Information needed on ex. Royal Marines Land Rover Wolf.

[ChrisSmith]

About a year ago I purchased an ex. Royal Marine Land Rover Wolf. I wasn't, and am still not, a great Land Rover fan but this Winterized and Waterproofed Wolf (7W) intrigued me. Being a relatively unknown, low numbered version with numerous bespoke modifications raised my interest enough to want to own one. Since then I have been busy restoring it to its original spec.

This Wolf was cast from service during December 2018 after it had been in storage for 11 years at TFSU (UK). I managed to get the service history using a MOD FOI request, this showed that it was with 1 AGRM 11 (AT) SQN, Instow for 2 years and it was then transferred to HMS Albion for 3 years prior to its storage at TFSU (UK).

The reason for me posting this thread is to hopefully get some answers to questions I have about the Wolf's operations and maintenance. There is very little publicly available information on the type and I believe I have acquired most of the MOD literature that is available through FOI requests. This literature includes part catalogues, service manuals and waterproofing preparation procedures.

Being as this is a military forum I wondered if there is any Royal Marines on here who worked with these winter/wader Wolfs and would be willing to share their knowledge of them? BTW, I don't think the information I need would be considered classified, just tell me if anyone knows otherwise.

Thanks in advance.

 

[CrabfatBILL]

Try Historic Military Vehicle Forum. What they don't know, they know how to find it..

CFB

 

[theoriginalphantom]

I was not a Marine, however we did have a few of these in 4 Med for AMFL troop (I think)

IIRC there were also several different versions as there is waterproofed and winterised as well as 'just' winterised.

The waterproofed version has your snorkel as well as the engine/electrical modifications and the headed screen and rear area. I remember being told there is also a fuel pre-heater.

 

[ChrisSmith]

Try Historic Military Vehicle Forum. What they don't know, they know how to find it..

CFB

Thanks, I will give them a go as well. I have tried a few places where they have an interest in these vehicles but I'm more interested in how they were used and why certain decisions were been made.

 

[ChrisSmith]

I was not a Marine, however we did have a few of these in 4 Med for AMFL troop (I think)

IIRC there were also several different versions as there is waterproofed and winterised as well as 'just' winterised.

The waterproofed version has your snorkel as well as the engine/electrical modifications and the headed screen and rear area. I remember being told there is also a fuel pre-heater.

Yes, the winter/wader has a Webasto pre-heater that also supplies radiators in the battery compartment and rear of the vehicle. The extents to which they 'waterproofed' these Wolfs was impressive. I have heard that they cost the MOD an extra 50% over and above what the standard Wolf cost.

 

[PapaGolf]

How much did it cost you?

 

[4(T)]

Only 5 years' service before being cast?

A high-readiness unit I was in struggled to keep 20+ year old wagons on the road. Meanwhile a civvy down the road had a mint condition unused specimen of the same type picked up at a disposal auction.

I never understood MoD's wastage of barely-used vehicles, especially the ones still in service and with full spares packs in the system.

 

[ChrisSmith]

How much did it cost you?

A lot of money Although, being a low use excellent example, it should retain a lot of its purchase price. Even freshly cast standard Wolfs are getting a good amount for the MOD at auction. Saying that there are many available at the moment that are ridiculously overpriced, buyer beware.

 

[fourteen2two]

I saw a couple at a classic car auction at Leominster. They had less than 1000km the clock and plastic sheets still on the seats. They went for 0ver £20,000.
Seems daft to me.
They also had a fair few older ones in the yard in various states, for the monthly 4x4 auction.

 

[ChrisSmith]

Only 5 years' service before being cast?

A high-readiness unit I was in struggled to keep 20+ year old wagons on the road. Meanwhile a civvy down the road had a mint condition unused specimen of the same type picked up at a disposal auction.

I never understood MoD's wastage of barely-used vehicles, especially the ones still in service and with full spares packs in the system.

My father-in-law thinks the same. When he was in the services he was responsible for maintaining One Tonnes, 105 guns and Land Rovers and could not believe the condition of my Wolf. Our theory is that due to the numerous differences that exist to standard Wolfs they would be an anomaly in the fleet that would cause issues hence their casting rather than transfer back into to active service. This is just a theory though, one of the things that would be good to get an answer to.

 

[Bubbles_Barker]

Only 5 years' service before being cast?

A high-readiness unit I was in struggled to keep 20+ year old wagons on the road. Meanwhile a civvy down the road had a mint condition unused specimen of the same type picked up at a disposal auction.

I never understood MoD's wastage of barely-used vehicles, especially the ones still in service and with full spares packs in the system.

Stand fast the operational impact but the MOD likes to get a good price for equipment disposals as they split it 50/50 with the auction house. Forecasting the fleet size, fielding and usage profiles of a platform over a number of decades is, like many other aspects of inventory management, something MOD has effectively kissed off for years.

ETA: I recall there are about 2000 too many 6T SV in storage - ideally that will be a G2G sale but some will find their way to auction.

 

[jbgaviation]

Do you have the Military Reg at all on any paperwork like the V5?

 

[fourteen2two]

I saw a couple at a classic car auction at Leominster. They had less than 1000km the clock and plastic sheets still on the seats. They went for 0ver £20,000.
Seems daft to me.
They also had a fair few older ones in the yard in various states, for the monthly 4x4 auction.

 

[Spanks]

About a year ago I purchased an ex. Royal Marine Land Rover Wolf. I wasn't, and am still not, a great Land Rover fan but this Winterized and Waterproofed Wolf (7W) intrigued me. Being a relatively unknown, low numbered version with numerous bespoke modifications raised my interest enough to want to own one. Since then I have been busy restoring it to its original spec.

This Wolf was cast from service during December 2018 after it had been in storage for 11 years at TFSU (UK). I managed to get the service history using a MOD FOI request, this showed that it was with 1 AGRM 11 (AT) SQN, Instow for 2 years and it was then transferred to HMS Albion for 3 years prior to its storage at TFSU (UK).

The reason for me posting this thread is to hopefully get some answers to questions I have about the Wolf's operations and maintenance. There is very little publicly available information on the type and I believe I have acquired most of the MOD literature that is available through FOI requests. This literature includes part catalogues, service manuals and waterproofing preparation procedures.

Being as this is a military forum I wondered if there is any Royal Marines on here who worked with these winter/wader Wolfs and would be willing to share their knowledge of them? BTW, I don't think the information I need would be considered classified, just tell me if anyone knows otherwise.

Thanks in advance.

View attachment 535832

I like the look of that.