNECE) and the big stick is wielded on the person selling (resale) - ultimatedly he is the one (if proven) liable in event of a malfunction. Brake hoses are subject of ECE & J marking. Likewise brake friction materialm performance (although there is approx. 10% tolerance). So your Britpart brake hose will be as good out of a LR box or a Delphi etc. box - it's just the £ profit some make. I have been watching tyres sold for Jeeps for several years - most are 6.00x16 but also some 6.50x16 , the next point to watch is the single axle loading marked on sidewall. 2 or 3 years ago they started entering UK marked E , often two options - the one costing a few more £ marked as Firestone. Remould and Re-cap tyres seem to be getting the E treatment , a few years ago these were only subject to a B.S. AU number (that I forget). The makers tyre spec. books (some by leading makes , mainly C commercial tyres) some I have going back to abt. 1980 , the tables all being the same - origins ETRTO (European Tyre & Rim Technical Organisation) , hence BREXIT regarding tyres does and in future will mean zilch - standards are too far entrenched , obviously public safety means all..

AFAIK - to legally sell , they must have E conformity marking even though we are now BREXIT. A personal import providing you pay duties , by some loophole you would probably be in clear , however if involved in RTA - your insurance would probably be void. However to import for 're-sale' tyres without E , then that would be a grey import that does not conform to Sale of Goods Act etc. However - I am a mere retired insurance engineer who attended the odd tyre safety course (in relation to mobile cranes/carriers) & one of my best mates who was a Trading Standards Inspector has been deceased abt. 10 years.