Chris Preston

Greetings All, We working on our Museum's CMP 3-Ton Wrecker (Museum link: https://www.facebook.com/Friends-of-Ashton-Armoury-Museum-Victoria-BC-Canada-219752694888399/), repairing some oil leaks in the transmission and clutch assemblies, and while taking a break, were examining the Towing Pintle and Roller Fair-leads bolted to the rear frame. It looks like a previous owner has cut approximately 6" off the rear of the frame, and drilled new holes to allow the pintle and fair-lead assembly to be bolted further forward on the frame and under the body. This effectively prevents you from using the pintle as it's now hard up against a cross member. Could anyone more knowledgeable with this vehicle advise if our suspicions are correct? if so, could you also provide some photos and dimensions of what the correct configuration is supposed to be so we can make the necessary restorations to the frame? We're also looking for a list of the required "In Service" kit carried by the vehicle, including mechanics tools, chains, and other hardware. Attached are two photos of our vehicle from earlier today. Sincerely, Chris Preston, Victoria, BC, Canada

Greetings All, Since I joined the Ashton Armoury Museum here in Victoria, BC, 3 years ago, I've assumed responsibility for the care and feeding (and driving) of our Museum's Daimler Ferret Mk 2/3, and have already accomplished (or caused to be accomplished) a number of major repairs to make our vehicle more reliable and safe to operate. Now we can start to address fluid leaks. The first fluid (oil) leak we need to address is in the Transfer Case. We have gear oil leaking from one or more of the flanges for the four Final Drive Output Shafts and the two Mounting Brackets. When we replaced the Transmission Brake Bands last year we also replaced the seal - part number 75 in the Parts Manual diagram for the Transfer Case. We plan on removing the Gear Box/Transfer Case later this year to deal with the fluid leak(s) around the flanges but need to know what the best material is to properly seal the Seal Packs and Bearing Carriers in all six locations ($ Output Shafts, and 2 Mounting Brackets. Can anyone advise? The other leak issue is with the four wheel hubs, as we notice oil on the concrete (small amounts) by all four wheels - what seal would be the most likely suspect? Thanks in advance. Cheers, Chris Preston, Victoria, BC, Canada

Hi Terry, Many Thanks for your offer. We have Chev CMP's - 2 x Cab 13 C8's, and 1 x Cab 13 3 Ton Wrecker, all runners (when they're in the mood). Cheers, Chris Preston, Victoria, BC

'Afternoon All, Would anyone know of a source for stock rear-view mirrors for CMP's? Our Museum has three (operational) CMP's but there's only one stock rea-view mirror between the three of them. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Here's a link to our Museum: https://www.facebook.com/Friends-of-Ashton-Armoury-Museum-Victoria-BC-Canada-219752694888399/ . Cheers, Chris Preston, Victoria, BC

Hi Terry, Will do. May I use your photo in the e-mail (it always helps to send a photo)? Cheers, Chris

Hi terry, Yes - that's it. We're missing it. Thanks very much.......now I have to locate one. Cheers, Chris

Greetings All, Does anyone know how the .30 Cal MG Tripod was stowed on the left-rear engine hatch? I know it was secured with webbing straps, but on placing the tripod in position on the hatch, I can't figure out how it was secured to the small "U" shaped bracket that's welded to the hatch at the rear. Are we missing an adaptor piece between the bracket and the tripod? Cheers, Chris Preston, Victoria, BC, Canada

Good Evening All, Thank you very much for your replies - they're extremely helpful (now I can correctly position the switch and mark it accordingly). As for the Battery Switch - the mounting plate was made of 1/16" sheet metal bent into a "square U" with flanges on the back into which mounting holes were drilled. The plate and switch were then mounted below the fuel filter on existing stud bolts. The switch itself is a commercially available marine power switch with a removable key. (This was my first real attempt at metal work !! ) If anyone's interested I can take some more detailed photos and post them here for your reference. Thanks again for your help. Cheers, Chris Preston, Victoria, BC, Canada

Greetings All, Could someone more knowledgeable than myself on all things "Ferret" advise me on what is the CORRECT position for the Fuel Cock to use the Main Tank (See photo)? There are NO markings that I can find on the switch indicating which way is the Main Tank and which way is the Reserve Tank. Cheers, Chris Preston, Victoria, BC

Many Thanks MCS. Although I can identify engine parts and use (the correct) tools properly, I'm not a mechanic (my background is RCN - 44 years, retiring as a Chief Bos'n). I've learned that coming to the HMVF and MLU Forums is probably my best chance for getting my questions answered and locating parts. Those more mechanically inclined and knowledgeable than myself advised to look here first. Cheers, Chris, in Victoria, BC

Hi Pete, Happy New Year to you. I had a chap living in Vancouver reply to my original post, along with yours, but have had little contact with him since then - is your kind offer to help still open? Sincerely, Chris Preston, Victoria, BC, Canada

'Morning Sean and Pete, Many Thanks for your replies - I think I have a source for the part in question, courtesy of someone living in the Vancouver, BC area (after posting the same message on MLU Forum). Sean - I've no idea how it broke - all I can think of is time and age were a factor (I'm not a mechanic). I'll see how Vancouver works out. Merry Christmas All. Cheers, Chris

Greetings All, One of our museum's (Ashton Armoury Museum, Victoria, BC) CMP vehicles is out of service with a faulty transmission. We have a 1944 Chev CMP 15 Cwt Truck has a broken shift fork, for shifting between 3rd and 4th gears. Does anyone know of a source for same? This piece was in use in Chev 1-Ton transmissions from 1936-1956. Link to Museum Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Friends-of-Ashton-Armoury-Museum-Victoria-BC-Canada-219752694888399/ Merry Christmas, Chris Preston, :-) Ferret Driver and Maintainer, Ashton Armoury Museum, Victoria, BC, Canada

Thanks everyone for your help. I located and took apart the Fuel Tank Roll-Over valve and related hoses and cleaned everything out - no spiders but a lot of dust and other particulate matter in the system. The valve is now back together and looks like it's working as designed. I'll remount it next Tuesday and test the system. One of the things we discovered was that prior to taking everything apart, the hose that's supposed to be connected to the vent between the two rear visors was in fact led into the engine compartment and venting directly over the exhaust manifold !!! I don't know who did that, but it looks to have been that way for some time ! Cheers, Chris Preston

'Afternoon All, As I've been pondering a leaking fuel tap in our Ferret, I've temporarily resolved this by cracking the fuel tank filler cap to release any pressure in there which may be contributing to said leaking fuel tap.........which it was !! Is the Ferret's fuel tank supposed to be pressurized? If not what are the most likely causes for it not venting properly (where should I be looking)? In the meantime, I'll be removing the fuel tap and replacing the gasket seal in it shortly. Thanks in advance for your suggestions. Cheers, Chris Preston, Victoria, BC, Canada

'Evening All, Has anyone replaced are refitted a Ferret's fuel tap mounted next to the fuel filter? The fuel tap in our vehicle is leaking - I noticed that it leaks more noticeably when you turn the tap from one position to another and back again. Is it worth removing the fuel tap and tearing it down to repair the leak by replacing the seal, or should I purchase a new unit? Cheers, Chris Preston, Victoria, BC

Thanks Again Richard. When we first tested everything after getting the unit back in the vehicle (after initial adjustments) we were running he vehicle on just the two rear propeller shafts. The front two are now in. Cheers, Chris

Thanks Richard, I forgot to add that we also replaced the Bus-Bar Spring as it had broken. Any thoughts on the adjustment you mentioned? Cheers, Chris

Greetings All, We've recently rebuilt the Transfer-Case/Gear-Box for our Museum's Ferret......replaced the Transmission Brake Bands with new Brake Bands for 1st through 4th gears, fitted a new Bus-Bar Spring, and replaced all the bushings in the bell-crank linkages from the pedals to the Transfer-Case/Gear-Box. After sorting out the adjustments to everything we have all five gears working correctly when we shift up and down but are unable to get "Neutral" to engage in the Gear-Box. Before we rebuilt the Transfer-Case/Gear-Box we only had 2nd and 3rd gears, and Neutral working (the latter after removing the the Gear-Box Neutral Strut). Is this a case of letting all the new parts "settle in", or is there something else we should be adjusting? Or.........should we remove the Gear-Box Neutral Strut from the Gear Selector Assembly, as before? I understand this was a modification to the unit after it was manufactured. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers, Chris Preston, Victoria, BC

Greetings All, We've finished the rebuild of our Museum's Ferret's Transfer Case/Gear Box (with no left over bits) and it should work !! That being said, during the tear-down and re-assembly, we noticed the dip-sticks for the Transfer Case and Gear Box have no seals on their cap-ends and sit rather loosely in their respective locations. Does any one know what the seals look look like and of a source for them? Cheers, Chris Preston, Victoria, BC

'Morning All, As we progress on the rebuilding of our Ferret's transmission, we've been wondering about the bushings or guides located on the hull floor on either side (and behind) the driver's seat, for the control linkages coming from the gear change pedal, and forward/reverse, and gear change levers. Below are photos of our bushings/guides - are they missing a top piece? If so, would anyone have a decent photo of what we're missing? Cheers, Chris Preston, Victoria, BC, Canada

Many Thanks for your reply Oli. I'm following up on that suggestion. In the meantime, someone has suggested that the same spring from a Daimler Dingo might work. Does anyone know if the Dingo had a similar (or same type) of transmission? Cheers, Chris Preston

'Morning All, We've started working on our Ferret's gear-box/transfer-case and during the removal of the Bus-Bar Spring we discovered that it had snapped about 3/4" from one end of it. Would anyone know of a source for a new one or have one in serviceable condition they could part with? Cheers, Chris Preston, Victoria, BC, Canada

Hi Diana. I think it was me asking for the fender wiring information, but I don't see a link anywhere to what you've posted. Attached below is a photo of the Ferret in question. Cheers, Chris Preston, Victoria, BC, Canada

Happy New Year Everyone, Is there anyone on this board who would have a spare (or 2) rear-view mirrors for a Daimler Ferret, or know of a source for same? Cheers, Chris Preston, Victoria, BC, Canada