juddy Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 We arei purchasing a Land Rover FC2B HCB Angus Firelfy. IT was once used in a MOD Ordnance factory, from 1971 onwards, and i would like to find out as much info on this Land Rover, and the type itself. I would welcome any info or pictures anybody may have on these types, and assistance with parts etc. We will be shipping this 2b all the way to Australia later this year, and it will be the only one of its kind here. The plan is to have it ready for the 65th Anniversary event in 2013, so we have a lot to do..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Very nice find. There are some on the fire truck thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted angus Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 (edited) We arei purchasing a Land Rover FC2B HCB Angus Firelfy. IT was once used in a MOD Ordnance factory, from 1971 onwards, and i would like to find out as much info on this Land Rover, and the type itself. I would welcome any info or pictures anybody may have on these types, and assistance with parts etc. We will be shipping this 2b all the way to Australia later this year, and it will be the only one of its kind here. The plan is to have it ready for the 65th Anniversary event in 2013, so we have a lot to do..... If this is the one from Gordon its one of 3 purchased by the HMG for use at civillian establishments, yours was allocated to the Royal Ordinance Factory Featherstone near Wolverhampton. TED Edited June 24, 2010 by ted angus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 I found the Forward Control 2B to be a very disappointing vehicle. Mine was not a fire truck, but 1 1/2 ton load carrier. The steering was horrendous, the vehicle rolled heavily from side to side, was unpredictable on the road and when cornering. I suffered two gearbox failures on mine. Steering ball joints needed half replacing every single year to go througfh the MOT. The steering box is unique to this model, and unobtainable. The case hardening had failed on mine, I paid £250 for the last new box I could find and it didn't improve the steering. Half shafts were next to impossible to source 20 years ago when I had mine, so whether there are any out there I don't know, The 2B was the Land-Rover that never should have been built! Everything is completely overworked and overstreesed, it uses too many stndard L.R. components in the build and these are not up to the extra weight. Personal opinion, you may get on with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juddy Posted June 24, 2010 Author Share Posted June 24, 2010 If this is the one from Gordon its one of 3 purchased by the HMG for use at civillian establishments, yours was allocated to the Royal Ordinance Factory Featherstone near Wolverhampton. TED Thank you Ted, for the info, do you know any more about it?? or indeed the type???? ie why someone decided to paint it camo?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juddy Posted June 24, 2010 Author Share Posted June 24, 2010 (edited) I found the Forward Control 2B to be a very disappointing vehicle. Mine was not a fire truck, but 1 1/2 ton load carrier.The steering was horrendous, the vehicle rolled heavily from side to side, was unpredictable on the road and when cornering. I suffered two gearbox failures on mine. Steering ball joints needed half replacing every single year to go througfh the MOT. The steering box is unique to this model, and unobtainable. The case hardening had failed on mine, I paid £250 for the last new box I could find and it didn't improve the steering. Half shafts were next to impossible to source 20 years ago when I had mine, so whether there are any out there I don't know, The 2B was the Land-Rover that never should have been built! Everything is completely overworked and overstreesed, it uses too many stndard L.R. components in the build and these are not up to the extra weight. Personal opinion, you may get on with it. Oh dear, lets hope we dont have the same problems, i belive you drop by on our across the pond site??? you had a really good thread going on those big trucks of yours..... Edited June 24, 2010 by juddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 You did ask! Bad move round here. :-D Mind you the triumph of optimisim over common snese is why we are here in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk3iain Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 How true, its scary! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julezee001 Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 I don't have a fire truck, but have 2 that have been converted in the past to car transporters. Both run 2.6 litre 6 cylinder petrol engines, one having been a 2286cc diesel originally. On a good day it's 15 mpg, loaded (fire engine) it rapidly gets worse. Parts are an issue, with a specialist company wanting over £300 for an ENV front axle halfshaft over 20 years ago! I found a NOS one with a rebuilt gearbox for £100 in the end. Many parts are hard to find these days, but there are often ways around the lack of spares as long as total originality isn't essential. They are an acquired taste to drive, cramped for taller people, hot sitting over the engine, noisy, very heavy steering for squeezing into a tight space, etc. But overall I think they're fun and different, and I enjoy taking out the one that is roadworthy. I can't remember the last time I saw another one on the road locally. In many ways they were ahead of their time, with a large high loadbed, long before everyone had forklifts, hiabs, or telehandlers. There are lots of things that were wrong with the design, but had Landrover continued with the principal design, we might have a 3500kg competitor for the 1000's of similar Japanese small trucks which seem to have the monopoly these days?? Jules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juddy Posted July 5, 2010 Author Share Posted July 5, 2010 Can anybody help in identifying what sign writing this would have had on whilst working at the ROF????, and where i may get photos from, or indeed, find who once drove it???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 If you are taking it tio Australia , you will find parts more easily, I had three FC whilst I was living there in W.A. They were used by the old GPO quite a lot of them . The steering isnt that bad IMHO although a bit heavy at manoevreing speed . The ENV diffs and axles are pretty bombproof . The brakes fade quite quick a couple of quick stops from 55mph and it starts to get interesting . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juddy Posted September 27, 2010 Author Share Posted September 27, 2010 Thank you for that, some good info there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juddy Posted September 28, 2010 Author Share Posted September 28, 2010 Clive. can you email me the pdf, of these?????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 If you right click on each with your mouse then save it as a jpg to wherever you want to store it & print it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juddy Posted November 27, 2010 Author Share Posted November 27, 2010 I have found that my pump is in fact one from a company called Trinity Pumps, i have never heard of them before, can anyone shed any light on this make??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 (edited) May well be a Godiva under another name. Though Angus are still going. Check their website. The Narrow road steep gradients and acute bend description sounds interesting. Bet the one who wrote it never drove a top heavy Land Rover under those conditions.http://www.angusfire.co.uk/utcfs/ws-404/Assets/6337-2B%20LW500%20Mk%202B%20Pump.pdf Edited November 27, 2010 by Tony B insert pump link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juddy Posted November 27, 2010 Author Share Posted November 27, 2010 Had a look at Angus and nothing on there.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Try an e mail. There is bound to be the equivalient to an MV anorack somewhere on the staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
protruck Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Hi juddy. Try Godiva as i think they bought Trinity pumps out a few years ago when parts of Trinity holdings was sold off. i may be wrong. Clive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 I have found that my pump is in fact one from a company called Trinity Pumps, i have never heard of them before, can anyone shed any light on this make??? They have a half page advert in the British Defence Equipment Catalogue 1984-85, but not in the 1989 edition. Don't seem to be around any more, they were here: Trinity Pumps Ltd Old Whittington Road Gobowen Salop SY11 3JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juddy Posted November 27, 2010 Author Share Posted November 27, 2010 thanks for that.... will have to do some more digging... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juddy Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 Well we now have the Firefly, as complete as its going to be, and its now on its way to Australia, still lots to do when it gets here, but the only one of its kind over here. A few pics for you to look at.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juddy Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Looking at those shots, I can't help feeling if they are not uncommon down your way you should buy a hulk or two to strip for bits. I'll bet panels that have been in Australia all these years will be better than some of those.... Gordon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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