Daimler Ferret Restoration - Canadian Service

[Neil Smith]

In June of 2013 I thought I needed a project to fill up my spare time so I bought a Mark 1 Ferret that was ex Canadian Army from a guy here in the USA. My previous experience of vehicle restoration had been a 1956 Triumph Tiger T110 motorcycle, back in the 90's.

I decided to start this restoration thread because it has been 15 months since it arrived at my home and I wanted to share some of the experiences with anyone else that is crazy enough to need a project to fill up their spare time

Well, to tell you all the truth, there's a lot more to vehicle restoration than I thought. I learnt that there are a lot more systems that can go wrong, so you cannot just change the oil and spark plugs, squirt a bit of easy start in the carb and then tear off round the street in a 4 ton vehicle

I learnt that you really have to tear it all down to ensure that the brakes are going to work, that the fuel tank is sound, that the tire rubber isn't perished etc. etc.

I also learned that an armored vehicle has very heavy parts and I'm not as strong as I was before I turned 50! Try taking all four wheels off by yourself - that's a workout that the wife doesn't understand when you are complaining about just how sore some of your muscles are. She thinks your pulling a fast one to get off the home improvements list.

Anyway, I would strongly recommend you get a partner to work with you if you are attempting a restoration - preferably one who's in great shape, strong as an ox, limber as a leopard and with small hands to get into those fiddly spots.

Ok, for those of you who are laughing at my whining, the truth is that I have actually done quite a lot of work and have enjoyed nearly every minute of it.

So what have I accomplished so far? Well, I have finally stripped the interior and removed the engine and gearbox.

And what a good thing it was that I pulled the engine as here is a sample of the brake lines tucked under the rear bevel box where you could not see the damage

I'm going to end this post here so I can see if it comes out the way I intended.

[Neil Smith]

OK, looks like I got the pictures and text sorted out so to continue on a positive note I have met a lot of interesting folks that have helped me along the way and this and HMVF forums have been very helpful with information.

It can all be a bit overwhelming when you start by stripping one piece only to discover that you really need to go even further until eventually you discover that you are running out of space to store all the parts. I'm fortunate to live in sunny Florida so in my case the space problem was solved by moving the cars out of the double garage and parking them in the driveway - the Wife was understanding of this . She wasn't very understanding when I told her I needed to spend a large sum of money on a split unit air conditioner as my garage was unbearably hot in summer and my work output dropped

SO some lessons learnt so far:

Lesson 1 - there's no such thing as a simple restoration - it will end up being a complete restoration

Lesson 2 - You need a partner as you are not as young as you used to be.

Lesson 3 - Make sure you have a large enough working and storage place for your project - one that's useable all year round as time is precious.

[Neil Smith]

Here's some of the fun stuff - sifting through the dirt, slime and general filth that comes out from the hull. I took some pictures of the remnants found in the ferret - things that were jammed against all the working control rods adding to the friction !

Nuts, bolts and washers -



Ammunition and links



Odd bits and pieces



Coins



And beer bottle tops!

[Mrs Vampire]

all those bits and pieces deserve a glass display case of their own

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Neil Smith

Here's some of the fun stuff - sifting through the dirt, slime and general filth that comes out from the hull. I took some pictures of the remnants found in the ferret - things that were jammed against all the working control rods adding to the friction !

Odd bits and pieces

Hi Neil,
The short chain with a split pin at each end is the safety pins to stop accidental release of side escape hatches. Essential !

regards, Richard

[rob love]

Usually there is a ratchet hiding in the hull, or at least a wrench or two. A rule of thumb in the ferret is what goes down usually stays down, at least until the next engine change.

[Neil Smith]

It will probably be six months before I post again on here - this is a one day wonder!

Here are some pictures of some sheet metal parts that I have had rebuilt. The first picture is of the indicators. My ferret came with the typical later militia modification using US lights "scabbed" on to original light towers. I have chosen to go back to the light tower indicators and rebuilt the originals.



I took great pains to keep the section of plate that had the FV number on it



The next picture is of rebuilt antenna bases. These had been cut up to fit a later US style antenna base, but as I'm restoring to a late 60's Larkspur era, I restored them to fit the correct type of Larkspur mounts ( You can source NOS Larkspur bases from Tim Vibert in Australia).





Thanks to Colin MacGregor Stevens booklet on "The Ferret Scout Car in Canadian Service" I have seen a picture of the pattern of camouflage used by the Ft Garry Horse while in West Germany in the late 60's and as mine was one of the Ferrets sent by Canada to West Germany, I am now seeking more information or colored photographs of what appears to be a four color pattern. Can anyone help with this?

[Lynn Eades]

Neil, I would liken your step from the motorbike to the ferret, as stepping from a bicycle to the space shuttle. (not a technology step, but a difficulty step)
There is a lesson in all those nuts and bolts in the hull. What you drop is gone!
Like working on a bulldozer. Did you not find any tools?

Edit. after posting I see Robs post re tools etc.

[jdmcm]

Little welding tip Neil on the armor plate....use a 307 stainless mig wire, mild steel wire will cool too fast and crack...learned this the hard way welding on the AVGP Cougar

John

[Neil Smith]

Thanks for the tip John. I managed to find a stud welder that I can borrow. It will handle up to 1/4" studs, so anything bigger will need to be welded with a mig.

[maple_leaf_eh]

The coin could not have gotten into the Ferret before 1960 (more likely 1961), and that was probably in Canada.

Labatt 50 is now sort of an old man's beer, in its day there were only two brands worth drinking. Labatts 50 and Molson Canadian.

Are those .22LR empties?

Finally, what is the headstamp on the blanks? I'm guessing DA.

[Neil Smith]

The cartridges are all stamped IVI which I believe is canadian manufacture from the Montreal area.

No .22 blank cases.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by Neil Smith

The cartridges are all stamped IVI which I believe is canadian manufacture from the Montreal area.

No .22 blank cases.

IVI is the old Dominion Arsenals (DA) plant between Valcartier base and the city of Quebec. They made $hit ammo for the longest time.