Military Lightweight Forum

So its brown, green, grey & black, a bit too much of everything, so points to something of the owner's fancy I'm afraid.

However if I had just seen the rear & you said it was 1970-71, brown & dark green was used by a few vehicles in NI by the regular Army. There were a few Pigs Mk 1 with dark green & light brown, some Commer water canon in dark green & dark brown. Very strange for urban internal security vehicles, trying to look like a shrubbery in a city seems illogical which is why most RUC vehicles were grey.

I see, so were there any grey based designs that i could use if i put this back to its NI roots?
any photos would be most helpful..

Was there a grey and green scheme, must say I'm not overly keen on the brown!

A

No there weren't any grey schemes to utilise what you've got.

But its up to you, its your vehicle etc but if it was mine I would get rid of the previous owner's embellishments which would embarrass me & just paint it NATO Green with minimum of markings & badges. Better to be understated than overdo it.

I said NATO Green because the MVEE Spec specifies that as the paint finish at manufacture.

Totally agree with Clive.

Regards
Bob

too true!

Its definitely not staying this mis-match long term, i may just carry the grey on over the rear for now ie over the winter, so at least it is a uniform mess, what do you guys think of the white green as attached..

... and yes I like understated, not hundreds of add-ons, and aerials but no FFR, I like true to roots type.
is this a fictional scheme too?

Just fancied something authentic but different, may end up in the base green though.....

Any recommendation for paint suppliers?

I've printed out the circuit diagrams, prayed to "lucas" the god of darkness, so hopefully get some electrics working this eve!

will post some behind the dash panel shots later!

Yes that is sort of ok perhaps a little too much green. I think green was regarded as looking black at a distance. But the thing is NATO Green is 35% IRR & black 5-10%, but white was virtually zero IRR. So under IR you don't want to look like a shrubbery in the middle of snow. So on that basis green is a bit odd, although I don't doubt it has been done in service.

By 1983 they had developed emulsion paints that didn't destroy canvas. So you really ought to paint that, but a shame if you want to later go green or green/black.

fv1620 wrote:5 Battalion Ulster Defence Regiment, my Shorland served with them.

The colour code A5 is interesting. A is often taken to be NATO Green but it isn't necessarily "A" means "Army/NATO Green" so it could have been Olive Drab or similar but as yours is from 1983 it would very likely be NATO Green.

Many vehicles are "A7" taken to be Army/NATO Green IRR Disruptive pattern ie 2/3 Green, 1/3 black splodges. But yours is "A5" meaning Army/NATO Green IRR Distinctive pattern.

Regulations give an example of "Distinctive" as might be top half white, lower half green & brown dividing the two. Can't see how would fit in with IRR, sounds more like an ice-cream van!

I think the code is A6 on the B Card above - which would make perfect sense: Army/NATO green and IRR finish, which would certainly have been the standard colour it left the factory in and, therefore, the colour it arrived in CVD, the depot where the B Card would have been initiated. By comparison, my 1979 model is coded "76" which is simply Green with IRR finish - but, I am willing to bet, would be the same green as code A by this time so I suspect, in latter years at least, "A" and "&" were interchangeable in the code. But, what I don't know is whether the code on the B card would be changed at a later date by units once in use (Mine wasn't changed when it went green and black). I must confess, I can't see the point and I don't know why they would bother as it would be of no interest to anyone and likely to be temporary anyway given that many vehicles were repainted quite frequently, often annually after the autumn exercises - and those who might be interested could simply look at the vehicle.

Fred

Tinweasel wrote:Looks like it spent it's time in Northern Ireland with 5 Ulster defence Regiment.

Same batch as mine I think, I also think at least one other from this batch is owned by a forum member.

Hi Shaun, possibly me. Mine was also in NI and also seemed to have sat around a bit before being assigned to a regiment.

Cheers

Steve

Minor progress report:

The Good :
Now have operational Headlights (Dip and Main), Side Tail Lights and Brake, and Indicators all round.
Also 6 way switch seems okay, including the convoy light!
Working Temp Gauge.

The Bad :
Still no hazards, Fogs or front sidelights, although the paint pot lid plus chop block that forms one of the front S/L housings probably says all....
Wiring in front wing needs connectors replacing / re-soldering, but seems complete and working - as long as you dont shake it!!!

The Ugly :
Convoy light nearly disintegrated, but amazingly still works!

The Worst....
the small hole in the rear X-member, isn't quite as small it also spreads under the rear hangers under both sides, - I knew a hammer and steel chisel wasn't the best way to look!!
So ordered a rear 1/4 this morning... might as well get it all sorted in one hit! The up-side, if there is one.. is the chassis other than that is solid from end to end -and boy did it get tapped!

Was looking for the chassis number on front dump irons, do the lightweights have them, or is it only domestic LR?

Looking at all the available replacement x-members on-line, they are missing the convoy light bracket and cross braces, so those will be added before fitting to maintain the original look.

Blooming iphone went flat, so no pix until weds night!

new parcels this AM were light lenses, replacement mount rings, rubber boots, and a complete unit, to replace the aforementioned paint pot lid!

happy days!

Off to the best coffee shop in town now, for cake!

and in today's post room trawl.....


still hoping for MOT next Friday.....