1941 Carlow Ford Armoured Car Mk VI

In 1941 Thomas Thompson & son of Carlow were given the contract to produce

21 armoured cars mark 6 after the sucess of the Leyland armoured car mark 5

which were fitted with Peerless turrets

The main difference of the mark 6 was the turret which was manufactured on the style

of the Landsverk armoured car to hold the more reliable .303 Vickers Heavy Machine Gun

The lightly armoured body which was made from boiler plate was fitted to the

21 new Ford chassis which were available at the time

A further 7 were made from with drawn in service ford lorries bringing the total to 28

It was powered by a V8 Ford 3,621cc 85hp petrol engine on a Ford 122inch chassis

Top speed being 45mph and had a range of approx 150miles

Used by the Armoured Car Troops of the Calvary during the emegency (WW2)

on border patrol as its primary role

and

it remained in service again on border patrol until 1970 after being replaced by

the Panhard Armoured Car

the mark 6 is the longest serving armoured vehicle of the Irish Army and deserves

its place in the history books of this Isle

They also seen active service in 1961 in the Belgian Congo with the UN as part of ONUC

 There are only 4 now believed to be left in existence

One zealously guarded in Calvary Barracks Ireland featured below

One in Collins Barracks which came from the Cobbaton Collection from Preston Issac

one in private hands in Shropshire condition unrestored

and of course the one hear now in the North

The Armour ed Car was built from a Fordson E88T lorry, a very rare vehicle to find these days

like the one pictured below.

The very distinctive wings, headlamps and wheels still visible in the armour ed car.

The return and recovery

Now back in Ireland albeit the North

and the restoration begins

Finaly ready for display

some minor restoration to complete

Awaiting new tyres and a few parts to complete

the restoration inside and out