Rick W Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 What system was the Champ FFR fitted with? Has anyone got any leads for anyone flogging any radio kit for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Contact Mike Buckley mikeb@vmars.org.uk & have a look here http://www.vmars.org.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Thats for the link to that site Lee. I found this site which gives you a detailed description of the radio fit and FFw/FFR Champs. http://www.austinchamp.com/03%20Register/extras/FFWtoFFRConvert/FFW.FFR.htm Mine is obviously an FFW as it still retains rear seats among other things. Question is where the FFW is concernedit says that they were fitted with pre-Larkspur radios. What are Pre-Larkspur? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woa2 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Pre-Larkspur would be a 19 set. I know these were fitted in Champs before Larkspur was common. A table on rails went behind the rear seat for the wireless and 19 sets used the aerial bases on the rear corners whereas the later radios used boxes mounted on the front wings. If you look at Mike Buckley's Champ, he has the later aerial boxes on the front wings. Have you a Radio Champ with the 2 speed generator (No2 Mk2) and 2 sets of batteries with the junction box behind the front passenger seat? This is the power take-off for the radio installation. Radio Champs also had different battery trays to the Carge version and different battery connections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 i wondered if it would be a No.19 set, thanks for confirming my thoughts Robert. Yes mine has the earlier aeriel mounts on the rear. Ive got no generators, batteries or anything as yet. I want to try and mount what would have been the original radio back in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woa2 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 i wondered if it would be a No.19 set, thanks for confirming my thoughts Robert. Yes mine has the earlier aeriel mounts on the rear. Ive got no generators, batteries or anything as yet. I want to try and mount what would have been the original radio back in it. I did see a new No2 Mk2 Generator at Stoneleigh on Sunday. I think it was on the Withams stand, but I'm not sure. I had a Radio Champ once, and I remember that the gearbox in these generators do lock up, so always get a spare - and the best of luck fitting it, as it is not an easy job. You do need the relevant control box for it which goes in front of the passenger seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I did see a new No2 Mk2 Generator at Stoneleigh on Sunday. I think it was on the Withams stand, but I'm not sure. I had a Radio Champ once, and I remember that the gearbox in these generators do lock up, so always get a spare - and the best of luck fitting it, as it is not an easy job. You do need the relevant control box for it which goes in front of the passenger seat. Marcus Glenn had them on his stand didn't look at the price and I think he had the early style rubber aerial mounts £30 was on the side of the box. If you're Champ is FFW it will be on the data plate under the bonnet and if it has been fitted with a radio it might still have the holes in the body side where the cabling has been. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 This is also a good source for Radio Kit http://www.armyradio.co.uk/arsc/customer/home.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisg Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 19 sets are usually 12 volt. Twin speed gennys that Marcus Glenn had also need a twin speed pulley which is different, the regulator box is different to the single speed and you would also need the oil feed pipes which are difficult to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REME 245 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 From memory the Canadian manufactured Power Supply Units have a switch inside to allow you to switch between a 12 and 24 volt supply. I assume the British Army used these in post war 24 volt applications. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woa2 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 From memory the Canadian manufactured Power Supply Units have a switch inside to allow you to switch between a 12 and 24 volt supply. I assume the British Army used these in post war 24 volt applications. Yes, you're right. There is a switch inside the PSU that can be locked to stop accidental use on Canadian made units. They are interchangeable with British units. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 Some pics to help id it. 3 holes in rear presumably to locate the radio shelf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Does this help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisg Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Some pics to help id it. 3 holes in rear presumably to locate the radio shelf. Youve got a twin speed panel fitted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 What a useful bunch of people to know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 Im in danger of being a bit thick here, not being used to FFW/FFR. Does the twin speed mean its more likely to have been fitted with FFW or FFR? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Im in danger of being a bit thick here, not being used to FFW/FFR. Does the twin speed mean its more likely to have been fitted with FFW or FFR? Yes.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58 BE 88 Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Im in danger of being a bit thick here, not being used to FFW/FFR. Does the twin speed mean its more likely to have been fitted with FFW or FFR? There is a distinct difference between FFW and FFR and it applies to the vehicle. Champs for the British Army contract after chassis No. 8276 (82 BE 76) were built as FFW which meant that a 2-speed generator, oil feed pipes, No.2 voltage regulator, different cabling and a second pair of 40Ah batteries were fitted. The power supplying capability of this was designed to cope with the demands of the radios (or perhaps more correctly at the time, wireless sets) that were in service at the time it was all designed - late 1940s - which meant the WS19 plus perhaps an added manpack set with a power supply adaptor such as the WS31 or WS38. When Champs were initially issued there were no radio fitting kits designed for it so early installations were made up locally by unit tradesmen out of timber and plywood and generally copied WW2 Jeep practice of putting the 19 set over the rear wheel arch. Larger sets were also built onto one-off fittings, for example several Champs were fitted with Canadian WS52s and used for control and marshalling during the 1953 coronation parades.While the Champs (and all the other CT family vehicles) were 24v, most of the radios in service at the time weren't, so early installations involved carrying sets of 12 volt batteries often in an additional trailer. From about 1954 the army started to be re-equipped with more modern vehicle radio starting with the Royal Armoured Corps and Royal Artillery with what was known at the time as the "New Range" of radio sets and to go with this, a multi-purpose standard kit of installation hardware was introduced in 1956 which in the Champ included the 50 inch sliding table, runners, replacement rear seat backboard, additional battery carrier etc. The unit owning the vehicle would demand the radio fitting kit from the RAOC; when it arrived, the vehicle and the kit would be sent to the local REME workshops who would install it which involved drilling holes in the vehicle. When the vehicle was returned it had become an FFR to distinguish it from the FFW that it started out as. The most obvious evidence that a FFW Champ that has been converted to FFR will be holes running down the left side body panel and wing where the VHF set cabling was installed and holes in the passenger side dashboard shelf where the operators "C" box was secured. It's also one reason why many Champs have lost their original rear seat-back assembly. It was realised that power arrangements in the Champ (just 25 Amps) were not sufficient to support the New Range sets being installed, hence the provision of an additional pair of 75Ah batteries under the table. Landrovers of the 60s were fitted with 40A alternators subsequently uprated to 90A with 200Ah capacity batteries for this reason. The term "Larkspur" actually refers to the project to extend the provision of New Range sets to the whole of the army, since when all of this generation of radios has become known by that name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 Great bit of info. Mine has no holes down the side so must have been primarily FFW and not converted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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