Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Amigo on 28 September 2010, 00:36:51
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If you've looked at the pics on my Stockyard post you'll see a dark green C reg. Ford Consul Classic 315 in a couple of the pics. It has a 1965 reg but were'nt made after 1964. It has 1962 on the V5 so should have a 3 & 3 plate (pre reg). I know my old Fords pretty well but put it down to being shipped abroad & back later etc. Still did'nt seem right it should show a newer plate though. I'd also never seen a Classic in dark green. (original interior matches up) Think you can see where we're going here. At the Stockyard meet one person i know & two i did'nt told me it is either Wedgewood or goodwood green as specced by the British Army in sept 1962 when bought as a staff car. At the same time they bought Singers & Humbers from the then Rootes group for the same purpose in the same colour. It was de commissioned in 1965 in Leeds according to the JWT plate. Most were put back to civvy spec/colours & military history lost & are dead now anyway. Sadly the Beverly museum is gone as they researched vehicles & sent huge history files f.o.c. I've been on the MVT site & they will find the car if i send them £25. I will if i have too.
Does anyone have any experience/ideas on this please as although i'm an old Ford buff i'm not sure where to look next & am curious as to the car's early history. Guy.
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There are similar in the Morris Minor world aswell. Production ceased in 1971 but there are 5 1974 plated Mog's that I know of all in a similar military green paint job. Let me have a google for a pic ;)
Have a read.... http://www.govminors.mmoc.org.uk/gallery/index.html
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My father tells me they had several Austin 1800 "land crab" cars in olive green on his base as staff cars when he was in, on army DF 01 ** plates showing military origin. when these were eventually sold, they were given civvy plates, most of which were incorrect for the year of manufacture. This, apparently was common practice as the cars did very little mileage during their military life.
As a family, we had a mk2 Cortina Estate that was ex-military, it was in dark blue (ex-RAF) and had only done 12k miles, but although it was made in 1969, instead of being on an "G" plate (which would have been correct for the year) it was on a "J" plate, which of course could have been a mk 3 Cortina or a very late mk2.
We kept it for ages until a nice VX4-90 with rostyle wheels and twin headlights came along, and my dad preferred VX anyway.
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Jim may be able to help with some backround on the procurement process; :-/ :-/
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?action=viewprofile;username=6063670A0
I would have thought that MOD would have purchased vehicles destined for such purposes and that a central allocations department was responsible for dispersing them to Group/Corp level.
Where the history would lie would be anyone's guess. Certainly, if the military fleet or registration plate numbers were known the task may be easier.
Perversely, the easiest way to establish history is through unit archives although this can be very difficult should the unit designation remain unknown.
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Staff Cars are allocated according to rank of the officer to be driven in it, the first rank to get an offical staff car with driver would be a "Commanding Officer" or CO of a Regiment normally a Lt Col the word "Command" is the key to entilement to a staff car and driver.
Normally staff cars are classed as "Grade A" or "Grade B" with Grade A being for the most senior officer Maj Gen and above and Grade B for Brigadiers and below for example when I joined up Vauxhall Cavaliers where Grade B and Ford Granadas/Vauxhall Carltons being Grade A and all where gloss black with military number plates ie: 20 KF 30 and star plates would be fitted, the plate being red and the stars being brass and any flags also being fitted also Grade B staff cars would also be issued to Military Police units. There are also Grade C cars which are your utility cars when i joined it was Vauxhall Chevette Estates and Ford Escort Estates all Gloss Black.
I later years the Grade A cars where Rover 825 and then Vauxhall Omegas and the Grade B cars where Montegos and then Ford Mondeos/Ford Orions and the Grade C cars being Vauxhall Astra Estates and all grades of cars started to be issued in various colours and civilian VRN's due to the security threat at the time.
Today the MOD dosen't buy cars for Staff Cars they Lease them and have done since 1997/8 and the cars they use today are Vauxhall Vectras LS spec for Grade B and Vauxhall Signums/ VW Passats & some Toyota Avensis for Grade A, the Signums are coming to the end of there lease and are being replaced with Ford Mondeos Saloons the Vauxhall Insignia was ruled out as the rear doors have to much of a curve at the top and an officer getting out of one of these cars could not do so with his/her dress hat on so the Mondeo Saloon was chosen :o
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Cheers Jim. The plot thickens as the net closes. I bought the car this saturday For £1300 68k t&t June. The Stockyard meet, Rotherham/Donny was his maiden voyage. He made it there quite happily only to vomit water on the floor in front of everyone, but did'nt overheat, only needed a small top up & enjoyed the attention being the only Classic there. The carb is full of muck due to being run out of fuel, ok when warm but cannot be driven until then. On the way home he decided enough was enough & cut out on the M180 Scunny. Stop, go stop go, STOP!!! Carb was first suspect supect so breather off click solenoid, plenty of fuel. Dizzy cap off revealed no spark at points so to the coil which had the wrong type of lead...push on or screw???. Nothing i could do so the Beastie saved the day & dragged him the last few miles home where he rests in the sick bay now. One of the lads in the club i belong to had a classic before the lovely Biege Consul (1st pic.) & has donated & good radiator & carb foc...(what a star). Tomorrow after an earlier finish I'm ripping off the dizzy cap(which is a silly non push lead fitment) points,condensor, rotor arm, coil & new coil, taking the whole lot to Advance motors who are great with parts old & new to replace with a working set up so this weekend the ignition fault & the rad/carb shouls all be done. I'll recon the old carb properly with a new gasket kit, some fresh petrol in a baccy tin & a toothbrush. This will then be carried as a spare along with points etc. hoses, fan belt, fuel pipe, plugs/leads etc. etc. I could've driven him back otherwise.
Suffice to say the "The Colonel" won't be on parade this week!!!! Guy. :D
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Make sure you spit and polish before you pick me up in the morning, I have an early appointment ;D
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Make sure you spit and polish before you pick me up in the morning, I have an early appointment ;D
Will be ready Sir!!! :y