sirhc

They did Mike, and we have one of those Ricardo Foxes. Chris

http://www.ekmpowershop5.com/ekmps/shops/greenmachines/daimler-ferret-master-cylinder-repair-kit-1170-p.asp

136 of the rest of them donated turrets to make Sabres, I don't know what happened to the others but I suspect they were made in to hard targets or melted down. 50+/- is about right, I've been tracking them down for 6 years and new ones to me very rarely show up these days. Incidently there are still TA regiments with armour... http://www.army.mod.uk/armoured/regiments/1638.aspx Chris

A well restored and maintained Fox is a nice vehicle to own. They are top heavy, but as long as they are driven with care they should be ok. They are fast and fun to drive but when something goes wrong it can be a pain to fix. Gearboxes are the problem area and as Lee said there are no spares. I've not seen one with a cracked hull, but there is an EMER with a load of modifications to repair cracks. Our vehicle has most of these repairs. As others have said, be careful with the ones at Boyes, if you want to know more about them PM one of us. My Fox site is back up and running here: http://www.sirhc.co.uk/cvrw/ and there are tons of photos of our rebuild here: http://www.sirhc.co.uk/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=8 Chris

If you're felling nervous, try this dvd... http://www.ekmpowershop5.com/ekmps/shops/greenmachines/fv432fv434-power-pack-removaldvd-383-p.asp Chris

Hi Steve, As far as I know the only way to get to the starter is to pull the pack. Have you got anything you can lift it out with? Chris

Looks to be mostly radios from the tender list. Anyone need 70 351s?

You only need 2 or 3 boxes and a couple of cables. The IB3 is the heart of the system, this needs a power cable. Connect 1 or more CB2s to the IB3 with 12 way cables, these are the boxes where you plug the pressel and headset. If you get in touch with Green Machine Surplus they should have the boxes, cables and probably the installation manual too.

Try and keep away from pointing out that it's armoured and unusual. Fill out the form with as few details as possible, and the best bet is to take the documents to a DVLA local office. Deal with someone direct, it's much easier than explaining it on the phone. Take photos but don't show them unless you need to. Chris

Paul, They were all like that. Remember this would have been sent to Withams back in 2004, so has been standing since then. Infact it may have been stood several years at Ashchurch or elsewhere before disposal. The 2 I had both had electrical problems and the interiors were both awful, but they do clean up ok. Chris

I also recommend the use of one of these.. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PAINT-MIXING-TOOL-PADDLE-MIXER-STIRRER-BLENDER_W0QQitemZ290281629328QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_DIY_Material_Paint_Varnish_MJ?hash=item290281629328&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318 Stick it in a drill and turn it slowly to mix up the paint. Put the paint tin in a cardboard box first though, incase you spin it too fast and it throws the paint everywhere!

Paul, Does it say KFOR or SFOR on the NBC pack door? Chris

I wouldn't buy a spare set of track unless all the bushes are knackered, but I would buy a few spare links. Pads aren't too expensive, £5 each or so. You will need roadwheels though, they don't last forever and can fall to bits out on the roads. I had the rubber from one over take me once! There are some pads here: http://www.thexmod.com/item_detail.asp?id=3521 Chris

Another thing to remember when spraying an MV is that it's different than spraying a classic car... it doesn't need to be perfect and you're (hopefully) not going to polish it afterwards!

Jack, That all depends on what type of paint you're spraying! I use gunwash to thin down paint, you can buy large quanities fairly cheaply. Of course, if it's water based paint, just use water. Chris

Jack, I'm surprised you have a Snap On spray gun and a tiny compressor? Normally you need a decent sized compressor to run a spray gun. Make sure the nozzle in the gun is matched to the output of the compressor. The paraffin gun is useful for cleaning stuff, try spraying your engine with it, it will come up nice and clean. I spray watered down Marine Clean from Frosts with one, use a stiff brush to get the stubborn bits off and then wash down with a power washer. Spraying paint is faily easy, there are plenty of good guides on the web. Set your fan size etc by spraying some scrap cardboard etc before moving to your part/vehicle. You need to start off the part and finish off the part. Use a steady speed and maintain your distance and make a pass accross the part. Overlap the passes. Try not to put it on too thick, let it dry slightly before putting another pass on top. I always spray any sticky out bits first, make sure they are covered from all angles, then go over the whole lot with the nice steady sweeps. http://www.diy-compressors.com/spraying-basics.htm With a bit of practice you should find it's fairly easy to spray something without getting any runs. Chris

David, There was a good 432 website a few years back with a lot of the Mk 1 details. I have driven one, but it was some time ago. The dash is similar to the Ferret, with this extra bit.. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/432-instrument-panel-ammeter-FV-wiring-connector-Champ_W0QQitemZ160318976439QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Other_Vehicle_Parts_Accessories_ET?hash=item160318976439&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A1%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318 Chris

Mark, Your NBC pack is external, so I think its safe to say it's a straight Mk 2. Chris

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CATWEAZLE-RICHARD-CARPENTER-PUFFIN-BOOKS-1976-PB_W0QQitemZ320340979407QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Books_ChildrensBooks_ChildrensBooks_GL?hash=item320340979407&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1687%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

The float has probably absorbed some fuel over the last 50 years. These gauges are never that reliable, the one on my Ferret does what it likes. I never let it go lower than 1/4.

Ok, but the chances of owning or seeing one of those are quite slim!

Good point, I'll add the Mk 3. The FV433 Abbot was only built with the K60 engine.

I thought it might be useful to put a few photos up here with the main differences between the various marks. Mk 1 has a B80 petrol engine, the exhaust exiting from the top rather than the LH side. There is a hinged hatch giving access to the engine. Mk 2 has the K60 diesel engine, the exhaust exits from the LH side. Mk 2/1 has the same engine as the Mk 2, but the NBC pack is flush with the hull. Both the Mk 1 and Mk 2 have large external NBC packs. Mk 3 aka Bulldog is fitted with a new engine and powerpack. These are usually covered in various bits of add on armour, but you can id them using the extra hatch cut in to the front armour. Chris

Paul, Your 432 is actually a Mk 2/1 not a 1/2. For troop seats try Nick at Tanks A Lot. I've had 2 432s but sadly have no spares left. I suggest you buy a set of manuals from Vintage MV Manuals and read them before doing too much with it. Chris

Typically it will be UNF when the bolts go in to steel and UNC when they go into aluminium. If a bolt has a nut it will be UNF.