Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Private_collector]

I'll never look at canola oil the same way now. So many potentially inappropriate quips, must use self discipline.

Will do, Rick. I booked the museum visit a week ago. You are correct about it being closed to general public, so far as walk in traffic is concerned. The sign on main road still says Open To The Public, which is a little misleading. Wish it was on the outside of the base, so changes in security level would not have such disappointing effect. I drove past Gaza Ridge this morning, on my way to Wadsworth, and saw two motorhomes turning in to the carpark. I hope THEY had bookings.
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I really like the toys they leave laying around here.
They missed an opportunity by not putting an info plaque on each tank. The only signs say Do Not Climb. Guys at the gate to the base were OK with me taking photos. I promised I would not take any in the direction of the base.

I know it will sound juvenile, but I can have trouble sleeping the night before anything exciting. This happened before I left home, again the night before I arrived at Albury, and no doubt will happen again tonight. Bryce can understate things, and even HE is greatly impressed about the museum! When Bryce is finished work and cleaned up, I will take him out for a meal somewhere. That will be when I know if he is able to leave base this weekend.

[Private_collector]

We both went to the museum this morning. The building, when inside, reminded me of the warehouse scene at end of the first Indiana Jones movie, but without the boxes. It seemed to go on forever. Three CMPs, two were Fords. One even had the canvas covered doors, so I took a number of reference shots.
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I took a lot of photos. I can start a Bandiana Museum thread, if anyone is interested in seeing more of them. Some have a degree of light flare in them, due to placement of the high up windows and my inability to overcome that.

[Private_collector]

Indeed I did see your Albion, Rick.

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A grand old thing it is too. I believe it has missed you badly, as evidenced by the 'tears' that it has wept. You should write more often.

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As promised!

[Mike K]

Hey Tony

The VMVC had a club trip to the opening of that museum in 1978 . Two army MP's jumped in the museum's WW2 Jeep and drove it out along the Hume highway to meet us . The Jeep I was co-driving ran out of petrol a few miles out . A Stude came along and offered us some petrol, it was D Mottram of course, tail end charlie in the snail pace Stude . Anyway, then a army ACCO stopped and the driver tried to get some petrol out of the ACCO tank, he used a empty Coke can on a wire and he tried to fill the coke can with petrol , letting it down the ACCO filler neck . The club president , then drove out to rescue us ..gee what a comedy .

The rules were more relaxed then, they let us crawl all over the exhibits in the museum , inside tanks and I remember playing with the Jap Juki machine gun

There was a breakin and they had a lot of exhibit weapons stolen at some time , cannot recall exActly the date . Mike

[Private_collector]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

There was a breakin and they had a lot of exhibit weapons stolen at some time , cannot recall exactly the date . Mike

Whoa! That is the epitome of stupidity. Surely it must have been a military (or recently ex-military) person/people. What kind of schmuck would break into an active military base and do such a thing? Do you know if they got knicked eventually, or was it a Lord Lukin sort of case? There's lots of stuff in there I would love to have in my collection, BUT who would you be able to show it to if you weren't supposed to have it.


Finally returned home at 1820hrs, after a series of airline/flight plan/weather delays between Sydney and Sunshine Coast airport. It's my own fault, the flight from Albury to SYD went perfectly and on time, so I naively thought to myself 'everythings going well today'.

Feel a bit low this evening. Partly over tired, partly sadness of leaving my Son again. Doesn't get easier. In fact, I expect now that his car isn't here any more, it may feel he is even further away than before. The good news is, I get somewhere undercover to park my little blue car. Nowhere to cover the grey truck........yet. Maybe another carport required.

[Private_collector]

After a number of unforeseen delays, I finally had the chance to setup the sewing machine for my canvas work. Not having any operator or maintenance manual to work from, issues were expected. I was not disappointed. The new bar went in and was set up quite quickly, but because the needle went into the bar slightly shallower, it hit on the bobbin thread case. Another slight adjustment to bar height overcome that, and I made them miss each other by less than a 1mm at closest point of movement. That problem fixed! Next issue was the threading path of the, er, thread. Some trial and error here, because i had forgotten my instructions, AND didn't take a photo of the original path of cotton which the previous owner had kindly left in place for me to see. Some time later, I rediscovered how it should go, and took a photo (also made notes).

The thread I had bought was almost impossible to break with my hands, but incorrect upper thread tension adjustments managed to achieve that nicely. Sometimes it didn't break cleanly. In those instances, partial breakage resulted in a strand of thread getting to the canvas, and most of the thread backing up before entering the needle eye. Getting the adjustment correct solved that problem completely. Fortunately I didn't have to mess with bobbin thread tension / setup at all!
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The above photos are my test piece. It is the corner strengthening triangle from a canvas tarpaulin that was given to me by another MLU friend. Thanks Andy! The raggedy hole is where an eyelet used to be. My sewing is sound, but straight lines and presentation still elude me entirely!

Machine still runs too fast for my liking, despite changing motor pulley to smallest available. My clutch control is in embryonic stage, so no help there. When I can afford it, I intend to get a digital motor. Then I can dial the exact speed I want.

[Mike K]

Tony

The stitch length appears to be very short on your test piece , maybe the machine can be adjusted for that ? re the speed, you can do what I did , add another shaft and pullies , it really slows down the machine and it's a cheap option as well. Mike

[cliff]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

I took a lot of photos. I can start a Bandiana Museum thread, if anyone is interested in seeing more of them. Some have a degree of light flare in them, due to placement of the high up windows and my inability to overcome that.

Yes please Tony Mind you I am trying to figure out why you had to ask

[Private_collector]

Hi Cliff. I'm looking down the barrel of doing a LOT of resizing. So if I only got a yawn, I wouldn't have bothered. I did figure the answer was in the affirmative though.

I'm sitting in Albury airport departure lounge right now, about to board the aircraft, so it's a good job to do in flight. At least an hours worth.

[cliff]

I love Rick's Albion. if I had some measurements and detail pics I'd try and do a model of it.

[Private_collector]

All my photos, worth looking at, are now uploaded onto thread called Bandiana Military Museum. Everyone encouraged to post their own photos, if they have some.