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Driving my Ferret for the first time


griff66

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I've ocassionally seen a few pics of ferrets with a screen fitted into guides mounted the (folded down) front hatch. It would keep the wind off the driver, but not restrict the sideward vision like the original screen. Has anyone seen this modification up close?

 

Matt

 

Not sure I understand exactly what you are saying. Hope this covers it. There was an issued windscreen with wiper which was designed to fit into the driver's hatch opening. It did not seal against rain particularly well as I recall. I am sure in 15/19H we replaced this with a single sheet of Perspex that was "permanently" taped in with black duct tape but stting here reading what I write, I am doubting myself. We certainly did this with the side hatches, which was easier if your particular ferret had square side hatches rather than the angled ones.

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I've ocassionally seen a few pics of ferrets with a screen fitted into guides mounted the (folded down) front hatch. It would keep the wind off the driver, but not restrict the sideward vision like the original screen. Has anyone seen this modification up close?

 

Matt

 

Yep, I've got one of those screens. I will post pics when I can but visibility is not a huge problem.

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....so you wanna buy a saracen eh?, ...well where shall I start?:-\

 

Firstly, usually they are cheaper than Ferrets, oddly enough, so you get a lot for your money, but you can get a lot of problems for your money too, so beware!..Saracens have a somewhat complicated hydraulic system, unlike Ferrets, and components such as the gearbox and transfer box are very labour intensive to change, and obviously, because of the extra set of wheels, axle 'wind-up' can be more of a problem, -rain never stops me from going out to play in mine as a wet road can help minimise a lot of axle 'wind up', due to the tyres slipping slightly on the wet roads.

 

You are quite correct in thinking it's not much more than taking on a Ferret, it does all depend on which Mk, you go for as some, (like my Mk5), do not have opening side hatches on either side of the drivers' position, like you do in a Ferret.

This tends to limit peripheral vision to a rectangle about 2 and a 1/2" by 4", due to the angle of the vision blocks, making 'T' Junctions a little awkward.

The Saracen is quite a bit wider on the road, just about taking up 1/2 the width of most smaller 'A' roads, and most 'B' roads. They don't accelerate, so much as gather speed 'gracefully', but in fine fettle will keep up with most traffic. I've fitted truck mirrors to mine, and rearward visibility is probably better than most 7.5 ton box bodied lorries.... All of the 6x6 Alvis FV600 series vehicle tend to 'wander' to a small degree, this is down to the steering arrangement, -4 front wheels steering, it is easily overcome by slight, continuous corrective input through the steering wheel...you soon get used to it, and are soon flicking the gentle giant around with ease.

They don't like wet cobbles, but then I don't think any wheeled vehicle does!

When it rains you seem to stay drier than in a Ferret, because the 'bonnet' does tend to throw any spray upwards to the unfortunate commander -if you are using one (highly recommended on your 1st few journeys onto the Queens highway!).

Fuel consumption, I find is slightly more than a Ferret, but not painfully so, and is better if you can keep up momentum. Unfortunately they can be a bit of a slog when you get a steepish hill with no run-up.

As you can see from my accompanying pictures, I can recover my fuel costs by getting passengers to pay for the fuel, weddings, proms etc, all perfectly legal as long as they are friends and you don't make a profit, (-wink, wink)

 

The other pictures are before restoation, and after..... but I still have minor bits and bobs to attend to....

 

As regards maintenance! well again, where does one start?.....I'd compare it to working on 3 Ferguson tractors crammed into a large metal box, that is just not quite big enough to hold them...it's almost as if the hull was built around its contents!:undecided:

Tyres- 11.00-20 and 12.00-20 Dunlop Trakgrips, are hard to find, and expensive when you do find them, but modern replacements with different tread pattern are available.

 

All this said, I'll never part with mine, as it was a childhood dream come true. I may not get many miles to the gallon, but I get loads of 'smiles' to the gallon.

There can be some headaches, -but you take the pills. -or rather sit down with copius cups of coffee and all the EMER books you can get your hands on...and you methodically sort the problem.

 

If you do your own maintenance on your Ferret, then if you have the room, there is no reason why you shouldn't manage a Saracen..... if you get one, try to go for one that is already registered, and hopefully a pre-1960 one!.... There could be problems looming for this type/size of vehicle if it's a younger one. Also some area DVLA offices are getting rather strict on registering 'overwidth' vehicles- the Saracen being one of them! That said if you do get an unregistered one, just use Portsmouth DVLA branch, a very understanding lot they are!

 

Hope this is of some help, feel free to pass any more queries on the subject my way....

 

and one more piece of advice....

-GO FOR IT!, -

YOU WON'T REGRET IT!!!:-D

 

Best of Luck

 

 

I quite fancy one myself having read that ! Do I need an HGV licence ? I passed my test in 1982 and can drive a 7.5 tonne goods vehicle - where would I stand with this type of vehicle?

 

Jim

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dvla man has been all went well fingers crossed , gatwick area best place for 60,s style number plates metal?

Technically not legal to drive on the roads if registered / fitted after 2001(? I think it was...) but Framptons did me a lovely set for the MJ. They just need a scan or fax of the V5C or entitlement certificate, dead quick and not too pricey. HTH :)

 

Stone

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Technically not legal to drive on the roads if registered / fitted after 2001(? I think it was...) but Framptons did me a lovely set for the MJ. They just need a scan or fax of the V5C or entitlement certificate, dead quick and not too pricey. HTH :)

 

Stone

If we are talking black and silver plates??. Then it is an offence to have them fitted on any vehicle registered after 1973. I have them fitted to the 101 and my 90 V8. I got mine from classic plates.Takes about four days.
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I thought the plates went on original age of vehicle ? If you get an age related plate, then you can have black and white. I think N sufix is the cut off.

 

The legislation says "First registered"

 

One arguement could go if you owned a pre 1973 vehicle and the number had been tranfered (by Cherished Transfer), the vehicle will be given a new registration. Even if the cherished tranfer had been done after 1973, the vehicle would still have been rgistered pre 1973, although not with the current mark. The current mark may have been given to the vehicle in 1990, but a black and white plate may be used.

 

A Ferret will have been used by the Army pre 1973, so it will have had a service Registration. The question is (and this has been much discussed on this forum before) Does the service registration mark count as being First Registered or not. I don't think that would ever be known for certain without a test case in a court of law.

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Slightly different issue with the ones I got (silver/black and yellow/black, pressed aluminium) - they have a reflective backing so mostly conform to the regs but don't have the manufacturer's name on them or the BS-whatever, so don't conform in every detail.

 

I only got them as I was issued a 7-digit registration and the plates won't fit on the army numberplate bracket (6-digit!). The plastic ones bend where they aren't supported and will eventually snap off.

 

Stone

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