Saracen Build-up

[montie]

Monty,

 

I doubted very much whether the plug thread was metric. Checked the Stalwart plug in same location, and that one is 1 3/16" Unified Special (UNS) and would bet that yours is the same.

 

Hi Richard,

 

Fortunately that problem was sorted with a specially turned-up tap.

 

Interestingly, when checking the threads with a thread gauge, the metric 1.25mm pitch rides ever so slightly on the plug threads whereas the 20 teeth per inch fits perfectly. Checking the plug outside diameter, it comes to a perfect 30.02 mm as against the 1 and 3/16" that should measure 30.1625mm.

 

So, I had the tap turned up to 30mm OD and 20 teeth per inch. Voila, everybody happy!

[montie]

Hi guys,

 

I have now called up superior knowledge to help iron out the hassle with the hydraulic system. If everything goes to plan, we are tackling it tomorrow evening, being not so cold anymore, summer is approaching.

 

Did check the hydraulic tank fluid level, it is actually overfilled. Engine is a bit low on oil though, filling up might just kill the one idiot light which I don't know what it's for.

[oily]

when checkong engine oil on a saracen, according to the manual..... it says start engine, and run for a short while, approx 5 mins, until warm, then check oil level.

I tend to check it 1st, if no oil shows at all on dipstick, add some til it JUST shows on the very tip, then start engine, run for 5 mins and re-check.....

[oily]

when checking engine oil on a saracen, according to the manual..... it says start engine, and run for a short while, approx 5 mins, until warm, then check oil level.

I tend to check it 1st, if no oil shows at all on dipstick, add some til it JUST shows on the very tip, then start engine, run for 5 mins and re-check.....

[montie]

when checking engine oil on a saracen, according to the manual..... it says start engine, and run for a short while, approx 5 mins, until warm, then check oil level.

I tend to check it 1st, if no oil shows at all on dipstick, add some til it JUST shows on the very tip, then start engine, run for 5 mins and re-check.....

 

Hi Oily,

 

Thanks for the handy tip, man, just back from work and on my way to the Saracen for that oil level checking.

 

Till later,

 

Monty.

[montie]

Seems like I added a bit too much oil, when the revs goes up, oil gets pushed past the breather. Yeah, when idling, there is no sign of sump compression. I have purchased 20 lit of SAE30, might as well do on oil change while in the process. (first wanted to drive it around a bit before doing that)

 

I also see petrol dripping from the throttle shaft of the carb, so that will have to come off as well for a rebuilt.

 

Talking of leaks, the left hand centre bevel box is also losing oil, so, two more bevel seals to be changed. Ah what, it is keeping me busy.

[montie]

Hi guys,

 

I have been trying to populate this registration list as far as I could, please see if you can add in some info. Here is part 1 (too long otherwise)

 

 

 

Saracen Registration Numbers

 

 

 

 

Saracen, Alv 1 first prototype Saracen, only a civilian registration number

30BA00 Saracen ACV Alv2 First Saracen off assembly line, Info by John Pearson

30BA10 Saracen Up armoured Mk5 Alv 12, owned by John Pearson

30BA12 Saracen Mk 1 APC RE Bomb Disposal

30BA62 Saracen APC

30BA77 Saracen APC

30BA78 Saracen Mk 2 APC

30BA79 Saracen APC

30BA83 Saracen APC

30BA92 Saracen Mk 5 Armoured Command Vehicle

31BA20 Saracen NFI

31BA43 Saracen Mk 1 APC

31BA71 Saracen APC 1st Kings Dragoon Guards Malaya 1954/58

31BA77 Saracen Mk 1 APC

32BA10 Saracen APC

32BA39 Saracen 28 Gurkha Transport Regt Hong Kong

32BA42 Saracen APC Hong Kong

32BA52 Saracen ACV

32BA60 Saracen Mark 3SA Saracen 88

32BA52 Saracen Mark 3SA Saracen 88 Alv 185

 

51BA13 Saracen APC

 

62BA87 Saracen ACV Ludgershall

79BA88 Saracen Mk 1 APC

79BA97 Saracen Mk 1 APC

79BA98 Saracen Mk 1 APC

79BA99 Saracen Mk 1 APC

 

80BA46 Saracen APC Mark 3 SA Saracen 88 Alv205 ex Mk 1

80BA50 Saracen APC Queens Own Yeomanry

80BA57 Saracen APC

 

Australian Saracens, info by Rick Cove

Australia had some 28 APC versions of the Saracen

BRITISH REG NO HULL No AUST REG NO

81BA02 366 115366

81BA11 538 115367

81BA78 --- 115375

81BA80 --- 115388

81BA81 --- 115385

81BA83 --- 115379

81BA84 --- 115380

81BA85 512 115364

81BA86 --- 115381

81BA87 --- 115382

81BA89 --- 115383

81BA90 --- 115384

81BA94 521 115369

81BA95 522 115365

81BA97 524 115378, Privately owned by Rick Cove

81BA98 525 115363

81BA99 526 115362

82BA01 528 115361

82BA03 530 115373

82BA05 532 115377

82BA07 534 Saracen Mk 2 ACV 115368

82BA08 535 Saracen Mk 2 ACV

115389

82BA10 537 115376

82BA12 539 115387

82BA17 544 115374

82BA18 545 115372

82BA19 546 115390

82BA23 561 115386

88BA09 536 115370

88BA13 540 115371

 

83BA78 Saracen Mk 5 Privately owned by Oily, (Matt)

82BA44 (APC) Saracen Info by ChasSomT

81BA45 (ACV)? Saracen

 

[montie]

Hi guys,

 

Part 2 of the registration list.

 

82BA00 Saracen Mk 2 APC

82BA06 Saracen Mk 2 ACV FVRDE 1962

82BA07 Saracen Mk 2 ACV Australian (Duplicated)

82BA08 Saracen Mk 2 ACV Australian (Duplicated)

82BA22 Saracen Mk 2 Ambulance

82BA60 Saracen APC converted to ACV

82BA62 Saracen Mk 2 ACV

82BA68 Saracen Mk 2 ACV

82BA78 Saracen APC

82BA85 Saracen Mk 5 APC fitted with Anti RPG Mesh Ludgershall

82BA87 Saracen Mk 2 ACV

82BA90 Saracen Mk 5 Ambulance

82BA96 Saracen Mk 5 ACV

83BA06 Saracen Mk 2 ACV

83BA19 Saracen FV611 Ambulance 1 of only 12 produced

83BA41 Saracen Mk 5 APC

83BA49 Saracen Mk 1 APC Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal

83BA57 Saracen Mk 2 ACV

83BA61 Saracen Mk 2 APC

83BA78 Saracen Mk 5 Privately owned by Oily, (Matt)

83BA84 Saracen APC

83BA88 Saracen APC BAOR 1980s

84BA04 Saracen APC

84BA16 Saracen ACV Ulster

84BA25 Saracen Mk 5 APC Privately owned, Paulob

84BA26 Saracen APC Hong Kong

84BA32 Saracen Mk 5 ACV

84BA39 Saracen Mk 5 ACV

86BA06 Saracen ACV

96BA67 Saracen APC Mark 3 SA, Alv 721 Ex Mk2, Saracen 88, privately owned, Monty

96BA69 Saracen APC Mark 2 Last known, sold to W. Banister

97BA61 Saracen Mk 5 ACV

98BA25 Saracen APC was 17/21L now privately owned

98BA29 Saracen Mk5 Up Armoured Post Strike Recce Vehicle

98BA31 Saracen Mk 2 ACV?

98BA37 Saracen Mk 5 Ambulance Up Armoured

98BA50 Saracen Mk 6 with Riot Bars Ex Hong Kong, now Sydney Australia

98BA78 Saracen Mk 2 APC

98BA81 Saracen Mk 2 APC Reverse Flow Cooling

98BA82 Saracen APC

98BA90 Saracen Mk 5 Ambulance

00BB21 Saracen APC

00BB33 Saracen APC

02BB40 Saracen APC

05BB41 Saracen APC

09BB55 Saracen ACV

01CA88 Saracen APC

02CA04 Saracen ACP FV610 ATO Vehicle at RSofA

02CA05 Saracen ACP

02CA12 Saracen Armoured Command Post FV610

02CA14 Saracen Armoured Command Post FV610

02CA30 Saracen ACP with Radar GS No 9 Mk 1 ‘Robert’

01DA38 Saracen Armoured Command Post

01DA61 Saracen ACP

01DA69 Saracen ACP

01DA72 Saracen ACP

01DA75 Saracen ACP

05FF15 Saracen Mk 6 SWD

 

05FF26 Saracen Mk 6

 

05FF31 Saracen Mk 6 RPG Mesh

 

05FF35 Saracen Mk 6

 

05FF50 Saracen Mk 6

 

05FF54 Saracen Mk 6 Ambulance

 

05FF77 Saracen Mk 6

 

05FF82 Saracen Mk 6 SWD

 

05FF83 Saracen SWD Ulster 1984 (possibly last to leave Ulster)

 

05FF87 Saracen Mk 6 reverse flow cooling, RPG Mesh

 

05FF90 Saracen

 

05FF95 Saracen 28 Gurkha Transport Regt Hong Kong

 

06FF06 Saracen 28 Gurkha transport Regt Hong Kong

 

06FF23 Saracen Mk 6 SWD

 

06FF28 Saracen Uparmoured Ulster

 

06FF36 Saracen Mk 6 EOD

 

06FF42 Saracen Mk 2 EOD Ulster

 

06FF51 Saracen NFI

 

06FF53 Saracen Mk 6

 

xx Saracen mk 5 ACV Privately owned by haybaggerman

xx Saracen Mk 6 Privately owned by FoolsHumor, (Bob)

83BA78 Saracen mk 5 Privately owned by Oily, (Matt) included in list

xx Saracen Privately owned by Andyroo

xx Saracen Mk6 Privately owned by Fasttrax

xx Saracen Privately owned byM151tx

Xx Saracen Privately owned by berna2vm

Xx Saracen mk5 ACV Privately owned by Saracenstump

Xx Saracen Mk6 Privately owned by handler 69 (troy)

Xx Saracen Privately owned by mwarrior (long time, no hear)

Xx Saracen Privately owned by val (long time, no hear)

[oily]

good info, Montie.... you HAVE been a busy lad!......Thanks....:-D

[m151tx]

ok montie

 

here you go.

 

Mark Witham/Eddie Furr

SARACEN MK5

Texas USA

 

vehicle id number 82 BA 60

Dis 20 JUN 55

 

HULL WAS STAMPED SEPT 54

[montie]

good info, Montie.... you HAVE been a busy lad!......Thanks....:-D

 

 

Thanks Oily, I got your Saracen's number of one of the photo's you posted.

[haybaggerman]

Sorry Montie, you know as much as I do about my saracen's mil reg., I'm intrigued about the possible stamp under the fuel tank though, hmmmmmm....

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[montie]

ok montie

 

here you go.

 

Mark Witham/Eddie Furr

SARACEN MK5

Texas USA

 

vehicle id number 82 BA 60

Dis 20 JUN 55

 

HULL WAS STAMPED SEPT 54

 

Thanks guys, I will update the list, I see your Saracen is listed as conveted from APC to ACV. Is that a fact?

[montie]

Sorry Montie, you know as much as I do about my saracen's mil reg., I'm intrigued about the possible stamp under the fuel tank though, hmmmmmm....

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

Hi Paul,

 

Nagging question, hey? But intrigued enough to lift the fuel tank for that, it's a lot of work?! :undecided:

[montie]

Ahh, the stuffed thread thing, the tap turned out to be too soft to cut the offending bits and pieces in the threads. So, made a good fire in the coal stove and hardened the offending piece after having had to trim off the damaged tips of the threads on the tap. Will have a go at it again, hopefully it will do the job now!

[montie]

Montie,

 

What was the company in the USA selling? Manuals or parts?

 

Thanks,

 

Bob

 

Hi Bob,

 

Have you got any photos of your Saracen posted on any of these threads? I would appreciate one to include in the updated Saracen registry, which is still a long way from being finished and learning as I go.

[FoolsHumor]

Hi Bob,

 

Have you got any photos of your Saracen posted on any of these threads? I would appreciate one to include in the updated Saracen registry, which is still a long way from being finished and learning as I go.

 

Montie, I had hoped to have better pictures of my Saracen before posting any here but it does not move under its own power at the moment, so it may be a while before better ones occur. If anyone notices anything that may give me a clue to its history, it would be much appreciated. No numbers of any kind found except the escape hatch numbers posted earlier.

Thanks for the help.

 

Regards,

 

Bob

[montie]

Montie, I had hoped to have better pictures of my Saracen before posting any here but it does not move under its own power at the moment, so it may be a while before better ones occur. If anyone notices anything that may give me a clue to its history, it would be much appreciated. No numbers of any kind found except the escape hatch numbers posted earlier.

Thanks for the help.

 

Regards,

 

Bob[ATTACH=CONFIG]32466[/ATTACH]

 

Thanks for the photo Bob, that is how we find these gems before a lot of work goes into it and bringing (trying) them back to life!:-\ If they were in better conditions, they'd probably be out of reach of most pockets and not have the same value for the new owner.

 

This photo (and others):cool2: can go a long way in helping with info. I am no boffin at all, Richard for one, can probably help with info.

 

This is probably a reversed cooled Saracen by the looks of the vents on top of the nose, with the turret and two doors on it, later than the earlier three-doored ones. It appears to be a Mk 3 (Mk2 with RFC). I think I have displayed my ignorance here, so we learn.

 

Do you have the User Handbook MKs 1-6 (1976 reprint), it would help a lot. There is a fair amount of model descriptions in there.

 

This is how I found mine if it will help.

 

 

 

 

[John Pearson]

Sorry, you have mistaken what I said about my saracens: I have two and a saladin Mk 2 and a saladin Mk 2 Floating on long term loan.

Details as I have them:

Saracen

30BA10. Chassis ALV 12. Contract no 6/FV/2979, Mk 1 ACP Built 1952. Road Registered MFF 713

98BA40 Chassis ALV???, Contract no 6/FV/12368, Built as Mk 2, date in service 15/3/1957altered to Mk5 Ambulance 1974

 

Saladin

07CC80 Chassis ALV 419 Contract KL/A/09, Mk 2 A/C, Date in Service Aug 1960. Road Registered HSJ 395

06BB90 Chassis ALV??? Contract 6/FV/16159, Mk 2 A/C. Date in service Nov 1958 Converted to floating Feb 1969 according to record s but photos exist of it being tested as a floating vehicle in 1965

 

I will be looking at the escape doors to check the two chassis numbers I do not know!

[montie]

Sorry, you have mistaken what I said about my saracens: I have two and a saladin Mk 2 and a saladin Mk 2 Floating on long term loan.

Details as I have them:

Saracen

30BA10. Chassis ALV 12. Contract no 6/FV/2979, Mk 1 ACP Built 1952. Road Registered MFF 713

98BA40 Chassis ALV???, Contract no 6/FV/12368, Built as Mk 2, date in service 15/3/1957altered to Mk5 Ambulance 1974

 

Saladin

07CC80 Chassis ALV 419 Contract KL/A/09, Mk 2 A/C, Date in Service Aug 1960. Road Registered HSJ 395

06BB90 Chassis ALV??? Contract 6/FV/16159, Mk 2 A/C. Date in service Nov 1958 Converted to floating Feb 1969 according to record s but photos exist of it being tested as a floating vehicle in 1965

 

I will be looking at the escape doors to check the two chassis numbers I do not know!

 

Hi John,

 

Thanks for pointing out the errors, it is now corrected. I can be a bit daft sometimes. I will repost the registry as it presently is, it's not much, just a list of numbers, owners and pics (those that I have).

 

Regarding Saladins, I am only concentrating on Saracens now as I know precious little about the Saladins. Sorry.

[Richard Farrant]

This photo (and others):cool2: can go a long way in helping with info. I am no boffin at all, Richard for one, can probably help with info.

 

This is probably a reversed cooled Saracen by the looks of the vents on top of the nose, with the turret and two doors on it, later than the earlier three-doored ones. It appears to be a Mk 3 (Mk2 with RFC). I think I have displayed my ignorance here, so we learn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Montie,

 

I think Bob's Saracen is a Mk6..

[John Pearson]

Hi John,

 

Thanks for pointing out the errors, it is now corrected. I can be a bit daft sometimes. I will repost the registry as it presently is, it's not much, just a list of numbers, owners and pics (those that I have).

 

Regarding Saladins, I am only concentrating on Saracens now as I know precious little about the Saladins. Sorry.

 

My time to apologise! 30BA10 is an armoured personnel carrier NOT an armoured command post! Fat finger typing!!

 

I thought you might note Saladins (and Stalwart and Salamander) because their chassis numbers would explain any missing gaps in the Saracen serial numbers?

[montie]

My time to apologise! 30BA10 is an armoured personnel carrier NOT an armoured command post! Fat finger typing!!

 

I thought you might note Saladins (and Stalwart and Salamander) because their chassis numbers would explain any missing gaps in the Saracen serial numbers?

 

Hi John,

 

No problem, mate! Corrected to APC.

 

The register carries other British vehicles as well, eg. Centurions, Ferrets, Bedfords, Land Rovers, etc. So, BIG gaps! The original list included all these, here is the thread. http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?16817-Saracen-Build-up/page18

[montie]

My time to apologise! 30BA10 is an armoured personnel carrier NOT an armoured command post! Fat finger typing!!

 

I thought you might note Saladins (and Stalwart and Salamander) because their chassis numbers would explain any missing gaps in the Saracen serial numbers?

 

Hi John,

 

I uploaded 23 photos with a few numbers onto the Saracen register that weren't listed yet. I even got hold of a pic of your Saracen, believe it or not. Here it is.

 

 

[montie]

To all you Saracen, Saladin and Stolly boffins out there, what would be the easiest way to tune such a beast? The manual would have one way, but I sure there are "shortcuts" that are quicker and more accurate, yet yielding better results.

I remember a short video on Youtube (will look for it) of somebody starting such a beast and it started so easily evertime as compared to this one of mine. Are spares such as points and condensors still readily available?

 

Then there is still the carburettor rebuild. I am hesitantly asking about spares as I am sure it will need some, seeing how fuel leaks from the throttle shaft after switching it off. How sensitive are these carbs to fuel pressure and is there a pressure spec somewhere?

 

Any help appreciated!