I'd love to buy a vehicle, but.........

[blue]

Over the last few years, I have been dreaming of owning an old military vehicle from the war or just after.

 

I have no mechanical skills, and don't know much about restoring etc.

 

So, here are my silly questions....

 

1/ When is the best time to buy a vehicle? At the start of a season, towards the end, or during the winter, when people need money for xmas?

 

2/What is the best 'first' vehicle to own? I only have a small garden, and a private drive, so being smaller would be better. I'm not a keep jeep person!

My pockets are not big, so a few thousand would be a fair starting price. I'd also like the family involved with the vehicle, so I was thinking about an Ambulance (but that's my job).

 

 

[Joris]

Then get a Dodge WC-54, they are great to drive and not too expensive. Plus plenty of spare parts and are available.

 

http://www.old-dodge-trucks.co.uk/dodge_images/wc54.jpg[/img]

[Degsy]

A cheaper option would be series 11a Land Rover ambulance, again parts are cheap and plentiful and very simple technology.

[AlienFTM]

As the man put it on the twice-weekly public vehicle demo at Bovington, the Army's decision to retire the Ferret after GW1 has been a Godsend to Miltary Vehicle afficionados.

 

Cheap (ish), no bigger than a Landrover and without doubt the best ride you'll ever have.

[raschippo]

on the storage topic, make sure if you buy a vehicle you have enough money to pay for storage, i am charged £50/month for outside storage, they want £200/month for dry storage in my area.

[sirhc]

Have you considered the civilian car based utilities (pick-ups), Austin and Hillman made for the War Dept.

Known as "Tillies".

There are some militarised civilian pre-war cars too.

 

 

I want one of those, preferably an Austin, but they hardly ever turn up and seem to be expensive when they do!

 

Chris

[Snapper]

Joris - I love the Dodge.

 

I bought my 1979 VW Iltis for several reasons. I am no mechanic and wanted something reasonably modern my local garage could help me with. It has four seat belts which my wife insisted on if the kids were going to ride in it. I figured that VW and Audi parts would be easy to find for it (not entirely true!!). I felt it could live outside in my street...and finally, I wanted something a bit different. I am not sure I would buy another and agree dry storage is a must regardless of what you buy. My wife is still baffled why I never took up the prospect of barn space run by Essex MVT. But I was being vain and wanted my vehicle with me all the time without the need of a 45 minute drive to get it. I think I made a mistake. Driving it is great fun and I wouldn't be here without it.

[rambo1969]

If you want to use it everyday you can't beat a land rover.

[Marmite!!]

You can't beat going to Sainsburys in a Fox :-D

[raschippo]

You can't beat takeing a Leyland Hippo on a booze cruise! We brought LOADS back when we went in 2004 to Normandy.

[Mrs Hardyferret]

You can't beat takeing a Leyland Hippo on a booze cruise! We brought LOADS back when we went in 2004 to Normandy.

 

 

Now that's a good point in favour of a "man's truck" :beer:

[paul connor]

I was going to take the Humber Pig to France, but they still have a ban on Military vehicle movements do they not? as I am parked on the Ferry port in Newhaven! so I could drive to france on the battery and starter motor alone! hehe

 

 

[ArtistsRifles]

You can't beat takeing a Leyland Hippo on a booze cruise! We brought LOADS back when we went in 2004 to Normandy.

 

 

Provided you've a fire engine at each end to blast the salt water off/out you can't beat doing a booze cruise in a Stalwart - no ferry fare to pay!!

[richardrosser]

:-D but how much in petrol :?

[Enigma]

Provided you've a fire engine at each end to blast the salt water off/out you can't beat doing a booze cruise in a Stalwart - no ferry fare to pay!!

 

 

Did anyone actually do that?

[richardrosser]

good question - be interesting to find out

 

 

 

come on

 

 

any one?

[ArtistsRifles]

No idea if anyone made it all the way over - but the story is told of a squaddie who went AWOL from BAOR and nicked a Stalwart to do it in - which kind of casts a question as they aren't road vehicles - and got halfway over from Holland before chickening out. Story says he got courtmartialled but not dishonourably discharged as Alvis requested his services as a test driver...........

[raschippo]

may be not in a stolly, but I think a few people have done it in a dukw.

[biscuits_brown]

No idea if anyone made it all the way over - but the story is told of a squaddie who went AWOL from BAOR and nicked a Stalwart to do it in - which kind of casts a question as they aren't road vehicles - and got halfway over from Holland before chickening out. Story says he got courtmartialled but not dishonourably discharged as Alvis requested his services as a test driver...........

 

To the best of my knowledge he escaped the whole thing relatively unscathed having been a model JNCO up to the point of his little 'escapade' for which there were apparently some very strong extenuating circumstances.

[Joris]

Amazing with what people can get away with!

[Larry Hayward]

So Kev, have you come to any conclusions about the vehicle you may buy? I was like you a few years ago, itching to get something and be a part of the MV line up rather than be a spectator!

 

In the end it came down to the three p's - Price, Parts and Parking

 

Thats why I ended up with a Lightweight Land Rover! There are plenty on offer at reasonable cost, the parts are very easy to get - even the rare bits with a bit of patience and it can be parked almost anywhere even out doors.

 

NB - The crossing the channel by DUKWs was done a few years ago and was documented by the MVT at the time but I cannot remember when it was- perhaps 20 years ago!

[blue]

I'm still in two minds about what to go for.

 

Shouldn't it be 4 P's Price, Parts, Parking and Partner?

 

I want something that you can act the part in, that would involve the family too

 

I'm not a jeep or land rover fan, as they seem to be far to popular (so guys if you have one!)

 

But I do like the Navy, and last week found out that there is a Naval re-enactors group about two miles from where I am, so maybe something that could fit in with that scene?

[Marmite!!]

But I do like the Navy, and last week found out that there is a Naval re-enactors group about two miles from where I am, so maybe something that could fit in with that scene?

 

 

Where the hell are you going to park a Frigate :-o

[sirhc]

What about those trailers Withams had, there was an aircraft carrier and a submarine? Anchor Supplies have the aircraft carrier but I don't know where the other one went.

 

Chris

 

 

[Larry Hayward]

Kev,

 

Strangely I have an interest in WW2 RN vehicles too, though they are not very common!

 

As you can imagine the RN had less vehicles than the Army and the RAF and so far over the last 28 years I have seen only a hand full of RN vehicles of WW2 vintage at verious shows. The few I have noted include a Bedford OXD, a Morris 10 HP Light Utility, Ford WOT2H, a 'civilian' staff car and a motor bike. There is also an Ex-RN Austin K6 that is owned by an MVT member but I have never seen it.

 

From dicussions with ex-FAA members it seems that the RN impressed a large amount of civilian lorries and light vans, which once released from service disappeared quite easily into the civil market- and so are likely to have been scrapped years ago after a hard life or if they lasted longer would have been hard to distinguish as ex-WD

 

For a bit of inspiration and photo coverage of RN vehicles see the attached link

 

http://www.mapleleafup.org/forums/showthread.php?s=4cbaf2240e06cb458fb461e557c6fa28&threadid=5064&highlight=Larry+Hayward

 

 

[AlienFTM]

You can't beat going to Sainsburys in a Fox :-D

 

 

lol In 1976 whilst conversion training to the Recce role, we always enjoyed driving from Tidworth to Stonehenge and parking up in a corner of the public car park in Scorpions (B Sqn) and Foxes (A Sqn), having a brew then swapping drivers and returning.

 

The public ("the young ladies") also looked pleased to see us too. I don't think you can do that now as the area has been made tourist-friendly (and CVR(T) unfriendly ;o) .