Fugly

Ok .. So I have boldly been where no man has ever been before ( well me actually) and stripped most of my gearbox on the ferret. I want to cure a slipping 1st and 2nd gear. After a frenzied dismantling (followed by short periods of puzzled inactivity) and some advice from Richard Farrant I have my gearbox stripped to the main sub - assemblies. Have stripped it down to the brake bands.. Forgive my stupidity but... Question 1 - Are the inner and outer linings the same . The parts list shows them as two different items (but is this because they come complete with the correct amount and size of rivets) ..? Each band uses different rivets but the actual lining looks identical. So would the parts list show two different part numbers because of the rivet content. Question 2 - The linings I have have to be drilled and countersunk. The drilling is straightforward - but to countersink can I just use an normal drill which is the same size as the rivet head . (obviously i wouldn't want to drill too far in) . 1s gear is just worn beyond the range of adjustment - 2nd gear has just been very hot at some time and the band has broken down . The heat caused the meta part of the brake (inner) band to warp, forcing the lining to wear excessively and eventually allowing the rivet to contact the drum. So I could do with and (inner) band - without friction material would be fine. Anybody got one ? As I am a cheapskate my next option is to put straighten the offending band , reline it and fit it on 4th gear, and use the 4th gear band (which is hardly worn on 2nd gear The rest of the box seems in good condition and well engineered - Under 2 layers of paint on the box I found some stencilled letters in red paint - I was not sure what they meant and left it for a while. My dad who is ex REME read it straight away as " 2oth Command Workshops" Mean anything to anyone ???

It somehow made its way home !!!! A couple of months ago Withams had another Desert painted Saracen - perhaps they had a hidden supply and are drip feeding them to the masses... wouldn't want to flood the market !! (Actually I quite fancy it myself for some weird reason) not sure why . Perhaps the same reason why I bought an exercise bike once .........or my ferret....

Thats a great story ! - Let me know if you ever see 02CC12 in any pics !:-D

Nice an high though, might make a great garden shed..... And burgular proof..... I thought from the markings it had been abroad, surprised they bothered to bring it back ? I read somewhere once that they took some Saracens to the Gulf War 1 and left them there?:-D

Just seen a Saracen Command Vehicle on Withams auction site - desert colours. States they have never tried to start it. Whats the value of something like that ?? Here is the link http://www.mod-sales.com/auction/vehicle/related/27808/ALVIS_SARACEN_ARMOURED_COMMAND_CARRIER.htm Reg number is 01DA48

Andy - I have made an error The photo in album "A" I have listed as 00CC09 NOT 00DC09 - I have explained more fully in the email, either way - OOPS ! The pic in album "D" is def 00DC09. rEGARDS JIM

Hi ! The photo in question (I think it appears twice ) once in album " A" and again in album "D" - The picture in album "D" is amongst some other pictures of ferrets being strapped to pallets ready to be either carried in an aircraft , or parachuted from one - I recollect that one of the photos was a blurry shot of a palletised ferret being shoved out at some altitude. I couldn't see the number on that one. Either way I hopefully it survived. If you email the librarian t Bovington (address on their website) it should not take him long to find it using those references, and your reg number. A lot of the photos at BTM seemd to be of various trials and tests of a few wacky devices, including a snorkel device. Eitehr way none of them suffered the fate of this ferret (apparantly in Cyprus..):-X

This is a clear picture (well it is on my PC) send me a PM with your email and I will send over my copy - its definately 09

Sorry Bob but it was not there . There were 150 pics of a possible 4400 (ish) vehicles , so there are only 3.3 % of the entire number of ferrets pictured at Bovington. I will keep an eye out though , I am building a database....

Hi Sorry , did not see that one I found 03CC22 (PREPARED FOR THE GULFWAR) 03CC83 03CC31 I have a vague pic of 03CC47 (MK 1/1) If you send me an email on jim@strategicplacements.com I will add your number to my wants list and i may find one in the future! Just spent all day stripping gearbox out of ferret , including a bucket of soil ! Jim

I seem to remember it was a clear picture, worth having a look at. There were a few pics of Ferrets in aircraft : 04ED06 03ED82 01EC02 01DC03 One of the pics was a blurry pic of a palleted Ferret going out of the back of a transport aircraft , presumably to be parachuted down - Hope the chute opened ! :shocked: Jim

Cannot see that one on my list, nearest ones were : 34BA49 34BA26 34BA47 34BA28 34BA78 34BA36 34BA31 Cheers Jim

Sorry, could not see that one - will post a full list soon. i am trying to complile a list and will froward to Andy at the ferret website. Jim

Hello Paul Could not see 00CA40 - I have 2 pics of 00CC54 though. Cheers Jim

Yep. Im pretty sure thats it. Did yours come from a book? Jim

Hello I found no photos for either i'm afraid nearest hits were 01CA26 01CA46 01CA53/58 (LAST DIGIT DIFFICULT TO READ! DONT THINK IT WAS A 5 THOUGH) 01CA14 01CA70 01CA30 Cheers Jim

There was a picture of a ferret 00CC09 , black and white , appeared to be on an aircraft. You may have seen it before - it was in volume "A" of the ferret pics. (There were about 6 volumes, each quite small) Best bet if you want a copy is to email the librarian at Bovington and see if you can get a proof copy emailed to you - shouldn't take him long to find that pic. I made a comment on my record shet that it was on an aircraft - being loaded? I would get a proof first as I had alot of numbers to write down and some of the pics were hard to read. Hope you hit the jackpot ! Nothing on 08BB48 - Sorry !

Sorry , did not see either but will post a full list on the forum soon. Jim

Hello All you ferret owners I spent the afternoon at Bovington Tank Museum looking for an in service pic of 02CC12 . Didn't find one but did make a list of the number plates I could read on the photos - There are some great pictures there , and I had a facinating 2 hours (Thanks to the library!). I have a list of about 140 ferret numbers where a pic is available , if anyone wants to enquire please PM me. The best photo was a Mk 1/1 covered in camo - bushes etc being driven off a temporary bridge over a river . The rear of the photo had "OPERATION SPEARPOINT" written on it. There was no visible number (hidden with camo) and it had a single perspex screen fitted and a drivers screen I found a simiar colour photo showing 02CC05 (nearly mine!!) crossing a bridging vehicle. Wish me luck - starting operation "remove the gearbox this weekend"...:shocked:

Yes you are right , I found a nice pic of 02CC05 (Exercise Lionheart?) and that is one like mine fitted with a stowage basket . looks good

The strap could be for a ladder for corporate use but it would rest on the stowage beneath it and there are no signs of marks or other brackets. Its not very well made. This is the number 1 most likely theory at the moment. The basket mounts on the back could have been put on at any stage of its long service life, so I am starting to abandon the gulf war idea.... Anyhow - may be off to Bovington to trawl their photo database Anyone been and seen ??

Off Google - seen plenty of other pics

Here is a picture of the "strap" that has been welded in place across 2 lugs on the offside of the hull. May have had ladder on it ? The link to the other thread is http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=171815 or google "FERRETS USED IN THE GULF" Anybody got a strap like this on their ferret?

Thanks again - I have also put a post on militaryphotos.net and I had some nice pictures posted , including one of a desert painted Ferret driving 3 iraq POW's . There is a fantastic photo of 02 CC 25 in the gulf , would love to know if whoever took that had any more?

Aha ... Now I understand . Thanks ! All info appreciated. Its definately yellow paint. I need to look under the engine, amongst all the crud - Might find some conctrete evidence - Saddams Beret would be nice ....