Richard Farrant

Terry, The picture is of the front brake pressure test point and brake light switch, located just in front of the left hand air cleaner.

To muddy the waters further, the civilian Champ had an Austin A90 ohv engine, but some military Champs had RR B40 engines that were actually built by Austin. One way of recognising them was the pressed steel rocker and side covers (RR using alloy castings). By the way, Gumtree has been owned by Ebay for 9 years, so no escape!

Hi John, I use Adrian Flux for MV insurance and used their recovery plan this year that covers my QL, and for less than £40

OK Tim, better be careful what we say then !

Hi Clive, There was a "spoof" one floating around, as hinted on in the web link I just posted, think I may have seen it in the BB photo reports. A genuine one did turn up at W&P years ago and whenever I went to see it the owner was not around. Have heard of one in a garage in Somerset.

I built these five vehicles originally, a lot of hours went in to them. Just found this weblink which may be of interest;

Hi George, Do you mean these?

Did you check the head face was true when changing the head gasket? I recall it blew between two cylinders last time, sounds like same again, could be the block top face needs inspection.

Hi Tim, Welcome to the forum. I suppose you can make remarks about your dad on here, knowing he will not be reading them .... or does he secretly have a look? regards, Richard

This would be for the military model B40GB, as they were not produced from the factory with fairings there would have been a Mod kit. I should have the EMER somewhere and some Mods are in there.

Hi Peter, I thought that I recognised it. A friend dragged me over to look at it about 2 or 3 years ago. I recognised the hole in front of the nearside windscreen and body extended forward. In fact I had seen it before that in a farmyard near to my work. My friend did not have a wasted journey though, as he bought a rather nice Austin lorry parked beside the OY. You are doing a good job, I can appreciate having had a good inspection of it. regards, Richard

Peter, Did this OY come from Kent by any chance? It look vaguely familiar, seem to recollect looking this over for someone several years ago. regards, Richard

It is nothing unusual, just a truck, usually with canvas covered body. RAF have always used this term.

The were made by STA, Specialty Tire of America and were normal pneumatic, 7.00-18 and you will need a gaiter / flap as well. The rims do have holes for valves in, never seen them without. (could be wrong though). The original tyres were runflats with tubes, then later on the RFE1 tyre as you current have, were fitted.

The roof looks like it has been "got at" !

Hi Nicky, Some of you light issues could be earthing, or lack of. Get a long piece of cable to test by touching lamp holder and connecting to a known earthing point, engine is best, if not the Neg terminal on battery. As for the stray wire, check out the colour code to pin it down, it is green with a coloured tracer and I cannot determine if black, blue or whatever. Here is the cable colour coding; http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/Lucaswirecode.htm

Hi Terry, The tyres are not exactly solid, they are open inside once off the rim and have very thick walls and bead spacer, this allows some flexibility. I found tyres in the USA of the same size used on pickup trucks, but with a highway tread. For running around on the road they are excellent if kept pumped up to max pressure rating. There is not such a problem with wind up in Dingos as they are light enough for the tyres to slip when driving normally on the road and with the small footprint they make, hence when using pneumatics, you keep them hard. Richard

Andy, take the cover off the connection box and the plastic or Bakelite base in side that the three terminals are fitted to should have +, F and - marked on it. I was working on a similar generator this week and I am sure that is how it is marked. Engine number is slightly later than the last chassis number so was possibly built as a spare, so a good guess is 1945. regards, Richard

Thanks Robin, That's what comes from assuming! Clive, I do not recall the flasher circuit being put in the Ferret EMER, could be wrong but my copy was updated to the last and have looked before. Sometimes Mods were never put in to the EMER and in the Mods section were removed once all the vehicles had been embodied with it.

I somehow doubt that Canadian Ferrets had British turn signals as they were not fitted originally. The British army did not fit them until I think the 1960's (not sure exactly and were a modification), so you will probably have to find the Canadian modification details to see how the wiring connects.

Not quite the same experience is it Ivor?

Hi Terry, Any coils available will be around 60 years old, for reliability I would use a suitable modern 12v coil and you can easily make up normally HT and LT leads to it. There is a tendency now to fit normal spark plugs and change the screened leads to conventional 7mm HT cable. The original type plugs if found are expensive and do tend to foul, where as modern plugs have a wider heat range, more available and a lot cheaper. This all increases reliability and performance. Getting into a Dingo if of a larger size, that is long in the leg, etc is not easy, but once in there they are a cracking little vehicle and years ahead of their time. They spawned the transmission layout designs of all the Alvis 6x6 range as well as Ferret and Fox. The reason the seat is at an angle is mainly so the driver can see out of the rear hatch if caught in an ambush and has to slam it into reverse, with seat in lowered position. I am current rebuilding a Dingo engine and will be changing the flywheel seal and will send you the seal details as you should get it from a normal bearing stockist locally. To access, the engine and gearbox has to be lifted out as one unit, entailing removal of petrol tank, bulkhead and some flooring, not a quick job but an opportunity to check out and other problems and give it a good clean up. Good to see it out again. regards, Richard

This week I received the latest Vintage Roadscene magazine, this was published by Key Publishing, but now it is a Kelsey magazine. Looks like there has been some swapping of titles between publishers. Do hope they do not change it or merge it with another.

Reading you initial problem, lacking power and knocking ......... makes me immediately think Ignition Timing !

Sean, I cannot find anything near those dimensions. Definitely a Tecalemit filter number but not showing on the cross reference to AC. cheers Richard