introduction Hi from a newbie

[mowersman]

Good morning all

I've been meaning to join up for some time and have finally got round to it.

I've been playing with old Land Rovers for a while now, and have owned FUD, my 1965 88" daily driver for 5 years now. However, I had been on the look out for a project vehicle, as whilst FUD is brilliant as a daily driver, it is very non original and look like its just been pulled out of a scrap yard, so I wanted something that I could keep pretty original and use for taking to shows etc.

I hadn't been looking for an ex military vehicle, but I'd narrowed my search down to a S2/3 LWB Station Wagon, when suddenly, this came up at the right price and the right time. Ignore the military number on the stickers on it, it bears no relation to the vehicle.

It is a very early S2a, a 1961 build 109 SW (26100012a) that was dispatched to the "Fighting Vehicles Research and Development Establishment" possibly as an instrument vehicle and had a solid bulkhead between the front seats and the back to block out light with blacked out windows in the back. So far, my research has turned up little about its life in the military, although talking to Geoff Fletcher turned up that it was initially registered as 27 EK 36, before being transferred to the RAF as 49 AS 60. He also produced these photos of it in 1970.

 

Since I bought it, I haven't done a huge amount of digging into its history, I've been focusing my efforts into welding it up and getting it through an MOT, hopefully back on the road in the next 6 weeks or so. However, I discovered this post from 2012 on this forum last night, which finally prompted me to sign up!

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?29924-land-rover-109-station-wagon-missile-test-truck

 

Basically I want to return it, eventually, to a similar external condition as seen in the photos above, unless I can find any more information/photos on its earlier life. The window blanking will be made removable however, so that I can still use it as a regular Station Wagon!

 

Cheers

Andrew

[rog8811]

Nice project, good luck with your research, I am sure someone here will be able to fill some gaps for you.

[Richard Farrant]

hi Andrew,

As you will have seen on the link to a previous thread, I had associations with the mate to your Land rover, yours is chassis number ending in 12 and I recall 'ours' was 13, with Army number 27EK31, and later transferred to the RAF although I do not have that number to hand right now.

At the time, 1991, I worked for a REME workshops, and the Major in charge wanted to get a team together for the 50th anniversary of REME and take part in the Variety Club Bash car rally in Australia. We located the Land Rover from Keith Gott, a dealer in Hampshire. It had done about 25,000 miles only, still had all the fittings inside, blackout curtains, etc. as you describe. The door on the offside where sliding window is normally opened up with lots of electrical sockets I recall. We took all of that out and reworked it to a Safari. I built a roll cage inside and we prepared it for the Outback rally. I remember it had a twin SU petrol pump, one for each tank. Now it would seem like sacrilege to convert a rare Land Rover but at the time it fitted our needs at the right price. We did the long trip successfully and returned to UK.

I had some info from the Beverley museum at the time, it came in to service in January 1963, used by FVRDE Chertsey until August 1969, then passed to RAF.

The type was known as Test Station, Guided Missile, Truck Mounted Sensitivity SAGW2 Mk1

 

I will try and find some photos of it, before and after.

 

regards, Richard

[mowersman]

hi Andrew,

As you will have seen on the link to a previous thread, I had associations with the mate to your Land rover, yours is chassis number ending in 12 and I recall 'ours' was 13, with Army number 27EK31, and later transferred to the RAF although I do not have that number to hand right now.

At the time, 1991, I worked for a REME workshops, and the Major in charge wanted to get a team together for the 50th anniversary of REME and take part in the Variety Club Bash car rally in Australia. We located the Land Rover from Keith Gott, a dealer in Hampshire. It had done about 25,000 miles only, still had all the fittings inside, blackout curtains, etc. as you describe. The door on the offside where sliding window is normally opened up with lots of electrical sockets I recall. We took all of that out and reworked it to a Safari. I built a roll cage inside and we prepared it for the Outback rally. I remember it had a twin SU petrol pump, one for each tank. Now it would seem like sacrilege to convert a rare Land Rover but at the time it fitted our needs at the right price. We did the long trip successfully and returned to UK.

I had some info from the Beverley museum at the time, it came in to service in January 1963, used by FVRDE Chertsey until August 1969, then passed to RAF.

The type was known as Test Station, Guided Missile, Truck Mounted Sensitivity SAGW2 Mk1

 

I will try and find some photos of it, before and after.

 

regards, Richard

Hi Richard, thanks for that, that's quite interesting! Also interesting you say about the fuel pump. Did yours not have the usual military change over tap mounted by the drivers left knee. I saw mine had twin tanks, so bought the tap and mounting bracket at Newbury, only to get home and find it doesn't have a hole to fit it! Mine has an electric pump under the middle seat, which I haven't looked at very thoroughly, but I suspect isn't original, as it looked a bit new. The conversion for its trip to Australia sounds a bit different, certainly adds to its history! Like you say, back then, it was just another old, ex mil Land Rover. Mine was sold by John Craddocks, then it went to Iceland for a little while, something which I've still got to research more. It was then owned by Land rover Owner magazine.

If you do find any photos of yours, It would be great to see them.

Cheers

Andrew

[Richard Farrant]

Hi Richard, thanks for that, that's quite interesting! Also interesting you say about the fuel pump. Did yours not have the usual military change over tap mounted by the drivers left knee. I saw mine had twin tanks, so bought the tap and mounting bracket at Newbury, only to get home and find it doesn't have a hole to fit it! Mine has an electric pump under the middle seat, which I haven't looked at very thoroughly, but I suspect isn't original, as it looked a bit new. The conversion for its trip to Australia sounds a bit different, certainly adds to its history! Like you say, back then, it was just another old, ex mil Land Rover. Mine was sold by John Craddocks, then it went to Iceland for a little while, something which I've still got to research more. It was then owned by Land rover Owner magazine.

If you do find any photos of yours, It would be great to see them.

Cheers

Andrew

 

hi Andrew,

I recall there was an SU fuel pump on the engine side of the bulkhead, think it was a double type, and a switch on the dashboard which not only switched pumps but also the fuel gauge. That was original I think as I saw it in the manual. We actually fitted a rear mounted tank as well, due to the distances we were having to travel. One of our sponsors was Exchange & Mart and they agreed to buy the Land Rover on its return to the UK and run a draw at the NEC Motor Show. The lucky winner came from the North of England, never seen it since. Would have loved to have kept it myself as we put a lot in to it and had a great adventure.

Will search out some photos for sure.

 

regards, Richard

[wally dugan]

Here is a list of the vehicles showing the army registration numbers and chassis the only one missing from the list is the

mock up one which had the civilian registration number UXM 299 and was used to draw up the specification for the rest the

specification document was F.V.R.D.E 9241 The attached is from the F.V.R.D.E equipment list

[mowersman]

Sorry its been a while since I replied, I've been running round like a headless chicken.

That vehicle list is interesting Wally. Can you shed any light on what the columns on the right mean, is that E3824 and H of A c/o GEA ltd? I apologise if these are silly questions, I'm not at all familiar with military documents, but am enjoying learning!

Cheers

Andrew

[Richard Farrant]

Sorry its been a while since I replied, I've been running round like a headless chicken.

That vehicle list is interesting Wally. Can you shed any light on what the columns on the right mean, is that E3824 and H of A c/o GEA ltd? I apologise if these are silly questions, I'm not at all familiar with military documents, but am enjoying learning!

Cheers

Andrew

 

Hi Andrew, I think the interpretation of those notes are:

Ministry of Aviation c/o English Electric Aviation Ltd

 

EEA may well have converted the vehicles for the Missile Test role.

 

I have to scan those photos I promised, will look for them.

 

Richard