Trying to register my F60S Blitz

[casey]

I purchased Grant Fincher's restored 1943 F60S Blitz, and am trying to register it in Victoria as a passenger vehicle under 4.5 Tonne. This will enable me to drive it with an ordinary car licence at any time and cost less to register than a truck. To reduce the GVM to less than 4.5T I need to physically reduce the carrying capacity (by removing the rear over rider springs) and obtain a VASS certificate. The VASS cert requires proof of the original Gross Weight of the vehicle.

Can someone please help me out with the Gross weight of an F60 Blitz?

I have the Driver's Handbook for a F15 Blitz and on page 5 it states the Gross weight as being 8435 Lbs. Does anyone have the F60 Drivers Handbook and can tell me the Gross Weight of the 60Cwt Blitz, or better still send me a scanned copy of the page? My email is - casey@saferoads.com.au

Any help would be appreciated, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Grant and Wayne Kotz for building a brilliant truck!

Cheers

Case

[Keith Webb]

Hi Casey
I have a F60T driver handbook. The F60T was the 115" wheelbase tractor version. It states the gross weight as 25,345 pounds which is 11.4 tonnes which surprised me until I read that includes the semi-trailer and 1 12,000 pound payload!
Then I remembered the Australian publication which rolls all the handbooks into one.
It states the gross weight for a F60S is 16,584lb with 6" steering ends.
Gross weight for a F30 is not listed unfortunately.
Gross weight for a F15A is 9,075lb
For a F60L with 4 7/8" steering ends it is 15,700lb, or 16,745 with 6" steering ends. Hopefully you can extrapolate something from the above for a F30 which is what you are endeavouring to do.
I've also looked at the second edition of the special pattern vehicles book which gives the net weight for the F30 (then called F30S) of 6,073lb less body, body weight is 1,660lb to which you'd add the payload for the gross weight.
Hope this helps. Happy to scan pages for you.

[casey]

Keith,

Thanks for the info, you've answered my question. The key information I needed was the Gross Weight of an F60S, which you have said is 16,584Lbs. Can you please send me a scan of the page with that info and cover of the publication so I can refer to where it came from. Then I'll book a meeting with the VASS Engineer, he can work out how to reduce the GVM to Vicroads satisfaction.

I dug out my notes from my last meeting and he was also after the front and rear axle capacities. I think we'll be struggling for that to be documented, but if it is in your manuals that would be great too.

It is interesting that the tare of my Blitz is currently 8,113Lbs which suggests it could carry 8,471Lbs which is a fair bit more than the typical 3 ton? The reproduction tray (GS) body currently fitted would be lighter than say a tipper body but not that much, food for thought?

Thanks

Case

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Casey – I think what you are trying to do is irresponsible. You obviously do not have a heavy truck licence so you should not be driving this vehicle as it is at least 3 tons over the car licence limit. Secondly utilising major modifications to reduce the weight would render the vehicle unregisterable for historic registration. Big trucks are not toys and anyone not qualified to drive them should not and would be a danger on the road.

Bob

[Mike K]

Casey

Was that your truck I spotted in Weerong road , in Drouin , some months ago...

I go to the scrap metal yard there sometimes ...

MIKE near Warragul ...

[casey]

Thanks for your advice Bob, but I've spoken to Vicoads and it is all above board. The old Blitz tares in at less than 3.7Tonne which gives me plenty of scope for my camping gear and still keep it under 4.5Tonne. It's not a speed machine, I'd be more concerned driving next to some joker in a Hertz rental truck doing 110km/h down the Freeway.

Thanks for your concern.

Cheers

Casey

[casey]

G'Day Mike,

Yes, that was my Truck in Weerong Rd. Drop me an email if you'd like to catch up, I don't live far away from there.

Cheers

Case