Fugly

Andy You are doing a really good job with the website, seems to get better and better ! I was thinking of selling my ferret , then I looked through some of the pics on your site and realised I would never be able to buy anything like it for the money - so its staying ........ ( until I discover a £7000 stug....... , when it would just have to go...) On the basis that that may not happen , the ferret rules ! Jim

Good luck with the ferret ! Lots of info available on Andy's wonderful website about ferrets : http://www.ferret-fv701.co.uk I am sure dealers and colectors in the UK can help your source parts . There are plenty of instruction manuals about and help and advice from other owners. My advice is watch you don't trap your fingers in the escape hatch ( Hatch rash...) and make sure everything that needs oil and water has oil and water :angel: Bovington tank museum may be able to provide the service history for teh vehicle. Jim

Hi Andy Yes please feel free to email the list out - I can send a copy over if you need. See you at Stoneleigh ? Jim

Hi Sean If its the right price I would go for it ! If you look hard enough most parts can generally be found - they just take a bit of digging up. The stowage bins are not easy to find now but as a last resort these could be fabricated. Most heavy assemblies can be moved with a reasonable engine crane, and you will get used to the weight of things (as long as your back is up to it !) - There are all the manuals freely available , and lots of advice on here for free ! There is only a finite number of ferrets , and in the last 5 years I have seen a noted decline in the number of "projects" that are available. It can fit in a small garage, and will be very handy for shopping if law and order breaks down. I doubt if the values will ever go down too much , and I think eventually all the ferrets out there will be cherished by collectors and will make better prices. In the UK , a "project" vehicle may cost around £2k - £3k, a good complete runner £5000 and a very good example above £7000 . Also as we are in the middle of a recession prices are bound to be a little supressed. Maybe a good time to buy? It all depends on the price !

Thanks guys for the help. Is there a tilly in Derbyshire UK ? It would be helpful to see one intact to take measurements? jim

So after a weeks careful negotiating I have been able to buy the Tilly, and we recovered it today. I am pleased to say that for the first time in many years the Tilly will be under cover ... Well at least undertarpaulin :-D The bad news is the condition.... Here is a list of the good points: We found the bonnet ! Reasonable condition 2 repairable front wings engine, gearbox, front and rear axle all complete All brackets there ( Including the pick axe bracket!) Both doors reasonable Headlamps sound ( but smashed) seats intact, and frames strong Instrumentation complete Bad points : rear half chassis rotten as a pear Rear body rotten, only the wheel arches are ok CAB ROOF AND DOOR PILLAR BOTTOMS ARE RUSTY BULKHEAD HOLED Any ideas - I know the previous owner and dont really want to sell it for parts - anyone renovated one of these ? I read in an old report that the chassis is similar to an Austin 10 car ? How close would it be and could I ever get a better chassis off a car? Help and advice please :cry:

From the colour, do you think it was used by the RAF? I cannot see any registration numbers on it. My Dad can remember it on the road many years ago, so it must have had a civilian registration number? Can the chassis number lead to clues on its wartime use?

Here are a few more photos to make you all weep Have had a few PM's about this , will reply later. Needs a little TLC !

I have photographed the remains of what I think is an Austin Tilly. It is completely rotted out , but may contain some much needed component? For all you Tilly Buffs out there , Its chassis number is C/YG 220082. Chassis has collapsed, but engine , gearbox and axle appear largely intact. Aint it a shame....................... It may be for sale - But whats the value??

Thats a really nice find . Bet you were buzzing ! You can purchase better copies of trhe clips from ITN but they are not cheap - I thinks its about £150 to get a CD made up by them , but they will combine a few films onto one CD , so if a few owners spot their vehicles they could club together ? To search the archive properly you have to come up with dirfferent search ideas, a bit like google - I have found lots of clips withBritish military vehicles on from different decades.

If you like Saladins you will like this clip. Click on the link and watch the clip. Its from an ITN news report from the early 1970's and also shows landrovers in action, firing heavy machine guns from the rear . The three saladins appear trundling across the desert about 1 minute 17 seconds into the clip , they stop in a line a open up with their 76mm's on a target - All posed for the camera but looking good ! Enjoy the clip ! http://www.itnsource.com/shotlist//ITN/1972/10/24/FS241072013/?s=oman+saladin&st=0&pn=1

INFO ON SALADINS USED BY ADDF AND OMAN. Just an update on my research on the Oman saladin. Information provided to me gives the following assumptions - The Sultan of Oman's "Armoured Car Squadron" consisted of 38 Saladin vehicles, and numerous ferrets. They were involved in the Dhofar Conflict in the early 1970's and were used alongside troops trained and commanded by British officers, working on behalf of the Sultan Of Oman. The BATT ( British Army Training Team) were involved in the fighting and regularly led operations against insurgents. The first 8 Saladins appear to have been brand new from Alvis in 1971. (vehicles 70 -78) The next batch were 12 "second hand" Saladins supplied by the ADDF ( Abu Dhabi Defence Force) in 1973 ( vehicles 79 to 91). mine , numbered 81 was likely to have been with the ADDF before its time in Oman. A further 18 new vehicles arrived in late 1973 (numbers 92 to 109?). 12 of these were put into service and 6 were put into reserve. The Saladins were retired in 1984 and this one ended up back in the UK. This might explain the number "4" I found on the first layer of paint on the number plate , this may have been its ADDF number? I have a contact in Oman who is currently has access to two Saladins that are still there , and their hull number suggest they were manufactured close together ? I have been give a very entertaining contemporary written account of the activities of the armoured car squadron and they were involved in a lot of contacts.

Just heard back from a friend in Oman and he has provided me with 2 chassis number off Saladins : He says. "Found the Nos at last after chipping off forty years of paint, the two in the workshop are 1137 and 1140 and will get the last one as soon as I can,will have a look at the Ferrets this week." :-) Am not sure yet if these are off two different vehicles or two numbers that appear on one vehicle (i.e one on the hull and one off the escape hatch....) Either way it would suggest that these vehicles may have been built at a similar time? And these vehicle (or parts of) went to Oman and did not return.

Here are some pics of my progress - Why do things always look better in primer?.......:-)

The turret bowl is going to soak up some time - I cut out the worst of the rusty shhet metal, but it needs blasting , then repair patches putting in , and the interior of the section will need protecting somehow. Will PM you

So I have had a summer filled with a milliion and one distractions, but now its time to get back to the Saladin. The turret bowl is 80% perfect 20% rusty where the commanders hatch was left open, and it rained in. I have no fabrication skills and even less idea but have purchased a mig welder, and some mild steel ............ Wish me luck. Will post some pictures.

Andy I have a new powervalve if you dont get your parcel by Thursday, you can borrow it until yours arrives. I am only at Foston and you can collect whenever. Jim

I used to work on a fleet of vans that were converted to LPG, and as long as the tank was safely situated, thye rest of the engine was identical. I know a chap who has a B80 gas engine, and he is converting it to use in a bentley. Perhaps I should just swap engines with him !

Anyone know if a B series has ever been converted to run on LPG ?

Good stuff - Thats another 20 / 70 quid toward the restoration. I tink this one will be heading toward ebay !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello Amongst my junk I found a black thermos flask. It has a black dimpled finish, and I assumed it was for a post war vehicle, however upon closer inspection it has a 1943 date on the bottom. Its in good condition. Would these have been used in post war vehicles. I am assuming its British ? It looks similar to ones used in ferrets etc, but the date threw me a little? I will try to post a pic later. Can someone please enlighten me ?

There is a wartime Hillman utility rotting away in a collapsed garage a few miles from where I live. Its been there since I can remember , but the owner wont part with it.:cry:

Sadly they are not my pics , so I cannot really put them on the forum. However if you send me a direct email address by PM I will send you copies. Jim

I have a picture of 00DD25,( I thinks its that) , hard to see the second "D" in the number. And 00DD27 - sorry its not yours , but its close....

Its actually an ultra rare "CLARKE" brand axle stand, sold in the exclusive "Machine Mart" shop. They only ever made in sets of three and were sold mainly to reliant Robin owners Machine Mart is situated dangerously close to where I work , and I am often lured in , drawn by the vivid red equipment in the window. I go in every month for a quick look round and end up buying something I dont really need :blush: The wooden dolly is my own (secret) design , and can carry 5 children downhill....:nut: