seoirsed Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Hi all. I dont know if I am crazy or not but I have just agreed to purchase a Bedford MJ complete with Vehicle Protection Kit. It is left hand drive and manufactured in 1984/85. It has all screens and the "kit " is complete. It will make a nice addition to my N.Ireland collection. I was wondering if anyone had any photos of this type of vehicle in service c/w VPK. Regards Seoirse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 No photos, but in the 70's I fitted no end of those kits to Bedford MK's and Land Rovers. There is a backboard in the cab that goes up behind the seats blocking off the rear storage shelf, so reduces the room in the cab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seoirsed Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 Richard. Thanks for the info. I have not paid much attention to the finer details as I was more interested in making sure that all the VPK was in reasonably good order. I have been watching this truck for about 6yrs and finally managed to do a deal. It will go with my Flying Pig, Shorland, and Piglet ( if I ever get around to restoring it). Would appreciate any guidance to where I might come across some photos of in service. Seoirse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ltwtbarmy Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 (edited) Closest to Bedford armour (just the riot shields) I got on the merlin archive. Data is for 66KD06, but the pic shows MJ 98KB60, which is shown as having been in NI on the record. https://merlinarchive.uk/vehicle/66KD06https://merlinarchive.uk/vehicle/98KB60 There was a thread on arrse which I can’t find at the mo, but it featured a lot of rare pics. Clive Elliott might help because if I remember well, he had found the thread. Edited March 19, 2021 by ltwtbarmy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 Seoirse I've got some pics somewhere, just a case of finding them though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seoirsed Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 Much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seoirsed Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 Just realised I did not put the reg of the truck on my original post. As far as I can recollect it is 06 KH 26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 If that number is correct, here is it's unit history: https://www.merlinarchive.uk/vehicle/06KH26 Looks like it was supplied by AWD Ltd, so one of the MJ's to go into service. I remember some of these AWD ones arriving at REME workshops as chassis/cabs and we took bodies off Bedfords going for casting, refurbished them and fitted to the new chassis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seoirsed Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 (edited) Richard. Thanks for that Information it is great. Is it possible to get a more detailed copy of its military history. When would it have rotated to N.Ireland and at what time would it have been fitted with the VPk Edited March 19, 2021 by seoirsed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisgrove Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Hi I knew I had some pics, so here are pics of front and rear (though it is probably an MK). I thought I had more. but I cannot find any! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 SITREPS as at 28/4/72 records for 4 Tonners there were 83 complete kits ordered of which 45 had been fitted. 332 cab kits ordered of which 234 had been fitted There was one kit ordered for a QL cab but no kit had been received. I think I have some more but this is the only cab one I have found so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Furthermore in 1972/73 there were 44 GRP kits fitted to Bedford MKs & 35 flameproof canopies supplied for Bedford RLs. In that period there were 300 GRP escape hatches fitted to RLs. In 1975/76 there were 30 GRP kits fitted to RLs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 5 minutes ago, fv1609 said: Furthermore in 1972/73 there were 44 GRP kits fitted to Bedford MKs & 35 flameproof canopies supplied for Bedford RLs. In that period there were 300 GRP escape hatches fitted to RLs. In 1975/76 there were 30 GRP kits fitted to RLs. Hi Clive, Around 1975-76 was when I was involved in fitting these kits to Bedford MK's and all type of Land Rovers (not 1 tonne). The only RL that I recollect doing was a tipper (which is actually a RS as it is short wb). Not sure what the escape hatch was as the RS tipper did not have a cupola in the cab. We never clad the rear bodies on the MK's, I think that came a bit later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Richard yes I don't know what a complete kit comprised of, compared with a cab kit. These are expressions used in the SITREPs. I noticed the terms VPK & GRP kits are used, I don't know whether there was a change in nomenclature or the terms used by diferent writers or whether GRP kits were just that & VPK = GRP + XPM What surprised me was the need for a QL kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 21 minutes ago, fv1609 said: Richard yes I don't know what a complete kit comprised of, compared with a cab kit. These are expressions used in the SITREPs. I noticed the terms VPK & GRP kits are used, I don't know whether there was a change in nomenclature or the terms used by diferent writers or whether GRP kits were just that & VPK = GRP + XPM What surprised me was the need for a QL kit. Hi Clive, The kits were universally known in the workshops as Makrolon kits, but as we know, that was actually the trade name for the plastic window material. The 'armour' material was actually layers of woven glass fibre moulded together with a resin. Awful stuff to work with as we had to drill it and often trim to fit as some kits were new, where as other kits had been used several times before. Even found a bullet lodged in a panel once. In your last sentence did you mean RL (not QL) ? regards, Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Richard it says QL but it also says 4T so hard to trust the description! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seoirsed Posted March 28, 2021 Author Share Posted March 28, 2021 Richard / Clive. Thanks for all the info. The vehicle I have agreed to purchase has a solid Makrolon cab cover that does not allow the opening of the cupola. It also fits over the platform.there is a full Makrolon cover for the front of the cab. Both doors are fitted with Makrolon as are the section to the rear of the doors. These sections are hinged approx midway to allow access to the engine compartment. All windows are covered by the standard mesh. The "Wendy" hut is different to the one in your photos as there are no windows at the rear or front. It does have a fan fitted to the left door. When I take posession I will photograph the vehicle and post. Seoirse . P.S. as the vehicle is left hand drive how many mesk was produced for these vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 27 minutes ago, seoirsed said: Richard / Clive. Thanks for all the info. The vehicle I have agreed to purchase has a solid Makrolon cab cover that does not allow the opening of the cupola. It also fits over the platform.there is a full Makrolon cover for the front of the cab. Both doors are fitted with Makrolon as are the section to the rear of the doors. These sections are hinged approx midway to allow access to the engine compartment. All windows are covered by the standard mesh. The "Wendy" hut is different to the one in your photos as there are no windows at the rear or front. It does have a fan fitted to the left door. When I take posession I will photograph the vehicle and post. Seoirse . P.S. as the vehicle is left hand drive how many mesk was produced for these vehicles. It would appear that the last holding unit of the vehicle was 2 Mercian Regt who were based in Holywood NI. Prior to that the Bedford was originally in Germany. I would think it was unusual to have a LHD vehicle with VPK in NI. Those kits like yours are slightly different at the rear of the cab to those we fitted in the 70's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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