Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Private_collector]

Hello Ken and Howard,

Thanks for the kind words. Ken, good to hear that you found Macs Auto of use. Going waaay back, it was another MLU member who told me about them, so it's nice that my scratchings could help someone else. Pity Macs shipping is so expensive though. Only recently, I received my order of 2x rubber covered foot pedal and rubber bump stops. Thankfully their pedal parts price was low enough for it to be doubled by shipping and still be worth the order.

Now that i have a reason to make future trips south, I hope one of those trips will coincide with the Corowa gathering. I'm quite sure Bryce would find that interesting as well.

My Wife and I went to look a Corowa late last week, while we were staying at Albury.
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Saw this interesting truck on the road between Albury and Corowa. What is it? How long has it been there? Quite sure Corowa attendees who passed this way would be well aware if it's existence.

[Keith Webb]

Hi Tony, great to see you posting. I hadn't seen this truck before, as a 'Mexican' I approach Corowa via the southern route just past Wangaratta. The truck in your pic looks like it might be a re-cabbed AEC Matador. We had a fleet of those used as gun tractors for towing the 3.7" guns.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

My Wife and I went to look a Corowa late last week, while we were staying at Albury.
Attachment 73072

Saw this interesting truck on the road between Albury and Corowa. What is it? How long has it been there? Quite sure Corowa attendees who passed this way would be well aware if it's existence.

This is a Thornycroft Nubian 4x4 and Dave Mottram and I gave it a close inspection a few years ago. It would appear to have originally been a fire tender and very likely for airfield use as the RAF had some like it, you can see where the body has been cut away and cab has been changed at the back. It will date from early 1950's.

regards, Richard

[Private_collector]

The speedo in my grey CMP gathers speed data by a magnet on the tailshaft, apparently. This has proven to vary wildly, and I do not trust it. Adjustment may make it better, but I still don't trust it.

I went searching for alternatives. Non-standard alternatives. Came across this gauge supplier http://www.speedhut.com They sell a wide range of instruments, and prices not extortionary. Of interest to me, is their selection of GPS driven speedos, which do not require ANY speed calibration data and arithmetic to obtain extremely close speed tolerences. Naturally, if in an underground carpark or tunnel, your speedo goes dead until you resurface again.

The thing I found REALLY cool with this supplier, is that you can custom make instruments to your own design. I had a little play, and came up with this design with an 'aged' invasion star logo. There are sooooo many areas which can be customised, including dial colors, number font, speed marker lines, speedo needle, bezel color, etc.......
IMG_20150505_212626.jpg

[Private_collector]

Has anyone bought worm gear or sector shaft parts for the small steering box, as in the Ford 2x4 CMPs? If so, where were they bought from?

I'm not certain yet, but am giving serious thought to rebuilding the box in my grey truck. It does drive easily and safely, now that I'm accustomed to the small, but frequent, corrections with steering wheel. It would be an ideal vehicle for someone with Parkinsons disease! Or perhaps....Peter Garret!

Have been looking through the Macs Auto catalogue, and will order from them if no better option arises, but they can be sloppy with answering questions for specific dimensions. A couple of years ago, one goose there asked what vehicle I was requiring parts for, then said "sorry, we don't carry parts for your application". Naturally I enlightened him that they actually DO have many parts that suit, they just didn't know they do! I also suggested he left the final decisions to me and just concentrated on answering the technical questions which were posed.

[Tony Mathers]

Have you tried Ross Prince?

[Private_collector]

No, Tony.

This is one occasion I won't be wanting NOS.
If available new, they will probably be cheaper, if they sell a fair quantity. Assuming the parts are compatible with other Ford vehicles of the time. NOS seems to be viewed as gold, due to being 'genuine'. If I need to, I will go for that option, but the price would no doubt be much more.

I have bought NOS leather seals from a number of sources in distantmpast, and found when about to use some of them that they are all dried then cracked. When touched, bits came off.

I'll try for new, if possible.

[Keith Webb]

I bought one from Macs years ago thinking it was the right one but I was wrong. The last genuine ones I saw were at the now defunct Hughes Auto Spares around 1976. That steering box was used in CMPs up to 3-tonners and was woefully inadequate which is why it is hard to find a good one these days.
Good luck, I hope someone else comes up with a source!

Originally Posted by Private_collector

Has anyone bought worm gear or sector shaft parts for the small steering box, as in the Ford 2x4 CMPs? If so, where were they bought from?

I'm not certain yet, but am giving serious thought to rebuilding the box in my grey truck. It does drive easily and safely, now that I'm accustomed to the small, but frequent, corrections with steering wheel. It would be an ideal vehicle for someone with Parkinsons disease! Or perhaps....Peter Garret!

Have been looking through the Macs Auto catalogue, and will order from them if no better option arises, but they can be sloppy with answering questions for specific dimensions. A couple of years ago, one goose there asked what vehicle I was requiring parts for, then said "sorry, we don't carry parts for your application". Naturally I enlightened him that they actually DO have many parts that suit, they just didn't know they do! I also suggested he left the final decisions to me and just concentrated on answering the technical questions which were posed.

[T Creighton]

Have you had a look at look at
http://www.fordv8parts.com/
They may have something to suit you but be very sure of the correct prefix on the part number if you order anything.
Terry

[Bob Carriere]

I actually went to the Mac Auto counter one day and asked so see a number of parts so I could match with the CMP parts I had. They got very annoyed....first you need to know the catalogue number..... which they send out back by computer.... then a bin shows up with the parts..... the individual at the counter was very annoyed when I took one out of five item and ask to see some more parts....... the proverbial question "What year Ford are you working on??? " I even tried to show them pictures of my truck..... the only interested parties where two older gentleman buying Model T parts.

It is a shame that they do not realize that not everyone is rebuilding a Ford as per the Ford manual.

I concluded that you buy and take your chance...... we are such a small segment of their client base that they can afford to ignore us.

I have had similar experience when ordering Chev parts from other suppliers..... when asked for dimensions the response from the polite person at the other end said....." I am only filling out an order form and I do not even have access to the real parts which is in a different warehouse somewhere."

....and most local auto store when you tell them the year of the vehicle.....Oh we do not go back that far in our computer....

It is getting to the point that you need to cannibalize another vehicle for some of the parts.

Cheers