robin craig

Thanks for that, answers the question. ENDEX. R

Can anyone post some pictures of any views they can show of this item please? Does anyone have the FV part number for it? Pictures in situ are fine Thanks R

Mate, just because it is published in a book does not mean it is correct, you will really get me to kick off big style by repeating that rant that I have heard so many times!!!!!! This is a Ferret used by Canada, no doubt about it. Wait until I pull the pack out and show you the alternator set up, that is more provenance than you need! Yes there was a break in the production batch assigned to Canada, too many arm chair generals have quoted various b/s on why this is not a Canadian vehicle but frankly they do not know about what they speak. Regards Robin

Well, I guess this is as good a time to start the trials and tribulations diary of this vehicle. First of all, at the moment we do not know the Canadian Forces Registration number of the vehicle at this time. Contrary to what has so far been documented, this one does not have the numbers stamped onto the flat spot in front of the right hand antennae mounting point. What we do know is that the vehicle looks so far to have sent some time in Western Canada as there is a Road Runner marking on the right side of the hull. Over the drivers hatch is a mish mash of many names which just cant be made out clearly. It has the remains of call sign 31 on the right side and an armoured recce tac sign front left From this we really believe that it was a Lord Stathconas vehicle at the end of its service life. The vehicle was bought nearly two years ago from the US of A along with another and was supposedly a runner in a very rough definition of that phrase. I have spent the past two years shuttling it around at work keeping it under cover and dry. The other is going to be traded and that is a long process that is underway. Last night we moved it one more time, into our main workshops. The we in this is myself and my friend Gerry Foster who is my mechanical brains and professional mechanic by day, whereas I am "Ferret specific" knowledge and owner. Between the two of us we make a good team. I am very much aware of my skills limitations and I am very much respectful of other peoples time and Gerry is a paid asset in the work that is going on. I don't want this to take forever to restore and two people make things go exponentially faster and I am happy to pay him to help because of the results we get. The first task was to run the engine up and prove that indeed it does run. We have in the past weeks turned it over by hand and checked the fluids and had a damned good look around. The previous owner has performed a bodge to supply fuel and we used that set up with a 12 volt pump to supply fuel from a temporary can. We had taken the carb off the other vehicle last week as we had some issues and after making a paper gasket for that last night and fitting the carb we then primed the fuel system after having fitted a pair of new batteries. I got into the hull and sat on the loose seat and turned the ignition on, gauges came to life and the lights glowed, brilliant! With fire extinguishers at the ready, as anything could happen, I cranked it over. To our utter disbelief it fired up instantly on the first crank and ran quite nicely thank you very much! Runner confirmed! We let it run for a couple of minutes and then shut it down. As the rest of the drive train is in a bit of a mess, we knew that was as far as we would be going before tear down. And that is where we went afterwards. There isn't much interior tin work fitted inside the vehicle, just a matter of moving the electrics out of the way on the left side. The fuel tank came out and was drained of the raunchiest rank smelling old fuel you have ever seen or smelled. For giggles we pulled one of the banjo bolt off the bottom of the tank and sure enough it was plugged solid. We know that extensions need to be fitted before going back together. That is now ready to go out to be washed and cleaned. There isn't much of an interior so we went at disconnecting as much as we could and are within about an hour of being able to hoist the pack out which will happen next week. Then it will go onto a stand I made a few years ago for tear down and splitting of the engine and mechanicals. Regards Robin

I posted the same thread on Maple Leaf Up and had some interesting replies, to view click here http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=17563 R

Maybe because he is Canada and there is one there that he is considering? It means he can drive to see it instead of getting on a plane. R

I see you are using a stick (arc) welder now on the heavier cab area. What rod are you using? R

I was reading a manual (vehicle not important) that quotes two material numbers, LV/NEU AC 110288 and LV/NEU AC 110021 Both are petrol (gasoline) related and in a sheet form. Are they still available or what is the civvy material that would cross reference to these? Thanks R

Its very convenient that you just slip out of the back of the camp to go play. Whats your fuel usage for a play day like that? Robin

Trevor, you had better slap a pin in the map on Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The Ontario Regt have 06 EB 80 see this link:- http://www.ontrmuseum.ca/vehicles.htm There is also another one belonging to the Canadian War Museum currently on loan to the Lincoln and Welland museum see mentioned in this text:- http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/31cbg_hq/2009/News/NiagaraArmoury.htm I will scout around for its number, believe it is a Value Engineered Abbot. There is this one in Alberta, Canada http://armourcrossalberta.com/abbot.htm I am fairly sure that there are a few in the US of A R

Wow, was Tony Knott called out to help???? R

Don't get me started. The Canadian Forces are retiring the Browning 9mm pistol, none will be sold, they will ALL be destroyed. The Canadian Forces MLVW (licence built 2 1/2 ton trucks) are on the way out, some have been sold but the vast majority that have not been left in theatre are being cut up by the prisons, and to add insult to injury the prisoners get paid to do the work! R

Dear Perry, "fnally home" must be the biggest understatement of the century. You are so economical with your words! We should talk! Looking forward to hearing all about your treasure. Robin

Chris is indeed taking a break from being our CVRT savior this week, as per an email from him earlier in the week. R

Lastly, Thanks to Andy M I have just scooped a Stormer parts manual from ebay uk, wooh hoo! Thanks Andy for the tip off Regards Robin

Sharky, it will be a while yet but we will be pulling the turret off our CVRW Fox in the coming months, when we do I can see what they are and maybe give you some ideas of sourcing etc then. R

Dear Andy, Thanks for the comments about patience, I have found that if one waits patiently things resolve themselves in the end with a good result. You must remember Andy that the military vehicles I work with are part of a collection that I try to maintain as a very small part of my work responsibility. We have over 500 acres that is an active farm undergoing a regeneration that we run plus we are responsible for property ie buildings that have tenants in them and we are building a new house for work as well. We are well busy. The Wednesday night work nights are because it is the only way I can get someone in with skills to help me. Gerry, the chap who comes is a mechanic by trade and is first class. It is cash side work for him and he seems to enjoy it. We work well as a pair as he knows mechanical / electrical conventions and I provide all the support ie parts and grunt labour. When we run into a problem it usuallly means a weeks delay at minimum, so we bounce on other projects. I have a long list of work to be done on various vehicles that lies ahead that includes a fluid flywheel to be pulled, a J60 swap into a CVRT and a CVRW Fox turret to take off, to name some of the bigger jobs. Add to this the fact that some of the vehicles are 7 kilometers from the main shop and that recovery is sometimes needed. Add to that the fact that right now we are past the point of being able to do any serious work outside as it going below freezing most nights now and is pitch black by 5pm. As this is "work" I do get compensated for the work but it still makes for some very long days. Robin

So, As is always the case a few roadblocks today. Woke up this morning feeling less than parade ready, so begged off work at home under a blanket and medicated liberally on the couch and went in to work for lunchtime. First job was to get the BV206 out as slave vehicle, went out to the building it is in, someone has dropped the fabric overhead door hard and knackered the door, chain is off the sprocket and bottom bar is out of the track, the work never ends, oh well, not today. Anyway, as the finishing discs were in front of the BV206, it was get the tractor in and move the discs to another barn. Slaved the Stormer, quite the process, two switches to complete the circuit using the slave point inside the back door, glad we did that a while ago. She started and settled down, quite the dirty exhaust, if I do say so myself. I let the vehicle idle while I bolted the track shroud back on. Gingerly let the hand brake off and engaged first gear and gave gentle throttle and away she rolled. Did a number of test turns etc trying to see if anything was awry but all seems fine. Then gave her a wash off, wind was cold, a snow squall blew through but didnt settle. Then parked her back inside in the warm dry shop for the night. We have some tin banging to finish and some minor details to sort out and bigger picture put comms inside. Poor picture but here you go, she runs again, yippee. Basic job done. R

Well, We worked last night and with careful assembly all went back together well. A few glitches on the way were resolved, the yellow goo that was all over the fasteners had hardened and was going to cause issues, we softened it using an acetone bath for a few minutes and then brushed them clean. We used gear oil in the assembly of the dog bone on the stub on the hull and then pumped grease into it as we swung it to get the grease around it, we found leaving the cap bolt off worked well until we got prodigous grease out, then put the cap bolt in. We used Loctite thread goo on all the bolts and used Right Stuff gasket goo either side of the paper gasket. New oil in the hub and plenty of spins to get the level right. Once all assembled we used the string ling as per Kit Magazine's bulletin and had a nice straight set up. Then it was time to pull the Stormer out of the shop on the A bars and bring the track in with the tractor and lay it out on the shop floor and back the vehicle back in over it. Attaching rope and pulling the slack forward in to the front drive sprocket and then draw the end down in front of the first road wheel. On with the track clamp and draw the two ends close together. Before closing the gap we used an old tooth brush ground to fit to clean the hex bushings that the track pin sits in, once clean they were lubed. This eases assembly hugely. Once the gap was closed the Mk1 eyeball and good light allows you to sight the two bushes so you can adjust them ever so slighlty for alignment. Then using the proper track tools we put the pin in and put the nuts on the end and torqued them. After cleaning up the tools we then went to start the vehicle . . . . and click. Damn, she needs slaving. So that is todays project as we were out of time last night. R

Welcome to the Forum Andy People here will likely snap your hand off come next seasons rush to move stuff. Must get interesting with driver hours and log books if you do lots of hours, you must be hot seating it in the cab with different drivers! Sorry i'm not close enough to take advantage of your services R

Andy, Sorry to hijack matey's thread but . . . what prep work did you do before painting that pack? I am about to haul out a Ferret pack and will need to paint it, just wondering what you did to make sure it sticks well. R

Mike, kind of thought you might chime in on this. The vacuum pump is good. The link shows the injection pump way, way down the page, with the pot being on the extreme right of the picture. http://www.bv206.co.uk/BVSpares/parts2011_list.php?pagesize=500 Robin

So, yesterday the idler arm came back from the machine shop, it all looks good, and hopefully looks don't deceive. Will be going back together tonight R

Before anyone says it, we have been reluctant to tinker with the pot itself and remove it as we have no schematics and the vehicle still runs well. Our other option is to fit a manual high idle mechanism similar to an FFR Land Rover system R

Dear All, Our BV206 has the Mercedes L6 turbo diesel fitted. Behind the in line injection pump is a small unit I would call a "vacuum pot". This, when actuated by a switch on the dash allows vacuum pressure to operate the pot and raise the engine idle speed. We have checked the switch and the vacuum line down to the pot and all have tested good. The pot seems to be at fault. Does anyone have a part number and or a makers name so I can source a replacement? Parts for the BV are getting hard for us now as the supplier we once dealt in the USA has been absorbed into the BAE conglomerate and has evaporated. I am very much afraid that anything from the US is going to be ITAR controlled and unavailable. Any clues anyone? R