da bomb Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 You read the magazines, you know the technical specs of a particular vehicle inside out, but what are they like to own and drive? Are Pigs really a pig, Ferret rash..sounds nasty, do you get out of the vehicle feeling like you have been boiled and battered, or does the power delivery and roar make it all worth while! An opportunity to put your (preferably non rose tinted!) vehicle on a civvy road test! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Ferret rash: easily avoided once you know what you are doing. Ferret? To drive? You will find numerous posts by me here telling you that the Ferret is the best ride you will ever had, even including women. In tank regiments just before my time and the advent of CVR(T), I have it on good authority that a lot of cavalrymen fought to get into Recce Troop, just to drive Ferrets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
da bomb Posted October 8, 2007 Author Share Posted October 8, 2007 Ferret rash: easily avoided once you know what you are doing. Ferret? To drive? You will find numerous posts by me here telling you that the Ferret is the best ride you will ever had, even including women. But what are ferrets like to drive! :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Dodges are delightful, far nicer than a series 3. As long as you remember about the Dodge Dunk. 101s are just in a class of their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haybaggerman Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 What are ferrets like to drive?? I read that they are like driving a 4 ton go kart and I suppose mine is very much like that if you are not using the removable windscreen ahh....... the wind in your hair, the looks on the faces of oncoming drivers as you race past............. Basically its very noisy, not very comfortable, you really need goggles and ear protection/ an intercom helmet, but just the best fun especially on warm dry days. Cold weather and rain arn't so much fun but you still get out feeling exhilerated. When I've had a bad day I commute home in mine and everything is alright with the world. Its even quite fast for armour, and with the open hatches it definately seems fast! Visibility is good, although you have to get used to leaning over to the side and looking out of a separate hatch to see the mirrors. When you get to a junction you just stick your head out of the front hatch and you can see both ways. Lets not mention reversing, although the ferret is built to go backwards as fast as forwards the visibility doesn't back this up. Highly recommended to all. Cross country is even better. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Been in a C8, not mine, and great fun to be a passenger, though probably not on a long distance! Bumpy, noisy, but most of all the heat from the engine makes for a warm ride to say the least! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Yeah you can't hit the windscreen in a passenger seat of C8 your knees hit your jaw and breack it first. :shake: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Pearson Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Valentine IXDD: Technically easy to drive because it has standard 3 pedals, all syncromesh 5 speed and reverse gearbox, lots of torque low down the rev range and two lever steering, pull the appropriate one to turn. The disadvantages however are that the steering is incredibly heavy, probably needs up to 100 pounds pull to turn and needs a push of 50 pounds to return it to the straight ahead position. Because the steering is clutch and brake, it tends to be a bit unpredictable on tarmac and hard surfaces which gets worse the faster you go. Oh, it has bare steel tracks so it can even slide down the camber of the road if the road is wet and the tarmac is cold and hard. Vision is almost non existant forward and is non existant in any other direction. A commander and intercom is vital but the bloody comms goes down at regular intervals, just when you need it. You need to be a double jointed midget to get in and out and as I am a 6 foot 2 fatty with a slipped disc, I almost have to grease my backside to slide in. Difficult to concentrate on driving as the sound of the supercharged two stroke deisel engine on full song is so good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 WW2 Half track- Noisy, hot, bad visibilty, windy (from shoulders up due to screen out to cope with the heat from the petrol engine) but so much fun! Bags of torque from the engine, and a nice short shift box. Turning circle surprisingly good. CVRT- One of the most fun and easy tracked vehicles to drive, as long as you remember which gear you are in when changing down. You get a nasty lurch forward if you get it wrong! its size makes it easier to judge on the road than some larger tracked vehicles. You also have to get the right gear to go around corners due to the differential steering going through the gear box. It aslo stops extremely well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 CVRT- remember which gear you are in when changing down. You get a nasty lurch forward if you get it wrong! I once started an exercise two hours early because of this. Our recce screen was laid out along the divisional FLOT in front of the FEBA, awaiting first contact. slightly left of cantre of my arc there was a small hill. A road ran diagonally from my left of arc, away round the back of the hill and into the distance to my immediate front. It was joined at a T junction out of my sight behind a hill. We were on electronic silence. These things always tended to kick off just before dawn so I was surprised about 0300 when, over the otherwise total silence, I could just make out the sound of J60 engines behind the hill. The lead vehicle came upon the junction more quickly than expected and the driver fluffed his his change from high to low range. The sound was unmistakeable. I had the codes ready, having filled in the boards myself for the sake of my reputation as a recent Command Troop Control Signaller and I knew the contact would happen on my shift. I powered everything up, broke electronic silence and issued a contact report. I knew the other end would be caught asleep, so I was quite patient waiting for them to act. Of course the pink said that contact would not be for another couple of hours, so they did not believe me. They authenticated my breach of electronic silence and asked me to verify. They whinged that the grid reference I had sent was not in my line of sight. I put them right. We caught them cold. The pink went out o the window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 :-o you can't do things like that it isn't in the rules :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 But what are ferrets like to drive! :-D Great fun... but for even more Fun try the Fox CVR(W) , a Ferret on Steroids :-D http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e132/safariswing/e2c0aafd.jpg[/img] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 :-o you can't do things like that it isn't in the rules :-D You are joking, right? Exercises were tightly controlled. Units might have very little to do on the exercise while all the umpires, DS and orange forces (we didn't use red to describe the enemy because it was too obviously the Commies. We usually fought the Fantasians) were exercising other units. Orange forces had great fun. In Recce it was even worse. Two medium recce squadrons provided the Recce screen across the FLOT - Forward Leading-edge of Own Troops, one squadron for each of the two brigades in the armoured division, and their exercise consisted of withdrawing in contact (NOT retreating), luring orange into killing zones. The other Squadron (actually a squadron plus) was close recce and spent its time attached to the other five battlegroups in the division, generally further back, manning the FEBA - the Forward Edge of the Battle Area. We referred to them as cowboys. They never ever played by the rules. For once on this occasion it was good to beat them purely using good skills and not lowering to their level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 GMCs - wonderful to drive and I am not just saying that. We used to own a LR 110 County V8 that also had a Janspeed turbo on it :whistle: and the GMC is easier amd more comfortable to drive than that. You do get a fair bit of transmission whine but that is usually drowned out by the ladies screaming at you for your phone number (most GMC owners will suffer this same embarrassment :whistle:) I have always found the steering on mine very light but to be honest I have only ever driven one other. Have driven my chum Kev Dodge and that was as slick as hell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 hi Alien, don't know about rules, A mate of mine was playing opp force on a command post exercise and got bored, so he sent out a general e mail. When the email was opened the message was 'Hello, that will teach you to open strange emails. you now have a virus and the computer has crashed'. The other side went ballistic, the Umpire looked at it and allowed it commending quick thinking. :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazz Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Neil, just to let you know i spent my last 3 years in the reg in A Sqn (Close Recce), SO WHO ARE YOO CALLING A COWBOY. YOOALL. just because we wore stetsons and cowboy boots. BARRY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul connor Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 A Pig is not a Pig to drive! Great engine sound! the best road presence! Power and torque! Does lack on hills! and on the corners if you approach to fast! feels like the ship will capsize! But they are great! always brings a smile to me when i take 30BK43 out on the road! only downer is the Fuel! And they are less fatiguing than my series 3 109! which has heavier steering! and feels less responsive! but still a joy on the roads! why buy a car that is smooth and the same as the rest! military stuff is more fun! more of a challenger and gets more looks and respect! Even the biggest vehicles cower and give way to the PIG! long live the PIG! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodger Baz Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Indian 741 Left hand twist grip = throttle right hand twist grip = advance/retard Left foot pedal = clutch right foot pedal = rear brake right hand = gear stick and front brake left hand = mixture adjustment and wasp removal from helmet!!! rigid frame no dampers on seat springs damping non existant on front forks weighs a ton and vibrates like a cross between a jack hammer and a chainsaw need i say more? I LOVE IT, its brilliant:-D :-D :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rambo1969 Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 My 110 is easy to drive and great for lugging stuff around, a bit underpowered though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeEnfield Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Bedford MW........... :-D FUN, is the best word that springs to mind. :-) Ok, slow (very) when in traffic, people take stupid risks to get past,.......but then again, most 'older vehicle' drivers say the same thing. Not designed for modern road conditions, I guess. Torque is nice, needing to come out of 4th only really when slowing right down, and pulling away;.............engine does need to be warm, though. Fuel consumption, ............well, yes it does use more than a modern vehicle, but, its a small (!!)price to pay, ((as long as our gordon keeps his mitts off the price hike button)) for the enjoyment I get from owning and driving her. Comfort,..........well, your sitting about 2 inches off the floor, think they designed it for VERY short legged drivers,........or someone who had no lower leg, right leg's not so bad as on accelorater most of the time, but left leg is seriously redundant, when on a run. :whistle: All I can think of at the mo,.................. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saracenstump Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Saracen,what can i say power steering, power brakes nice comfy ride unlike those ferret things,great roar from the engine and dual cooling fans,loads of tyre noise,great fun!!!!!!!!!!! :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Lets see now: Mk 1 Militant: slow, VERY noisy, crash gearbox and prone to dumping the contents of the rad in the co-drivers lap when hot. Pretty good vision to the rear with the mirrors set right. Bl**dy good fun as a challenge though and if you can master a mk1 Milly you can drive anything. good off-road performance too - although the short wheelbase version is better as the LWB can find itself rocking on the chassis members on bumpy ground!! Bedford RL: Cramped cab, not too bad a gearbox although your elbow will be making contact with the cabs rear wall when going to 2 or 4 at times. Good on acceleration when empty but not quite so good at braking. Passengers prone to disappearing out the door when the seat tray slips and starts shorting out the battery terminals.... Also good fun to drive on or off road!! RL-W's excellent for self recovery after a navigation exercise turns into a welsh pub crawl turns into a night in a ditch on it's side... Landrover S2A as used by the Regiment: Cold, wet & windy otherwise normal Landie performance and handling. Sand tyres are noisy but not as bad as when both the GPMG's open up with out warning..... One vehicle guaranteed to leave a grin stretched across your face like the proverbial cheshire cats - but wear a shemagh or be prepared to pick flys out of the teeth!! Bedford MK: Comfy cab, nice gear shift, not too noisy but felt rather underpowered compared to the RL it replaced although the brakes were 1000% better. Problems with the rear vision on the N/S if two Ruperts decided to free-load in the cab. Never really liked them though. Bedford TK: Don't even go there!! UGH!! Alvis Stalwart: Now we're talking FUN - go anywhere, do anything. Great fun for the driver, less so for the commander when it's cold and/or wet although the commander gets better scenic views over hedges. Bl**dy awful rear view so a commander and intercomm is really essential. Maintenance can be a pain - can almost guarantee that if some asks to you to carry heavy/awkward parts for them something under the engine decking will go. And when it does - don't take liberties or they bite. Hard. But when that B81 is in full song there really is nothing like it!! Especially when the hydraulic throttle is also working 100%!!! OT-90: Ask me when it's here! :-D But based on how it was driven at Beltring it looks like it could almost outdo the CVR(T)'s. Manual transmission with neutral turn facility, tiller steering that only needs finger tip pressure to turn the vehicle, capable of doing high speed 90 deg turns (no need to drop a gear). Looking forwards to learning how to control one!! :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Pearson Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 FV438 (deisel engine). Engine quite noisy but a joy to drive. Full auto, only 1 pedal, the go faster one. Two light sticks, left for left, right for right and both to stop. Goes really well, steers exactly where you want. Free to run if you ask the AA for 'w*nk gas'. What don't know what 'w*nk gas' is? It is the drainings from fuel tanks where petrol vehicles have had deisel put in or deisel engines which have had petrol put in. The AA (and RAC of course) have to suck it out and then have to pay a lot to dispose of it. It is cheaper of course for them to give it away and as the 432/438 engine runs on any mixture, you can drive it for free! Even has the duty paid on it! Why 'w*nk gas'? Because 'w*nkers' make it for you! Problems with the 438 include worry because the steering and braking are connected so if you lose one, you lose both! In the 438, there are lots of lumps hanging down from the roof in the back (the missile equipment) which makes entry from the back door very risky for your cranium. One other problem with the 438 is that you can't really give rides as only the driver and commander can see out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poptopshed Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 404 Unimog. Fantastic off road, puts landrovers to shame. Great for bombing around the arena at W&P, Sorry Si i got it a bit Muddy. :whistle: Steering can be heavy at low speed and gear change takes some getting used to, but for off road the forward and reverse leaver is a joy. Downside's are the thirst of the straight 6 and its habit of fowling plugs. As your right leg hugs the engine cover its hot in winter and burnt to a crisp in summer. Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Early mark 1 Morris Quad, acelerator pedal in middle :shake: :shake: :shake: Can be a higly effective laxitive though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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