ferretfixer

Answer to No.4: It's an actuator indicator rod. If it comes out too far (Red line) then it's time to adjust the drum brakes! As the linings wear & the slave cylinder pistons expand increasingly outwards. then the master cylinder is pushing more fluid from the reserviours. Its operated by an Air piston in the cylindrical chamber bolted onto the master cylinder. Hope that helps on that one!.............:coffee:

Well done Sir, that will keep the Wolf from the door! Hold very tight please....Ding, Ding!

yep, The NORMAL Retail price is £3.....:coffee: I have bought loads at Trade for £1. Seems like they are taking the proverbial..:cool2:

Yes they made a 'Budget' assualt rifle also. I belive only one far Eastern country adopted it. I knew the Design Engineer Frank Walters very well as a personal friend from Sterlings. Laent a lot of VERY interesting stuff about Sterlings & the original designer Bill Patchett. A lesser known fact was theat Styerling had a Revolver design in the board, but they folded before it got any further than a prototype. Sterlings were bought and asset stripped by 'British Waste-of-space'! :-(

Fill that Jug up Jack. Wot, from here!.....................:nono:

The British Army instruction used to be, that ALL Armour should be approached from the front. This was for safety reasons. If a vehicle does begin to move, you have room to effect a manouver to get out of trouble. (In theory!) You can imagine the damage if a foot got caught in a track or crushed in a wheel movement! In practice/ reality, with a lot of vehicles, it was upto the individual. how they got on any Armour.

No Probs, A Pleasure! :yay:

Yep, Bouyancy point was taken on board at the time. BUT, they could have had an under the floor tank like the Saracen & saved the back door vunerable point.:nono: Still As you say, differnet priorities. (And they were after all, Soviet!) :-D

I found it lit ok when using the Storm matches, you know. The ones with a large diamond head on the stem. They are VERY hot & usually found in Survival kits. My own thoughts on Afganistan when on Patrol would be: The patrols were not hundereds of miles at a time, so to that end. If the vehicle was fully fueled prior to deployment on a Patrol. You wouldnt NEED to carry J.C's on the back. You would have more current expirience here than I. Obviously, if the patols out for days at a time, then the fule situation would be different. Diesel is indeed a difficult medium to set alight, BUT, Ignite it will under violent conditions! :shake: At least the government are at last trying to get decent kit to our Troops to do the job under a bit more protection. Years of penny picnhing, & now they are throwing Gucchi kit at the Theatre! :-\

It all depends on the so-called-restoration! I have seen a lot of spray jobs done & sold as 'Restored'. There have been a lot of Ferrets for sale over the last year & at SENSIBLE Money. A fully kitted one in Southampton made £4,000 on Ebay. Fair price & a lot for your money. :coffee: It is a fact that American collectors prize this type of vehicle & will pay accordingly. BUT, I think we are a little more cautious over here! :nono:

No. The variants I worked on were the trials versions of the Pre-Production L85A1. Later on, about a year later,belive it or not. I actually found the lower half of a trigger mecanisem with the XL serial number on it.In a sandbag of empty brass! How the hell did that get in there?? Photo's of the complete weapon appeared later in a specialist book on the Rifle. Needless to say, the componat was cut up with a hacksaw VERY quickly & disposed of as weapon scrap! What would that be worth today! :shake:

Looks like you will have to shift a fair few of those tents then Jack! :-D

As a point of interest. I worked on all the guns that were fitted in the sally B for the film Memphis Belle. Eight .50" cals, some M3's & ANM2's easy to set up for Blank firing. But Jesus, they didnt half eat some Blank Ammo in making that film! but then, the Company I worked for at the time was in the bussiness of making Money. Lots of money! :shocked: Such a shame that the Technical Staff never got a share of any of it!!:argh: Such is life..............:coffee:

Another thing popular with Troops when Non Tac was to pour sand into an empty oil drum (About two foot high version) with the lid cut off. The pour about gallon & a half of Diesel into it. Then set fire with a match, lovely for warming hands & boiling water for a brew! Burnt VERY well as I remember! :-D

Neil I had the chance to inspect a BMP when I was serving. Quite a good vehicle all things considered. BUT, I thought at the time also, as you pointed out. The Archilies Heel was the back doors! What a case of spoiling the ship for a ha-parth of tar! All that deisgn work Bugg**d up by making the rear doors fuel tanks! One AP Incendary, & whoomf! Thank goodness they were Potential 'Enemy' vehicles & not ours! :shake:

Points noted & Digested. BUT, as you may be aware in the 'Sunny Climbs Theatre' One of the 'favoured weapons of choice of your Enemy', is the RPG. Having fired & tested many of these I can attest to the amount of sparks & flames produced upon impact! Sparks + Diesel = Fire! The Ragheads use these weapons with much abandon, i am personaly concerned with the safety of 'Our Boys' (& Gals!) out there. As Im sure, are you. :coffee:

Blimey Roger, You really were at the back of the stores isssues! Just shows how seriously they took 'The Army Welfare Service'! ....:cool2::coffee: (Only joking!)

A Warm Wellcome Nick! :yay: You are fortunate that the vehicle you have bought is a type that spares are readily available! (& also information/ Tech Manuals) So you should get plenty of fun from your Green Machine! I hope you enjoy your new found site & the many Friends you will undoubtably make here! Mike. :coffee:

I was involved in the trials for the original 4.85mm Pre-Service variant in 1982-3 at the school of infantry in Warminster. After MANY suggestions & mods it went to production & BEGAN entering Service in 1985. The L1A1 (SLR) Rilfle, Sterling L2A3 SMG & L4A4 Bren Gun continued to serve alongside until phased out of Service. The Complete usage of the First SA80 (L85A1) & LSW (L86A1) became the norm in 1988. Richard is correct with regards the SLR's he worked on. They would have gone into war Reserve, and SOME were later sold/ distributed as 'Assistance' packages to 'Friendly' nations. Sierra Leone being a prime example. :sweat: As far as I can establish, NO British Army L2A3 SMG's have EVER been released & would have gone into War Reserve. :coffee:

Thanks Chris, I see he has another up for sale at an optimistic £8,000.!! :-D

As a point of interest. I THINK this pic was taken in 1965. I have just acquired a vast amount of personal effects that belonged to a Major Rochford-Rae,Grenadier Guards. who was Brigade Major in Berlin at that time. There is a couple of photo albums in with it all & there are a few pictures of that Parade (Royal Review) in 1965. amongst pigs, Cents, Ferrets & just the tail pic of the Mobats being towed. But it is not possible to identify the prime movers. Now I know what the they are - Unimogs! Also some auto union Mungas for the RMP & the SCLI marching past. Facinating stuff, & Im enjoying researching this Prominant Officer! :yay:

You are correct about the soap. I was given an inistail issue bar in 1974, & noticed later in my Service. that the same type was in washrooms in barrack office Toilets also. You could request it from the stores for washrooms if required. I remember, it did not lather up very well, so was hell to shave with! :nono: (Before aerosol tins were popular!) We bought our own soap in an attempt for a LITTLE luxury & trying to keep our facial skin soft. :cry:

The Microphone is a Larkspur COMMANDERS variant, as opposed to the drivers version. It has a switch assembly which enables the commender to select from two different radio sets if installed. And also to 'Buzz' the driver to get his attention. The headset is NOT a normal vehicle issued larksupr headset. Hope this is helpfull to you Simon. :coffee:

Hi, What can you tell me about the Ferret Scout Car in the background please! Regards:Mike

Oh Dear,... Methinks there is aaanother load of 'Nice' retorts comming towards the French! :sweat: