Your fisrt MV?

[Tony B]

What was your fisrt contacts with Military Vehicles?, My first personal hands on would have been a SWB Series 2 40amp FFW. This wagion ended up at the stables in Jersey so I drove it about. Evenyualy it was hitched with a Rice Horse trailer to the Jersey Drag Hunt & Race Club, in the colours of the sponsors. Benson & Hedges! Well I thought it superior to the JPS Formula one cars.:-D First owned was Series 1 ex Feild Party.

[John Pearson]

My first contact was with a pedal jeep when I was 4 or 5. I have a photo of me in it, wearing my Dad's uniform from when he was in Egypt in 1932 (with the sleeves rolled up!)

[Richard Farrant]

My first contact with MV's would be accompanying my dad when he went rifle shooting, so early 1950's, a lot of the times it was on army ranges, or Bisley, so always a few lorries about. As well as my military Dinky Toys of course, but first ride in a MV (about 1958) was a Bedford OY belonging to SCATS, it had a beavertail body fitted to carry tractors.

 

My first actual MV was an ex army BSA WDB40, it was only about 5 years old.

[polecat paul]

My first contact was when i joined up at the age of 16 (junior leaders) and it was a Bedford mj

[retriever]

First rode in a Fordson wot6 workshop when I was about 4 years old, this belonged to my neighbour who used it for mobile repairs on tractors ect. so went cross country to anywhere it was needed. never rode in front was always locked in the back in the dark, must have been late 50's. Met up with it again when i got it for a friend to restore in about 1998. About 10 years after leaving army my first rally vehicle was a Leyland Martian.

[Minesweeper]

I guess like a lot of members of this forum, my first contact with military vehicles was when I joined the army. Maresfield Camp in 1959 - Austin Champs and two Bedford MW's - we always referred to them as Bedford 15cwts. The Bedfords were used for Driver Training - a two weeks course for those who could already drive - civilian instructors. There were just two Instructors - one was assigned to the Trainee for the whole two weeks and at the end of the Course, the Instructors changed over to assess the Trainee that they had not previously seen. If the then "Examiner" was happy, a military driving licence was then issued. I was under 21 at the time - before the days of the HGV licence and you were not allowed to drive civilian lorries of three tons and above at that time except in military service. My "new" driving licence issued on the completion of my army driving test was annotated that I was only able to drive lorries of three tons and above when in military service.

 

The driving test was simple - I had to drive from Maresfield to Bognor Regis - I think that the run was about 50 miles .

 

I always enjoyed driving the Champ - the Gear change seemed to be so smooth after the Bedfords!.

[mash]

My first proper contact that i can remember would of been when i was 9, in a L/R 90 driving across the downs, was a good day, saw live firing from the nastys and even clambered over some old chieftains that had been stripped ready for range targets.

 

My first owned and one i still have is a Dodge WC-52.

[airportable]

Although allways had a intrest in collecting anything military, my first vehicle was a Fordson 500E Civil Defence (not tec. military I surpose) Comms. Lorry about ten years ago.

Had been dragged out of the nettles in a sorry state. Five years work, fantastic body and all fittings restored, chassis, engine. Fitted the rad. and it fell apart :cry:. could not spend any more money on it. Sold. Sadly I have been told reciently it has been broken up:cry::cry:. Body sold, chassis used to restore a vehicle to a flat bed.

First true military vehicle is my FFR Airportable.

Andy.

[woa2]

My first MV was an FFW Austin Champ. The engine went soon after I got it and I bought a new crated engine from Vass of Ampthill. Always had problems with the back axle and oil. I sold the Champ and later bought the Ford WOT2. I understand the Champ is now owned by an Englishman in France.

[Peter4456]

The first MV I had contact with (and learned to drive in) was GKL 393N - a superb SWB Land Rover Rover 8 FFR. I took it to the second IMPS (later W&P!) Show at Tenterden railway station in 1983 - much to the amazement (and amusement!) of the Jeep owners! It was in really good condition, with most of the original fittings and markings still visible under the paint and was last heard of at a garage in Cornwall, being used as the recovery vehicle and painted bright yellow (I wonder if it's still there?).

 

The first MV I owned was another SWB Land Rover, VUD 238L. It had been used on the range on Benbecula in the Hebrides, which probably accounted for the horrendous chassis corrosion!

 

There was then a gap of 15 years before I bought my FV 432 - well and truly bitten by the bug!!

[ferrettkitt]

First memory of military vehicles was Dukw's on the sea front at Blackpool never had chance to ride in them at that stage they seemed to be rusting away in the sea air. First MV was my Ferret, I saw one on the front of CMV and then went to WP and was hooked. Like a lot of other people I went looking for a Ferret found one one bought it and haven't looked back.

[Willyslancs]

Bought a command car in 1978,from wales , was too far gone tho really ,and chassis was not brill , so was used for spares .

After reading an advert in exchange and mart (about 1979) for dodges ,

went down to worthing, met pete gray ,bought a dodge , he drove it upto Blackpool for the price of a dinner for him and his family.

( he got stopped on the way up here , the police just wanted to know what it was !!Not many about in those days)

had it 25 years !!!..........

Edited May 3, 2011 by Willyslancs

[Spood]

Back in the 60s my uncle used to drive GMCs that had been converted to lime spreaders. Hadn't seen one since, then at a local show last year someone turned up with a restored one which was nice to see, it was still matt green inside the cab.

[honeileen]

My first experience was as a passenger in KGH 45D (think it was that reg) a 2 wheel drive S1 Landrover back in the late 70,s

 

Christian

[rog8811]

In the 60's an uncle was in the TA, Reigate depot, I went with him to a christmas party there and for some reason got driven home in a Champ with open sides on a freezing night, it was glorious!

 

Regards rog8811

[gazzaw]

My first MV was a Champ that I bought from a mate for £75 in the mid 70's. Did it up and then lost interest and time in it so gave it away about 5 years later. Often wondered where it ended up, TGA 751G if I remember correctly and a 1954 year.

 

Gary

[paulob1]

My first MV was three zil 131 decontamination units...bought them just over 12 years ago and still have them all...one is a wreck, was bought as a wreck and is still a wreck, but a wreck without an engine now...

[commander]

My first introduction to MV's was a Champ I bought from a garage in Weston nr Stafford in 1967

with the clutch burnt out for £100 it had been used to tow vehicles in myself and a mate Steve

stripped it down on some waste ground near to were I lived couldn't get a clutch plate but someone

said that a clutch from an old tractor was the same can't remember what marque but finally found

an old tractor on a farm near to the JCB factory went over stripped it down paid £3 for the plate and

Bobs your uncle we painted it black and yellow and used it whenever we could afford the petrol it cost

me fortune to run even then it never broke down but we could never get the charging system sorted

I sold it to a local guy and never saw it again thank god

Commander

Edited December 27, 2010 by commander

[wildside]

My first mv was a 1941 11 cab chevrolet field artillery tractor from a yard in somerset it took a long time to restore about four years I used it for a few shows then sold it to finance a gama goat wish I hadnt now.......

[airportable]

Although allways had a intrest in collecting anything military, my first vehicle was a Fordson 500E Civil Defence (not tec. military I surpose) Comms. Lorry about ten years ago.

Dont believe it! A mate has turned up with a few pics of my first MV.

Taken a couple of years before I sold it. Oh well, I've got my new Landi project to replace it.

[Enigma]

Dont believe it! A mate has turned up with a few pics of my first MV.

Taken a couple of years before I sold it. Oh well, I've got my new Landi project to replace it.

 

Looks a bit chilly for the driver, not much luxury either :-D

[Bran D]

At the age of 17 I had just passed my driving test and worked part time at a garage in Dunstable. The workshop manager had a carrier, and then a dingo. I was fascinated, and when he started buying lots of champs after advertising for them in an ad in the Exchange and Mart paper I was really hooked. I ended up with one, it was my only transport to work for a year and really earned its keep!

[Austin]

I attended my first ever rally aged 3 months old in a AEC matador my Dad had restored from a bus recovery vehicle back into its wartime colours!

 

[airportable]

 

Looks a bit chilly for the driver, not much luxury either :-D

Yes.... That was the problem with it. A hedgerow find, Fordsons were hopeless for tin rot, cab, bonnet and wings wanted major repair.

[25 pounder]

my first vehicle ; at the age of 18 , read an ad in a local newspaper about a Willys for sale,

went to see it , looked very sound , just in need of new paint , but for the same price of that Willys there was that BMW 320 i , the salesman offered us .

My father (who had the cash) , convinced me to go for the BMW, and so I did.

conclusion , 20 years later , the BMW has long been recycled , if I had chosen for the Willys , it would still be in my garage, I still feel bad about that.:embarrassed::embarrassed::embarrassed:

 

This took place in 1981 , 6 years later I bought a Ford GPW, composite body......