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bob morrison
- Thread starter viper-30
- Start date
Bob
Trekker
Terry,
Apologies for not replying to your e-mails - a whole stack of them had been diverted into my Quarantine Pen, probably because my filters picked up something they thought was suspicious on one of them.
I have had a good search through my files for your vehicle, but no joy I'm afraid. From the lighting set-up and colour scheme I would suspect that it was the Government & Military Ops 90 demonstrator for the 86/7 show seasons. The first of these that I borrowed was F639RDU, which was the 88/9 demo 90. Usually they replaced the standard 90 & 110 demonstrators every two years as British Army Equipment Exhibition and Satory (France) were bi-annual shows at which they liked to have shiny new vehicles to capture the punters' attention.
Although a window hard top FFR , rather than soft top FFR, the later vehicle is quite similar to your one, including the convoy lighting system, but note that the doors are one-piece.
Bob
Apologies for not replying to your e-mails - a whole stack of them had been diverted into my Quarantine Pen, probably because my filters picked up something they thought was suspicious on one of them.
I have had a good search through my files for your vehicle, but no joy I'm afraid. From the lighting set-up and colour scheme I would suspect that it was the Government & Military Ops 90 demonstrator for the 86/7 show seasons. The first of these that I borrowed was F639RDU, which was the 88/9 demo 90. Usually they replaced the standard 90 & 110 demonstrators every two years as British Army Equipment Exhibition and Satory (France) were bi-annual shows at which they liked to have shiny new vehicles to capture the punters' attention.
Although a window hard top FFR , rather than soft top FFR, the later vehicle is quite similar to your one, including the convoy lighting system, but note that the doors are one-piece.
Bob
Attachments
Bob
Trekker
" which may account for the odd rear lights side opening tail gate and a n.a.s style swing away wheel carrier "
This style of convoy lighting was common military specification for other NATO nations at the time (see my Norgie SIII feature in March issue of LRM - out 6th Feb), so it was logical for Solihull to kit out their demonstrators this way to appeal to potential foreign buyers at defence expos. Many countries also preferred side-swinging tailgates over drop-down, so same applies for this.
Don't read anything into the next one down the line going to Turkey - the one before might have gone to a municipal sewerage works!!! Even when batches of vehicles destined for the same military user were going down the production line, it was not uncommon to find civilian vehicles, and even different models, in between them.
If the vehicle going to Turkey was military specification and was not despatched as a CKD (completely knocked down) kit, it was probably one of the ones which went to Otokar, who were in the early stages of their plans to licence-build Ninety/One-Ten at this time.
Bob
This style of convoy lighting was common military specification for other NATO nations at the time (see my Norgie SIII feature in March issue of LRM - out 6th Feb), so it was logical for Solihull to kit out their demonstrators this way to appeal to potential foreign buyers at defence expos. Many countries also preferred side-swinging tailgates over drop-down, so same applies for this.
Don't read anything into the next one down the line going to Turkey - the one before might have gone to a municipal sewerage works!!! Even when batches of vehicles destined for the same military user were going down the production line, it was not uncommon to find civilian vehicles, and even different models, in between them.
If the vehicle going to Turkey was military specification and was not despatched as a CKD (completely knocked down) kit, it was probably one of the ones which went to Otokar, who were in the early stages of their plans to licence-build Ninety/One-Ten at this time.
Bob
Does anyone know if Bob Morrison is still about? Last online in 2011 and I was trying to get in touch re: his Land Rover archive in 2024? Enquiry below, many thanks:
Hi Bob,
You don’t know me but I’ve been reading some of your forum posts and Land Rover articles online and it very much seems like you’re the man in the know when it comes to military Land Rover archive!
Back in 2010 I bought my first car, which was a Land Rover 90 ex MOD FFR. I was told when I bought it that it was ex RAF. The Landy has now been with us for 14+ years and is very much on of the family. It was stolen and very fortunately recovered again a couple of years ago and has since undergone a very smart restoration and is driving strong today.
The reason I’m getting in touch is because since the restoration, I’ve really wanted to find out more about the Land Rover’s military background. The chassis number is: SALLDVAC7AA267432 and I’ve managed to find the ERM, which is: 77KF43. Movement history shows the vehicle as NOT RAF, but rather going from HQ SQN 35 SIG REGT (V) on 16/04/1987 to HQ COY 4 MERCIAN on 19/05/1999 and then to DSG VEHICLES CATTERICK on 27/03/2008. Strangely the RLArchive v35 for the vehicle also shows sign off to 5 RRF on 16/04/87… the same date it was assigned to 35 signals, which I don’t quite understand but there you go.
What I’d really love to find though is any stills archive or photographs of my Land Rover back in the military and so far, your photographs from the following article have by far been the closest match: https://www.joint-forces.com/land-rovers/13961-military-land-rovers-pt-2-the-ninety
In this one article you have: 77KF83, 77KF70 & 78KF76 and so I thought I’d get in touch on the very slim off chance that maybe you had 77KF43 somewhere in your collection? If not, are you aware of any military Land Rover archives that might be a good place to start looking?
Many thanks for both your time and consideration Bob. I hope you are well.
Best wishes
Hi Bob,
You don’t know me but I’ve been reading some of your forum posts and Land Rover articles online and it very much seems like you’re the man in the know when it comes to military Land Rover archive!
Back in 2010 I bought my first car, which was a Land Rover 90 ex MOD FFR. I was told when I bought it that it was ex RAF. The Landy has now been with us for 14+ years and is very much on of the family. It was stolen and very fortunately recovered again a couple of years ago and has since undergone a very smart restoration and is driving strong today.
The reason I’m getting in touch is because since the restoration, I’ve really wanted to find out more about the Land Rover’s military background. The chassis number is: SALLDVAC7AA267432 and I’ve managed to find the ERM, which is: 77KF43. Movement history shows the vehicle as NOT RAF, but rather going from HQ SQN 35 SIG REGT (V) on 16/04/1987 to HQ COY 4 MERCIAN on 19/05/1999 and then to DSG VEHICLES CATTERICK on 27/03/2008. Strangely the RLArchive v35 for the vehicle also shows sign off to 5 RRF on 16/04/87… the same date it was assigned to 35 signals, which I don’t quite understand but there you go.
What I’d really love to find though is any stills archive or photographs of my Land Rover back in the military and so far, your photographs from the following article have by far been the closest match: https://www.joint-forces.com/land-rovers/13961-military-land-rovers-pt-2-the-ninety
In this one article you have: 77KF83, 77KF70 & 78KF76 and so I thought I’d get in touch on the very slim off chance that maybe you had 77KF43 somewhere in your collection? If not, are you aware of any military Land Rover archives that might be a good place to start looking?
Many thanks for both your time and consideration Bob. I hope you are well.
Best wishes
If you hover your pointer over their name, a window should magically appear (OK, its not magic) with various information including when they were last seen.