oily

Hi, Monti, Some how I have a feeling you may find the attached diagram and list helpful in your quest for reassembiling the puzzle of Saracen Wheelstation. .....the pins you are referring to, I think are numbered: '48' - Intermediate Shaft Pins I did the best I could with my A4 Scanner, the diagram is on an A3 'fold-out' page, in Manual: 'Wheeled Vehicles V 612 A.P.C., WHEELED, SARACEN, Mk 1 & 2'* *all Saracens are really Mk 1, Mk 2, or Mk 3's. Mk 3's have RFC (Reverse Flow Cooling, -fitted for use in hot climates) Higher Mk's are substantially mechanically the same as earlier versions, but with minor non-functional differences, e.g. a Mk 5 is a Mk2 with additional armour to Kremlin 2 spec, a Mk6 is a is a Mk3 with additional armour to Kremlin 2 spec. No Mk 4's entered service. Did you hear the good news on H.M.V.F. about my Saracen?.... it's up and running again, all seems to be ok with the gears, and the steering and brakes too, - I did two emergency brake tests at just over 25mph, on gravel it locked up all six wheels and stopped in about 20ft, on tarmac it stopped in about 15ft- from the way it felt, I wouldn't have been at all suprised if it didn't lift it's rear wheels when slamming the brakes on when on the tarmac! Anyways, hope the diagram helps a little, keep us all posted on how things are going down there..... Kind regards Oily P.S. I originally tried to email this to the address I had for you, but it was rejected by the email postmaster thing. Can you PM me your up-to-date email, in case you need me to send bigger files?:-D

looks like a waste of two perfectly good replica? Sterling SMG's, and a whole load of other stuff, including the time taken to throw it all together and daub silver paint all over the place...

!!!! the cheek of it! .... a 'lowly' post war vehicle, indeed!......The 1st 'purpose designed' Armoured Personnel Carrier, of the British Army... not lowly by any means, -look how long they were 'in service':saluting: for,...... 1952, all the way to 1994 !!! 42years!(last MOD use, to my knowledge, was with RAF Regiment, on Airfield Defence duties):readbook:

my god!, that was a steep hill you're driving up in the last pic, some crawler gear!!!!:-D

I've been so engrossed with fixing it, my road-legal buggy (no windows/doors/roof/heater.....-everyday car!), gardening, D.I.Y., work, and housework, (Nikki, -my gorgeous (and very understanding) partner, is currently slowly recovering from a nasty dose of pnuemonia:blush:)....-what is A&E?, I thought it was something to do with them hospital places.

well they didn't land on the beaches as Saracens, 'per se',..... maybe some of their components, (on a molecular basis, at least!) was around then, made it back here and were melted down to make 'new' armour plate... The 1st saracens 'in service', were back in 1952,:readbook: somewhat later than D-Day, surely you are mistaken?.....:nono:

:cool2::-D:cool2::-D:cool2::-D:cool2::drive:GOOD NEWS!!!!!! My Saracen is up and running again!, and seems to be behaving itself. looks like it's got over it's brief period of incontinence too, the leek-stopper fluid seems to have worked in the flywheel. The brakes and steering are pin-sharp (ok, so it might be a BIG FAT pin!!!!), gears change beautifully, so everything looks ok, for the time being...... gonna renew my breakdown cover, and go out for a spin tomorrow, to the local car-wash:-D

I'll look into my manuals tonight......:-\

heatshield goes full width!..... yours is missing some..... if you look in yellow pages/Google a Gasket manufacturer, you ought to be able to obtain some suitable material to fashion a new one, or some heat reflective material used by kit-car and race car builders, try motorsport part suppliers 'Demon Tweeks'......

there may be some new bits kicking about, but a welded repair on a cast manifold will never last long, hence the brazing technique, as it's something to do with the molecules of iron/steel in the casting not adhereing to the 'melted' molecules present in a weld repair. Molten brass, is a lot better when repairing a crack in cast steel/iron, as it 'flows' and is liquid longer than molten steel welding wire/rod. My manifold had two of the bolt-holes on the square shaped flanges broken away and cracked, I suspect where yours is damaged...- where the two seperate manifold halves join onto the part pointing towards the hull. As for the silencer, I had to weld a small patch onto mine as well,.... and it's still going strong nearly a 1000miles later, no leaks, or fresh cracks....:-D

a return flight, and put me up for a couple of nights or so, and I'll have you driving your saracen like a real pro!.......:cool2: (and I could visit the 'graveyard', pick up some seat pads, and bring them home as souvenirs!)

hi again, just read this post of yours too, let me know when it arrives, and I'll come up and take you through the 'black art' of the saracen, driving and operation. Once you are used to it, it becomes second nature, just a couple of things you have to remember with them all the time, everytime you drive them.... no worries though, all will become clear!:cool2:

will be most glad to be of assistance in the 'driving lessons':cool2:

...exhaust manifold...awkward to remove, as whole of n/s footwell needs unbolting for access to manifold nuts! I got mine off ok, and brazed the cracked sections with great success... let me know if you have any problems.... oh and I fitted new stainless exhaust 'bellows' clamps, as the originals had rusted to tin-foil thickness!:-D

pic 1.... Myself having just completed a training course at Frimley Park. pic 2.... Working in Lithuania, with their equivalent to our Army Cadet Force. pic 3.... Me driving my precious toy at Overlord 2009, Horndean, Hampshire. pic 4.... Arriving at a Prom-Night, at Chilworth Manor, Hampshire. (sorry for pic not right way up!) pic 5.... Preparing to move off, after a friends wedding.

Hi Paul, welcome to 'Club-Saracen'...... I doubt you'll regret your purchase, despite the odd annoying problem you'll come up against.....:nut: PM sent regarding collection of your new 'toy' and tyres for me... Regards Matt:-D

Hi, not sure if this is the correct location for my post/thread... In addition to my Saracen, I have, and run as my everyday vehicle, a mini-based kit-car, which sort of resembles a Light-Strike type off-road buggy, albeit a 'shrunk-in-the-wash' version. I have repainted it in DBG, and have started to adorn it with military type accessories, jerry-can, pick, shovel etc. I use it regularly for green-laning, and at off-road fun parks, some of which advise using a C.B. Radio to call for assistance. I have a minature C.B. Radio ready to install, and was wondering if it was possible to use a clansman type antenna for the C.B. and just make up a lead to suit.... some mates say I'll blow a transistor or 2 in the C.B. because the antenna might draw to manny watts or something... I didn't really understand what was meant. Can anyone throw any light upon my dilemma?

....so you've found your way here ok then, Colin, welcome......'tis a veritable wealth of sources of information.....enjoy! oily, aka Matt, also of S.O.E. :-D

Hi, Monti..... can you ask about the seat-back pads too when you are at the graveyard? I need 10 of the vinyl type ones, sort of NATO green, with a leather-like grain, but if there are only canvas ones, they'll be better than nothing....:-D cheers mate, and happy hunting for bevel boxes!:cool2:

Hi Doug, and welcome, from another post-war vehicle fanatic, and saracen owner....I'd love to take it up on the plain someday soon!..... all I want now is a Ferret, a Stalwart, a Saladin, and a nice Mk2 FV432....and then if there's any room left a nice Centurion....:-D:cool2: I'm not too far from the plain...I'm down in Hythe, Southampton, my Saracen is stored in Chandlers Ford Here's my Saracen, as it is now, and how it was before I restored it.....

surely the L/H tiller operates the L/H steering brake and not the right, as previously posted?:nut:

That's easy..... they just become your friends, just give them a safety brief, beforehand, rules to obey etc, and then get them to sign a simple disclaimer.... and you are all sorted.

ouch! methinks that hub needs to see a dentist.... no teeth left, -regular brushing helps prevent tooth decay!

sounds very interesting indeed! please tell us more, and please hurry with the pictures!:wow:

go on youtube or google and type in 'Lego Stalwart'.... you will be truly impressed!:cool2: