andym

If the internals can be changed, could you then use the Saracen gears in the Stolly box? Andy

Most FV430s have this as well, so not bling. Andy

There's plenty of photos on http://www.fv432.co.uk ! Andy

I helped him out by buying a reconditioned gearbox to decorate the side wall of the barn that already has two crated FV430 gearboxes and a steering box ... Andy

... or they could get better. Removing the confusion over "component parts" would be an extremely good thing. Andy

An FV439 on low loader heading East on the M27 at Rownhams services around lunchtime today. I'm pretty sure it was an FV439 rather than anything else with roof-mounted generators, I only had time for a quick glimpse but it seemed to have the large FV439 NBC box. Andy

Thanks Iain - it's a standard 351, for reference. Unfortunately tweaking 9R2 to full scale in either direction has no effect, so I think it's bust. :-( The comment about 13R9 is interesting as I thought that turning it fully anti-clockwise was a "standard" mod for 4m use to prevent the 150Hz CTCSS tone annoying civilian users. I had my ear bent about the tone this morning on the 4m Portsmouth "TedNet"! Turning 13R9 fully anti-clockwise doesn't seem to have affected the squelch on my other 351s. Andy

Another PRC351 question, I'm afraid. Having got my misbehaving PRC351 to fire up, the squelch seems over-enthusiastic and kiils the receiver entirely. I know that the unit is working as defeating the squelch in the * position it receives OK, but is silent in L and W. Does anyone know where the squelch adjustment is? I know that these units sometimes suffer from sticky potentiometers and it seems possible that a quick twiddle might clean it off. Andy

This bit is particularly interesting: "The reliability at this final power was always being improved because of the military parallel development, mostly on the straight eight engine which had also been bored out to 3.750 inches. This engine was known as the B81 and one particular requirement was a continuous run at maximum power of 168 hours. No stop of any kind could be tolerated in spite of fuel containing 3.6 cc lead per gallon. Brightray exhaust valves and inserted exhaust valve seats were required in addition to considerable development of the pistons before a week's continuous running could be achieved. On lead-free fuel the same combination of pieces would run for 700 hours, this, regrettably, being only of academic interest." Andy

I think we've established that MVs are only of interest to dedicated thieves. I can't believe they wouldn't use a GPS jammer if so, they're readily and cheaply available. http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/feb/13/gps-jammers-uk-roads-risks Andy

Anything that uses a GPS signal can be very easily jammed, despite what may be claimed. Andy

Thanks Bob, just wondering! Andy

Thanks Clive - I'm amazed at how thin the lead is from the positive battery terminal to the circuit board, but I don't suppose it needs much current at 24V. Andy

I assume that you've got either an IB2 or IB3 at the centre of the harness? If so it's just a matter of applying 24V to its DC input with a suitable 2-pin plug - eBay item 400887925136 would suit. Andy

Any more news on this, out of interest? Andy

I've got a Clansman PRC351 that's recently stopped working and started rattling instead. On taking it apart, one of the screwed pillars that secure the boards had worked loose and was wandering round inside. The radio now seems totally dead, and poking around there's what looks like a ruptured fusible wire link marked "42 SWG" near where the +24V lead comes in to PL1. Does anyone know if this is indeed a fuse? Andy

Welcome aboard! Andy

Welcome aboard, Alec! Andy

Thanks both! Andy

I took this photo in the Conservation Hall at Bovington last weekend. The plaque lying on top of it says that it's an FV722 Vixen. However the Wikipedia article on the Fox CVR(W) says that the Vixen prototypes were unturreted and also refers to a Polecat "There was at least one trial version of a Fox chassis mounting the standard UK GPMG one-man turret (as used on the FV432 APC)". This vehicle plainly has the Peak Engineering GPMG turret as fitted to FV432s, so is it a Vixen or a Polecat? Andy

Certainly - only one screw as it happens, but well buried. No sign of staking. The slot is an inch across and the Snap-on tool is only 3/4 inch but the next size up would have been too thick to sit in the slot. The screw thread is 5/8" UNF, not huge I suppose but bigger than most screws I've dealt with before. Andy

Screw now successfully removed! :-) Andy

Thanks all, Snap-On are overnighting me one which I hope will do the trick. If not John, I may take you up on your kind offer! Andy

Thanks Richard, I'd never have come up with that name! Finding them in the UK might be an issue though, even people like Churchill don't seem to have anything that big. Andy

I've got some of their spanners which are excellent too, just a matter of finding them in the first place! Andy