Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Tony

As always you are bring up and interesting issue, this time frame repair, lengthening and strengthening.

On my 1942 Pattern 13 C60S I needed to add 24" to the rear of the frame so that I could put the radio box on and have it fully supported. What I did as the tails of the frame are not tapered was to have the extensions pieces bent up out of 1/4 steel at a local steel fabrication shop to match the existing frame along with them I had two rails bent up which are a drive fit to go inside the truck frame and the extensions. Then I drilled the extensions to take the trailer hitch etc. to match original frame then I drilled the other end of the new inner rails to match all the old holes in the end of the frame. When bolted in place and painted the extension is hard to detect. No welding so the frame can be restored to original length easily.

On my 1941 Patter 12 C60L I was faced with a different problem rust had caused the inner frame to buckle plus rust damage. Though I supplied the fabrication with detailed drawings of what I wanted them to bend up out of 1/4 steel they didn't understand that the bends were all outside of bend to outside of bend hence the new rails end up being 1/4 inch off. (Yes if they really bent them inside of bend to inside of bend the frame should have 1/2 off.) Any way the solution actually turned out even better the put the frame rails back in the sheer and cut them lengthwise at a slight angle. This allowed two halfs to put inside the truck frame each a little off set then with the portapower drove one of the new pieces so that it was wedged very tightly inside the main frame. After line boring all of the old rivet holes sized for a drive fit of new grade 8 bolts bolted the entire frame back together. Then turned up the heat on the mig welder and welded the joint seam on the new inside frame. Frame seems to be staying tight in straight after several years of hard use.

My point is that it is some time easier and results in a stronger frame repair to have new metal bent to the required sizes as it is to try to find replacement parts. There seem to be more willing donor vehicles out your way. For me I must rely on the kindness of friends up in Canada to find me bits of CMP which are needed.

Of course sometimes I wonder what will the lads 60 years from now who are working on our trucks think, will they be able to figure out what is a 60 year old repair vs. 120 year old original design. But hopefully thanks to things like MLU the knowledge base of CMPs will be stronger. Just as it stronger now than it was 30 years ago.

Cheers Phil