sirhc

In service photos are always interesting. Here it is when it was a Scorpion acting as a wedding car!

Chris

Jules,

Lots of threads on this, they won't sell you less than a container full, they want £200 or so per tyre and they are not marked for use on our roads. I think Jack was talking to them a while back but gave up, like I did and a few others who tried.

If you do manage to get some in the country, I would be interested.

Chris

It might not have been used, but someones been chewing those screws!

Yes, same one, not an MoD diesel conversion.

Chris

Scimitars... and they are both still in service.

Chris

I've never seen a manufacturers code like than on British stuff, but it's very common on US stuff so I'd say it's American in origin.

So - maybe it's a stupid question - why did they bother? Couldn't make their mind up?!

The Scimitars have been in constant use for 30 years, a lot of the hulls are in a poor state with cracking etc. They kept some of the best Sabre hulls to use to re-hull the Scimitars which were beyond economic repair. I'm guessing with Scimitar 2 coming along they are getting rid of some of the good Sabre hulls now too in the latest tender.

Chris

I think they are pretty much all the Austin version, the RR ones are quite rare.

It started out it's life as a Scorpion(the hull) and was probably converted to a Sabre and it is now a Scimitar.

 

Yes, that's the answer

But there's still something else interesting about it....

The hull is mine protected, but it's not to theatre entry standard. I don't know who's commanding it either.

I saw this on Plain Military, hopefully Tony won't mind me posting here...

Question: Why is this one interesting?

Chris

You can do it through the EMLRA... there's a form to fill in that they send you when you join.

What's the reward? The easiest thing to do is get the Merlin report which will tell you all you need to know.

Chris

As long as you don't touch the gearbox the alignment should be ok. The shims are only fitted to the gearbox.

Chris

I'll try and remember to scan it.

Chris

Robin,

You need the common items parts list for the gearbox bits. As far as the engine swap goes, it is that easy. Disconnect everything, un do 4 bolts and lift it out.

Chris

Peter,

I'll send you the Merlin report and you can do a write up for Mark!

Chris

Hi Mark,

Looks really good with the black paint on, hopefully it proves as reliable for you as it was for me. I'm glad it won't spend another summer parked up in the garage.

Chris

Floor looking a bit better after some white paint... next job is to bolt it all back together!

Chris

Those electrical plugs are American, which suggests its come off a US built vehicle. I agree with Lee, looks like a smoke discharger switch box.

Chris

Particularly enjoyed the armour convoy on saturday night last year!

I didn't, thanks to a troublesome coil... hopefully no reoccurance this year!

Chris

It sounds to me like crap fuel or bad plugs. Change the plugs, if it's still horrible try fresh fuel straight to the pump from a can. Those fuel tanks are a nightmare, they fill up with sand etc and are a horrible job to clean. Plus, being so big, you can never keep them full enough and they end up half full of water due to condensation.

Chris

There are quite a few mistakes in the text, for example they did not fit the Cummins engine to the UK vehicles till the early 2000s.

Could it be the same vehicle as post no 10 since repainted?

 

Looks like quite a similar setting..

I think so. I was interested when I first saw it as it has Messiers on it, seems a shame to leave them sitting there not doing anything! Same with the Samson in the other photo.

Chris