bf2rules Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 (edited) This is what I know about it so far... - the title says it was made in 1954, (I need to confirm that) - I am in contact with the "The Tank Museum" in the UK and they have the vehicle card for it, ( I just need to pay a fee) - under about 4-5 coats of paint I found the registration number and it is 01CA 19 - found this # on the inside of the turret “C65” and under it is “B. T. 377.” I will add photos of the inside soon. I would like to document this Ferret from the time it left the builder to me, so if you have any information on it, I would be grateful if you could pass it along to me. I would like to find out how it came into the U.S. , is it one that came in from Canada? (I do not know yet) All 4 periscopes are toasted and will need to be replacedand all the cover doors to the side bins will need replaced as well. Till my next post…Take Care All Brett Edited March 4, 2012 by bf2rules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcoycqms Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Hi Brett Looks like its all there so you have a good start. I have seen worst. Have you got it running yet? Keep the picturs comming Shane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff66 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 looks like most bits r there if u look in engine bay under apex of engine cover u should see small cylindrical container with knurled lid this with luck might contain engine build history.looks like its been up armoured looking at rear hatches Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polecat paul Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I was quite lucky in the fact that my Ferret had been restored before i brought it , but always fancy restoring one from the ground up, i do know of one quite local to me that has been stood in a garage for the last 20 years and just left ,been around numerous times trying to buy it but the owner does'nt want to sell......madness just to let it sit there!.........anyway look forward to your posts!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter4456 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Brett, Once you've found out for sure which vehicle it is, send off for the vehicle card from the Tank Museum and I'll help you decipher it. Try gently scraping the paint off above the driver's hatch - you should find the reg number there and also on the back of the Ferret. If there's an aluminium data plate inside the hull (often missing!), this will have the reg number and under that plate is the hull number (look for something like 6/54) 01 CA 19 - 1958 Ferret Mk 2/3 33 BA 72 - 1951 Ferret Mk 1 (may have been converted to Mk 2/3) 33 BB 72 - No trace of this number I'm wondering if it's a Canadian Ferret (plenty of experts on here!) or a British one used at BATUS in Canada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Not Canadian with those light towers on the wings, but could be ex-BATUS. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 HI, I have this vehicle on the list of vehicles i bought from GKL international back in 1992. i will see if i can find a photo of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex van de Wetering Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Very nice project Brett. By the way....does anyone know where to find NOS or good used Dunlop Track grips for the Ferret? Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bf2rules Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 HI, I have this vehicle on the list of vehicles i bought from GKL international back in 1992. i will see if i can find a photo of it. shaun Any info. you have on this will be a big help, I want to get as many documents as I can. can you give me more info. on GKL international, did they import it? the list you have on this, can I get a copy of that? Thank You so much Brett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolman Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 shaun Any info. you have on this will be a big help, I want to get as many documents as I can. can you give me more info. on GKL international, did they import it? the list you have on this, can I get a copy of that? Thank You so much Brett Hi Brett Could you post up photos of the identification plates which you can find. As Peter has already said, the aluminium data plate is aften missing but under it should be the Hull Number/Build plate. This will show the hull number and the date of manufacture. Hopefully, that is present and not messed with. It will be on the inside, welded on, located just above the drivers right shoulder. I will help all I can with the identification. A similar plate will be in the turret (sounds like you might have found that one) Kind regards Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolman Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Very nice project Brett. By the way....does anyone know where to find NOS or good used Dunlop Track grips for the Ferret? Alex I wish :-) However there was 2 listed in the recent MVT green sheet Classifieds (in good used condition) I think thay were located kent area?? Too far for me to travel. MT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bf2rules Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 (edited) registration number is 01CA 19 ( found under paint ) Edited March 4, 2012 by bf2rules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 You should ignore the BBA number, that looks like it was put on much later and isn't a correct registration number. If you peel off that sticker with BBA on it you will find the actual hull number, it should date the vehicle to 1958. From the rear hatches I can tell it's a Mk 2/4, I've seen a lot of Mk 2/4s with CA registrations so I believe this is the correct number. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff66 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 your hull no is normally 4 digit mines 3323 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolman Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Yes, the BBA brass plate is a fake, it's stuck over the genuine hull/build plate, so hopefully underneath it will have the 4 digit hull number, followed by the Month and Year of manufacture. This data should (roughly) tell us if the CA number is in the right ball park. It is certainly a mk 2/4 as chris has said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bf2rules Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 Yes, the BBA brass plate is a fake, it's stuck over the genuine hull/build plate, so hopefully underneath it will have the 4 digit hull number, followed by the Month and Year of manufacture. This data should (roughly) tell us if the CA number is in the right ball park. It is certainly a mk 2/4 as chris has said. ok...I just took the brass plate off and here is the # 1527 7 58 took a photo but it was no good, poor light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff66 Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 if 01ca19 is correct it was originally a mk2/3 contract no 6/fv/18378 1958 build no 82 that year 01caoo to 01ca81 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolman Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Well, as thay say, Job is a good en! I have 01CA18 on the register as 1526 So, it does seem that 01CA19 is bang on! with Hull number 1527, built in July 58 Great, and good job retreiving the number from outside of the hull. No you can go ahead and get the record card :-) Cheers Matt Note. Without the actual data plate I can't be certain that the number is 100%, so always be open to further developments. (If only they recorded the hull numbers on the record cards :nut:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bf2rules Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 (edited) so it was made as a Mk2/3 and then upgraded to a Mk2/4 ? I have traced the old owners back to 1999, I would like to get it all the way back to the importer if I can. If anyone has any old photos or documents on this ferret would you please send me a copy. oh....Matt I called in my fee earlier today and sould get the record card by email in the next day or so Thank You, to all who have helped me so far. brett Edited March 4, 2012 by bf2rules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter4456 Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Brett, It looks nice and original and hardly touched since it left service (apart from the brass plate - very strange!). It looks like you still have the Larkspur radio boxes, rather than Clansman ones. As I said, when you have the Vehicle History card either post it on here or PM me and I'll translate it from Army Speak into English! A very interesting Ferret - please keep posting! Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bf2rules Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 (edited) The Vehicle History cards are in, Edited March 4, 2012 by bf2rules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter4456 Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 (edited) Brett, Please find attached my 'translation' of your Ferret's History Card - a lot of service in Northern Ireland at the height of 'the troubles' in the early 70s! I've seen a few Ferrets that were disposed of to schools with Army Cadet units as training aids but there's nothing on the cards about going to Canada, so probably not a BATUS vehicle. 01 CA 19.doc Edited January 25, 2012 by Peter4456 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolman Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Good Job as usual Peter, with all of them :-) Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bf2rules Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Thank you for the info. can you tell me what does (VHF) stand for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolman Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Thank you for the info. can you tell me what does (VHF) stand for? Very High Frequency i.e the radio gear would be VHF, Larkspur then clansman from the early 80's. MT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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