Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Private_collector]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

With those weeping gaskets . I wonder if you use Permatex gasket sealant . I think No. 3 Permatex is the non-hardening stuff. It's excellent stuff . It's available at most auto parts shops .

Mike, I bought some of that gasket stuff yesterday. No time to try until Saturday though. Damned if it dont smell like molasses!

[Private_collector]

Bloody rippa!

Disassembled the steering box again yesterday, and put it back together with fresh gaskets. This time I coated the surfaces of gasket & metal with lashings of sealant. This morning, I anxiously checked for leaks before leaving for work, and found NOTHING untoward.

Now, every gasket I replace will have this treatment. I have never used sealant before, but won't do any future work without it.

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

Bloody rippa!

Disassembled the steering box again yesterday, and put it back together with fresh gaskets. This time I coated the surfaces of gasket & metal with lashings of sealant. This morning, I anxiously checked for leaks before leaving for work, and found NOTHING untoward.

Now, every gasket I replace will have this treatment. I have never used sealant before, but won't do any future work without it.

That is good news Tony . My neighbour uses that Permatex on just about everything , including head gaskets - but I wouldn't recommend it for that purpose . He even uses it on tubeless tyre rims , before assembly he smears a coating of it around the rim and it seals any potential leaks . I found that Its great for water pump gaskets , sump gaskets and timing covers too Mike

[hrpearce]

I've used locktite no.3 for years. I cut a lot of gaskets out of cerial boxes and have never had a falier. You can use it sparingly on shim packs also to get a good seal without adding thickness.

[Private_collector]

I found this excellent site for Australian Military History resources.
There is a VERY impressive range of books, DVDs, etc...

http://regimental-books.com.au/index.php

They even had a copy of a book about my fathers infantry battalion. A book I had not seen anywhere else except in my bookcase.

Well worth a look, for anyone who has a relative who served. Mostly Australian resources, but there are some New Zealand and other commonwealth offerings as well. Enjoy!

[Private_collector]

Well, with fellow MLUer Andy Cusworth, I have spent a great chunk of today gathering some small parts I need for my reuild. Some of the things I got include:

• Pair of front shocks complete with the rods to the axles

• Hand brake lever and some of the mechanism that I was missing.

• The sunshine roof I was talking about some time ago.

• Bumper bar, badly bent, BUT has very good D shackles and the correct mounting hardware for the nudge bar........also with good nudge bar......and set of bumper bar to frame brackets....unbent & unmolested, thankfully. Didn't get it for the bar, just the brackets and other hardware.

Instead of trying to remove the roof panel from the rotted out cab floor it was attached to, I was offered to take the whole chunk, which I did. I noticed when I got it home that there is a substantial bracket assembly on passenger side of cab rear roof & rear lower panel. It has two round collars which I assume are intended to slip something tubular down into them. What is this bracket meant to be used with?? I'll try to remember to take a photo of it tomorrow (i'm on holidays this week). The inside of cab still has the piece that the door curtain bag attaches to, and I hope to save this for later use. Also has the two weapon clips inside, BUT they are different to each other, with the smaller size being on passenger side. We wondered if the smaller size on passenger side was for a Bren Gun? The rifle butt blocks are the metal rectangular type, and both are quite advanced in state of decay. One would be useful as a pattern for new ones, the other would be useful for contracting tetanus only!

The most exciting find is an absolutely PERFECT condition window frame! It is a passenger side, but I dont see any reason why it cannot have the lower section reversed and made to then fit driver side..............which I desperately needed! Did I mention it is entirely without rust, straight as a die and flat all around. That was incredible really, because it was sitting right alongside the other frame (both removed from the truck aeons ago) which was completely eaten away with rust all along the lower section. Guess that one gave its life so that the one I got could live.

P.S: Found the steering box STILL weaps oil through the sector shaft adjusting thread cap and locking ring. I already slopped these with gasket sealant, so no more stuffing around. Bought a tube of the 'semi grease' that someone mentioned here once.
A specially produced grease for vintage (read as leaky) steering boxes and gear cases! Take that, evil steering box.

[hrpearce]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

there is a substantial bracket assembly on passenger side of cab rear roof & rear lower panel. It has two round collars which I assume are intended to slip something tubular down into them. What is this bracket meant to be used with??:

Tony is this the bracket?
http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=9269