Any Ferret owners out there

Other MV's, Non U.S. Manufacture
pinz712
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Any Ferret owners out there

Post by pinz712 » Sun Dec 18, 2011 3:03 pm

Looks like tomorrow I will be the owner of a Ferret - looking for a source for manuals , parts and such. Thanks
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Re: Any Ferret owners out there

Post by Blitzdough » Sun Dec 18, 2011 6:46 pm

I ordered a manual for my Daimler MkII Dingo from Green Machines in England.

http://www.greenmachinesurplus.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Great manual, very complete. I saw that they have manuals for all the Ferrets too.

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Re: Any Ferret owners out there

Post by artificer » Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:02 pm

Best of British luck & you will need it....from someone who used to work on these over engineered vehicles.
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Re: Any Ferret owners out there

Post by Richard Farrant » Mon Dec 19, 2011 12:01 am

Nothing wrong with Ferrets, good little vehicles. I have worked on these over a period of 35 years. Any advise on them, just ask. Just make sure you get the full compliment of workshop manuals, known as EMER's.

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Re: Any Ferret owners out there

Post by Ratpacker » Tue Dec 20, 2011 4:09 am

Agreed. Ferrets are great little vehicles and a great way to begin in armor. Manuals are good. In six years, the only problem I ever had was a stuck switch on the alternator. The biggest danger of owning a Ferret is the hatches; you can seriously loose a finger if not careful. I lucked out with only 11 stitches! And don't let it temp you to buy larger British wheeled armor; the 6x6s are absolute mechanical nightmares...

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Re: Any Ferret owners out there

Post by Richard Farrant » Tue Dec 20, 2011 10:12 am

Ratpacker wrote: And don't let it temp you to buy larger British wheeled armor; the 6x6s are absolute mechanical nightmares...
6x6 ? No problems .. a challenge but not a nightmare :lol:

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Re: Any Ferret owners out there

Post by artificer » Tue Dec 20, 2011 10:46 am

Having worked extensively on Austin Champs, Humbers, Daimler Ferrets, Alvis Saracens & Salladins plus Centurians, you guys are welcome to any one of them. See this article for more info.... my business contacted to DoD for repair & maintenance of vehicles belonging to the Hunter River Lancers mentioned in the article....more oil leaks than a perforated oil drum.

http://anzacsteel.hobbyvista.com/otherv ... ckph_1.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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A Humber with mud applied as a camouflage being readied for recovery by a Kenworth/Ward La France Wrecker. The Humber belonged to 4/19 Prince of Wales’s Light Horse Regiment. (Photo by John Belfield).
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TO DIAGNOSE, TROUBLESHOOT OR FAULT FIND ANY AUTO SYSTEM....
Understand how system parts interact with one another. GOOD parts can then be established & the NOT GOOD problem/s part/s isolated for repair or replacement.

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Re: Any Ferret owners out there

Post by Richard/SIA » Thu Mar 15, 2012 7:05 pm

I stored a Ferret for a friend while he restored it.
Had to keep his wife from knowing he had it for a few years.

Fun little vehicle to drive, lots of drive-shafts and electrical boxes to play with.
The manually operated turret must have been fun to employ while also operating a gun.
And yes, the hatches are the most dangerous item on them.

He now has it nearly perfect, and street registered.
I think he still has some issue with the radios.
Until he retired he drove it to work pretty often, just to annoy the liberals there. :D

I had some Austin Champs (One was actually a rare Rolls built Champ), not "Hard" to work on, but tedious as there were always lots of extra steps required to do anything.
I suppose that's to expected on any semi-submersible vehicle.
Great ride, much smoother than any other 4x4 i have ever driven.

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Re: Any Ferret owners out there

Post by artificer » Thu Mar 15, 2012 7:44 pm

More research needed...Rolls never built any of these over engineered British vehicles like Champs (Austin), plus some 3/4 ton Humber truck, Ferrets [Daimler], Sarecens [Alvis], Salladins [Alvis] et al, but Rolls engines came with them & most internal engine parts were interchangeable.
Some of us worked on most of these chunks of metal & they all were a maintenance nightmare.
They did look pretty & I'm sure the engineers collectively patted themselves on the back unlike the mechanics in the field!
Most did not last in service 10 years before being scrapped.
John GIBBINS Member Institute of Automotive Mechanical Engineers [Ret], ASE Master Medium/Heavy Truck & Auto Technician USA -2002 Licensed Motor Mech NSW MVIC 49593 Current 2015
TO DIAGNOSE, TROUBLESHOOT OR FAULT FIND ANY AUTO SYSTEM....
Understand how system parts interact with one another. GOOD parts can then be established & the NOT GOOD problem/s part/s isolated for repair or replacement.

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Re: Any Ferret owners out there

Post by Richard/SIA » Fri Mar 16, 2012 7:02 pm

Let me clarify, I did have an early Champ with the Rolls manufactured engine.
If some one had not taken it apart and left it to the weather I would have restored it.
There are a few differences, among them the fit and finish of parts.
I thought about putting the crankshaft up as a display, it appeared to made from billet, not cast.

I still have a couple of Rover 88's, but if funds permitted I would like to have another Champ.

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Re: Any Ferret owners out there

Post by Richard/SIA » Fri Mar 16, 2012 7:07 pm

http://www.champ-sparesukltd.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Really Austin Champ spares source, but there is a bit of crossover.
When I visited they had a couple of Ferrets and a Saracen on the premises, so they know what they are.

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Re: Any Ferret owners out there

Post by Buggy Man » Sun Mar 18, 2012 4:56 am

pinz712 wrote:Looks like tomorrow I will be the owner of a Ferret - looking for a source for manuals , parts and such. Thanks
These guys are about the only (ferret) parts dealers inside the USA. I purchased all of my manuals from them;

http://www.khakicorpsimports.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Outside of the USA you'll have more of a selection of dealers:
UK
http://www.marcusglenn.com/index2.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.milweb.net/go/banister/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://historic-military-vehicle-brake- ... s-kit.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.greenmachinesurplus.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Australia
http://www.timvibert.com.au/index.php?page_id=113" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is a good site to join for all things ferret;

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferret-heaven/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm currently restoring a Mk.1/2 (00EA85).
Matt

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Re: Any Ferret owners out there

Post by artificer » Sun Mar 18, 2012 5:31 am

I purchased all of my manuals from them;
These you would need regularly, that is for sure! Done any bevel boxes lately?
John GIBBINS Member Institute of Automotive Mechanical Engineers [Ret], ASE Master Medium/Heavy Truck & Auto Technician USA -2002 Licensed Motor Mech NSW MVIC 49593 Current 2015
TO DIAGNOSE, TROUBLESHOOT OR FAULT FIND ANY AUTO SYSTEM....
Understand how system parts interact with one another. GOOD parts can then be established & the NOT GOOD problem/s part/s isolated for repair or replacement.

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Re: Any Ferret owners out there

Post by Buggy Man » Sun Mar 18, 2012 5:37 am

artificer wrote:
I purchased all of my manuals from them;
These you would need regularly, that is for sure! Done any bevel boxes lately?
All four of them......
Matt

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Re: Any Ferret owners out there

Post by Guy GPW » Tue Mar 27, 2012 9:32 am

Something tells me that our forum colleague 'Artificer' is not a huge fan of British military vehicles - surely though, if they were that bad, our colonial brethren down under, would've had the sense to order their vehicles elsewhere...?

Anyway, gotta go - I've just got to pop off and try to help a mate repair the failing, corroded electrics on his 2006 Monaro VXR...funny really - thats had the benefit of 50+ years of additional automotive developement and its still an overly-complicated pile of poo! :roll:
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