paul connor

Thanks everyone for the positive comments. Looking forward to the first show season with it now. Next the 110 TUM GS is needing an overhaul!

Interior rear seats and the rare cushions fitted. Golight gets its dome protective cover. Although not strictly correct for a Snatch 1.5 as they only appear on Snatch 2. But, artistic licence and it's great fun in the dark!! as it's remote controlled. Engine looking as it should do. Nice and clean and running well. Last shot is the smug Snatch looking pleased with itself after passing an MOT.

A few of the new barracuda camouflage and the new ECM wing boxes trial fitted. Then the joy of the vehicle moving under its own power for the first time!

A few pictures of the state of the old engine. It had busted a piston, well two! and the bottom end long expired. Maybe due to oil starvation or mechanical fault. Also some pictures in the wrong order of the new engine being fitted.

New interior parts start to be fitted after it was stripped and painted. The amount of sand in these vehicles is unbelievable! The interior racking behind the front crew isn't correct for a Snatch 1.5 which had solid racking. This racking is from a Snatch 2 which had a door system built into the rack. I prefer the idea of being able to enter the rear without leaving the vehicle and not being locked out if something fails!

As soon as the vehicle arrived home I set about finding it a proper storage area. As you can tell this was an eBay last minute purchase without thinking through the logistics and storage issues! Seems I will never change with my spontaneity. Not all in the correct order. I started by stripping and checking the whole chassis, which surprisingly was good condition bar the crossmember. That was stripped to bare and primed and painted. All bushes were replaced with Polyurethene bushes by SuperPro. I recommend these to anyone. 3 year guarantee! All springs and shocks were removed and new units fitted. Brakes totally overhauled. New lines as well as hose and discs/pads. New steering swivels as the old ones were pitted. New bearings and pins.

It's been a long journey, but it's nearly there....well, the restoration side of things not the ownership. I bought the old girl/boy (unsure yet what it is) back in July 2013 on whim. I had said to myself that I would not return to the MV scene as I had experienced some less than nice people, which had changed my mind on the whole movement. Thankfully I can say the company I now keep if far superior and my faith has been restored in the movement. Anyhow, I had seen one of these lumbering old machines and I wanted one. Green machines never leave you, it's always there and you'll not change that even if you want to! Here are a few pictures of the ongoing restoration and how the vehicle currently sit. Awaiting DVLA documents. First two pictures are copied from Sirhc's webpage from his visit. I hope he doesn't mind. He saw my future vehicle at Withams Unfortunately the previous owner had sold all of the hard to find parts before I got my hands on it. Bas***D!

I've just sent some paperwork off today for a Land Rover first registration. Will let you know when I get it back. They do state it may take 28 days from memory.

Cheers guys, Sorry for the late reply. I did read the posts and was off on a tangent looking for the books for my Xmas list! Hopefully Santa will bring them, I have been good this year... mostly. Do any of you know the dimensions of the open cab with all the canvas removed. I'd like to know it'd fit inside the workshop for future reference, as indoor storage is always far better. hopefully I shall be looking late next year for a vehicle, so I expect I shall be back for more advice! Many thanks everyone. Merry Xmas Paul

In the past when driving a Brighton bus I have tried to stop for the silence. You'd be surprised the attitude of people in that City. You get sworn at, people constantly asking "why are we stopped, why won't you answer me?" All complaining about being late and being totally disrespectful. Once I was bus stop about to pull away opposite the war memorial at the old Steine, where there was a huge gathering of veterans and public, the silence started and the bugal sounded, I promptly turned the engine off. All I had for three minutes was some halfwit banging on the door swearing at me for not opening them and calling me everything he could as he got irate. Needless to say, after observing the silence I drove on and left him standing there like the ignorant fool he was.

I have sent an Email to IMPS as well, as they seem to meet a few miles from here. I would love to attend the Arundel meetings, but driving from here in an ol'110 does take longer and the navigation of Worthing is always choke-point and traffic nightmare. I shall have to check Rusper on the map, as that may be more logical. Cheers for the feedback guys. I haven't seen much "new blood" with vehicles for a while, although all the fellow Snatch Land Rover owners I know seem much younger, which is a good thing. Wish I felt like young blood! I'm on the wrong side of 30 now! Paul

For the first time in around 10 years I have joined the MVT. I was a member back in 2000ish and was surprised there was no East Sussex group, nor were there many groups I could find in East Sussex at all. Am I missed something as there must be more of a movement in East Sussex without having to travel to West Sussex or Kent? I only moan a little as I drive an MV as my car and it's quite a trip for a club meet to get from Uckfield to Chichester for the MVT club meetings. Hopefully I have missed a group or someone will be enlighten me to the fantastic hidden clubs in my area. Many thanks Paul

HI robin, My email is sussexpillbox@gmail.com, drop me a line and we can work something out Paul

Hi Everyone, I've come to the conclusion that my next MV will most probably be a 353. I have always wanted something of WW2 vintage and now I have storage and a workshop that will cope it seems like a good idea. My question is to 353 owners - What are they like to own and service? Are parts available? Also is there any good publications to read to 'get ahead' before I'm in the position to buy? Thanks in advance guys Paul

Hi Robin, I think I have most of the parts lying around spare in the workshop. Where are you based? Paul ** Oh! should have read that - Canada! Bit expensive to post I suspect

Adrian Flux seem very helpful and have saved money! It would seem they will insure a vehicle that is unregistered on a VIN for 60 days before you need to give them a call, or you can do for a year is you like as a policy, so happy there! Footman James quoted me £148.50, which has been slowly creeping higher each year. Adrian Flux have quoted me £110. Which has something FJ do not add - A No claims discount! And I can drive other vehicles 3rd party, so quite happy. Also unlimited mileage and the same excess. The Snatch was the same price, but suspect I can haggle next year. Quite chuffed that they could help and have actually saved me money! If I has known 12 years ago I would have been with them and had 12 years NCD!

Adrian Flux can insure on the Chassis No. so it seems. I'm just waiting for their quote to be phoned back to me. I am a touch worried as they seemed to be obsessed with a 'no Claims discount', yet my FJames policy doesn't operate with a NCD, so for the last 12 years I have no NCD! as I use my MV for a car. Fingers crossed they'll not quote me as if I'm 18 and insuring a Dodge Viper!

I currently and have been for many years, insured with Footman James. They seem to have been OK, other than the premium creeping up each year. ( Currenty £150 for my 1990 110, fully comp, unlimted milage). I'm having mixed feelings about insuring with them again, mainy due to the rude woman I just had on the phone and due to being told different things on the last two calls. I would like to add my VPK Snatch onto the policy, although it's not registered (will be in next few months) I was told by many MV owners that you can insure on the Chassis number, but would have to renew this every month with a phone call. I was told the same on the first call to FJames, but told and very sternly informed just now that this is not possible until I have sent the documents off and I was talking nonsense There must be many a MV owner here that has the same problem? Who do you recommend?

Do you happen to have any in service pictures you would like to share? Always looking for registration numbers

It's always great to look through your restoration blogs, Chris. Another fantastic vehicle! Good stuff & look forward to the finished product. Paul

Cheers Tyler, I shall get some more picture up soon. Chris, do you have any pictures of them in service from your time in the big sandpit?

I have been restoring my Snatch for around 7 months now, and it is coming on fast now, at last! The chassis has been stripped and painted/rust-proofed. All bushes and suspension parts have been replaced. The interior has been fully stripped and painted, and refitted with all the hard to find bits & bobs. With still lots to do yet, but it's coming together. When I bought the vehicle I was not overly worried about the engine as I did buy it very cheap. The first time it was started it had a 'rattle/tap' noise, which I assumed was the tappets as it seemed very much on the top nearside of the engine, It would seem I was wrong. A friend and I removed the carbs to inspect the tappets. All seemed very clean and filled us with fear that the issue wasn't the lifters or indeed the cam. As the engine was to be removed to enable other works it was time to inspect the lump further. When the sump was removed it at first all looked pretty good, then we noticed swarf and part of a piston base was destoryed. Upon further inspection the big-end shells were all very worn and had in some cases created long pieces of twisted metal. The end-float was also hugely excessive. An over-view was it's F****d! I luckily have a recon engine, so it's not a huge disaster, but just goes to show that what first appeared to be something small turned out to be the end of the lump. I could rebuild but it would cost too much, so now it's spares. I do wonder how it happened and it what order things failed due to heat and lack of lubrication. I shall check the oil pump when I get the chance, as that may be faulty. Here are a few pictures of the work so far. I'm having difficulty trying to get the pictures in order in the upload, but hopefully progress is obvious! Paul

Sky Blue! Found it! BSC 101. Funny enough it was a thread in LRUK and it was Mr Clive replying. I just need to find a good source of it now.

Thank you both for the help. Redneck - It was bought from a local surplus shop, I won't name them Clive - You may well be right on the paint code. I shall try adding some red into the mix to see if I can tone it down a touch and add that orange shade. At the minute it would stand out quite a bit next to other vehicles as it does look yellow! Do you happen to know the correct engine shade for military engines, I think it's called duck egg/shell ?

I recently bought 5L of what was advertised as Light stone, but when applied (It was mixed very well) it looks far too yellow compared to the original paintwork on my Snatch Landrover. I can't really return the paint in question, so I was curious what colour I should mix into the paint to get it closer to the original finish which is much more orange. I would assume red, but can anyone confirm as i'm sure someone has undertaken this before. It's bugging me a touch, as I don't want to waste the paint! Left hand side shows the original paint which is more orange. The section of door handle and the pillar in the centre is the new paint which I think is too yellow. The right of the photo shows the barracuda camouflage cover, which is also very orange. Ideas? Cheers Paul