FV180 CET and Alvis Shielder... unloved vehicles?

[Pumpkinate]

I've noticed that these two vehicles don't get mentioned much and their prices seem low considering their mileage and condition. I wonder if they are viewed as too much of a "working vehicle" rather than a fighting vehicle?

 

To me they are cool vehicles!

 

Anyone here with one or the other?

[terryb]

I've noticed that these two vehicles don't get mentioned much and their prices seem low considering their mileage and condition. I wonder if they are viewed as too much of a "working vehicle" rather than a fighting vehicle?

 

To me they are cool vehicles!

 

Anyone here with one or the other?

 

I was one of the first to demo a CET at Beltring many years ago, and yes, great toy-but has one massive design flaw-rubber pads on a bulldozer!

Shielder is a CVRT pushed beyond its attractive envelope-too wide-too cumbersome

...and for collectors, most will shy away as no gun, and more importantly little or no passenger capacity

[robin craig]

I think between you and Terry B you both explain quite well the answer to your own question.

 

Most people in this hobby look for something that that will act as an extension for their male genitalia frankly. I have always loved the mad design of the push me pull you Combat Engineer Tractor, but I am old enough to understand the stupidness or impractical level that it reaches, it is also monster to haul around.

 

At work we have a Stormer which has loads of power and is a joy to drive but lacks the main gun so many desire and is a bit wider than the generation 1 CVR(T) platform.

 

If pure mechanical appeal was the only criteria to have a military vehicle I think then the Thornycroft trench digger followed by a Muir Hill excavator with an Eager Beaver followed by a Might Antar would be my wet dream fantasy vehicles, I have come close to owning some of them so far.

 

I did see that there is a CVR(T) Samson project listed in the uk for GBP 9,000 which really tempts me as it is my fave Generation 1 variant.

 

Practical is not everyone else's cup of tea it would seem

 

Robin

[Highland_laddie]

I came within a whisker of getting an ex-reserve one at a steal of a price <£8k but I just couldn't find storage or a play area. I was gutted, but much as I would have liked to have completed on this, my other half would not have accepted it as a garden feature :red:

 

one thing I like about this forum is all the people and posts on the trucks, bikes, tractors, trailers, support vehicles etc. I do think they deserve to be preserved as much as the front one fighting vehicles

[Pumpkinate]

I was one of the first to demo a CET at Beltring many years ago, and yes, great toy-but has one massive design flaw-rubber pads on a bulldozer!

Shielder is a CVRT pushed beyond its attractive envelope-too wide-too cumbersome

...and for collectors, most will shy away as no gun, and more importantly little or no passenger capacity

 

I guess rubber pads aren't ideal if you are plugging through mud!

[Pumpkinate]

I think between you and Terry B you both explain quite well the answer to your own question.

 

Most people in this hobby look for something that that will act as an extension for their male genitalia frankly. I have always loved the mad design of the push me pull you Combat Engineer Tractor, but I am old enough to understand the stupidness or impractical level that it reaches, it is also monster to haul around.

 

At work we have a Stormer which has loads of power and is a joy to drive but lacks the main gun so many desire and is a bit wider than the generation 1 CVR(T) platform.

 

If pure mechanical appeal was the only criteria to have a military vehicle I think then the Thornycroft trench digger followed by a Muir Hill excavator with an Eager Beaver followed by a Might Antar would be my wet dream fantasy vehicles, I have come close to owning some of them so far.

 

I did see that there is a CVR(T) Samson project listed in the uk for GBP 9,000 which really tempts me as it is my fave Generation 1 variant.

 

Practical is not everyone else's cup of tea it would seem

 

Robin

 

Yeah, not everyone seems to like practical. I don't mind guns on vehicles but if they are deactivated you are just carting around weight really.

 

I came within a whisker of getting an ex-reserve one at a steal of a price <£8k but I just couldn't find storage or a play area. I was gutted, but much as I would have liked to have completed on this, my other half would not have accepted it as a garden feature :red:

 

one thing I like about this forum is all the people and posts on the trucks, bikes, tractors, trailers, support vehicles etc. I do think they deserve to be preserved as much as the front one fighting vehicles

 

Are you referring to the Combat Engineer Tractor? There's one for sale at the moment at Marcus Glenn for 8.5k which looks very nice in the pics.

 

I'm seriously considering picking up either of the CET or the Alvis Shielder (or both LOL), they might even come in handy on the farm.

[Highland_laddie]

Apologies,

yes I was referring to a CET, sadly I still haven't sorted storage or a playground yet :blush:

[SLEEPER]

If anyone does get a Shielder you must know that some of the running gear is not common to the other CVR (T) Variants. Sprockets and supports are different for starters. Also the gearbox requires software to fault find. I did have a lot of experience on this platform in Germany.

[Pumpkinate]

If anyone does get a Shielder you must know that some of the running gear is not common to the other CVR (T) Variants. Sprockets and supports are different for starters. Also the gearbox requires software to fault find. I did have a lot of experience on this platform in Germany.

 

Great info Sleeper, I had assumed they were just a Stormer with a tray back. So if you were to buy one it would be wise to pick up some spare parts, especially as they were a rarer vehicle too I believe?

[SLEEPER]

Hi the gearbox was electronically controlled so a set speed could be attained for optimum mine laying spread. From what I remember it was a Lucas CAV system. If it did fail there was a emergency mechanical gear engagement. Most faults were to do with lack of power. This did not let the gearbox change up due to a speed sensor on left hand final drive. This was mainly due to blocked fuel filters. The sprocket carriers do not line up with other CVRT stud pattern. Thus the final drives are different. Hope this helps.

[Charlie]

I would love a CET and will hopefully one day get one without too much cr#p from my beloved. An immense amount of vehicle and switches for your bucks :-)

[Pumpkinate]

Hi the gearbox was electronically controlled so a set speed could be attained for optimum mine laying spread. From what I remember it was a Lucas CAV system. If it did fail there was a emergency mechanical gear engagement. Most faults were to do with lack of power. This did not let the gearbox change up due to a speed sensor on left hand final drive. This was mainly due to blocked fuel filters. The sprocket carriers do not line up with other CVRT stud pattern. Thus the final drives are different. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the insight! You certainly know your stuff. Actually, this raises the question that as the "newer" vehicles (with ECU's and TCU's) are sold off, is maintenance going to become a bigger issue? I think it will... a lot of people on this forum are happy to tinker with 1960's technology (purely mechanical) but I reckon the majority of them will shy away from an engine with an ECU, especially where replacements ECU's are no longer made.

 

I would love a CET and will hopefully one day get one without too much cr#p from my beloved. An immense amount of vehicle and switches for your bucks :-)

 

Yeah, I agree with you. I watched this video and thought that if I was going into the driver's cockpit I might as well take a packed lunch, because I'd be there a while fiddling with all the controls:

 

 

You guys in Europe are lucky, here in Australia even if someone gave me a vehicle for free by the time I import it it's going to end up expensive.

[Grasshopper]

Actually, this raises the question that as the "newer" vehicles (with ECU's and TCU's) are sold off, is maintenance going to become a bigger issue? I think it will... a lot of people on this forum are happy to tinker with 1960's technology (purely mechanical) but I reckon the majority of them will shy away from an engine with an ECU, especially where replacements ECU's are no longer made.

 

Personally, I think that this may well become less of a problem in future. At my work, we have already replaced a few "bespoke" (see unreliable/obsolete) electronic controllers with off-the-shelf items, using some generic software to make them function as we want. With the future skill set of the younger generations tending towards electronics and programming, they may well view retrofitting ECUs as simple a task as some more mechanically minded types do retrofitting diesel engines in place of petrol engines.

[diesel1]

I went to marcus glenns to buy a CET, was in excellent condition with just 50 mile on the clock, the fact is it was just too big, even tho i have loads of room for it on the farm, would have ended up breaking the edges on my road.

I ended up looking at a spartan which i think i will be buying!

Andrew

[SLEEPER]

The Shielder gearbox controller was quite a basic ecu. The test box consisted of some lights and a variable resistor that some how made the gearbox think it was reaching max speed in that gear to change up. 0-2000mhz output from the final drive sensor. Cummins and Allison software are the easiest stuff I have used. Most of the new stuff is off the shelf. Even CR2 is windows based.

I'm not quite a fan of CET (FROG) probably due to having to fix them day in day out. I used to baffle the lads with how a double 432 steering box was employed to control the thing😂

[BRDM Driver]

Even CR2 is windows based.

 

So that means getting the 'blue screen of death' could be literally true!

 

I'd be extremely wary of going to war in anything Microsoft based....:nut:

[antar]

I have a CET and have had one for around 10 years now (not the same one ). They are a fantastic vehicle if you know how to look after them. There are around 10 -15 in private hands aroundthe UK, a couple have even found their way to the USA, the last 3 at Withams are destined for a collector in Germany.

[SLEEPER]

Think it was the endless fanny flex drives( hydraulic cooling pack) I did upside down as the loons did not know how to fit them properly.

😩

[Pumpkinate]

That CET at Marcus Glenn has sold. Are there any other CETs for sale currently in the UK?

 

Has anyone seen the Shielders for sale at Withers/LJackson and Co/Tanks-a-lot? I wonder what condition they are in. They look very clean on the sample pics but I guess they use their very best example for the photos.

[diesel1]

That CET at Marcus Glenn has sold. Are there any other CETs for sale currently in the UK?

 

Has anyone seen the Shielders for sale at Withers/LJackson and Co/Tanks-a-lot? I wonder what condition they are in. They look very clean on the sample pics but I guess they use their very best example for the photos.

 

Theres one for sale at southmoor farm machinery devon £9750 plus vat

[Pumpkinate]

Thanks Diesel,

 

well spotted, that one didn't appear on my internet search.

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

[Taff37]

I used to operate these babies(CET) back in the early 80's, they had their ups and downs. You need to remember these were not built of steel, pressed alloy with a RR 12cyl turbo. It was built lightweight with swim capabilities etc etc good fun through bog grounds and fast over dunes 😁 If you count the tracks you will find more tracks on the left than the right, take to long to explain here. Just some info if it helps 👍

[terryb]

6cyl rr engine.

[Taff37]

Old age doth creepeth 👴 stand corrected, thanks. As I said I used this a way back, both in Germany (base camp 35 Eng Reg) and Canada on loan to the blues and royal tankies, who were very grateful to us 😉 many a case came our way 😊 aah the good old days 😜

[diesel1]

Any CETs around for sale at the moment, I’m wanting one!