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Posted 6 months ago
Hems303
(49 items)
Here is the 9th part of 10 in my "Restoration Series" of this, our 1959 British Daimler Ferret Scout Car. The military vehicles are the "centre" of our family Military Collection. This is the Mk2/3 variant.
In this my penultimate post concerning the Ferret: I'm concentrating on the finishing touches to this long and lavish restoration. All credit should go to my brother Keith, who's name is actually on the ticket of this awesome machine, also to the "army" of skilled helpers, who donated their time, additional facilities and knowledge.
For those of you who have followed all of my posts in this "series", you will know the ups & downs and all the hard graft that went into this project, however; to say it's not been fun, would be untrue. I think the photo's above show the more restful and laidback aspect of our military vehicle ownership!
In my final post (No.10) I will be covering some of the parades, exhibitions and military vehicle shows the Ferret has attended, gaining accolades wherever it goes!
The Photograph's above:
Photo .1: I pose with the finished Ferret at the "Overlord" Military Vehicle Show put on every year in Portsmouth UK, by SOE. Notice the finished Unit Marking badge of the The Queens Lancers (16th) which this particular Ferret served with in Germany whilst with B.A.O.R (British Army On the Rhine)
Photo .2: I am languidly hand-painting (last minute, as usual) the Lancers Logo whilst waiting to go into the judging arena at the Overlord Show! Talk about a laidback approach to restoration!
Photo .3: These Military Vehicle Shows are normally a several day, camping affair, in the English summer, that gives everyone time to catch up with old friends and new restorations. Here I continue to drink beer, socialise AND finish the Ferret's Unit Marking!
Photo .4: The finished hand-painted Unit Marking. The Restoration is now COMPLETE!
Military and WartimeMilitary and wartime antiques and memorabilia includes an enormously wide v…
Another great posting Steve, looking good, thanks for sharing this ongoing progression . LOVE the finished project. :-)
I cannot fathom how you guys did such a fabulous job on this historic restoration in such a short amount of time. Great job!!!
mustangtony, vetraio50, kerry10456 thanks for the "love it's" and kind comments. mustangtony....I don't want you thinking we are superhuman or anything like that, the project was actually near finished when I posted the first photo's. We normally document our restorations with video and photographs, it has taken me this long to sort out the material and do the presentation and writeup......these thing take time, as do restorations. (all up, 18 months hard graft went into this project...these have just been the highlights! I didn't want to bore the good members of Collectors Weekly too much ;)...the photo's ran into 1000's and the videoes many hours!)
Heres the link for our ferret "Road Run" (When it was fully restored):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWV08yidTFU&feature=plcp
Great video Hems - Looks like all that sweat and hard work pays off in funtime.
Magnificent job Steve. All it needs is an o.d. coloured v-ass on top with a Brit. flag or flowers. Give my appreciation to your brother & the rest of the guys. What is your encore? Always hated finishing a project because then you have to decide what is next.
Bravo!!! Very interesting, this series, and most impressive. Hems, were you yourself in the military?
Many thanks for kind comments mikko!
As to your question: I was never "active" mil, but my "artistic" abilities were used & abused in a mil setting that I can't even begin to THINK of discussing without the "men in black" pulling on their gloves to come pay me a visit, to refresh my memory that many moons ago I signed the Official Secrets Act 1911! LOL ;)
OH, the "dread" Official Secrets Act! Heard it referred to as the "Gestapo Act". In reference to the military, - Don't go, - just send your money! As stated before, when things look bad, I wear my old dog-tags so that I remember that things can always be worse! LOL
blunderbuss2: Thanks for your, as ever, insightful comments! Lol! I'll certainly pass your kind comments on, or the chaps can come to CW and read them for themselves! As to the next project...already on it! ;) The day I havn't got a project will be the day they're nailing the lid down...and even then I'm sure there will be unfinished projects laying all around! It makes my skin crawl when I hear people whine "I'm BORED!"....I just can't relate to that, and I'm sure you're the same!!!!
Here's to the next project! Oh yes...any more news on the "Bronze Cannon deep dive revovery" you've got running? (I did read your latest comment on my Lost Guns of Jersey post)
Steve, right now I' trying to organize an all girl snorkeling group to locate the bloody thing. We joked about selling entrance fees to the tourists but wiser minds took hold. I'm going to turn this into a fun thing. Hoping to get away but tomorrow is out now. Should have a few days off afterwards. Damned flying machines! They want me to fly in this thing but I keep telling them I promised my mother that I would never fly in anything I worked on. They are getting insistent so I may have to flee to another island for a day. I am insisting that I get paid before the test flight & will sign the logbooks after. They don't seem to be buying it.
Blunderbuss2...lol. All girl bikini clad recovery group?!...sounds real good, just wouldn't work in British waters (it's the weather you know!). Re: the airyoplane thingies.. just leave a spanner in the works, that'll bring their party to a screeching halt....hmm...but there again, perhaps not a good idea if YOU are taking the test flight! Perhaps that's WHY they are insisting you go! Have you given them "cause for concern"? LOL. Another island refuge for a few hours sounds the best move..just insist!
I'm sure that you'd be an asset to any service, Hems. : )
Steve, think the head of my snorkeling crew will be the kraut girl. Don't worry, I will keep weapons out of her reach but out of my reach I haven't arranged yet. I successfully avoided flying in that plane. I just fired the next client & told him if I worked on his plane, he better be a good swimmer. Bad attitude that one.
Anyway, sand is out of the bay & good time to search. Seas are high which may give the kraut & me some time at my house(I hope). hey, we're on island time! Remind me what we were looking for in that bay?
BRONZE NAVAL CANNON!....cummon blunderbuss2! focus....I know it's holiday season, the girlfriend is away and you have a bikini clad Germanic Dive Master BUT....focus.......pleeeeese?
I'm off on my travels again, probably away from CW until after Xmas...so speak again then.
TTFN; Steve
Thanks Mikko for that kind comment. Happy Christmas and Peaceful New Year to to you and yours, and to all CW Members!
Steve
See you when you get back. I'm sure I can suffer thru with the kraut until you get back. Just don't expect instant replies when you return.
Hi blunderbuss2...I'm Back...had a cracking Christmas! Hope you did too! Best wishes for the New Year! Looking forward to those Cannon being recovered from the watery "deep"!
Steve
Got invited to a little tropical isle for Xmas. All expenses paid. I little island in the lagoon! Weather was hotter than home, and I could see home from there.
Welcome back and best wishes for das nieu jar. Funny you should mention the bronze cannon. I gave up on Whacky Jacky coming up with an all girl snorkeling team, so asked a couple of hard-tail friends. Just mailed them asking if this weekend was good for them. Keep you posted.
For anyone interested and to save you searching around here are all the active links to the previous Collectors Weekly Posts of the "Ferret Restoration":
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/69281-daimler-ferret-restoration-no-1
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/69417-daimler-ferret-restoration-no-2
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/70642-daimler-ferret-restoration-no-3
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/71341-daimler-ferret-restoration-no-4
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/71622-daimler-ferret-restoration-no-5
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/72318-daimler-ferret-restoration-no-6
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/72591-daimler-ferret-restoration-no-7
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/74484-daimler-ferret-restoration-no-8
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/75662-daimler-ferret-restoration-no-9
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/76500-daimler-ferret-restoration-no-10-final
Here is the link for the Bren Gun on the Ferret:
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/71707-bren-light-machine-gun
Here is a link for the Browning .30 Cal Machine Gun on the Ferret:
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/69385-ww2-browning-30-mg
Here is a link for the Mills Grenades on the Ferret:
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/80689-daimler-ferret-restoration-mills-grenad
Thanks to all who have checked out the posts over the weeks and to those that left kind messages and support.
Much appreciated!
Steve