robin craig

Datadawg, enough is the answer R

My Spidey sense were tripped instantly when I went to their website and it did not give any hint of their bricks and mortar location. That is such a big issue for me with e traders, knowing where I can send Knuckles and Masher to visit is very important to me, but then maybe I am old school. Must fly, I hear my conch shell ringing, must be careful not to trip over the Abacus. Robin

Great detail, nice place to work on a vehicle. Like the progress Robin

Wow, what a gem Robin

To me the ability to shut off all power and the ability to slave / boost / jump start other 24volt vehicles is one that I need and want to do it in a way that is plausible for the vehicle while not damaging the originality. So to portray the wagon as a REME vehicle with the tankies is my way of self justification. I was hoping that other REME types would pass a comment, maybe this thread needs more time. I will say that as more folks get on the (dreaded) Facebook we have been exposed to many personal albums showing many non standard modifications to vehicles in many theatres and usages that make me feel much better about dong this. Regards Robin

This is Chris's Fox rebuild Robin

Stupid question, might be or not. Anyway, it is known that some Land Rover 1 Tonnes ended up in some strange places. So I would like to ask a "what is plausible" question. My 1 tonne served both with the RTR and the IDG. If I were to conjur up the notion of putting the vehicle into a role with one of those units I am contemplating portraying it being used by some kind of REME attached to the tankers. So, stretching my current needs to what is plausible, I am thinking of taking a repro battery box cover (so as not to hack the original) and mounting onto it a Bedford type battery master switch and a Ferret style slave socket mount. I have seen so much done to vehicles in service especially by the crafty types who get ingenious I feel that this kind of modification must have just been something that a REME type might have done. Can anyone from experience me an opinion of my intentions and materials? Thanks Robin

Quite jealous, I think you got a good deal there. Looks grand Robin

Thanks for the advice and comments Richard. You pretty much nailed it on the head as to what happened to my poor co worker. We want to take the opportunity and pull the pack for a number of reasons, cleaning the vehicle is one and not knowing what the brake lines are like is another. Having full confidence in the level of the work done is what we would like. Its been a hard year on the vehicle front for us at work, lowest serviceable level in years sadly. Disposing of some vehicles is now helping create space and lessen the load. Robin

Thanks for the thought there Terry, we have a small probe camera and were going to peer inside but the Mk1 option as you suggest is a very valid suggestion and thank you for that. Hopefully the BV206 will go this week and we can concentrate on the Ferret, The BV is needed in service elsewhere. I hope to get the turret off and get some prep work done but planning the pack out for the 2nd Dec work party night. Anyone else have any suggestions? Richard? Robin

So this is not a restoration as it were more restorative to working condition. A while ago this vehicle was being run up and it "caught fire" is how my co-worker shouted down the phone at me. I deeply suspect that what actually happened is that the gearbox was not put back to neutral and it was started in first gear and left to run for about 25 minutes or so like that and took out the seal of the fluid flyheel after over heating it. there is a puddle of very clean oil on the floor of the hull. There was a lot of what appeared to be be an oily smoke in the vehicle at the time of the event. We have been ever so busy and are just now getting around to even looking at the problem. We winched it up onto our tilting trailer of death (as we call it) and brought it from our storage location back to our main workshops. We will only get a few hours a week to putter away at this as we are well busy as it is. I am going to check the level in the fluid flywheel right away once the turret comes off and the decks come off. I intend to pull the whole pack out anyway before we split it. Too much of an opportunity to have a thorough clean up and check of brakes etc. Any comments welcome Robin

I bought one set from him, and they were from the French vehicles. I made a big song and dance abut getting them out here, only to find no provenance of them ever being used on Canadian Ferrets. Boy did I feel like I was the mug! Swapped them in the end with a good friend and they now reside on his British Ferret. Robin

If you are lucky enough to find a set, as they are not often found, think about the consequence of haggling and being refused a purchase and how long you will regret that. It is somewhat of a sellers market. You might be lucky enough to find a set of nearly exact replicas that came off the French Eland family of vehicles, not one but a studious rivet counter will know the difference. If all else fails you can mount PSP as there is plenty of provenance for that. Being as how you are in the UK you will likely have more luck than anyone overseas. Try talking to some of the MV dealer folks, you might hear a lot of sucking teeth sounds but who knows. Good luck Robin

njjeeper, do you have a real name? We are about to remove the power pack from a Mk 2/3 up here and expect the pack to be out for a few weeks. If you would like to either have me take some happy snaps or pop up and look yourself you are more than welcome Robin

No suggestions anyone? Robin

A word of caution on the linkage question here is appropriate I feel, especially on this side of the pond. If for any reason you entertain the idea of firing any weapon from a Ferret and you do not have control over the discharge of the spent casings then expect to have a linkage problem sometime later on in time at the most inconvenient moment and it will really catch you out and likely cause you a brown trousers moment. We have fired 7.62 from a Mk 2/3 and the casings took a while to worm their way down in the vehicle and roll around and eventually cause problems. Have fun kids but it always costs! Robin

Are the shock absorbers for the front of a 2.5 Na diesel the same part number as for the front of a Tdi Wolf? we are trying to figure out what we need Thanks Robin

After a sumptuous lunch in the community hall afterwards, free to everyone attending, it was time for us to line back up for the ferry. I was treated to a visit in the wheelhouse of the ferry as we approached Kingston. The others were done with Ferries but I had a trip over the County Ferry back Howe Island, by this time the drizzle had started and the spell of wonderful weather was over. My thanks to all involved Robin Craig

The event is supported by the Cadets from The Royal Military College in Kingston and they provide an honour guard and cadets accompany the wreath laying to give a salute. Even the 3 local schools turn out their classes to attend the event and representative kids including these pre schoolers lay a wreath. Brigadier General David Patterson, himself a resident of the island laid a wreath on behalf of the Canadian Armed Forces. He is shown standing next to David Parker the owner of the Mk1 Ferret. It is a really well done ceremony.

We arrived in Marysville good and early as requested and set up smartly. The handmade Poppy on each vehicle was made by my own fair hand the night before using foam from a craft store.

We met up in Kingston for the trip on the Wolfe Islander III. We even had an Army Cadet with us, the son of the Iltis Owner. The Ferret lives on Wolfe Island and isn't here on the ferry, and the Iltis was jammed in and I could not get a photo. The red and white vessel behind the Land Rover at the dock is a joint Canadian Coast Guard and RCMP cutter that is based here and patrols the border area in the St Lawrence and Lake Ontario.

So, Many of us in the local MV community have been struggling to find an appropriate place to display our vehicles at this time of the year. Many of the Legion events no longer have walking parades with vehicles behind as the Veterans do not walk any more. Locally I discovered that the sister island to the one I live on in the St Lawrence holds an open air service and laying of wreaths at the Township Offices and War memorial. As I farm and the fall (autumn) harvest occurs at this time it was a grey issue if I could attend anyway. I had rattled a few peoples cages and tried to convince others to go regardless of the weather but they are all volunteers and this means taking a day off work. Three others committed to go and I was able to be free having sent the last of our corn to the elevator on Tuesday the 10th. For me this event would be the last of the year, so I thought. Backing up the timings we had to be at the Kingston Ferry Terminal to catch the 0830 hrs sailing on the Wolfe Islander III. We would be in competition with the grain trucks going onto the island and in the end it was a close thing that we all made the same sailing. First I had to get off our Howe Island to go collect a friend by way of the 3 car Township cable Ferry Robin

For those folks outside of the UK just seeing this stuff is mouthwatering and tear jerking at the same time. You can not imagine how spoiled you folks are with that kind of kit being around you and at car boot sales etc. Getting parts from the UK is problematic and expensive which is turning me into an MV hoarder of all things British related with an FV number on it. Robin

Even though I live over here in Canada I grew up within hearing distance of the Bluebell Railway and recall going on the Santa specials at Christmas. Must be a wonderful place now. Envious! R

There is always hope. Thanks Robin