Le Temps des Series'

I have number 7 s11b forward control, it lives in the Charente! any news , views or comments about forward controls?

Hello there,

THere are very few FC in France. Firstly, the 101 have never been imported in France.
And the 109 and 110 FC are really not common. This comes, I think, from the fact these vehicules have never been used as special trucks for firemen, military or any high volume selling market.
Few times ago, some FC owners tried to count themselves ... and they came to 8 mixing 101, 109 and 110 FC and most of them are in Belgium !!

This count has been init on the best friend website landmania. If you're ready for french reading here are the 2 threads :


thread 1

thread 2


Most of these owners are active in this forum and more and more FC are on vogue ( ) ... so wait a few time for reaction.

I like a lot FC aesthetics ... hum I mean old picture of Civvy FC .... what a pity mechanics are so poor on these models !! Maybe an hybrid optimised (engine, transmission ...) could be a good issue !!! What do you think about that ??

One more quesiton ... have you been to Banneguon meeting ??

Bye
Aegedus

Hello

Just one thing Gilles: 101 is definitely not a SIIb.

There was 109 fc
and then 110 fc (IIB)

Those 2 vehicles are derivated from the "bonetted" Series' (Chassis, Axles, transmissions, engines, and body parts)

The 101 is a completely new vehicle, with the transmission and engine derivated from the Range Rover V8. Chassis, body parts, axles are completely different.

Just to precise. But your analysis of the rarity of those 3 kinds of vehicle in France sounds perfectly right !

My fc 110 2b is right hand drive (conduire a droit for the french), and as far as I could find out was retained by the factory for some years and possibly used as a test bed for other development. It was manufactured in the 60's but sold in the 70's. It was sold from the factory to a Mr Turner in nottingham, england, with no body fitted. When I restored it there was a lot of body filler in strange places, and under the filler was straight panels, so I repainted with no filler. Now it has a hydraulic tipper body on it and works for its living in france.

I did take it to Bannegon this year, there are photos published. After the sale to Mr Turner the trail went cold until I bought it 20 years ago from a scrap yard for 300 euros. It had been used for a mobile cement mixer, then a recovery jib was fitted. When I found it it was green with grass growing on it and had no wheels, otherwise complete. I complained about the price, and the seller gave me a new battery with it. we fitted the battery and it started. No brakes or clutch, so I dragged it home on a rope with my v8 landy, bit scary!!!!!!!!! (I did put some old 600 x 16 wheels on it!

When I restored it the only two panels that needed replacing were the two door tops, managed to rescue the rest. The engine was changed to a 2.5 landy diesel engine, the gearbox was changed to a s111 unit, and put on 750 tyres with wide rims. Now its not a bad little thing. I should also thank Annette for coming to the rescue prior to Bannegon with the gift of a new set of injectors as there was a nasty knocking noise coming from the top end. This has cured it with no reoccurrence.

Have spotted the links, thanks.

v8tomcat a écrit :.... (I did put some old 600 x 16 wheels on it!

...

What a fun !

It should look as a low-rider ! you should have go to a US hot rod show !

No with the 2 1/4 lt diesel engine it was definitely a low slow rider!!!!!!!!

Anonymous a écrit : No with the 2 1/4 lt diesel engine it was definitely a low slow rider!!!!!!!!

v8tomcat

Anonymous a écrit :v8tomcat

Is it you Jon ?
welcome in the LR Series lovers' forum Mister v8tomcat



Jérôme

Hi,

There are very few FC in France, I would say approximatly 80/100 vehicles.
Don't dream anyway....on this batch, I think than only 50% of them are still in use or alive, somewhere, all the other have been scrapped or are lying in breaker's fields, due to the specificities and the uggly appearance of these models ( 109 and 110 FC I mean).
If I'm right, all the imported vehicles have been sold to companies, especially EDF who used the majority of them in 3 versions :
* Simple cab with higher hood.
* Twin cab with hood
* and the best for the end: in Nuclear Sites, twin cab with a body made in fiberglass especially by Labbe...looks like a S2000 Santana...in worse!!

The DDE used also a very few in some départements.

Land Rover wanted, in the early 60's ( 1964/65 ) to increase its sales on the French Market (Continental) to the State Companies ,renaming these FC as "DE DION", an old French Carmaker. But it doesn't work at all.

To have a friend who owns a 6 cylinder dual-cab, I think it could be a fantastic vehicle.
But, as numerous Series, you have to keep (approx. ) the general appearance and to change some parts to increase the reliability.
That's my way of thinking...althought I kept my 101 genuine...but it's an other debate!

Cheers,

Fred

V8tomcat,
For SII Forward Control info have a look at the SII club website:-
http://www.series2club.co.uk
The experts are Mark & Ian Rumsey who own several FC's. Mark is the Club Technical Officer - on the site go to Links and Technical for an email address.
Hope this helps,
Michael.