bonnie_scott

Hmmm, just a guess but I suspect it's a front axle for a V8 snatch landrover. Withams have been selling off all the spares for the V8 variant. Can't help with the question of the tie rod, but you will need a different propshaft. You need the ,ilitary double cardon version. As an example this e-bay auction shows what you want 281276635175 . But is way overpriced. I got the propshaft from blancchards for around £200 notes but already had the flange fitted. They do come up on e-bay for less there appears to be a Bearmach outlet/clearance shop on e-bay and they sold two recently for less than £100 each. One other thing is that you need a special tool to remove and replace the output flange from the transfer box. I was lucky that my local dealer did it for free but i had to take the old and new transfer boxes to them. I'm not sure if he still uses the name mattblack on here but I know that he has a parts manual for the snatch so if it is a snatch axle he should be able to identify the part numbers for you. Hobson Bros in Lincolnshire also seel on e-nay and the have a full front axle for sale at £750 ish IIRC but they may be able to help with the parts you need. However they aren't cheap as they are used to selling to the mod. One final caution most snatch owners seem to have replaced their as they were duff (even though they can be greased and it looks like the Universal joint can be replace i.e. it's fitted with retaining circlips) so I wouldn't be too keen to buy a used example. :-)

Greeting and welcome on board from a fellow Snatch enthusiast :-) Feel free to post some piccies of your pride and joy(both) :-)

Just wondered if any knows if the REME museum has soldiers service records. My paternal grandfather was supposed to have served in the REME, but I have never confirmed this....

Greetings, and welcome forum the 'true' frozen North :-) According to Google, the latitude of Ontario is 50.7 Deg. N (Toronto being 43.64 Deg. N) , and Wick here in the North of Scotland is 58.45 Deg. N Julian

I'm wondering whether it's taking so long because their hand digging so they don't Skua the aircaft with a JCB bucket

I review nuclear safety documents, posh title is Independent Nuclear Safety Assessment - I tell you they're a reet rivetin' read :cheesy:

I wish they would just get on a find something, I'm just getting fed up with all this Yak, Yak, Yak......

Hi Eric, according to the manufacturers blurb, it is a ballistic comp[osite laminate (termed S-2 Glass) which is 20% lighter than the equivalent steel armour. However this doesn't men it is light. My understanding (as I've never weighed one myself) is that the rear pod of a SNATCH weighs approximately 1 tonne. I do know that my SNATCH weighs just under 3.2 tonnes according to the MoT test station. Consequently the chassis is reinforced to take the extra weight. The vehicle predates the Wolf so the chassis is based on a 'standard' landrover V8 but plated along the full length of the main rails. However other than the reinforced chassis, heavy duty suspension and Salisbury axles front and rear I think a lot of the vehicle is standard parts bin stuff. The bulkhead doesn't have the vents fitted and you effectively have double thickness bulkhead at the front to support the weight of the doors which themselves are very heavy. One seller on flea bay does seem to be including most bits you would require, except the bulkhead.... I can't answer you question wrt the engine as mine is still running the military low compression V8, but I do knowthat latter 'upgrades used a diesel. I think it was the tdi300, but it may have been the Brazilian vesrion which was 'modernised' and upgraded to 2.8 as this engine was fitted to the latest RWMIK+ )at least I think that's the latest spec) and I believe they come in closer to 4.2 tonnes GVW (the SNATCH is about 3.6 tonnes GVW). There are sellers who bought a batches of SNATCHES and advertise them at about £1.5 k, personally I would go this route as you at least can tell the insurance company the chassis, axle and suspension are 'standard' for the vehicle.. Hope that helps, Cheers, Julian

Hi Kevin, well done for taking this on..... Good luck with finding the missing bits. I look forward to seeing your progress. Julian

Hi, If you want good quality drawings and details I don't think you could do much better than the Panzertracts books, No 18 specifically deals with the 38t the following is from the web page of Barbarossa Books SNIP>Development history, unique characteristics, major modifications, data sheets, and armour specifications on PzKpfw 38 (t) Ausf A to G and S production,modification and operational history from 1939 to 1942. Now for the first time, we have compiled an accurate record of the features of each PzKpfw 38 (t) Ausfuehrung. The correct pieces of the puzzle were found through a lot of hard work, research trips to measure and study the survivors, close attention to detail, and help from friends. Over one thousand hours were spent carefully measuring and drawing all the details of surviving PzKpfw 38 (t) chassis and turrets to create accurate four-view drawings of the Ausf B, C, D, E, F, and S and six-view drawings of the Ausf A and G. Extra efforts were also expended to draw details on the chassis and belly. As is our high standard, Panzer Tracts are based solely on the content of primary source documents. The real value of the PzKpfw 38 (t) can be learned by reading the experience reports written by unit commanders close to the time when the actions occurred. This 76 page book is illustrated with 50 drawings and 67 clean/rare photographs with captions that correctly identify the external characteristics of each Ausfuehrung.<SNIP They seem to say they have it in stock, see http://www.barbarossabooks.eu/panzer-tracts-no-18-panzerkampfwagen-38t-p-9207.html I have the ones he's done about the Panther and can't praise them enough. Cheers, Julian

Saw this advert on Milweb and wondered if it's of any use. I believe they are based in the Midlands, which i guess might be a bit far.... [h=4]Tank Driving Training and Tests[/h] Tracklaying test H ,places available on 3-4 octobre 625 plus vat theory practical training on road test DSA examiner, Fully Insured to drive tracked vehicle on your own on the public highway. Very high pass rate 90%.Re test half price. 01295 768400 Standard disclaimer, I have nothing to do with this company etc. Cheers, Julian

Found this site while surfing and thought it might be of interest particularly to the artillery buffs. It seems to have a number of auctions with inert munitions both large caliber, and for people who might be looking for small arms stuff e.g. belts of inert .5 cal. as a taster, you could try this Cheers, Julian

Many thanks for the education

Always relish a chance to stretch myself surfing the net - lol Seems to be a good page on 7RTR on wikipedia (bearing in mind the issues with wikipedia...) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7th_Royal_Tank_Regiment this states that the 7 RTR was captured at Tobruk and the date that Tobruk fell is given as 21/6/42 same date he was captured. Again according to wikipedia 7RTR were part of the Western Desert Force, which did become the 8th Army in September 41. According to a site giving the British Army Order of Battle 32 Tank Brigade were in Tobruk at the time of its capture, and several other bits I have found mention 7RTR being attached to 32 Tank Brigade. So while I haven't found the 'smoking gun' I think it's a fair guess to say that they were attached to this unit. A lot of the references have 7RTR supporting various infantry divisions around late 41 and early 42 which would fit with them being in an independent tank brigade rather than a larger armoured divison. Hope this helps, now to pin down the other missing unit which I would have laid money on being some unit of Royal Yeomanry. Unfortunately none of the lists of yeomanry I find have anything like that combination of initals. Hope the above helps, as always happy to be corrected if my conclusions are wrong :-) Regards, Julian P.S forgot to put a link onto a good site about the history of 4th and 7th RTR see here

Just wondered what distinguishing features identify it as a firefly as (and I may have missed it) the description on the web site didn't say anything? Cheers, Julian

Rob, congratulations on the clean bill of health :yay: being a cynic myself I would have laid money on them finding something to justify the trip....... Did you by any chance inquire what had caused them to turn up in such numbers????

Reminds me of my youth, Had a spin in the back of a Spartan at Hullavington whilst on annual Camp (ATC). Must have made an impression because I can't remember where the camp was held, but can remember the RAF Regt being told to get off the runway and stop tearing up the nice new end of runway markings....... Not only that spent another summer camp at RAF Laarbruck (sp) where IIRC 2 Sqd was based at the time and came across the following ditty..... Don't give me 2 Sqd RockApes, They eat Bananas and Grapes, They swing through the trees with incredible ease, don't give me 2 Sqd RockApes. Or something like that Scary that that was twenty 'cough' something 'cough' years ago.......

This afternoon by the Warcop Ranges (A66) heading towards Scotch Corner Oshkosh Heavy Equipment Transporter, unfortunately sans load. No pic as I was driving the other way at the time :embarrassed:

Just returned from a sojourn down south and while I was there I went to the Muckleburgh Collection event on the Sunday (24th). Unfortunately the weather didn't help with numerous heavy showers. Despite this there were a number of hardy souls who had brought their vehicles out to display and I even saw some of the collections own tanks out playing between rain showers. Below are a few of the pictures I took (please bear in mind I'm no David Bailey and anything good is down to the camera :laugh:)

Your interior looks very similar to mine, but I'm not sure that a good thing. I think most Snatches had a fairly major refurb in 2005, the gearbox I removed had a tag on it that showed it had been refurbed then. There is a similar tag on the rear diff housing but I haven't looked up close and the radiator and eberspacher aircon also have either late 2004 or early 2005 dates. I haven't got a recon engine, but the speedo only say 69 tho km so I don't think it could have had too many miles on it at the time of the refurb. Mine is not running that great at the moment, but I know I have a couple of leaks on the exhaust which need sorting, it's only done about 350 miles since it left Iraq and the petrol that's in it has been there since November so I will be looking to put some miles on to see if that helps matters. If I can get the courage up I would like to strip and clean the carbs, but we'll see. If it doesn't improve I'll probably take it to B H Engineering in Kinloss who seem to specialise in Rover V8 and Landy stuff. However having had a fright with the gearbox I'm hoping I don't have yet more pennies to spend on the engine....... Cheers for now

Hmmm, I don't know about a boiling vessel, but I was going to look at the various 24v bits and pieces used by truckers to make life on the road more comfortable. So while I don't intend a camper conversion I was thinking I could make it more comfy for long weekends traveling around the highlands :-D But that's to come as I haven't actually checked the batteries out to see if they're OK and that the charging system is working. As for the rest I intend to leave the framework that separates the cab from the rear but I may just document and remove the cabling and store in case I fancy ever trying to replicate some form of military radio system. However I suspect that it had Bowman fitted. I number that passed through Witham's had stickers/notices saying they had been checked for the removal of Bowman, and as I understand it the Army started to fit Bowman to front line units in 2003 and as mine (and I suspect most of the others released) were overhauled and upgraded to 'Desert Spec' in 2005 I would have though that they would have had Bowman fitted. Cheers, Julian

pictures as discussed, if you hover the mouse over the pictures it will tell you their title

Hi Iain, just been and had a look at mine and these are my conclusions. Under the passenger seat is the 12v system. This appears to also supply all the radio equipment as there are cable that run to a junction box behind the passenger seat which has various radio type cable associated with it. The 12v battery definately supplies the vehicle earth, via a cable to the side of the gearbox and the live feed to the starter via a cable which runs across the bellhousing to the starter on the drivers side. So I'm assuiming all my vehicle electrics are 12v. there are two interconnected batteries under the driver seat, which I'm assuming is the 24v system. This only has a couple of cables running from it, both of which are cut. There are larger cables running to the +ve and -ve terminals of the two batteries which runs across the outside of the 'tunnel' over the gearbox passed down through the gearbox lever cover, across the bellhousing and then runs up and along the passenger side inner wing. These then connect to the alternator/generator located on the front of the engine on the passenger side. I will post some pictures to help illustrate the above in another post below. SEnd me a pm if you want more, or the pictures in the original size quality (around 6Mb per pic) as I have compressed them down to around 300kb each to make posting on the forum easier. Stick a post on the thread if you would like some more/different pics to help figure it out. Cheers, Julian

Apologies meant to post this earlier but PC problems stopped play. Item 22 was sized on mine where it went through the housing preventing the lever moving forward or backwards.

Forgot to say. I haven't fiddled much with the electrics, but understand it has two separate systems. Gneral vehicle electrics and engine etc are 12V. With a separate 24V generator and circuits for radios etc. So I believe everything you will be working on is 12V.........