Richard Grosvenor

Well you used to be able to. Unless of course the fail was so bad that the tester marked the vehicle as dangerous to drive. But this as almost certainly changed since computerisation. I don't think you have to wait for the current MOT to run out before booking a new test. If you think about it when you buy a second hand car the garage normally puts 12 months ticket on it even if it had 3 or 4 months left to run on the old one. Regards Richard

Hello Mick IF I make it, I'll be going A141 to Huntingdon. Round the bypass to the A14 and come off the A14 at Godmanchester and on to the A1198. But to be quite honest it's looking very unlikely that the Militant will be ready. I still haven't finished rubbing down and there's at least another week of prep work left. And then I need to put of few miles on it to get me back into the swing of driving it. :? Richard

It's funny mention the difference in the seat belts. Our 109 CL is Right hand drive but it also has an inertia belt for the passenger but a static belt for the driver. And on the steering box cross member it looks like the steering box has been on the left side at some time in the vehicles life. (There is a build up of under-seal where the drop arm would have been.) Was it normal practice for L/R to be changed from left to right hand drive as needed? :? Regards Richard

I will!!!. Oh bugger!! I work from home!! :cry: :wink: Richard

Hi Tyler, Same problem as me. And the speed this years going I reckon that Duxford will be the only show I'll get to! Regards Richard

That's a shame! The weather wasn't good last year and the big stuff wasn't allowed to move around the site for fear making a mud run. It's a pity it couldn't be staged later in the year as it is a really nice show. Mind you if I had have been able to take my soon to be refurbished Militant and got stuck I would not have been a happy bunny!! :wink: Regards Richard

Hello, just wandering if anyone went to Belvoir last weekend. I couldn't make it as the Militant is still half way through it's cab refurbishment :cry: Regards Richard

Thanks Tyler, I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out, mind you it took long enough! I'm not sure about the basket, it's been shot-blasted and primed but I haven't finished it yet. It does make access to the engine a bit of a pain and it marks the paint where it closes down ( that's the real reason :wink: ) but it is useful for carrying stuff so it will probably go back on soon. I see your Austin is coming along, hard work though isn't it !? :shock: Don't ask about the Militant, I have spent hours and hours rubbing it down, we've replaced loads of rusty metal and it's still no where near ready for paint. I'm now in the "wish I hadn't started" part of the job. Regards Richard

Hello Steve and welcome, Well I wouldn't use a clear varnish as it was used on my Militant before I got it. It looked alright for a while, but once the weather got to it it started to peel and looked a right mess. After 14 hours of rubbing down that side is now starting to look alot better. Regards Richard

Hmm....a very good question there Larry. I don't know really...I suppose in general I'm against replica MV's but if the replica is of something that just does not exist anymore then I guess that it is OK. But what I don't like is the way people use "lesser" vehicle's to build a replica. Take the ZIL 131 decontamination Units for example. I would estimate that a least 80% of them have had their tanks riped off with the intention of turning them into a replica Radio Truck. Why? You can buy a proper one for less than you can build one!! In most case's the projects have run into problems and the ruined ( in my opinion!) truck ended up selling on Ebay and will probably end it's days smashed up in a quarry. If this carries on there won't be many original decontamination units left. Land Rover "Wolfs" are another one! If I'm being honest I would have to say I feel a little cheated when I see a replica! Regards Richard

Hmmmm!! I was working!!! The Easter weekend is the weekend for the aquatic market. But, I did take the Ferret for it's first run of the year and I've started rubbing down the Militant's cab. :shock: Hello Dougy, the tractor and trailer should look good in Nato Green. You could tell people it's Ex-MoD as well! :wink: Regards Richard

Thanks guys! :lol: Well Neal, all being well we should be at Duxford so you should see us then. I think I try to hard when spraying a vehicle. I remember seeing an old picture in one of the magazines of a soldier spraying a jeep, with a fag hanging out of his mouth and nothing masked up at all! :lol: Hello Mick, The paint I used came from Marcus Glenn and it's quite good. The only problem with Marcus's paint is that it varies quite a bit. This sand stuff and some black we got from him was good but some Nato green was horrible! Really flat and not a nice colour. I now get Nato Green from a local automotive paint supplier. It's synthetic, covers really well and seems to weather well. It's twice the price of the military dealers paint but it's well worth it. Is it the tyre's that have cracking? If it is, and it's only slight and not too deep try Holts tyre dressing. Not only does it black the tyres it is also designed to fill cracks and little cuts ( if they're not bad!) And it's very cheap. Under £10 for 5ltr and it goes miles, I've done all my vehicles loads of times and I've only used about half a tin! Regards Richard

Well after lots and lots of rubbing down Eric's makeover is more a less complete. This is how he looked before Not too bad but the paint was very soft and matt and marked very easily so.... this winter into the work shop he goes. I started on the wheel arches and found the paint to be very loose so had to scrape it all off Before priming And then finish coat. Lovely 8) I did all four wheel arches before turning to the long, hard, boring job of rubbing down :cry: This photo shows how the dirt had gone into the soft paint. I used it almost like a high build primer and sanded it until I got to the clean layer of paint underneath But then one day it was ready for paint. And after blowing all the dust off and cleaning the whole lot down with degreaser I started spraying. I used a cheap and cheerful suction feed spray gun. Even though it was only about £15 I've used it loads and found the finish to be plenty good enough for a military paint-job Putting the wheels back on was fun trying not the chip the paint! I masked the Allied Marking before brushing them with a good quality paint brush which I've had for years. Exhaust looks a lot better with a coat of paint! Nearly ready to go public again. And after painting the wheel nut's, blacking the tyres and adding some Union Jacks, Eric was on show for the first time this Easter weekend. Here's a little video clip taken tonight while he was warming up ready for his first run of the year. You know, I'd forgotten how much fun a Ferret is to drive! 8) :lol: Well, I hope thats been of interest to someone :wink: I don't think he's turned out too bad really. Next week I start on the Militant. :shock: Regards Richard

More ORBS!!! :shock:

Hello Tyler and Mick, We've had some bit's and pieces done with this firm http://immedia-8.co.uk They're based in March. We used to use Budget Signs, also from March, and they were really cheap but unfortunately they're no longer trading, so it was a bit pointless mentioning them wasn't it!! I'll ask Immedia next time we speak to them and see how much they'd charge. Regards Richard. By the way. Ferret respray now nearly finished, photos soon. Militant Respray starts next week.( Hopefully)

Hello Paul, Now I don't know if this works or if there is a better way but..... A Mechanic friend of mine suggested cleaning a fuel tank by using very hot water and a few handfuls of smooth(ish) gravel and gently swirling the tank around. The hot water will loosen any gunge and the gravel should clean any rust away, a bit like wire wool would. As I said I don't know if this works because I've never had to do it. He did warn against using very coarse gravel, especially if the tank has a galvanised finish to it as it may scratch it off, fish tank gravel would be ideal. Now where can you get that from? :wink: :lol: Regards Richard

Hmmmm...Is it the potential owner? :lol: Hello Neil Looks a very nice machine by the way! Regards Richard

Oh I never thrash a vehicle , sometimes I think I'm a bit too gentle with them. :shock: No the CL's don't have separate oil and temperature gauges, I think their spec's varies depending how much time was available to militarise them. Found out recently that our's was a VPK originaly... which is nice. :wink: AlienFTM Does that really work? :lol: Regards Richard

They're loverly little things aren't they? Every home should have one :lol: Isn't that a price a little at the high end though? :? Regards Richard

Thanks Degsy and Rich, I've noticed that it takes a while to warm right up to the half way point on the gauge ( about 10-15 miles ) but on short journey's it only gets about a 1/3rd of the way up. Hopefully now the warmer and longer days are coming I should be able to take it for longer runs. Rich, I don't think it has an oil cooler or if it has I haven't spotted it yet. It's a Commercial Logistics (CL) Land Rover which is a civilian model that Land Rover militarised for the MOD so it doesn't have all the normal military extras. A kenlowe fan might be a worthwhile addition. Many Thanks Richard

Thanks Guys, All info and advice is much appreciated. Regards Richard

Hello Jerry, Blimey that was quick! I thought that was what it was but I wasn't 100%. I'll keep checking and now the longer days are here it will be used more. Not muddy though :wink: Many Thanks Richard

Hello, I was checking the fluid levels in our LR 109 S3 last night and noticed some watery oily gunge in the oil filler cap. First thought was head gasket failure but the oil is spotless ( and at the right level ) and the anti-freeze is also spotless with no sign of any oil in it. It is also at the right level. The cooling system isn't pressurising either. I'm thinking ( read hoping ) that it is condensation that has formed in the engine as the LR has only been used for the odd short journey over the damp winter months. The other reason why I think the water is from condensation is that it is absolutely clear with no trace of anti-freeze. If I dip a clean finger into the radiator even the smallest droplet has a bluey tint to it. We had the same problem with my Dad's Jaguar XJ40 last year when it was also being used infrequently for short trips. This winter it has been laid up and hasn't had any gunge form in the filler cap. Any other ideas what could be causing this in the Land Rover, or is there any filters or breathers I should check? I have cleaned out the engine breather filter tonight but haven't yet refitted it as I'm waiting for it to thoroughly dry out. Nearly forgot, the engine is a 2 1/4 Ltr. Petrol Regards Richard

Hello Mick, Planning a re-paint? :wink: I found this about a Mk 1/1 http://www.army.mod.uk/royalsignalsmuseum/displays/post_ww2_conflicts/un_peace_keeping_forces.htm ( Strange, it has no side lockers ) Not found anything about Mk 1/2's yet though. Regards Richard

Too right! I'd look proper cool in a blue beret. :lol: Matt, I'm not really sure of any one place where ZIL's were used by the UN. "Googling" comes up with quite a few mentions of ZIL 131 Decontamination Units being used but unfortunately hardly any pictures. This site has some pictures of what looks to be dropside bodied ZIL's ready for use by the UN http://www.newswatchmagazine.org/unvehpict/home.htm With regards uniform, I am totally ignorant of how the UN works. Does it have it's own soldiers wearing it's own uniform or does it use regular soldiers from member countries with, as AlienFTM said, cloth badges on their sleeves? Regards Richard