robin craig

"Being kept in storage" . . . we call that TGS ie Tall Grass Storage, not good for any MV.

R

I now have both Ferrets back from the USA as some may have seen posted previously.

I am now tring to decipher what the history of both vehicles and in doing so I am running into some problems.

According to Colin Stevens recently published book on the subject, ALL Canadian Mk1 Ferrets had square side hatches.

Well Gents, my c/s 31 doesnt, it has the sloped ones which everyone is saying means it is a wannabe.

Well, au contraire I say as it is still in full Canadian markings with so many country specific modifications I am having trouble believing that it isnt Canadian.

I have the hull number which is 467. B. 8. 4.

Curiously above the 8 and the 4 in a smaller stamp is the number 5

Directly above the 8 towards to top of the plate is "broad arrow" mark.

Before anyone says it, yes I am in direct contact with Colin and am awaiting his opinion.

What say any of you then?

Robin

What was used to remove the old paint?

R

welcome to the forum chum, just watch the centre of gravity in the ambulance.

the c of g is not that of a normal gs 109.

I was a patient on a stretcher in one when it flopped on its side once.

R

If you do a google earth satelite search on Nick's place you can see them

R

Just a few simple words from the colonies.

Jack, relax, all you had to do is ask and those who value and realise what this place is about will gladly pay a subscription.

Frankly, you will loose money on overseas members such as myself as your costs will outweigh the revenues.

I would gladly as an overseas member forego the magazine so my money goes to the forum.

happy to subscribe

Robin Craig

Kingston

Ontario

Canada

Union Jack Collection

Congratulations on the new arrival, how did the suggestion of calling the sprog LUCAS go over with the mom?

R

Forgot to mention, on my way back from Sarnia I managed to drop in on a chap who had 3 used Ferret tyres and a used Ferret wheel for sale in Oshawa and managed to strike a deal and punt them into the Dodge. Whats the chances of Ferret items like that coming up for sale in Canada, pretty slim I would say.

I think this deal was meant to be

R

Just a quickie.

Both Ferrets and the parts in boxes are back on Paradise Island. One is unloaded and under cover the other will come off the trailer on sunday and get tucked away.

Some photos will get posted in the coming days but we didnt get a chance to take many during the border crossing and the unload from highway transport owing to security concerns by customs at the Sarnia crossing and the unload from the highway transport to our own trailers as there were only two of us and it was a very cool morning and we had the clock ticking and the meter running.

Thanks to all who have given me encouragement along the way, its greatly appreciated. I will post my bank account details for donations later.

Even though Canada and the US of A are side by side and materials and people flow betwixed and between the two on a regular basis squeeky tight paperwork and prior knowledge of the Import Control Act on the import of anything green is the key.

I spent a lot of time insisting these two were properly titled / registered in Michigan and signed over to me before I would allow the deal to close. The vendor had thought that a bill of sale would be fine but I knew from bitter experience to the contrary.

Upon arriving at Customs the truck was flagged for X -Ray instantly and then a curious mk1 eye ball inspection by a horde of customs officers, all that was done within my sight but 300 metres away from me in a "secure area".

The importation paperwork into Canada was the fastest on record for me, two vehicles in less than 7 minutes and 256 Canadian dollars paid.

I am chuffed as to how smoothly it all went. The only thing that I am kind of miffed about is that a vacant lot I have been waiting for a few years to come up for sale has just been listed for sale while I have been away doing this and now I am scrambling for more financing to secure that after scrambling to make funds materialise for the two Ferrets. Oh well, c'est la guerre!

R

I would say that in UK service that it would be extremely rare to see such a set up, I won't say never as we all know what happens when you say that.

You might be lucky to find a unit that carried out its own modifications to satisfy a need, the one that comes to mind is the mods done to RAF Regt vehicles in the first gulf war as airfield security trucks. There were so many mods done during that conflict that it is there that your best best will come I think. The reality of a real conflict has a tendency to see the rule books thrown out of the window and an "I want to survive" mentality set in.

Just look at the sledges that were made up for Challengers to pull ammo with, it did happen, or the 24volt christmas tree brackets on some afvs. They did happen but few know if it. Only a photo will prove it.

I know that improvised AA mounts on LR 101 FCs have been seen for the gpmg but I digress.

If you wait another 10 years they will likely pop up in a book somewhere.

R

As a general rule of thumb as soon as we receive bulk gasoline / petrol we instantly put fuel stabiliser in it and upon adding the fuel to a vehicle we add carb cleaner to the amount put into the vehicle.

Modern petrol / gasoline breaks down and leaves a lacquer type deposit very quickly and and also looses its energy potential accordingly. It is such the inferior fuel these days on our side of the pond.

This policy has helped, along with regular start ups, to keep our kit rolling.

Watch your track tension as you will get slap under the sponson, make sure you first parade any tracked vehicle properly, failure can lead to a thrown track.

R

Just got an update from the trucking company, they are loading the Ferrets now. ETA at the Sarnia border crossing 1330hrs tommorow.

Im driving through the night tonight after work to clear them tommorow.

Im so stoked

R

Try reading "The Moon is a Balloon" by David Niven and "Fetch Felix" about EOD work in NI.

R

Well golly gosh!

I hope Casey Jones doesn't slam the anchors on in a hurry, there wasnt a single chain holding any of that on to the rail cars.

Who else spotted that???

R

In Canada the last vehicle accepted into service in a multi colour camouglage was the HLVW (heavy logistic vehicle wheeled) which was built under licence by then UTDC of Kingston Ontario under licence from Steyr.

The vehicle has a very strict conformance on the cam pattern and the factory at the time cut magnetic stencil masks to ensure conformity to the reference vehicle that had been accepted.

Then the Somalia debacle brewed up and kit was painted white and shipped into theatre.

Upon the eventual return it was all changed back to a monochrome green and so from then on kit has been supplied in a single colour.

The baseline was cost. All the money spent in the contract for the HLVW fancy scheme was wasted and the powers to be decided that plain jane green is fine from here on in especially seeing how kit gets painted for various theatres and back again.

Damn bean counters at work!

my 2 cents worth

R

Well blow me down with a feather, ive just spent time trying to find a friendly in Michigan for temp storage of my two Ferrets and someone comes out of the woodork but too late!

Welcome to the forum.

R

We here in Canada can not not posses a dummy weapon as that is classed an imitation and is strictly verbotten. Live with paperwork and trigger guards etc or deac.

R

Oh wow, yes the once so common and yet so humble Land Rover in military service are few and far between now in civilian hands in pukka form, especially the older more esoteric ones like the 24v FFR types.

Good luck with your project.

R

Woo Hoo!

After making the final payment a week ago, both Ferrets were collected and are in transit on the first of two legs of their journey home yesterday.

They were moved within the state of Michigan and will this morning be unloaded awaiting pick up this Thursday by my local trucking company who will bring them through the border and back to Eastern Ontario, Canada, where I live.

It has been a tortuosly slow process for a number of reasons that I won't go into at the moment.

I expect to unload them both and the crates on Friday if all goes well.

I cant believe it is actually happening

Robin

I have done some repair work on cut equipment and using brazing and welding and good grinding I have erased all traces of cuts to the naked eye.

As far as the gears go they can be cast quite easily and faired in after welding.

R

Welcome chum,

quite peverse really, I just finshed reading "The Boys Book of Airfix" by Arthur Ward, the lower part of the cover says "Who says you ever have to grow up".

I think that sums most of us on this forum up quite well.

I guess I should say thanks to my best mate Andrew and my god daughter for buying that for my birthday last month.

R

Welcome to the forum, does the current wife have an unmarried sister?

R

If your flathead Ford V8 has been converted to 12 volt there is a near invisible electonic ignition kit available.

I could find the details somewhere in a while if interested

R

Welcome to the forum from Ontario.

growing Canadian contingent on here.

R

Whats the prognosis on the engine and gearbox? Are they both sound or will you have to tear them down and rebuild?

You are lucky to have a telehandler to help out.

R