MrEd Posted February 9, 2022 Share Posted February 9, 2022 I wonder if any of you can help me answer a question i have had about my 90 for a long time. I have had it since it was cast from the MOD - i bought it direct from withams so it is as it was released (by which i mean there is no previous owner other than the army adding random stuff on to it for the 'looks') This is how it got it, direct, 3 months after it was demobbed. I chose it out of a field at Withams. It spent its entire life with 11 Signals Regiment at Blandford Garrison. It has many drilled holes in the tub, and the bulkhead behind the front seats and it has the TUAMM mounts on the front wings. It is a GS spec land rover. There is no evidence it ever had dexion racking in it - but i dont know what might have been changed or removed or added at various points in its service life. Its last role was part of Blandford Garrison Support Unit - MT so it may have been stripped of a load of stuff for that role, i dont know. I havent been able to find out either Here are some photos of how it was when i got it you can see the TUAMM mounts etc and the alck of dexion etc. I wonder if any one can shed any light or how it may have been fitted with man pack radios (it may never have been!) or why it would have TUAMM mounts on the front wings when it isnt an FFR? thanks Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted February 9, 2022 Share Posted February 9, 2022 Defender was different build up at Solihill for MOD. All the Contracts start with a basic 12 volt 90" / 110" Basic Utility. Then bolt-ons were added. Such as a FFR pack. If you search on the internet for the "SUPPLEMENTARY MOD Defender PARTS CATALOGUE. In the front - you will find a MATRIX , the more up-to-date the better. This lists Contract Numbers , then you read off all the "Supplementary packages" that Solihull fitted. This made it easier once the truck entered service , they could order extra packs as required . So a GS 12 volt could end up as fully FFR , or even part FFR. I don't think they would / ever did alter the original nomenclature-plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted February 9, 2022 Share Posted February 9, 2022 Oh that all makes perfect sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEd Posted February 9, 2022 Author Share Posted February 9, 2022 22 minutes ago, ruxy said: Defender was different build up at Solihill for MOD. All the Contracts start with a basic 12 volt 90" / 110" Basic Utility. Then bolt-ons were added. Such as a FFR pack. If you search on the internet for the "SUPPLEMENTARY MOD Defender PARTS CATALOGUE. In the front - you will find a MATRIX , the more up-to-date the better. This lists Contract Numbers , then you read off all the "Supplementary packages" that Solihull fitted. This made it easier once the truck entered service , they could order extra packs as required . So a GS 12 volt could end up as fully FFR , or even part FFR. I don't think they would / ever did alter the original nomenclature-plate. I have that supplementary parts catalogued dated 1990 so the year before my vehicle. Will have a look. So basically a GS without the TUAMM mounts is just simply that, but a GS with just had them fitted at the factory but they wouldnt necessarily have been used in service. Okay thank you, does any one know where i can find, or see some photos of GS land rover 90/110 with manpack clip in sets in them? not the full fat FFR but a GS with radios - this must of happened due to the various clansman bits that allow 24v clansman battery charging off of a 12v vehicle? ta ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 I doubt if a GS 90 12 volt had TUAAM mounting plates at the factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEd Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 13 minutes ago, ruxy said: I doubt if a GS 90 12 volt had TUAAM mounting plates at the factory. It was in service for 20 odd years so likely added by the army sometime during that time frame? I got it direct from withams and it had them on it then, no way withams added them - I chose it out of the Land Rover field and it was a bit of a mess when I got it, but the wing mounts were present then. I recall something like it was the only one in its contract when I found the number in the Land Rover book, not sure how important that is or not though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 I can't think of a blog with a 90/110 'in-service' or MV enthusiast fitted Manpack. A bloke at Carlisle (Time-Bandit) had a good blog website for his Lightweight 12 volt GS and he did a Manpack rig. He probably did good research , or decided that's how it would have been done (there are a few variations) and some would be ad-lib. It seems 3 year in storage and then abt. 20 year as a range-car at Blandford. It probably also had a PYE Westminster or Storno fitted on drivers side of Dexion at centre seat. ISTR packed away I have two different mounting kits for Manpack, the better looking is the 1"x1" hollow box clip in frame that would be secured to the dexion , and the circular rucksack type frame for radio. If it was TUAAM box , BALUN & antenna base on wing mounts - that to me indicates more involved radio fit more ground/air for tri-service helo such as RM & RN that would be operating in area. If a 24 volt genny was not fitted they would just fit a FFR battery box/table and recharge the batteries overnight as at a permanent base. Try a Royal Signals website , in service/retired - state the VRM - somebody should recall what it was used for without breach of OSA of course. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEd Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 1 hour ago, ruxy said: I can't think of a blog with a 90/110 'in-service' or MV enthusiast fitted Manpack. A bloke at Carlisle (Time-Bandit) had a good blog website for his Lightweight 12 volt GS and he did a Manpack rig. He probably did good research , or decided that's how it would have been done (there are a few variations) and some would be ad-lib. It seems 3 year in storage and then abt. 20 year as a range-car at Blandford. It probably also had a PYE Westminster or Storno fitted on drivers side of Dexion at centre seat. ISTR packed away I have two different mounting kits for Manpack, the better looking is the 1"x1" hollow box clip in frame that would be secured to the dexion , and the circular rucksack type frame for radio. If it was TUAAM box , BALUN & antenna base on wing mounts - that to me indicates more involved radio fit more ground/air for tri-service helo such as RM & RN that would be operating in area. If a 24 volt genny was not fitted they would just fit a FFR battery box/table and recharge the batteries overnight as at a permanent base. Try a Royal Signals website , in service/retired - state the VRM - somebody should recall what it was used for without breach of OSA of course. Yeah I have tried reaching out to the royal signals in the past more than once - all I have been able to glean is a photo that *might* be it in a article in ‘the wire’ (RS magazine) about 11 signals and the support unit MT section. I have seen time bandits blog, and it’s good. you Mention Westminster or stormy fitted on the drivers side dexion, except there isn’t any mounts for the dexion to go on. The roll bar could well have been changed in service though which _could_ explain why there aren’t dexion mounts. I don’t know though. The tuamm mounts have always puzzled me and the tub has lots of evidence of holes drilled in it, and marks where ‘things’ have been resting against the sides or the back etc. I doubt I will ever find out tbh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 What you need is a full Defender Dexion fitting kit - there were lots on Ebay a few years ago. Defender era - I would say was more Storno time-line. I was with 34N Sig. Reg (V) for 3 years until 1971 , I am certain the Westminster was fitted on a shelf cantilevered off the Dexion above centre seat position. A few years ago I purchased two (non-operational) Westminster of Ebay , two different sellers & both have YEOVIL on Dymo with a number. Have a look on Green Machine Surplus site , I have purchased a few Clansman User Instructions (fitting instructions) , some off others , certainly not a full collection . There should be a Manpack Installation , I don't have it but should. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 btw Time-Bandit's BLOG site has been taken down , don't know why , possibly sold his LWT ? I keep watching for his VRN/VRM - but not seen it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMC 7RU Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 Adapter kits were available to enable various types of Clansman radios to be installed in GS Land Rovers, the TUAMM mounts would have been included as part of the adapter kit to install a Radio station PRC 351/2. The installation would have been :- Equipment rack and fused distribution box together with the 14 volt DCCU (Direct Current Charging Unit) for charging radio set battery, the basic radio kit and its installation kit (the last two items being common to both GS and FFR). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 https://forum.emlra.org//viewtopic.php?t=6313 Follow johnhughes BLOG , he should get you away - he fitted radio in NI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEd Posted February 11, 2022 Author Share Posted February 11, 2022 (edited) Great thank Gents. I wasn’t planning on actually fitting it out, although I suppose I _could_ how to get the items past the wife ?? so to summarise GS 90 likely fitted with a man pack and ancillaries this was all then stripped out(apart from the wing boxes) - for reasons unknown but likely due to role change or at the withdrawal of clansman? it did have the cable boxes behind the seats but I took them out so I could use the space for my disk lock etc. a follow up question - there are no mounts/tabs on my ROPS bar for Dexion - how would it have been fitted without these? Edited February 11, 2022 by MrEd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 The ROPS bar - larger dia. ? with small loops are corners that simulate a standard 'bow' for the hood canvas ? I think this not a Solihull item , would have originated with Tithonus 110 (Hobsons Industries) 90" retrofit.. Do you have a standard plain 'bow' a few inch for'ard of the ROPS ? A standard Ex-Works 12 volt GS would not have a FFR bow with drilled chain-plate for Dexion mounting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEd Posted February 11, 2022 Author Share Posted February 11, 2022 (edited) 5 minutes ago, ruxy said: The ROPS bar - larger dia. ? with small loops are corners that simulate a standard 'bow' for the hood canvas ? I think this not a Solihull item , would have originated with Tithonus 110 (Hobsons Industries) 90" retrofit.. Do you have a standard plain 'bow' a few inch for'ard of the ROPS ? A standard Ex-Works 12 volt GS would not have a FFR bow with drilled chain-plate for Dexion mounting. I do yes, its like a standard tilt hoop immediately behind the doors - maybe 1 inch tube, then about 4 or so inches further back directly in line with the bulkhead behind the seats is the alrger ROPS bar - maybe 2.5inch tube, it was made by 'Safety Devices' Edited February 11, 2022 by MrEd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 Safety Devices did for Solihull , Camel Trophy & Hobsons. It is Optional Equipment. A 90 Basic GS 12 volt was very basic , most had Items from the Supplementary Cat. Hence you must have a Edition later than your Contract otherwise the Matrix will not list your Contract No. There was nothing to stop fitting of S2A / S3 FFR hood bow(s) (IIRC two options) or ordering whatever individual part as required to mount the Dexion and bracketry. Just the official Defender kit had all items according to the Matrix. / Supplementary pages. There were also 2 x SHORT Dexion that were installed as a pair on one side (or both sides I suppose) of the tub. This could be done with a single in a 90 tub. I have Clansman User Handbook Supplements for this but for 1/2 and 3/4 Ton FFR & GS Rover. Dated 1980 - so there will be later Defender 90 & 110 Handbooks. The holes you describe may be ? These have brackets to floor , so if you have holes in tub floor - that indicates. Problem is so many different Clansman fit to Defender - it's all quite complex. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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