Rangie Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Hi folks, here's a few initial pictures of my latest project, a Mk3 Shorland A previous owner's stalled project, I have now taken it on. I've known of the vehicle for approx 12 years now through various connections but hadn't laid eyes on it until recently. Some facts and figures: Reg: 12 FL 08 Chassis No. 942#####A Asset Code: 1723-6769 NSN: 2320-99-893-2797 Postings: VSD Long Kesh 06/07/72 9 UDR (V) 26/07/72 5 UDR (V) 11/11/82 VSD NI 19/07/83 VSD Hilton 05/03/84 S/O 08/09/86 Shorts Serial No.: AC3/RH/P/Q33 AC3 - Armoured Patrol Car Mk 3 RH - RH drive P - Petrol Q33 UDR Sequence Number Contract Code: FV15765 (One of 26 vehicles in the FL series) It was stripped as an ongoing project. The engine was rebuilt and the rear crossmember was replaced, although the chassis has gotten crustier in the intervening years! Now gone at the classic spot above the front of rear spring hangers where the chassis sweeps up over the rear axle...... The joys..... Remarkably complete, it has all the seats, flaps, hatches, periscope, gun mount, turret, spare wheel, GRP floor panels and assorted spares the owner has squirrelled away over the years. Also what appears to be an intercom box with a through-connection for the comms aerial. Not missing much, the fuel tanks have dissolved as usual but I hope to get measurements from someone.... The wire mesh front grille is missing so I may be asking about for one to use as a pattern in the future.... Turret rollers are shot, but I think all the bits are there for patterns. The trakmat (I think that's what its called) has been extensively removed due to drooping, splitting, welding around it etc, although some pieces are there. For the near future the hull shall be rubbed back and painted an innocuous but light colour inside. Who knows, I may find stuff in the future but its far from the heart of the vehicle and I'm not going to loose sleep over it! Short term plan is to get it home, largely reassemble it with all the hatches in place, making it mainly watertight. A good rub down to remove loose rust/paint and prime/paint it to protect it from the elements. A shed extension later in the year means it will go undercover then and work will commence apace. :laugh: So thats it for now :-D, next job is to get the beast running and rebuild the clutch master/slave cylinders to enable it to move under its own power (nearly said steam, bloody hope not!), to get it loaded and taken home. Nothing worse than trying to manouver a dead spider with a tirfor! (A phrase I coined for my recalcitrant 50 year old jcb with dodgy hoses!! :nut: I've had a few "classic" moments with it at the most inopportune moments ) Also take the gas axe and oil to the hatch hinges to try and get some of them to open smoothly! I can feel the bones in the back of my neck click when I open the main doors!! :cool2: I am indebted to the previous owner for keeping all the bits safe and also to the wise old sage Clive Elliott who has provided me with much information and advice. The fun starts here, progress pics to follow anon.... Alec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rover8FFR Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Alec........Expect to share messages with Clive, even more now! :-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D Looking forward to more on this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyFowler Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 A very worth while project Alec ! Well done for taking her on and saving her !:-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Just a word of advice. We are making it a policy, when given the opportunity, to change any hydraulic system like brakes or clutch over to dot 5 or silicone brake fluid because it is non hydroscopic. Brake wheel cylinders are one of the problem areas of any vehicles we have in the collection as the fluid absorbs water and settles to the wheel cylinders and then corrodes them and then they leak. So far on any vehicle we have upgraded we have had zero problems with afterwards. R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Alec nice to see it in the flesh. Got any shots of the interior & the axles? Good that you've got most of fittings & nick-nacks. Inside do you have a single roof support strut or double struts behind each seat I wonder? I've just finished welding all the new floor struts in place. Now cleaning the GRP, I've found that paint stripper is quite good for getting rust out of the surface together with grease & general grubbiness. I'm cautiously using a scraper which brings the grot out with I think the outer layer of resin. This leaves the weave slightly exposed, so when dry I will paint it with yacht varnish. In fact I think that was what I did to it 25 years ago! Like you my turret rollers are not good, they are only nylon things. I'll look them up & see who the supplier was. The trouble is a lot of the parts just have a SB&H part number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rangie Posted March 24, 2012 Author Share Posted March 24, 2012 Interior is a bit of a bomb site I have a couple of pictures though, as I say, stripped out..... Roof supports are double struts behind driver and passenger. The comms box was on the support behind the driver, both of the head restraint pads are also present. I completely forgot to photograph the axles! I stand by them being ENV though, fancy a bet? :laugh: No wooden over-floor panels, just the GRP ones. Nylon rollers??? Seems a bit flimsy, I'll turn up replacements though, maybe in something sturdier, although that opens up the debate to where you are transferring the wear to. I hardly think that matters for a showpiece, but then again why not use nylon if its hardly going to be used? Aaah, Catch-22s, gotta love them. Alec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Have you made much progress with the old girl? Cheers, Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rangie Posted August 15, 2014 Author Share Posted August 15, 2014 Hi Terry I haven't done much actually. Its well-down on the list of priorities, sadly. Enough to keep it in good fettle though! What has been done is: Freed out/reattached all the hatches and doors. Rebuilt door handles and fitted common key barrels. Got the engine on the key. Jury rigged fuel tank. New clutch slave cyl. Freed out brakes. Rub down/rust convert, a prime and a few coats of Eggshell OD to protect the top. Oil sprayed the underside. So its wind, watertight and reasonably secure. Its given a good long run around (couple of miles), every couple of months to keep it sweet Still collecting parts, found seat bases and Trakmark relatively recently, along with a spare 900 bargrip tyre. Its well buggered but holds wind, fine for an emergency but wouldnt want to go far with it!! I love the beastie and Clive has been a wealth of knowlege. I managed to repay him a little after stumbling on a late Mk3 parts book which I scanned for contribution to the Shorland Site. http://www.shorlandsite.com Have a look, great resource! :cheesy: Here minus one hatch (paint drying): Alec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopa Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Love the little wings on the turret. For a little extra downforce at speed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Chopa, from what I recall I think they were the mounting platform for smoke grenade dischargers R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rangie Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 Correct Robin, Treble smoke discharges either side. Alec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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