Erolek Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 I'm trying to use my Series 2A ambulance in small display of 16 Parachute Field Ambulance RAMC. Early 80s. Car was resprayed by previous owner in nice and tidy green/black BAOR camo pattern. I just wonder what markings would be used on it? Red cross (well, that's obvious),tyre pressure on wheel arches, bridge plate, Union Flags. Would here be chalk no. patch ? Greetings Eryk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Eryk for the era you are depicting the bridge plate would be the same colour as the adjacent colour. It would not have a bridge class marked if it was only in the UK. That also applies to the Union Jack decals, but if you want to use them it is front nearside & rear nearside. If you are depicting a Para unit the Chalk no marking would seem in order. But just be a bit cautious not to overdo the markings on what after all is meant to be a camouflaged vehicle, yes I know the Red Crosses! Also in white above the door on the offside "SHACKLES TO BE USED FOR LASHING PURPOSES ONLY" If you are depicting an IRR paint scheme. You should expect to see a stencil mark around a lower sill "IRR JUNE 1980" for example, being the date the paint was applied as the IRR pigment had a fairly short life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally dugan Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 AGREE with clive he beat me to it heres a picture of a fv 18067 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erolek Posted December 13, 2013 Author Share Posted December 13, 2013 Thanks very much for the info. I'm relative newbie to MV scene, so all of it has still smell of novelty to me. As for the bridge plate - our club's logo is black logotype on yellow circular background, and it gives nice club's presence during the shows when all vehicles display the logo, so I will allow for small inaccuracy and leave it yellow. Also in white above the door on the offside "SHACKLES TO BE USED FOR LASHING PURPOSES ONLY" Sorry for stupid question - This would be above the offside door to the ambulance compartment, or driver's door? I'll get cracking with the stencils tomorrow. Greetings Eryk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Eryck sorry, the shackles info is above the rear off side door (adjacent to one of the shackles) I have a drawing somewhere. Yes its your vehicle & you can paint whatever you fancy, but to many eyes it will look a bit peculiar to have a yellow bridge plate with a 1980 disruptive camo. Yellow was done away with in late 1977 in favour of grey & that was soon replaced with the plate the same colour as the surrounding paintwork with the introduction of IRR paint schemes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erolek Posted December 13, 2013 Author Share Posted December 13, 2013 I perfectly understand your point of view on authenticity. I've been into reenactment for over 30 years and I'm all into research and stitch counting. However, as the car is part of larger club's collection - some sort of club's stamp doesn't seem out of place. Might as well do the 'subdued' version of logo and have it stencilled black on green... Now, there's a thought. Greetings Eryk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 (edited) Eryk fair enough, I think the owner of a new vehicle is particularly enthusiastic to embellish it all he can. Take for instance the amateurish stencilling about the shackles on this camo vehicle. I don't think I have ever seen an in-service camo ambulance where the markings have not been painted out. Originally the shackles warning was a transfer but this turned rather dull & orangey & was prone to crack with time. But the owner here has struggled with the stencilling & he also got carried away with Chalk markings that it never had originally. Oh yes my ambulance 30 years ago :-D PS Got that wrong amazing what you can't remember after 30 years, it was on the nearside rear! Edited December 13, 2013 by fv1609 PS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catch 22 LBDR Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Hi Eryk Ross hear. (Ferret owner, met at your club's annual show this year). In my experience in restoring vehicles is that you have to draw a line between originality and practical cost effectiveness. In other words if you get too hung up on its authenticity you wont have time or money to enjoy you new vehicle. Why dont you make the club logo detachable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erolek Posted December 16, 2013 Author Share Posted December 16, 2013 I restricted myself to painting 'chalk no.' and tyre pressures. Thanks for all the advice. Of course I forgot to take any photos, and now the Lando is locked away for the time being. Probably better for me as few professional exams are waiting for me in early January. I will probably paint over the bridge plate in green, and will do something about the club logo.Don't know what, yet. On a different note - does anyone have any idea where I could get the stretcher covers for the roof storage? There are two trays, but the covers are gone. Greetings Eryk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 Eryk that green vinyl stuff shrinks & most I have seen no longer fits the trays or if they did fit the trays the shrinkage has caused them to be split by the tray. It is very much like the material used for vehicle CP tents & shelters. Three years ago we threw a lot away because nobody wanted it. About 5 years ago I'm sure I saw some NOS covers at a show & remembered thinking what a pity they weren't around when I had my ambulance. I don't know if your straps & buckles are still there but be very careful. I once jumped/slithered off the roof & caught my hand on the rusted pointy bit of the buckle. It ripped some flesh out & yellow stringy stuff. To this day I still have a 2cm patch of numbness in the palm of my hand. Do you get any water coming in through the rear roof ventilators? The problem with these is that the edges have slits to allow water to drain out if it has entered through the top slats. What stops the water entering inside is an upwards facing collar that is punched out from the lower base plate. The trouble is that this collar rusts inside & water is free to trickle in. By now any ambulance of that age will have rims that have or must be very close to rusting out. If you keep it under cover & only go out on sunny days no worry, but you would be well advised to take the ventilators off & renew the circular collars. About ten years ago these vents turned up on the market. I bought some & put them on a horsebox. Although I did note that they were painted with red oxide but the inside of it was bare metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erolek Posted December 16, 2013 Author Share Posted December 16, 2013 One of the previous owners was in the process of converting the ambulance into caravan. Fortunately he didn't get far with this idea as previous owner stopped him in the process. However - the roof vents are removed and replaced with perspex windows which are neatly sealed and don't leak at all. I've seen replacement roof vents recently on e-bay, but with USD 100 a pop plus shipping, I can live with two rooflights. There's small solar panel on the roof that charges the secondary battery operating rear compartment's lights. Stretcher brackets were about to be sliced off when the process was stopped (few slices with angle grinder). Straps on the roof tray are more-less non-exitent. They simply rotted away. Car will be kept most of the time in dry-ish storage for forseable future. Weekend fun only. Most probably with a little bit of rain. This is Ireland after all. Greetings Eryk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.