mkVsten Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Figured I would start a thread of the restoration of 54-82540. Its one of the original 124 Ferret Scout cars Canada purchased in 1953. This one was released from Canadian service in 1983. First the recovery photos. Tucked away in this garage for the past 8 or 9 years. A very slow way to load a trailer on a hot day... Loaded and ready to roll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkVsten Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 At my Shop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkVsten Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Some interior/detail photos photos: Creative way to convert the Brit lamps to the M-Series lamps Typical grey color engines that are in all CDN vehicles, I assume the orginal was repainted at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Those light towers are a much later fitting, I have the mod instruction somewhere and I'm sure they were only fitted to British vehicles in the 70s. Any ideas how they ended up on your vehicle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkVsten Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 RCEME rebuild tag on top of gearbox. Workshop 202 is located in Longue Pointe (Montreal). Click on the link Workshop 202 for a bit of interesting history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkVsten Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Those light towers are a much later fitting, I have the mod instruction somewhere and I'm sure they were only fitted to British vehicles in the 70s. Any ideas how they ended up on your vehicle? I have seen several different variations of lamps on CDN Ferrets. The original early style, the Brit tower lamps and later the M-Series lamps. Seems there was no standard here for the lamps, just a matter of putting on what worked when required. The majority when released had been fitted with the M-Series lamps in various ways. This ferret has all the CDN mods except for the DR-8 wire reel mount on the Left side. I want to keep the vehicle as original as possible as it was used by the CDN Forces. The signal lamps/brake lamps are a real mess. Not sure what to do there. The conversion using the Brit towers are hideous, but it is what it is. I will either leave them as they were or make up the small brackets as was done on some of the other CDN Ferrets such as seen in the photos below of 54-82593 (Gate Guard at 1 NSH(N) Armories) The lamp bracket above is much cleaner looking. Strange how they remounted the rear lamps, moving the Brit towers inwards on the fenders. I can only assume to prevent the lamps from being smashed about. Kinda makes the fuel can rack useless unless you mount the can on its edge. You can see where the large holes cut in the fenders for the original tower lamp wires were crudly covered up. This is the same on the front and rear fenders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkVsten Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Will list all the CDN mods with photos I can see on this ferret in another reply but here is an example, the two welded studs on the RF armour for a spot lamp bracket to be installed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkVsten Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Parked in the shop, this is where its going to be for a while until she is mobile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkVsten Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 A few things have to be done to the Ferret before attempting to start the engine. Keeping in mind the engine has not run for about 5 or 6 years. Replace all the fluids and check flywheel fluid. The Carb needs to be rebuilt as well as the diaphrams are really bad. Hook up a temp fuel tank. I want to prove the operation of the running gear before the powerpack is removed. First order of business is to remove the outer bins and fenders. When the RR side bin was removed, these were wedged between the bin and the hull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkVsten Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Bins and fenders removed on right side... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkVsten Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Removed the left side fenders and bins... When I removed the LR bin, hiding in a mound of twigs was another spent case dated 1973 and what I would like to think is a juice can tab. I know it wouldn't be a beer can tab...Can't be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkVsten Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Here is the next job. Once I rebuild the carb and install, we may see her spark to life once again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkVsten Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Carb isn't finished soaking yet, so I quickly mounted the rear fuel can rack that was mounted on this Ferret to have a look and see how bad its twisted. I think it was used as a backstop at somepoint. Its badly bent up and twisted but great for a pattern. Took a few snaps. Very crudly made, so easy to fabricate a perfect copy with my welding skills :-) I read somewhere this was added to the Ferrets Canada sent to Egypt/Sinai Penisula in 1956 and used in Germany as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkVsten Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Does any one know what the two round welded bosses are for above the rear windows? My later mk 2 Ferret does not have these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiler Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Interesting reading. I'm sure theres an old Ferret hiding down the 'meuseum' at work, I think I might need to make some enquiries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolman Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Interesting reading. I'm sure theres an old Ferret hiding down the 'meuseum' at work, I think I might need to make some enquiries. Yes, please have a look, get a photo of the registration and data plate if it has one :-) Fantastic Resto account so far :-) Keep it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 Does any one know what the two round welded bosses are for above the rear windows? My later mk 2 Ferret does not have these. Hi Brad, Those little welded bits originally had a different version of the fire depression bar see page 69 of Pat Wares book. I can not post up a picture here as its copyrighted but have sent you a scan of the little blighter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkVsten Posted June 18, 2010 Author Share Posted June 18, 2010 Hi Brad, Those little welded bits originally had a different version of the fire depression bar see page 69 of Pat Wares book. I can not post up a picture here as its copyrighted but have sent you a scan of the little blighter! Andy, Thanks for the photo. Interesting idea to extend it that far. As mentioned its cool to see how things evolve and change during production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiler Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 Yes, please have a look, get a photo of the registration and data plate if it has one :-) Fantastic Resto account so far :-) Keep it up. I'll see what I can do. Not allowed to take photo's as it's on a secure airbase. I found a web page thingy in work for it and have sent an email to the museum to see if I can go and have a gander so I'll see what happens. We also have an immaculate and totaly original Scammel Pioneer still in service, though it's kept hidden away as the bean counters keep trying to pension it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marines42 Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 Ironically, I also have a later model British service Ferret and an early Canadian Mk I that I am restoring just as you are. I see that yours is missing the original fuel cell as is mine. Are you going to manufacture a replacement or did you locate an original? If so, I would gladly pay you to fabricate one for me as well. It doesn't have to be exacting as long as it is functional. Let me know. Nice pictorial so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkVsten Posted June 19, 2010 Author Share Posted June 19, 2010 Ironically, I also have a later model British service Ferret and an early Canadian Mk I that I am restoring just as you are. I see that yours is missing the original fuel cell as is mine. Are you going to manufacture a replacement or did you locate an original? If so, I would gladly pay you to fabricate one for me as well. It doesn't have to be exacting as long as it is functional. Let me know. Nice pictorial so far! That is quite ironic. I do have the fuel tank, the previous owner removed it for cleaning. It would be quite a job to fabricate a proper fuel tank for a Ferret, its a work of art in its self. Not saying it can't be done, but it would have to be by the right guy and I would think it would be an expensive task. You can see the top of the tank in the photo below, behind the side bin. Happy to dig it out and take some good photos of it if you need them for reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marines42 Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 That is quite ironic. I do have the fuel tank, the previous owner removed it for cleaning. It would be quite a job to fabricate a proper fuel tank for a Ferret, its a work of art in its self. Not saying it can't be done, but it would have to be by the right guy and I would think it would be an expensive task. You can see the top of the tank in the photo below, behind the side bin. Happy to dig it out and take some good photos of it if you need them for reference. Just my luck. When I purchased the Canadian, it was already gone. Like yours, the wiring is totally screwed for the lighting and other parts. The brackets were also ground off of the inside of the escape hatches so it isnt possible to mount the jump seats or ammo bins. On the plus side, the interior is no frills and there is plenty of room to work. I am not familiar with all of the Canadian mods but mine has the M series lights on brackets. I also noted that it has a large 24 volt alternator in lieu of the generator set. It is fitted with a turret like a Mk 2 but I read in Clives book that they were not used in this configuration and it may well be an after service add on. I was looking at some pre-fabricated fuel cells to see if any of them may do the job but I need to make more measurements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 As fabicator occassionally of things metal, here are my thoughts on making a fuel tank. I would build a box around the tank out of a good grade of plywood, glued and screwed together. This is the only way to respect the many angles and planes and dimensions of the tank. Then I would card template the flat surfaces and slowly tack sections together using that as the jig. I would take care to make good over lapping joints that will not flex. I would also look to see how many surfaces could be made from one surface with wing projections bent to form another surface to reduce the number of welds. I would also take great care to decide on which welding process to use to join the panels. I am thinking that in a few years time it may be worth doing this if the demand is there. Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkVsten Posted June 19, 2010 Author Share Posted June 19, 2010 Success! After cleaning the carburator, replacing the diaphrams, installing 6 new spark plugs and priming the fuel pump The engine sparked to life instantly. I was amazed it started so quick. I didn't even touch the distributor. Keep in mind, the last time the engine ran was at least 5 or 6 years ago.:shocked: Now that I know I have a good engine, I have to get the brakes working. Once that is done, I will take her for a drive to make sure the gearbox is working correctly, then I can pull the power pack. I made a video of the start up. Will download it shortly. Yippie!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 For those that dont know Brad and I seem to be getting into a bit of a race to get our Ferrets running, except he doesnt know im not playing that game! I will be, as a result of guilt from his postings, trying to sort the rough runner this week if all works well. Drat! Im getting sucked in! R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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