[Ivor Ramsden]

This gem is my new restoration project for the Manx Aviation and Military Museum. Part of the museum is the regimental museum of the 15th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA (TA), who used CDSWs in England, Eritrea and North Africa as the light ack-ack unit of the 7th Armoured Division. I help to run the museum which is a charity run by volunteers and I'm providing my time for restoring the vehicle free of charge. My last MV restoration was a Morris C9/B SP Bofors which is now in the museum.

Mechanically the vehicle seems to be very good, with an incredibly sweet zero-miled engine. However the bodywork, although new, will have to be started again from scratch as it's completely wrong. I've collected a number of photos including some excellent factory shots from the Tank Museum so I've got a good idea what I'm up against but I need all the help I can get with this because I don't want to get it wrong.

Does anybody know if a vehicle exists with its original LAA tractor body? All of the restored vehicles seem to be inaccurate to some extent.

I've got a driver's handbook but I don't have a workshop manual or parts book for the CDSW. The CS8 manual is useful but it doesn't cover the 5-speed box, the winch or the back axles. Has anybody got a CDSW manual or a parts book that they could copy for me?

I'll be doing a restoration blog on the Historic Military Vehicles Forum if you're interested.

Please tell us everything you know about CDSWs!