Starfire

Realistically, diaphragm pumps are very reliable and have been keeping Ferrets going for over 50 years so far. The only things that can really go wrong with them are torn diaphragms and/or a stuck valve. In either case, a rebuild is a fairly simple procedure. http://ferret-fv701.co.uk/mnuls/david_pump.pdf An electric pump really isn't necessary. Cheers, Terry

Silver soldering will work a treat for the banjo extension.

Most first aid kits on the market these days have the white cross on a green field. Perhaps it has been changed to align with what is commonly seen in use, despite the fact that they have the right to use the red cross?

Just wait for the oil to discolour a bit. It's a Ferret, it'll happen

Clive, black was generally used for the wheels/roadwheels and under wheel arches. Cheers, Terry

Adelaide Airport and Parafield are not the same place, but photos are still of interest https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/Parafield+Airport,+Tiger+Moth+Lane,+Parafield,+South+Australia/Adelaide+Airport+SA+5950/@-34.8575872,138.5031049,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x6ab0b6a489e9fad5:0xf03365545b8f0a0!2m2!1d138.6368063!2d-34.7884355!1m5!1m1!1s0x6ab0c53c8a1edbaf:0x5033654628ea800!2m2!1d138.5348719!2d-34.936098 Cheers, Terry

The general rule is that you should always bleed the system from the furthest point from the pump, so start with the backs, do the middle and then front. If it really needs bleeding (or you've had it completely drained) you should also bleed the accumulators, which have bleed points on them as well. Cheers, Terry

I have the same tyres on mine. What pressures are you running? I'm running 50 PSI front and 55 PSI rear. Cheers, Terry

I'd like to express interest in your internal fittings (my spare Ferret is missing heaps of bits) and your engine, if you do get around to changing it over. PM me if you're keen. When I first got my Saracen, I wanted to convert it to a diesel, but I've learned to live with, and love, the B80. Some Ferrets in British service were fitted with brake boosters, one of those would be an easy retrofit to yours. It won't give you fantastic brakes, but it will be better. Also note that the Ferret brakes are manually adjusted. If yours aren't set correctly then they will be awful. If swapping the engine, you'll need to be wary of rev ranges - the B series redlines at 3750 RPM, which is quite low for a modern petrol engine and quite high for a diesel, making them hard to match. In all honesty though, the Ferret has reasonable power to weight, and a properly maintained B60 is very reliable. If I were going to modify a Ferret to have better performance, all I would do is fit a smallish turbo to it; with its relatively low compression ratio and slow running, it should add an extra 50hp with no stress at all, although a water to air intercooler may be needed. Noise is always going to be a problem in the Ferret, no matter what you do to it. You're sitting between a pair of drive shafts and the shape of it puts you near the focal point of a bell shaped interior. They're surprisingly quiet on the outside and surprisingly loud inside. Padding may help, but it's hard to say. I just wear a headset. If you do fit padding, make sure that it is fire retardant and doesn't off-gas any toxic chemicals. Fire is a real threat in the Ferret. For the seat, the early Ferret seats suck. Later ones in British service were fitted with the same seat as the Fox, and it is more comfortable and offers reasonable lumbar support. I would be very wary of a bucket seat in a Ferret, especially a Mk 2, as it will hinder you getting out in a hurry, if you need to. For bead locks, you'll need to replace the rims, I would think. I doubt you'd find anything off the shelf to fit a Ferret, so you'll probably have to go custom, which will be pricey. Cheers, Terry

The problem of wind up is overstated anyway. None of the vehicle manuals even mention it, and as long as tyre diameters are within specification it largely just results in additional tyre wear. Cheers, Terry

I fill my Saracen and Ferret with 10W30. I've never had a problem. Cheers, Terry

Keep us updated with progress. Cheers, Terry

I have seen examples of the same part having different part numbers depending on when it was packaged and by whom. For example, I have 3 little boxes of rubber battery breathers. 2 of them were packaged in 1961 by Lucas and are marked LV6/MT4 LU/862335 and the other was packaged by Alvis in 1955 and is marked LV9/BOE FV-13550. None of them are marked with an NSN. Cheers, Terry

Unlike the Saracen, it doesn't have to be timed, so you can just shove it in there and then shim it up. Cheers, Terry

The history cards rarely go all the way back to manufacture. I'm not sure if the record keeping system changed over at some point in the past, but it seems that when the old card was full, a new one was issued and the old one was discarded. VHF indicates the type of radio setup installed. Code changes are generally significant upgrades. I know my Saracen had one when it was upgraded to a Mk 5 and when it was changed from an ambulance to an APC. Cheers, Terry

I don't know. I recently bought a couple of lock barrels off of flea bay myself and am yet to install them, but I believe that they can be installed backwards and will exhibit the symptoms you describe.

It sounds like you've installed it upside down.

Very nice.

How badly do you want one? They are stupidly expensive. Cheers, Terry

Yep, something is broken, it'll be a driveshaft, bevel box, inner or outer tractor joint or the reduction gear assembly in the hub. Draining the oil from the assemblies and seeing which is full of metal will be a good start towards finding the problem. Cheers, Terry

Lovely. How is it to drive? What is the approximate cost of these vehicles? I wouldn't mind picking one up. Cheers, Terry

You can wash them out in petrol and reuse them. You can also either make up, or find an adapter that will take a modern spin-on filter instead. Cheers, Terry

Contact Bovington's library on the email address here: http://www.tankmuseum.org/schools-and-research/archives They'll check the archives and email you scans of the vehicle's history cards, if they have them, for a modest fee (my Saracen cards cost me £25, a little over a year ago, and it can be paid via PayPal, so it's very painless). Cheers, Terry

How did you refurb your vision blocks? In all of mine, the plastic sheet is in various states of disrepair. What did you use to replace it? Any tips with the felt pads? Cheers, Terry

Sounds like quite an adventure.