Robin....
I've done exactly the same thing - mounted a rotating beacon light on the
antenna mount on the left rear of the turret. I found that Coleman's Surplus
had a Federal Signal 28V twin sealed beam lights with yellow dome for $20.00
(Item #201511)!! What a deal. This is a $120 light, if you can find it. It
took me about an hour to fabricate a base and complete the installation - I
used a disk of 3/4 marine plywood - and voila! Safety in the slow lane. You
will find that the light does a great job of shining ahead, probably about
15 Degrees to the right side of center. This gives ample warning ahead, and
of course the lamps cover over 180 degrees to the rear. I, too drive home
late after shows, and we have both discovered that the Ferret in it's
camouflage is not the easiest thing to see. The little lamps on the rear are
not all that bright, and the yellow beacon lights up everything when it's
on. Great minds think alike, Robin! I'm glad you posted this so others may
get the same thought. By the way, I am planning on having an OD canvas "bag"
made to put over the light when it's at a show, so as to not detract from
the overall camo effect.
Ian Wallace, Seattle
1960 Ferret Mk 2/3, safe at night...
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Military Vehicles List [mailto:mil-veh@skylee.com]On Behalf Of
> Robin Craig
> Sent: Friday, August 11, 2000 10:54 PM
> To: Military Vehicles List
> Subject: [MV] Flashing lights for MV safety, general issue
>
>
> Any one with a military vehicle has at one time or another had a
> close call
> with another civvy vehicle on the road. I know I have. Especially if you
> have driven yours at night. Those of us on this MV list will remember the
> bally hoo that followed the report of the camo MV vs. civvy
> vehicle lawsuit
> thread that ran for a while too.
>
> Anyway, as the owner of a MK 2/3 Ferret I was considering this issue
> closely, and have now come up with my way of discreetly mounting a good
> sized and well visible rotating / flashing amber warning light.
>
> My concerns were mainly based on the fact that at night the Ferret lights
> aren't that visible and I was deathly afraid of some yahoo planting me in
> the rear so too speak. The other concern, which if you know me
> well you will
> have heard before, no new holes on my vehicle. So with that in
> mind I put my
> thinking cap on as I beavered away at work and readily came up with a
> solution.
>
> On the left side of the hull on the upper part just below the
> turret ring I
> have a Number 31 Mk 2 antennae mount, this is the Clansman
> style that has
> an opening of aprox 5/16" and a butterfly nut to clamp onto the base once
> inserted into the mount. Also at that corner of the vehicle just
> inside the
> rear of the crew compartment is the aux power supply point. This
> location is
> also high enough that I will not see it in my rear view mirror
> all the time.
>
> I made up an aluminum ( aluminium ) base plate 6" square with a
> 5/16" round
> bar stock rod welded to the centre at 90 degrees. I made a hole thru the
> plate so that I could weld top and bottom for greater strength. I chose
> aluminum for the sake that its light and will not corrode. I rounded the
> corners off on the plate and spray painted it matt green. The light I have
> is from the Caterpillar dealership and is their part number
> 130-7580 and is
> infact a Britax part. It comes with three bolts projecting
> downward from the
> base and these bolt onto the plate very simply. It also comes
> with a coiled
> cord that is of a reasonable length. The important issue is that
> for my mind
> it is one of the best looking flashing lights around, good brightness and
> speed of rotation PLUS it will work on both 12 and 24 volts, which if you
> have multiple MV's of varying voltages is a benefit.
>
> The Caterpillar light comes with a rubber collar that you swap on
> or off the
> drive wheel for the beacon according to the voltage. The H1
> halogen bulb on
> the other hand will have to be changed from the supplied 12 volts to a 24
> volt one if you want it too last. 12v bulbs last about one half of one
> second on 24v, but boy do they burn bright! Your local good quality auto
> parts supplier should have them in stock, in Canada the Osram H1 in 24v
> costs me about 12 dollars.
>
> As I have fitted my Ferret with a short pigtail cord from the aux power
> socket with a Grote polarised two prong female plug. I have replaced the
> male socket from the Caterpillar light with a Grote connector to match my
> set up, infact all my aux power items now use it so I don't have to buy
> those expensive little Lucas two prong plugs.
>
> Now, to mount the light I remove the antennae and drop the base plate into
> the mount and clamp onto the rod, you will find that 5/16" is a micro hair
> too small and one wrap of the rod with plastic tape makes it a snug fit. I
> pass the cord thru the corner hatch and connect the light. I am fitting a
> torpedo style on off switch to the light cord just before the
> plug so that I
> can turn it off when not in motion as the vehicle electric's stay
> live after
> the ignition key is turned off.
>
> So there you go, for me as a welder this was a simple job, for the rest of
> you mere mortals........ well buy a welder a pint and he'll probably run a
> bead around you plate for you, or use mild steel and learn to braze.
>
> The Caterpillar light is not cheap if you have to pay full retail so look
> out, but it is a great looking light. If you have a threaded
> type amu then
> finding a fastener of the same thread and welding that to you base plate
> will serve the same purpose. Good luck.
>
>
> rgds
>
> Robin Craig, now clearly visible................
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