Glan's pages:

1. Onslow the Series 2 Gunbuggy
       
2. Daisy the Series 2a GS 88"
     
3. What makes it a Gunbuggy?

My Gun Buggy is called Onslow after I purchased my 2a GS, well my wife called the pair Onslow and Daisy after the TV characters on keeping up appearances and it stuck. . It was purchased in 2001 just before I retired, as a retirement project, and I promised my wife faithfully that it would be finished well within two years. I dare say it's a male thing to make these rash statements when our masculine ability is challenged.

Anyway when we got her (gunbuggy) back to Brisbane, closer inspections showed that she was in better condition than first thought, the only rust visible was in the rear cross member, all the outriggers and other rust traps were stable and well covered with about 200 coats of paint, applied by brush by countless soldiers, idle between exercises, over the vehicle's 34 year military career.

When the predicted two years completion date came around, the vehicle had been stripped, important parts rubbed back and then professionally sandblasted, (surprisingly, no markings of any significance were discovered at all,) and she now stood in a million bits in various boxes, cupboards, under, on, and in any storage spots around the garage and garden shed. Life went on. We travelled in our caravan for a bit, attended various grand children's and relative's functions as one does, ranging from Tassie to Townsville (not in a logical order either) and in between trips fiddled with little bits on the old rover. The thought of having to paint this thing in a fairly closely populated suburb without offending neighbors with over-spray, noise and the undisguisable aroma of thinners was daunting, so it sat for bout 3 years or so.

About 5-6 years after purchase and a chance meeting with the avid local "Military vehicle historian" known to you all as "Firey" I was cajoled and encouraged to bite the bullet and get on with it. Using a low-pressure spray gun set-up, all the bits were gathered together and painted. The household Discovery was kicked outside for a week or two and the gunbuggy took over. All my previous over-spray doubts disappeared, as any that did occur, wiped off, being pretty well dry by the time they landed.

Body parts were painted then refitted, gearbox refitted, and the original seized motor sent off to a friend of ours for refurbishment. Bored out then sleeved, and rebuilt from the ground up she now runs original pistons and rings and shouldn't give any welsh plug problems in my lifetime. Original radiator (perfect condition), new brake and clutch piping and cylinders (slave and master) fitted, shoes that came with it were near new. All have now been refitted and she looks like a bought one.

I have done most of this project myself and have surprised myself with some of my home made parts (mudguard front, gardening tool brackets, Tac sign envelopes, and a few other ADE built parts that aren't available anywhere outside ADE) and am quite proud of them, BUT I haven't had much to do with (yuk) petrol engines since I drove one of these things in the flesh, and the engine electrics have stopped me cold. I think I have nearly all the parts, but putting them together without causing massive 'spark outbreaks' is the only remaining step before we zap off into the registration maze.

The only other problem I have is fitting behind the wheel nowadays, I am not quite the fit young body I was in the 60's, but I suppose that isn't really a Land Rover problem.

This whole project has been quite an eye opener for me. I had read where 300odd man hours were spent modifying a short base Land Rover into a 106 carrier and I accepted this blindly without much thought, but now having stripped and rebuilt said beast I fully appreciate the design skill and manufacturing ability of the boffins at ADE. I am constantly amazed at the number of parts that I took for granted that were designed and manufactured specifically for this vehicle and bear the ADE stamp and identifying numbers.

I have carried on this process with the parts I have replicated, stamping them with the original ADE codes followed by an oblique, then my own identifying number, and entertain myself with the thought that on this site in another 34 years time, members will be discussing some unfathomable identifying numbers on an old Land Rover that some one is doing up.

One other item that I would dearly love to find is the original "AB417" that accompanied this vehicle through its service life, but I have no idea where to start looking for such an item. It would be great to be able to bring this vehicle's 'log book' up to the current date.

I must thank;

"Red" of Metalpro (sandblasting) Kingston

Chris of RLC Engine Reconditioning of Capalaba

Plus a number of my mates from the 87 Tpt Pl assoc. and others who have offered assistance though-out the project,

Members of REMLR who have (possibly sometimes unknowingly) offered valuable data and photos, and 'Firey' for his assistance and encouragement.