question Land Rover V8 110 military in service UK MOD

[robin craig]

Can anyone enlighten me to any contract details of any 110s acquired by the British Forces and what they would have been used for?

 

There is one here in Canada that appears to be a late 1980s 2 door full length soft top with the jerry can stowage lockers and a V8 installed.

 

I was expecting it to have a 2.5 na diesel.

 

The data plate on the seat box was removed and is lost. The only remaining clues we have is a typical Land Rover VIN which we will go after BMHIT for an answer on the build sheet and a very small bar code on the seat box.

 

Any hints and tips we are missing?

 

I am awaiting pictures.

 

Thanks

 

Robin

[Richard Farrant]

Can anyone enlighten me to any contract details of any 110s acquired by the British Forces and what they would have been used for?

 

There is one here in Canada that appears to be a late 1980s 2 door full length soft top with the jerry can stowage lockers and a V8 installed.

 

I was expecting it to have a 2.5 na diesel.

 

The data plate on the seat box was removed and is lost. The only remaining clues we have is a typical Land Rover VIN which we will go after BMHIT for an answer on the build sheet and a very small bar code on the seat box.

 

Any hints and tips we are missing?

 

I am awaiting pictures.

 

Thanks

 

Robin

 

We had a few of these come through Workshops at the time, no special role for them, just a normal GS. I have a feeling they might have been a stop gap when the 2.5 diesel was suffering a lot of major problems in it early years.

I do recall the V8 had SU carbs.

[onthecorner]

As Richard said, just GS. We had 12KJ49 and 12KJ50 in the WKSP MT, used as runarounds for the stores section, or to ferry the ASM or OC some where. Great fun for a young spr, sitting in traffic and rocking from side to side as you revved the V8...

I have a memory that there was some mod done to the front brakes, but can't remember the exact details. The gearboxes didn't last long (LT85?) and you would often hear one whining it's way around camp.

[lowfat]

We had a V8 lwb soft top on 1312 flt in the Falklands at Christmas 1995 it was our Q wagon with a snow plough attachment.

Q was our 24 hour quick reaction in case any of those nasty argies came back.

I remember there were quite a few v8s in the falklands some even in the scrap yard and or surplus auctions at MPA.

[robin craig]

Great,

 

So we have clearly established V8 110s as a run of the mill vehicle then.

 

From other research it seems that there were both left and right hand drive versions.

 

So, the deeper problem, how do we fix a military registration to the vehicle as it has no data plate.

 

That bar code sticker on the seat box, that must be some kind of asset management tool?

 

Would that reveal anything if scanned by the proper software? Maybe I should get a close up and post it and see what happens?

 

Robin

[m109a3uk]

I have had a few V8 one tens over the years! all have been KJ regs I was told they were part of 5 Airmobile so as they had a more rapid response!

All had su carbs and were 12v but full military spec lights jerry can holders etc!

chassis numbers started with salldhav8fa42----

if that helps.

[robin craig]

Dear M109a3uk aka Tony,

 

glad to see you on here, thanks for that info, yes I kind of pieced some of that together as general background but specifically we want to know this vehicle's registration, and the bar code on the seat base is the key if anyone has a friend who has a secret decoder ring decoderI am welcoming PMs and help.

 

Am awaiting a scan of the barcode to post up.

 

Robin

[mash]

Robin, you need to clear some space in your inbox mate.

[onthecorner]

I was told they were part of 5 Airmobile so as they had a more rapid response!

 

 

That may well be true, we were Engineer support to 5 Airborne.

[paulbrook]

V8s were procured in relatively small numbers after the Defender diesel engine debacle. In about 1987 it started to become very clear indeed that the diesel fitted to the relatively newly introduced Defenders was a failing with alarming regularity.

 

Landrover refused to accept that there was anything wrong, blaming instead the military for incorrect oil topping up. The MOD responded by accepting what Landrover were telling them and re-introducing the graduated oil filling can and a set of oil checking instructions just slightly shorter than War and Peace (the novel not the event...)

 

The situation remained unchanged, Landrover refused to budge warranty wise and the fleet went from bad to worse. Evenutally (and most reluctantly) Landrover started a series of modifications under what I seem to remember was called Op Terry.

 

Not much improved really, until eventually Landrover revealed their solution - the so-called Mk6 (yes 6...) engine. This world beating powerhouse developed 55 BHP and all over the land rice pudding skins were breathing sighs of relief. We were given them to test in TLDT, and report back. We were also told to behave (we had previously refused to even take the RB44s on the road) because (according to Landrover) the engine was in use across the fleet of London Black Cabs without incident and so we did. We loaded them up to their design weight including trailer and set about trying to actually use them on the road. It was most scary, pulling out from any road junction was a truly heart in mouth event as oncoming vehicles were faced with what to them must have seemed like military traffic calming.

 

In a somewhat inspired move the trials team Master Driver made contact with reps from the London cab fraternity who without batting an eyelid informed him that contrary to what landrover had told everyone, the vast majority of previously landy engine cabs had been re-engine with something that actually worked.

 

Notwithstanding the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the Procurement Executive still wanted to press on with procuring Defenders - it took a particularly heated meeting in St Christopher House, chaired by the Master General of Ordnance himself, to put the brakes on. Even then it was touch and go, and it was not until the good General turned to the chap who had actually done the testing that common sense prevailed. The MGO was a gunner, and so as it happened was my man - albeit he was a Bombadier. When asked Bdr Barker simply told the meeting that the only vehicle that he could find in "What Car" with less horsepower was a Yugo 55.....

 

The decision was made to halt procurement there and then of the diesels, and instead a small number of V8s would be purchased till Landrover sorted themselves out. These vehicles would go to those units where full loads and towing were the norm.

 

As an aside the relationship between Landrover and MOD, which had been close verging on cosy, took another body blow (the first had been the Truck Utility Heavy trail) and it was never quite the same again.

 

The trial, such as it was, of the V8 was us having a 12 seater safari V8 with all mod cons for a long weekend with instructions to get as many miles on it as possible. I appeared to be the only person on the team available that weekend so armed with a fuel card and as much kit as I could chuck in the back I spend a splendid few days in the west country burning petrol like there was no tomorrow.

 

Happy days...

[Richard Farrant]

V8s were procured in relatively small numbers after the Defender diesel engine debacle. In about 1987 it started to become very clear indeed that the diesel fitted to the relatively newly introduced Defenders was a failing with alarming regularity.

 

Landrover refused to accept that there was anything wrong, blaming instead the military for incorrect oil topping up. The MOD responded by accepting what Landrover were telling them and re-introducing the graduated oil filling can and a set of oil checking instructions just slightly shorter than War and Peace (the novel not the event...)

 

The situation remained unchanged, Landrover refused to budge warranty wise and the fleet went from bad to worse. Evenutally (and most reluctantly) Landrover started a series of modifications under what I seem to remember was called Op Terry.

 

 

I remember all the engine failures as the Workshops I was employed in, was one of the designated engine rebuild centres, mainly dealing with Bedford and Land Rover types. I cannot recollect a lot of the details as I was on heavy vehicle work at the time, but pistons seizing on one cylinder, heater plugs melting, were some symptoms. Apparently the military 2.5 was the only normal aspirated version, all other users had the turbo version. Defective engines were stripped and thoroughly examined. Land Rover engineers were on site monitoring the work and making changes, then putting in the test house for load test to check. I seem to think that Santana pistons were used at one point, then the dipstick markings were accurately measured and remarked. I think eventually Land Rover took responsibility and rebuilt all the engines themselves under Op. Terry.

There was a mod done to the vehicle at the time regarding an engine breather pipe, some clever person at LR designed it to feed to the inlet side of the dry air cleaner, so it clogged it up, the mod moved the pipe to the engine side of the filter.

[robin craig]

Mash I have done some housekeeping on the PM system.

 

Brilliant recollections by those seated on the sandbags, honestly gents, real good stuff saved for posterity.

 

Here is the bar code

 

Robin

[ted angus]

I was also at Mt Pleasant in 1995, As O.C. General Engineering Flt , my established vehicle was also a 110 V8, it was fitted with a hard top and full rear door. both sides in the back had longitudinal seating. It was possibly the best Landie I have driven, only equalled by the 127/130 V8 Rapier tractor. When I arrived back at my UK unit the RAF police had been allocated an identically configured vehicle- it was actually the next in the registration sequence. I have a photo somewhere of mine ; when I find it I will resurrect this thread !!

[DMC 7RU]

Below I have scheduled what I've been able to glean from my old Illustrated Parts Catalogue together with other databases.

Can't guarantee that it's definitive. I assume Serial 1 is RHD judging by the Asset Code.

 

[TABLE=width: 697]

[TR]

[TD]Serial[/TD]

[TD]Contract[/TD]

[TD]Nomenclature[/TD]

[TD]NSN[/TD]

[TD]Asset Code[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]1[/TD]

[TD]FVE22A/373[/TD]

[TD]MEDIUM GS CARGO SOFT TOP

12V 4X4 UPRATED SUSPENSION

AND CHASSIS, LAND ROVER 110 (V8)[/TD]

[TD]2320-99-893-7851[/TD]

[TD]1710-4100[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]2[/TD]

[TD]LV2A/004

ITEM 3[/TD]

[TD]MEDIUM GS SOFT TOP 12V 4X4

LAND ROVER V8 (PETROL) RHD[/TD]

[TD]2320-99-893-7871[/TD]

[TD]1710-4101[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]3[/TD]

[TD]LV2A/004

ITEM 4[/TD]

[TD]MEDIUM GS SOFT TOP 12V 4X4

LAND ROVER V8 (PETROL) LHD[/TD]

[TD]2320-99-893-7872[/TD]

[TD]1710-9100[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]4[/TD]

[TD]LV2A/004

ITEM 10[/TD]

[TD]MEDIUM GS HARD TOP 12V 4X4

LAND ROVER V8 (PETROL) RHD[/TD]

[TD]2320-99-893-7878[/TD]

[TD]1717-4100[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]5[/TD]

[TD]LV2A/004

ITEM 11[/TD]

[TD]MEDIUM GS HARD TOP 12V 4X4

LAND ROVER V8 (PETROL) LHD[/TD]

[TD]2320-99-893-7879[/TD]

[TD]1717-9101[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

[ted angus]

I found a couple of pictures, I have just scanned the full vehicle shot from the tiny photo that you used to get in addition to the 6x4s when you got a film printed up. 17KJ49. the water trap was somewhere in the goose green area, the track disappeared between 2 banks that got higher and higher; I chickened out when the water was pouring in through all three doors- and we got stuck; so reverse out was the only answer into low clutch out and feet off the good old wagon did the rest, The second picture was some other beauty spot whose name I neither can or want to recall

TED

ps the RAF police at Leuchars had 17 KJ50.

[mash]

I have looked through my system and can't match that number to anything.

[PeteA]

As Richard said, just GS. We had 12KJ49 and 12KJ50 in the WKSP MT, used as runarounds for the stores section, or to ferry the ASM or OC some where. Great fun for a young spr, sitting in traffic and rocking from side to side as you revved the V8...

I have a memory that there was some mod done to the front brakes, but can't remember the exact details. The gearboxes didn't last long (LT85?) and you would often hear one whining it's way around camp.

 

Hello. This is my first post. My name is Pete Altwegg. I live in Surrey. In 2001 I bought 12 KJ 49 from an MOD dealer near Birmingham. I have been using this LR since that time for my work, great machine. I was interested to see that you know of this LR and wonder if you can give me any further info, i.e. where it was used etc.

 

Thanks P

[robin craig]

Welcome Pete,

 

perhaps you should start a separate thread on your vehicle as it is today and show some pictures and put a link back to this page for reference