RecyMech

David, I take back everything I ever said about the RMPs:-D They are nice blokes really:cool2: (Except for the one who jailed me for breaking down in a no parking zone & would`nt accept that I was broken down & not parked. Cost me 100DM too.) But you the man !. Many many thanks for those, I can now complete the job with some degree of accuracy. Thanks to everyone for their input too, cracked it now :thanx: Howard.

Sean, Yep, your description there is exactly as I was imagining it to be. Even if my oppo can't come up with a piccy from Beltring, I think I can make a 'convincing' fist of it. If he does though I'll paste one up to put the record straight.:thumbsup: Howard.

Even that one is gold though, position of the filter to manifold trunking is clearly visible. Have a mate of mine going to Beltring at the w/e he's going to see if there are any MKs about that he can left the lid on. Press on..........thanks again Alan. Howard

Alan....Ah, now we talking....that picture alone is worth gold, gives me a really good idea of the size of the filter & the final location. :cool2: Details of the filter shape I already have. This plus the brief description in the User Handbook (like, about six words !) gives me a damn good feel already for the bracket design & trunking route. Obviously any further detail anyone can throw in is very very welcome though. Many many thanks Alan.:tup:: Howard

FAO David Ives Hi David....any luck with the MK air cleaner bracket picture mate ? Cheers.........Howard

Cheers so far team, any pics, sketches, diagrams, all much appreciated. Thanks in advance. howard.

Evening all, I'm on scrounge for info, hope some can assist.:cool2: Would any kind soul MK owner out there be able to supply me with some info regarding the mounting position of the Bedford MK air cleaner please. Needs to be a normally aspirated MK as opposed to MJ though please. A photograph of its general position would be superb & would answer a thousand questions. I have a piccy of it stripped down for servicing from the User Handbook, so I know what it looks like, but I'm struggling to remember (it's been 35 years) where it was mounted.:cry: Data is for use on our 1/24th scale MK kit which is coming up soon. Many many thanks in advance to anyone who can throw some light on it. Howard @ KFS

Interestingly the one in the scrap yard leaning on the blue skip has the 3 part rear door set up (a.la Pig stylee,) with a separate top flap & the anti RPG Kremlin mesh. Only seen one other with the separate top flap so far. Drifting...try it on compacted ice in a Cent ARV while towing an ex Bundeswehr M48 hulk. At least in a Saracen you can throw some opposite lock on. Have to say I did`nt know which stick to pull first....brown trousers !! H

HAHAHA....Saracen Drifting.....Lovvvvin it. :rofl: We should stop now....local shop has run out of man size tissues. :cool2: H

Andy, The penny has only just dropped.....27BK13 is the reg on the test build. So, I must have a picture of your motor in amongst my reference pics already !! Small World H

Hi Andy, Cheers for the comment....more like full credit to David Jane the brilliant pattern maker I use for the masters. I'm really just responsible for the overall plan, the photoetch parts & the instructions, David does the clever stuff. Nice to meet you at Gaydon by the way. The winch is a 'leave off / include in' item. There were a few Pigs with winches still fitted as you probably know, these being a left over from their 1 tonner origins. But it's simply a matter of not fitting it or the fairlead rollers. "tch, simples":-) A model of your goodself next to one...hmmm....got some civvy figures here somewhere, will need to sand the hair off one for you though mate :cool2: If you want to give me a call sometime on 01205 480766 we can have a natter about build cost, spec, showcase etc. Certainly be more than happy to oblidge. Building a Mk5 Saracen for bloke shortly. Re the Crusader model in the pic, it is certainly one of my cab transkits, but not one that I actually built. I did a TMW magazine feature on one that I built for an owner, looks like the chap here used that article for reference. Press on...Pig instructions to write up. cheers.....Howard.

For me, this is one dead good thread. Proper "Saracen porn" as someone else said in a previous thread. Keep it coming I say !!:thanx: H

Got a tentative urge to do some matching Land Rover stuff in due course yes, but need to speak politely to those nice people at LR re permissions etc etc.....grape vine tells me they can be slightly touchy otherwise. Sort of fancy a Lightweight with the Makralon (is that spelt right?) body kit...maybe even the 1 tonner. Too many to choose from really. Theres a 3 series LWB out now from Italeri...makes a useful base kit...& you can still get the 109 Paras LR kit occasionally too. Later.......H

I absolutley love the Malkara in the previous thread....but my eyes are not so good for 1/35th anymore.:nut: However,....have just finished the first test build of our new 1/24th scale Pig Mk2 & this I can cope with ..just. Please feel free to have a shuftie here;- http://www.kitformservices.com/tq.html Bedford MK is next followed by Saladin & Ferret....all in 1/24th....then Matador & 5.5" gun for next years first offering. Enjoy....:cool2: Howard PS Would like to thank Clive 'mine of information' Elliott for his technical help, support & suggestions in getting the kit together.

Afternoon Pig fans.:cool2: When it's too wet & cold to be out restoring the real Pig you might like to be indoors building one of these.... It's our latest 'Classic British' release, 3rd in the series, Mk2 Humber Pig in 1/24th scale. (my eyes are no good for 1/35th anymore :nut:) I just finished putting the first test build together (pictures here http://www.kitformservices.com/tq.html) 210mm (8.25") long with the rear doors closed. Apart from the seat belts being a right fiddle it's not too much of a 'Pig' to build either. Hope you like it.....Bedford MK next, then Saladin & Ferret :banana: PS Would like to thank Clive 'mine of information' Ellitott for his help, support, & suggestions in getting the kit together. H

Ahhh...I've seen this before, it's not unique on early RFC motors. Note the motor concerned is a Mk3...(skinny tyres & round vent axia fan housings) I believe when RFC was first introduced the air ducting outlets were simply blanked off, then later removed completely on series production. Not seen this set up on a MK6 RFC anyway. See page 158 of Alvis Saracen Family by Bill Munroe....the HK Police motor also still has the full vents + its RFC kit. Note also the size & shape of the RFC front baffle plate on the Aden motor.....these were considerably deeper on Mk6. Interestingly though the HK Police motor has the deeper baffle too. Howard.

NICE ONE Oily !! Going for the hot wax & wheel scrub too ? How does the computer on the car wash recognise the extra set of wheels ?......or maybe it's the local Polish hand wash team? :cool2: Seems Saracens are like West Highland White Terriers....the older they get the grumpier they get. Love em both though.:-) H

Montie, And you can still take your clothes off & have fun in the back yeah ? Bonus !!, ya can't do that in a Ferret eh ?:cool2::cool2::cool2: H

Hi Haybaggerman, I remembered after my last post that we confirmed you said it was Mk5 earlier in the thread. But anyway your pics confirmed it....square filler neck & ventilation fan housing. Must say it's a well tidy looking motor....somebody took good care of it. Nice one !! So anyway, yes it's uparmoured & would have started life as a Mk2. The Mk2 when uparmoured becomes the Mk5. Oh, & regarding the welded plate over the rear engine cover....the drawing in the User Handbook of a Mk5 shows this plate fitted as well. Now, they would`nt show that plate if it had been fitted as part of an RFC removal programme. Drawings of the Mk2 do not show the plate. Therefore, methinks, that plate is wholly original as part of the uparmouring. Ain't Saracens GREAT ?:nut: H

Congratulations....is it a boy or a girl? Wish I had the space, money, time, youth left to buy one Howard.

Hi Haybaggerman, The Saracen above (the one following the Pig) definately has a turret, I have the same picture here. The turret is reversed & the commander is leaning on the rear door flap. On my copy you can clearly see the smoke dischargers & the outline of the turret lid behind the commanders shoulders. So my vote is YES it is turreted. Not sure that it is safe to say your Saracen was "uparmoured for NI use" though. As I understand it uparmouring was a general improvment programme for Saracens which were then designated Mk5 & Mk6. Unless of course your motor is covered in Kremlin style wire mesh anti RPG armour (like early bar armour) that stuff was a NI specific measure. Going back to an earlier question. Is your external fuel filler neck round in profile or square & boxed in...&...do you have round or square ventilation fan housings. Round in either case equates to earlier none uparmoured marks, while square in either case equates to up armoured Mk5 &/or 6 See the one posted by Antarmike above, this is a Mk6 which is already uparmored & has then had the Kremlin mesh added. Note the square filler neck. Stick a picture up of your Saracen & lets have a butchers Howard.

Right, found said piccy. Not 'in service' as such but definately original I'd say. The motor is parked in a line up of rusty Saracens, so it must be a disposal yard somewhere & sometime. Theres a nice roof shot looking down at the 'wings' & turret. Not sure what mark it is but the turret has a 4 pot smoke discharger & flat disc around the base where it meets the roof (were they all like that ?) I think Clives picture is a Mk1 ACoP judging by the tubular rail on the right side ?, but the pic I have here is I think a much later one. Howard

Hi Alan, The images you show are ACP rather than ACV, both are clearly shown in the User Handbook 1976 & both are very different animals. The image in the hand book shows a 'low roof' (if I can put it that way) ACV with no turret, but the AA ring mount moved forward where the turret ought to be. I shall now shuffle off & study my pics again to see if I have an 'in service' shot for the cream to add to Clives pie.:cool2: Later peeps. Howard.

I have gathered pictures of several ACVs with & without turrets, so although I don't really know why they would or would`nt have them....the fact is that some do. Howard

Further more the two lighter ones with RFC appear to be in sand colour. Part of the cancelled Libyan order per-chance ? H