Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Private_collector]

Thanks Robert.

[Lynn Eades]

Tony, What is different about the crankshaft and the gudgeon pins?

[Private_collector]

The pins I had bought were either oversize OD, or there are at least two sizes. My set was too snug. The set yet to arrive are the correct OD. Not expecting to need to, I hadn't measured the pin size before I bought the first set.

The need for new crank is primarily due to the new piston rods, which have a locked individual bearing each rod, whereas the old one has lubrication holes for the old style rod bearings which were floating bearings of one pair for the two rods coming from each journal. Old crank = one oil hole per journal, New crank = 2 holes per journal. Use of the earlier crank with my 8BA rods would result in potential oil starvation to the rod bearings. Potentially a diabolical situation. Most of that I expect you would already know, and I write the above information more for clarity of others. As to what differences exist between Ford 8BA crank and the French ones, I am not aware of any physical differences, but the advantages of brand new crank VS old, shagged out one, is what I am thinking about. And for the French block, I might as well get the matching crank. Rumor has it that the materials were better quality anyway. That, and they are quite inexpensive at this time, with the best price found so far, being around the $200-$250 mark. That is price bought from USA. Shipping adds $$$ of course, which will always be the case regardless of which one I buy. Have not found anything comparable for sale new in Australia.

[Lynn Eades]

Tony I have sent an email. I still have many un answered questions about these seemingly simple engines.

[Private_collector]

Just bear in mind you have emailed someone even simpler than the engines!

[Private_collector]

Bought a good bumper yesterday. The bumper bracket attachment holes will have to be relocated because it's off a Chev. Compared with straightening one of my other ones, that's a piece of cake!

Also bought a driver side NOS tie rod end.
NOS Tie Rod End x1.jpg
Also got what I believe to be a gallows bracket. Vastly diferent from mine though. Entirely different mounting setup.
Gallows bracket 1.jpg Gallows bracket 2.jpg Gallows bracket 3.jpg

The chap I bought these from also has a couple of boxes of handed wheel studs for sale. There are a box of L or R threads, with a box of 20 costing $100. He also has wheel nuts to suit, but I didn't check if there were L as well as the R nuts. If interested, send me a PM, and I willsend you a name and phone number.
NOS wheel bolts & RH nuts.jpg

[Grant Bowker]

I'm curious whether you considered making a new bumper. At least in Canada, the correct section of steel (for Chev bumpers) is still available.
Advantages of making new - straight, clean steel to work on, no need to fill in Chev holes and drill Ford holes, preserves the Chev bumper for others.
Disadvantages - not "vintage", might cost either more or less depending on how the Chev bumper was priced (collector or clear it off the property).
I helped Bob Carriere make a new Chev bumper and it wasn't difficult.

[Keith Webb]

Also got what I believe to be a gallows bracket. Vastly diferent from mine though. Entirely different mounting setup.

Tony what you have is a LMG gallows mount from a Wireless Sigs van.