Military Lightweight Forum

Just acquired 75AM72 and plan to restore her to her former RAF spec. Any help and advice from the members would be gratefully received.

75AM72

Welcome.
It looks like its not in bad shape. Was it originally blue then or always in olive drab / nato green?

I suggest you go through it, tell us want bits you need help on and we will add our pfennig's worth.

Will have had a cosseted life as a station hack hence the good condition but PO's may have worked on it well;
DIS 01/11/75
RAF Upavon 23/08/76 but probably earlier as Merlin incomplete
RAF High Wycombe SHQ 23/03/90
Cast 26/09/93
Regards
Bob

Welcome to the forum,a huge wealth of knowledge available on here.
Your lightweight looks to be in good shape and not much work needed.
I have 53 AM 74,Waddington strike command,tornado squadron.Didnt have much luck tracking its history at the base,seems the RAF didn't keep many records of the vehicles role in service.
Mine was one of the first batch of series 3's and still has the original blue/grey on the tub behind the seats and under the bonnet.

This is how I started with my lightweight 18 years ago,on a 'Q'plate and needing lots of TLC.
My daily drive for 18 years and has never let me down.Not bad for £695.00

Its looks in good condition, the only (slight regret) for mine was not to pull the Engine out to paint it and the engine bay.
Check the usual suspects, Chaises and Bulkhead, doors etc thay rot even when stored.

All the best

Simon

Hi Griff 1963,
I am at a similar stage as you, as I bought my Lightweight on 23 Sept. I have nothing really to contribute yet to your journey in Lightweight ownership, but I hope our trials and tribulations (and achievements!), when shared on this forum, will be mutually supportive.
Mine spent its whole service life in sunny Cyprus with the British UN Forces before being retired to UK in 1985. I hope to prolong its life and am off to a good start with support from this forum!
Good Luck with yours.

Hi everyone for their input. Am very pleased with the purchase and looking forward to working on her her and taking her out and about (shows etc). Am taking her to have minor surgery a(a small hole in the chassis which will be removed and a new piece welded in.) Plan is in about 2 years time she'll have a new galv chassis replacement and hopefully a new paint job to revert her back to RAF Blue/Grey as she was when she was delivered to the RAF. There are still patches of the blue internally where MT squadron missed.

Hi, from wings and DZ patch on the para smock in the photo it looks like it's being used by 2 Sqn RAF Regt (also camo paint - RAF vehicles were generally green).
Can't see the tac plate but, as 2 Sqn was CVRT in the 80s & 90s, the lightweight was probably a squadron or flight HQ vehicle.
Of course I could be completely wrong and these two were just leaning on a handy LR!