tacr2man

I hope so , as after 30 years looks like its getting time for mine to find a new custodian

As expected the replacement is a Pretender , rather than a new defender , all Landrover products have become variations on a theme , I think it has become cannibalistic , as it will only lose the defender market , and leech buyers from other models in the range . 85 ecu in a defender market product just shows the total lack of awareness .

The steering utilizing nitrogen pressured accumulators , full synchro main gearbox . The higher geared front diff (than rear) , brilliant and very effective idea . It was a bit of a mix of tech and stoneage . I always found it a enjoyable truck to drive .

Sounds nice running , but I think you will find it incredibly slow , the B81 would allow 40/45mph cruise before running into rev limiter that was at 3750 IIRC . Some time after I sold mine a new owner converted it to diesel , not sure if Cummins or leyland , but it resulted in it being scrapped . Mine was a Gun tractor I converted to wrecker , (pics on forum) . I think the wrecker version were also lower geared than the gun tractor (not sure on that) .

Towing with an a frame : in UK must be brake connected to "trailer part "of combination (except less than 750kg mam) unless just removing broken down vehicle to place of safety . Under EU rules towing with a frame (brakes connected) is legal under reciprocity , ie if allowed in UK , there is even printouts downloadable on "tow a car" in various languages, and evidence of a fine being refunded thru Spanish court acknowledging the reciprocity law . flat towing land rover , just put transfer in neutral no other prep required. Real world move it using a trailer , based on speed, safety and financial analysis JMHO

Cant advise on the Reccy version but had a Arty tractor back in 80's converted and used in civvy recovery , pics on martian gallery (pg5) . The B81 was adequate for anything as long as you were not in a real hurry , I was regularly called to Fish hill to tow stalled modern trucks UP the hill :laugh: which it did effortlessly without their engines in drive. Mpg was 3 to 5 . Cruise speed was 40/45 just below rev limiter. Fitting a diesel doesn't really work , after I sold mine it was converted to diesel and I have since learned later it was cut up as diesel conversion made it just about unusable (slow) . The furthest tow was about 60 miles back from London with an artic tipper. The big tip for martian users is in respect of the transfer box, before going out especially in cold weather is start engine and let warm up with main gearbox in 3rd and transfer box in neutral to get the oils pumped round the trans mission . The 3 speed transfer box is set up as high then medium (both for road usage) and then it jumps to low low there being no low ! To get low low it has to be in 6wd to spread the torque. My experience is that it will pull anything (including loaded antar) just not rapidly

I had a RL recovery in civvy use during 1980s there are a couple of in use pics on the Leyland Martian gallery page 5 onwards . It suffered from vapour locking if left running at accident scenes , so I solved that by fitting a electric fuel pump in the line down near the fuel tank .

While you are sorting the fuel pump , do yourself a favour and fit an electric pump at the tank as well , as these have a nasty habbit of vapour locking in the mech pump , especially if you leave them idling when hot , or are doing stop start on a hot day . You just use the elec pump when you need to . I operated several of these as recovery vehicles , and found out the hard way . HTSH;) ps when doing the wheel cylinders i suggest that you get them stainless steel re sleeved, save you hassle in the future

A bit more info I was talking today to a chap who rebuilt one of these falklands tractors from a number of stillages of parts , as it had been dismantled , and the firm went bust . He says he has some pics so will try and get and post He also has the mil reg number recorded . It was a forward control type with a fifth wheel type coupling .

that video one comment all the gear and no idea !

Would this be ex MOD on the bay at the moment ? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/COUNTY-1184-TW-FC-TRACTOR-/150788444231?pt=UK_BOI_FarmingEquipment_RL&hash=item231bb11047

That looks about it , does it have a single central door in the rear end ?

Thanks for the brilliant reponses, but it defo had a normal 4cyl petrol sv engine , probably a m678 body as it was like the ambulance but with windows IIRC the roof was a bit more rounded tho ?

Back in early 70's IIRC I owned a vehicle I would describe as a crewbus based on a jeep4x4 chassis . It was forward control with 3 doors ( 1 at rear) . I think they were used on US aircraft carriers to run crew about ? Does anyone know their designation or have any pics ? I have never seen one since !

The first looks like a converter dolly for using a scammel coupling as a drawbar unit , there were a lot of scammel couplings used by national freight and even post office at one time .

Thanks that a brilliant reply , I remember seeing some of the other parts than ladders when I got them originally , I dont suppose anyone would know where i might obtain ?

Does anyone know of correct term for the short ladders aluminium painted dark green that slot together and are secured by pins . They are usually about 5 foot long . I recently saw them being carried by RM commandos in Afghanistan on the tv program . I got a pair back in about 88 from a scrap yard they were being disposed of by mod . But looks like they are still using them , so would like to get hold of another pair .

Going back to when I had mine , the seating was in three rows , (which i removed the middle and rear row) IIRC the rear row was two benchs . The driver hand book had quite a few illustrations re kit stowage etc if you can get your hands on one. The fuel consumption is approx 3.5 mpg when working light out heavy back . The rear metal in the cab over winch is some sort of amoured steel, as it kills drill bits . I found when fitting power pack (morris minor engine and gearbox to drive hydraulics and genset) . IIRC it was a 13 seater cab . IN the rear body was racking for quick response shells for the towed gun . Its a 3 speed ransfer box with an interlock that you have to engage 6wd before you can get into low. The way they are geared tho is High is normal road , med is low(heavy on road) , then you miss the next step down and go into 6wheel and are able to select low (pull a house down) IIRC 1st low low is 259 to 1 reduction drive . They are nice to drive as power steering is very light , the main gearbox is full synchro , even got cruise control (hand throttle):rotfl:. You have to watch their speed tho , as they will over rev quite quickly down hill and start to bounce on the tyres like a tractor . Max revs I think are 3750 (rev limiting dizzy arm IIRC)

What powers the hydraulics ? as it looks like it still has the underfloor winch ? Does it fire up Ok ?

I had to change transfer box not long after buying , thats when I was told about the warm up tip . One thing I did find with ex army petrol vehicles was they all seemed to suffer from vapour locking if left to idle after working hard . They would keep running on idle for ages but if you tried to drive off , cut out . The fix , which i did whenever I bought a new one was fit an electric facet pump at the tank on a switch supply , never any probs after that , although funnily enough didnt have that prob with martian . RL , S type, and K9,s every one . I often wondered how british army ever got about in hot climates ?

I have to rise to the defence of the Martian , I used one for recovery ( I converted from Gun Tractor ) and found it to be very reliable. Never had a prob with steering , in fact it was lighter than my RL recovery :wow: even with a second ballast front bumper and 6foot tall V plow on front You had to watch it with the brakes if she hadnt gone out for a week or so , as the drums would rust and untill bedded in again were a bit lacking ! mind you pushing in the clutch was like braking due to trans drag etc . I used to park with stick holding down clutch pedal , and always warm up with main box in gear and transfer in neutral , couple of tips I got from a TA guy . One thing you never worried whether it was capable of dealing with whatever you went to , uprighting milk tanker , double decker in a ditch , loaded Antar , car transporter in a stream etc etc did it all , mind you not with much of a rush :-D

Several were chopped off to make flotation spreaders by a firm in NW oxfordshire back in about 1975 :cry: IIRC

another Martian peculiarity is the front diff was higher geared than the rear so that the front wheels rotated faster in 6 wheel drive , to enable better steering eg getting out of ruts . If you used 6wd on bitumen used to tear up the surface when turning especially !! The only way to use a diesel would be to fit a overdrive x2 gear unit before the transfer box I thought about the repower idea when I had mine as 3-4 mpg when working was about average:-(

I had occassion to move a bedford pantech may years back with a Morris commercial , which not realy capable of doing a front suspend tow on such sized vehicle , but it had to be moved (blocking A4 ) original call said a bedford van ! . as we lifted the front was going up , so we used 2nd winch via snatch block fixed to lower tow jaw , to wind the front down , it worked OK for the 2mile we had to move it, (very slowly) hate to think what would have happened if the cable had broken !! Didnt know it was called a donaldson reactor :nut:

Another consideration on running d/i engines on unprocessed veg oil is piston ring gumming formation esp if used on short runs (low temp) . !