Rover8FFR

EK - nominally is 62/63

 

Civilian 2A started Sept. 1961 , seems as if the change from Rover 6 to 8 contracts was lagging a bit.

 

All the TA Land Rovers I knew of were in DBG until 1971 when I came across a brand new Rover 1 (2A Lightweight) that had been sprayed in OD.

 

Clive is correct about the date of introduction of NATO IRR , I purchased a Lightweight about Easter 1980 from Ruddington - it had a damaged front wing and the paint was splattered. On examining bits of the paint I realized it was something different , contacted Dufay Titaine and was supplied with the spec. sheets - that was when I became aware of IRR paint.

Reg is 57 EK 34. Order book at LR was December 1963 and was then delivered to CVD Hilton in January 1964. I know it came in 72 as its civi reg plate was a K reg. :undecided:

Wayne if you join the EMLRA you can get a vehicle history search done I think for £5 or you can pay £25 & ask Deepcut to look in their records.

 

Shame your history got cut away, although heraldic & fancy unit markings were phased out from the end of 1977 on order of CRAOC to fit in with the "One Army" concept put forward in the Defence White Paper of 1975 to do away with the distiction between the Regular Army & TAVR.

Vehicle was demobbed in 1972 so we may be lucky! Even if it starts another posting for help!

I am in the EMLR and sent to Deepcut and it all came back a big fat zero! So I guess nothings changed.

Somebody mentioned that EK's relate to particular years. Do you know of an inventory where the batches of EK's went. I guess this all goes back to the old records held at Deepcut??????

Wayne that would be of interest. But are you sure it is an EMEI as that should have the theatre of use in the title? I suspect what you have is EMER WHEELED VEHICLES Q 020- 029. That is certainly a big one but is what might best be described as a 'chaos' of information with great difficulty in defining what Rover they are taliking about. But it is certainly is a must have for a MV Rover person.

 

I suspect you have found it of use as it covers the 40A system quite well.

 

I do actually have a spare copy of about a third of it if you're interested.

Sorry Clive but trying to go from memory! It's a big doc as you say. I will double check tonight what is what and get back to you! i have the found the document very useful I must confess. I also have a servicing schedule document for same which is more compact. Again I will investigate and confirm what the docs and their references are.

Regards

Wayne quite a few matters in there.

 

I can find no document defining when OD superceded DBG. I think it was very much dependant on the vehicle, its role & how front line it was and many vehicles finished their days in DBG. The earliest photographic siting of OD with disruptive black is a Hornet in 1968. But that was very front line & for use even before the battle lines were drawn up!

 

I can tell you when IRR NATO Green came along & that is much later than many might think. It was 1980, I say that because in that year the Defence Standard for it was issued, it received a BSC381C allocation (285) & the Materiel Regulations introduced the use of it.

 

Most 90A generators (Generator No.10) are Sky Blue but very early ones were black. SB came with preservation & repair) however the matching Generator Panel No.9 remained black.

 

There were & are indeed Regulations for painting, particularly were preservation is concerned & this does not necessarily mean reconditioning. In EMER WORKSHOPS N 111 Chapters 1 & 2 for preservation of petrol engines and chapters 5 & 6 for vehicle assemblies & electrical assemblies.

What a legend! I guessed the OD was too young for my 1963 Rover8FFR.

I guess over the years when these vehicles are de-mobbed they change beyond recognition over the years as mine had been painted cream over blue, with a hard top fitted. All the galvanised body cappings and windscreen had been over painted with silver paint. The whole thing looked very sorry and sad indeed!

It has been suggested that if I rub back my wings I may find some original markings as I have found nothing on the old girls military history at all. Although the original wings were butchered some time ago to fit lights in the wings. So any markings on the vertical faces may be well and truly lost.

I know the vehicle was sent from Solihull to CVD Hilton? (sp). Is there any way of seeing from their old records where the vehicle was first posted. I know Ashchurch is still thriving and wondered if they may have some historic documents. I guess Hilton is now a housing estate?

Kind regards

Clive Elliott

Always wanted old British Army publications of any period (the older the better) eg AC, ACI, COSA, CR, DCI, EMEC, EMEI, EMER, EMPL, EMPS, ER, LoC, LTI, MAOS, MRA, RAOS, REA, VAOS, WMTI, etc, Army & WO Coded publications..............

Clive I have a copy of what I believe is a very lengthy EMEI publication for many militart Land Rovers from Rover Mk 1,2,3 up to Rover 10 & 11??? I will check what it is tonight and get back to you. It may be a expensive document to copy as it runs to a few hundred pages, (sorry but hard copy) but includes many illustrations and parts numbers. Is this possibly of interest?

Regards :wow:

That's interesting on the Olive Drab debate internally!

I thought that the landrovers of the 60's were all deep bronze green, unless sent of to Aden etc? This gets even more complicated! Doh!

I guess I will take a picture of the engine block and see what Clive says about the colour. Much appreciated to Clive on confirmation that the CAV 40A system with rectifier was likely to have been black as installed.

I guess the later 90A systems on the series 3 with the rectifier inboard were where I see the more typical turqoise colour used on say preserved engines.

Seems a little odd though why they would be a standard black and painted the turqoise colour or Eau-de-Nil elsewhere. I thought the painting was to a army scale document?

I have traces of what I believe to be BS216 Eau de Nil in the rear Tub, just behind the seats, which I don't think was standard is this colour BS216 as the colour swatches on line are a little poor?

Thanks

I have a photo on PC of the gen pack with original black finish.

The rectifiers at the front are in standard black finish as per manufactured by CAV

Interesting!

I know the landy was built at Solihull and then sent to CVD Hilton for finishing.

I know that the Rover 8 & 9's were the first true band of military landrovers that were developed with a lot of the specialist parts physically fitted on the production line in Birmingham.

Previously the REME would have taken a standard series 1 or 2 and adapted it from what was a domestic landrover.

Looking at some of the holes drilled through body parts/ panels the install at CVD would I am sure have been regarding the radios install and ancillaries, cables etc.

The very pale golour on the engine is very pale indeed, but really grey with a hint of????. It may be that the generator and dizzy pack were fitted at CVD, but would they not have been the turquoise colour?

I believed that the gen and dizzy pack were fitted to the landy on the production line at Solihull.

The Sankey trailer vin/ identification plate should have the year of manufacture stamped on as well as it's registration and contract number etc, as they are treated as vehicles on the army inventory.

I have an early 1970's sankey needing TLC, but I will take a picture on ID plate and post on forum 2moro.

Welcome to the world of 'Land Rovers'!

Regards :cheesy:

A question for the more knowledgeable than I on British Military Vehicles.

My 1963 ser2a 24v 88" FFR Land Rover has an engine that is painted in a very pale grey / blue tint colour (almost grey) and has the remnance of some stenciled numbers in white on the side of the engine block (manifold side).

The 40amp Generator and screened dizzy are in a satin/ gloss black paint finish and after a little rubbing back this appears to the original base / top coat to these parts.

I see many vehicles at shows where the engine, dizzy and generator all all painted in the turquoise engine paint. I have seen this on a few Austin Champs, which pre-date my land rovers vintage!

The engine appears totally genuine as well as the ancillaries, but I wondered as and when the REME painted engines and ancills.

Any steers would be gratefully appreciated.

 

ooh Hereford. I live just outside Ross-on-Wye.....

 

I have tried Camberley Tony B and that drew a blank! I think I still have the original wings, when I bought the think and have kept them even though they were gash! I guess some sensitive rubbing down will help. Must admit didn't think of that.....As I had bought some old S2a RAF landy wings in better nick!

 

Thanks to 1 and all :-D

I guess there are 2 similarities here!

There is the metal braided sleathing that is typical in some vehicles for coaxials / radio cables etc.

There is also the black material sheathing for electrical wires typical of old wiring looms, which I think is more like the product you may want for electrics.

I came across an electrical braided polyester sleeving in 5m lengths at Frost restoration, who are pretty well known worldwide.

They also do a wraparound sleeve and a metal sleeve as well!

Maybe worth a look before you comit to buy on www.frost.co.uk

Regards

Wayne

I would say probably yes as this is a key detail for those little details of originality.

i would like to know more about this.

Your message suggests you may know where to get some??? :cool2:

Thanks for that Tony B.

How did your son manage to trace some history for his EK 12v GS. All my searches has drawn a blank!

Tried both the EMLRA and MVT and got knowhere!

I know that the paint has always been bronze green prior to a civi painting it with Dulux Emulsion! :-D

Hi Greg. Bad news on the army. Have you considerd the army cadets! You can join right up until 18 years and nine months.

It caters for young people in all sahpes and sizes and your diabetes wouldn't be an issue at the officers and adults are first aid qual'd!

You will get a taste of all the military stuff and do weekend exercises, go shooting etc!

You can then apply to become an adult instructor after 18 3/4yrs.

There is a detachment in Bromyard.

Contact the TA Centre in Hereford or go online.

You will love it and you get to see lots of vehicles. In 2006 the cadets went in a Chinook helicopter.

How do I know!!!!!! That's because I am an officer with the cadets and run the main detachment in Hereford City Centre.

Be the Best!!!!!

I need to get some more pics from home to show how it looked originally when I bought it after someone had mutilated here!

The good news was that after sitting in a field for 7 years and after a carb service and batteries charged up with some fuel down the manifold it ran! Hurrah!

I have found a couple on my laptop, but will get the really sad ones on a post soon as

Cheers

Wayne

Hi everyone.

Just joined the HMVF and stumbled across the site whilst trying to do a search for info on my military vehicle. Seemed a good site so I registered straight away.

I am restoring more slowly that I would like a 1963 Landrover Series 2a FFR 24v 88 inch.

True title; Truck Utility 1/4 Tonne 4x4 FFR Rover 8. Its the early 24v model with the rectifiers stood off infront of the oil cooler and protected by a sold bar and mesh grille. I believe this is due to the earliest generators being 45amp. Later series 3's had the rectifier in the generator set (90amp).

Its MOD reg is 57EK34 and was entered into the order book at Solihull in Decemeber 1963, before it was shipped of to CVD Hilton (Sp?), which I believe is no longer around.

I tried the old vehicle records that went from Beverley to Deepcut and it drew up a big fat zero!

Over the years I have been slowly picking up bits and bobs here and there, much to the frustration of the other half saying why do you need 2/ 3 of those? I must confess that looking at the sparcity of some items now and the asking prices I think I did the right thing. Saves money in the long term I guess.

I hope to do quite a bit more this year to get the old girl on the restoration path and will be sharing some images with you all soon and no doubts looking for some help here and there! It's currently a rolling chassis awaiting some chassis repairs etc.

I will sign off at that for know before I bore the heck out of you all wittering on! Talk again soon.

Regards

Wayne :-\