*This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(tm) Pro*
-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Bauer <tomb@ccpl.carr.org>
To: Military Vehicles List <mil-veh@uller.skylee.com>
Date: 28 January 2000 22:57
Subject: [MV] unknown vehicle
>can someone identify this vehicle from this very limited description ??
>i was told it was a jeep type vehicle made for the korean war.
>manufactured in england by austin healey with a gas RR engine, 5 speeds
>forward and reverse, four wheel drive, weighs 3800 lbs. not an armored
>vehicle.
>
If as Jim Gilmore has suggested this is a FV1801/2 Austin Champ it is likely
rare in the US but quite abundant here, the vehicle was spawned from the W.W.II
use of the jeep and intended as a modernised 1/4 ton utility vehicle. It was
designed to a committee spec for a CT (combat truck) vehicle and became very
over-complicated and hugely expensive therefore.
They proved very unreliable in mil service with failures of the strange rear
axle/transfer system and the steering shaft. Copious mod instructions and
further sums were spent trying to fix these shortcomings and other service
criticisms until production finished in 1955 with 12,000 made, by 1966 all had
been sold off and replaced by the Land Rover.
More gently used in private hands the transmission woes are not too prevalent
but a stock of rear axles is desirable, the 80hp of the RR B40 engine is almost
too much for it and like the US Mutt of a similar period the fully independent
suspension devoid of any roll-bars (sway-bars) had many involved in roll overs.
As designed the whole vehicle is submersible to 6½ feet with the engine intake
snorkel raised (all RR B Range engines are submersible as supplied) provided the
driver has sub-aqua equipment and the electrical connections are all contained
in sealed units making life fun for the restorer/collector. They also have a
serious propensity to rust.
Richard
(Southampton UK)
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Feb 21 2000 - 18:15:16 PST