The Lightweight managed to attend Billing, displayed on the Lightweight Club stand on the Friday. The engine worked well enough, though it didn’t seem terribly powerful, struggling to maintain 50 mph on some of the hills, but maybe that’s normal – I have become so used to Tdi performance from the 109 and RRC that my expectations may be unrealistic. We heard a bit of banging from the transmission each time we came to a halt nearing home on the return trip, and it sounds similar to when the 109’s hand brake was adjusted a click or two too tight, so hopefully it’s nothing more than that. The other likely cause would be a failed prop shaft UJ, so again, nothing too serious. It’s still leaning left and making the occasional bang from the rear end taking up drive. The springs look clean and new and the bushes appear to be intact – I asked the MoT inspector to have a good poke around on the test and he couldn’t see anything that was causing either issue, but I suspect a bush or two. Given the “toy” status of the vehicle, it’s not a high priority as we are now preparing to move house and have plenty of other things to be getting on with.
Something that did become apparent at Billing was how much was missing from the Lightweight. Not the radios themselves – we didn’t want those when we bought it as they take up too much space, but the external fittings. The tailgate was missing all of its pioneer tool fixings, which we had already been aware of, but parked next to vehicles with their kit attached, ours looked remarkably bare. It also looked a bit bare from the front with only the one antenna mount and no antenna itself. All of that is being rectified – I have fitted all of the pioneer tool mountings (save for one of the pick axe head rubber strips, which is in the post) and have just given a second antenna box its second coat of NATO green paint. I got one antenna with the new box, but a second antenna is in the post with the rubber strip. The pioneer tools themselves have been cleaned and painted ready for fitting (I kept it simple, like the squaddies on jankers would have, and just painted the pickaxe head black and the handle and shovel in green only).  I have also bought a new pair of rear reflectors and need to get some rubber strips to mount them below the cross member (we have fog lights, so below the bumperettes is the correct location). How many MoT tests have been passed with the reflectors missing is anyone’s guess, but I want the vehicle to be “right”. The number plate mounts will also get done, with the hinged flap and a set of MoD plates with the vehicle’s original number (we have the military providence records) and most likely a new front bumper as the current one is a bit buckled.
Personally I think the less on it the better. And things outside are just asking to be pinched.
In mine, everything has to have some practical purpose, or more than one if possible.
And if two things do the same job, take the more useful. If they’re identical, take the lightest.
That has been my general philosophy on the 109, Criggie, but the Lightweight is being refitted to the same mechanical and external specification as it would have had in service – even the FFR ignition system will eventually be refitted when the faulty components can be identified and replaced, leaving the only non-original spec part of the vehicle the rear load bay, where those two seats occupy the space originally used by the radio equipment. The removal of these external parts by a previous owner was the modification; what I am trying to do is a partial restoration.
Nick.