Transplants & Quandries
 

Hi all

Firstly the transplant. Will a 1943 F15 cab fit onto a 1944 F15A chassis?

Secondly the quandry. Do I want to restore an F15 which will mean rotating the engines from one to the other. I like the 4wd capability of the F15A but to use this chassis with a different cab alters the original dynamics thereby destroying its original provenance.

:confused Bob :confused

Part 2
 

G'Day Bob
I'm not realy sure what it is you are asking with the second part of your question.
I take it you have an F15 with a good cab & stuffed engine, plus an F15A with a stuffed cab & good engine?
and you want to use the good bits from the F15 to complete the F15A?
HH
Always ready to offer an opinion.

Clarification
 

Hi Howard - the cab on the F15 is in farther better condition. Its engine is a runner. The engine in the F15A has had new waterpumps fitted and is also a runner. I'll be doing a compression test on both engines to see which is the better. Since my last post I thought that if the F15 engine seems better I could easily change the waterpumps over. The F15A also came with a restored radiator whilst the F15 does not have one.

So F15 or F15A?

Bob

To A or not to A...
 

Personally, I'd go the F15. The A's look more agressive sitting up higher etc but after driving Max's C15, a good 2wd the one I'd go for.
Also, the 2wd is a good conversation starter. When I've displayed my old girl at shows, etc, a lot of people start the conversation with either "I didn't know they made a 2wd blitz!" or " Gee, it is sitting a lot lower than the other (Tony's) truck"
Then do the F15A once the F15 is completed.
And have them both ready for Corowa!
Cheers
H

Bob I'd agree with Howard. Unless you want something that will go anywhere I too would go for the 2 wheel drive. Be less costly on gas and you could use it as a regular pickup truck monogrammed with your "Salesman Bob' logos :D :note:

Chassis
 

I'd also be considering the condition of the chassis and general wear and tear on the rest of the drivetrain.
The cab will fit easily; if you decide to go with the F15A you can just bolt the best bits on rather than changing the whole cab.

Do you have a suitable rear body?

Hi Bob, since you have both of them, you could check the inner mudguards. I believe they are different as the non-driven front axle has a larger steering angle?

If you have the luxury of owning both types, restore them both. Don't go about swapping major parts from a restorable truck if you have another option.

Regards,
Hanno

Suitable Rear Body
 

Hi Keefy - the answer is yes. The first two images are the F15A and it has a brass tag on the passengers side rear scripted 1203 2CI 5319. It is missing the tailgate but I also picked up the spare wheel carrier seen in the rear.

The second body is on the F15 but I have to dig this truck out to see if there is an ID tag.

I did not want to restore both and will need to move one on to fund the other. The money tree here is quite sick and I know Ada will say how many B@#$%Y trucks do you want. Fair enough.

Bob

Inner guards
 

Quoting Hanno:

That is the case with the Chevrolet version but not the Ford.

Lucky you, Bob - two 2C1 bodies on Ford blitzes. :thup: :thup2:

Lucky Bob?
 

Hi Keefy - so it is good that I have two CI bodies? The trouble is that I don't want two and given some responses I will probably restore the F15. That will leave the F15A with the CI body without the tailgate. Perhaps someone might make me an offer. However I have a contact who has just replicated a tailgate and who knows my mate Colin could even do one off a template.

Salesman Bob

Bodies
 

Really any CMP rear bodies are good to have!

And our mate Colin could no doubt replicate about 20 on a even on a bad day with one hand tied behind his back and his eyes closed.

Thanks, that's good to know.

H.

Rims
 

Hi all - new quandry. The first image is of the rims that I like on the F15A. The second image is of the rims on the F15, the one I am going to restore. Can someone explain the two different types and would the F15A rims be appropriate for the F15. In case the images get confused the F15A rims have the extension piece.

:confused Bob

Rims
 

Rather looks like you have 20" rims on the F15A and 16" on the F15, which is what both trucks should have. The 20" rims should fit the F15 OK but don't use 12.00-20s or it will (a) look ridiculous and (b) rub on the pitman arm on full lock.

Bob,

You mean the lifting slings on the hubs? They are a late feature and only fit the front wheel drive axle.

H.

Rims
 

Hi all - both trucks have 16" rims.

Hanno - what years do you class as a "late feature"? Both sets of rims are an eight stud pattern so I will have to see if they are interchangeable.

Bob

The two wheel drives turn sharper so there's a bit of difference on the inside of the wheel wells to give more clearance. Other than that they're the same.

Bob the rims themselves will fit either vehicle but the hub centres ie the sling lifting centres will only fit onto the front driven axle & not the non driven front axle.

The angle of the dangle
 

The angle of the pic made the first one look like it had 20" rims.

Incidentally there are very few F15As here with lifting slings. The 3 tonners here with lifting slings usually had canvas doors but for some reason the late pattern Ford F15As retained their Canadian steel doors.

Late feature
 

1944-45 pattern.

Final Decision
 

Hi all - thank you all for your responses to this thread. I will bow to popular opinion and keep the original wheels on the F15. However the livery will be Light Stone and badged the same as Tony's Jeep that being a South Australian unit the 2nd-10th who served in the Middle East. Probably not correct but I would like a desert truck.

Bob

Desert vehicles
 

Hey Bob

Good news, But don't forget the Jeep leads the convoy. They will look great on Anzac Day. Oh and also on the next troop train re enactment :thup2:

Cheers

Tony :no4:

Unit I/D
 

Hi all - discussing with Tony today re. which unit I will dedicate the truck to, I thought it more appropriate to use my old unit of the 27th Battalion. Tony, you have done all the SA unit research, what do I need?

Bob

That's what I thought, but according to Keith:
H.

Bob, great choice on the F15 but I do not understand you having to bow to popular opinion. Apart from the fact that I think you are not the kind of guy who bows under social pressure, the 16" wheels (rims) are the same between all CMP's, either 4x2's, 4x4's, Fords, Chevys.

As explained, the '44-'45 hub was fitted with lifting slings, not much more than a circular plate bolted to the hub. As front wheel drive hubs differ from the non-driven front hubs, one cannot exchange them.

HTH,
Hanno

2nd 27th Battalion
 

Bob

Good choice mate I was attached to 10th Battalion for 3 years and you were with the 27th Battalion both battalions were later amalgamated as the 10/27th Battallion. So in fact either Tac Plates would be OK to use as both served as part of the 7th and 9th Division in WW2 in the Western Desert before being recalled and sent to New Guinea to protect Australia from a Japanese invasion of Australia. Here is some further history of your 2/27th Battallion.

The headquarters of the 2/27 Battalion opened for the first time at Woodside in South Australia on 7 May 1940. On 19 October the battalion left Woodside, by train, for Melbourne where it sailed for overseas on 21 October. After a brief stop in India en-route, the 2/27th disembarked in Egypt on 24 November and moved straight to Palestine to complete its training.

As part of the 21st Brigade of the 7th Australian Division, the 2/27th’s first operational assignment of war was to bolster the defences along the Egypt-Libya frontier against an expected German attack. It occupied positions at Maaten Bagush and Matruh throughout much of April and May 1941, before returning to Palestine in preparation for its first offensive operation - the invasion of Syria and Lebanon, which began on 8 June.

The 2/27th was employed in the drive north along the Lebanon coast but most of its operations were outflanking moves in the hills that edged the coastal plain. Its major actions were at Adloun on 11 June, Miyeoumiye on 13-14 June and around El Boum, as part of the battle of Damour, between 6 and 9 July. After the armistice of 12 July, the 2/27th remained in Lebanon as part of the Allied garrison until 11 January 1942.

After sailing from Egypt on 30 January 1942, the 2/27th disembarked in Adelaide on 24 March. The battalion’s stay in Australia, however, was brief. On 14 August it arrived at Port Moresby in Papua, and by 6 September it was in position at Mission Ridge on the Kokoda Trail preparing to meet the relentless advance of the Japanese.

Cheers

Tony :no4: :no4: