Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Ryan]

I recently finished my shed, a 11mx15m one and all I can say is that I'm already thinking of extensions which luckily I planned for.
Bloody Blitz's!

[Private_collector]

Hi Folks,

I have just now returned from a >200km shopping trip. Brought back a good Ford bumper, 2x headlights (complete with the trims) and a drivers side step which actually has the battery carrier still intact, though I will be using this carrier as pattern for new one. The step itself is far better than mine which was a bit chewy and needed some repair. I would have brought back a very good drivers seat and bumper shackles but I ran out of daylight before I could remove them! Whole lot cost me $50.00 and 2hrs of my time, helping to put a Nissan engine back together.

Re sandbalsting VS soda: there is a place in town that does do soda blasting, but I didn't get good 'vibes' when I contacted them. "It's just the vibe". I do plan to trial something with them and see what happens. Maybe something that I can easily replace. On the other hand, the engineering works that has done my sandblasting so far has treated me very well with both price and quality. They currently have my two mudguard front bits for repairing of major rust areas on part that was under the nose panel. The manager of the engineering company is restoring a 1942 "lendlease" Chevrolet truck, so he knows how important quality is, and is quickly learning the standards I expect. P.S: If anyone knows where he can buy a 1942 Chev truck bonnet, he would be elated, as his blew off the tilt tray when he was bringing the Chev home, and was never found!

You guys are begining to make me very nervous about shed size. Remember, its not about size, its how you use it! Besides, I can't afford anything better, at this point in time, but I already have plans for extensions on two sides with 'carport' type awnings which I can build myself, without great expense. You fellows must have more money than me, or have bigger mortgages. Ryan, you're right, BLOODY BLITZ'S, but you know their worth it. It's a special kind of sickness w/o cure, but many rewards.

I plan to start backing off buying parts for a while, until I have the shed built in January. Don't worry, I have some (many) bits put aside for me...........on a kind of lay-by if you will. They will still be there when I want to pick them up..........I think.

Anyway, I will be in Hawaii early December for around 2 weeks, and no point in having stuff laying around the yard while i'm away. If I can sort out international roaming on my phone, I might even post a couple of photos from Pearl Harbour / Arizona memorial. And before anyone laughs and points out the contradiction of lack of finances and oveseas holiday, it has been 20 years since we ventured O.S and is well due Besides, there's a family in Somalia who send me $28 a month so I should be O.K.

Thats enough for now. Will post some photos tomorrow, and hope the injury to my L) arm is not so painful by then. I strained it today, hoisting a Blitz bumper into my car (Ford KA-the bubble shaped thing). My wifes car is the good one and she wouldn't appreciate a rusty hulking thing over her seats, despite the tarp around it. I need to keep her onside for sewing the canvas for Blitz seats, and hopefully side curtains. She......er........doesn't know about any of this yet, so just keep it to yourself, OK.

Tony B.

[Private_collector]

This is the update which was promised yesterday. Unable to log on for entire day, again.

Further progress with headlights. The ones I had bought Saturday provided useable reflectors, glass and several other small bits. The bowls - totally rotten and useless. Did get a good paint color sample from inside one though.
PB150009.JPG PB150012.JPG

I tried to bring up the reflector surface without damage, but was unavoidable as disintegrating original sealer had landed on the surface and marked it badly. Quotes have already started coming in from suitable plating places in Brisbane. Can anyone confirm that these were originally plated in silver, as stated by one quote?
PB150014.JPG PB150015.JPG

Also got a side step which was not too bad. It did have battery carrier which could be used as pattern for new one/s. This has now been pulled apart to individual components, ready for drafting of fabrication plan. That's a Ford front bumper in the photo. All these bits cost $50.00, and also included perfectly intact / unrusted seat which I plan to get this weekend (got too dark to find my way back to the truck).
PB150005.JPG

[Greg Beeston]

yes years ogo when I had some headlight relectors plated the electroplater recommended/used silver, he said chrome was to dark
cheers Greg

[Bob Carriere]

Repro reflectors are available at Mac Auto in Niagara Falls New York.... with twin sockets for parking lights.

..... shipping might be a bitch.... heck you can even get them with halogen bulbs.... 6 or 12 v.


Bob

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

I replaced my headlights with new (modern) ones, made sure that they had the bulb socket for a parking lamp inbuilt: this freed up the side lights on the mudgaurds, which, with some amber glass have become the front indicators.
Rich.

[Private_collector]

On Saturday I went to look at an F60L which I had been told about. The gentleman was interested in selling, and the vehicle, while not assembled, was complete. It even included a very good tyre carrier / toolbox, pintle and mounting hardware, windscreen frames and even the ORIGINAL door curtains. These are the only curtains I have seen outside of photographs. Their construction was quite different to the ones I have seen photos of, as he frame was made out of round steel as opposed to flat steel rod. I do not believe they are reproduction, as the canvas is showing signs of applicable age and carries the D of D stamp.
PB210024.JPG PB210025.JPG PB210026.JPG PB210027.JPG

Majority of parts removed from the truck have been stored in shipping containers and are not suffering the deterioration of other Blitz's I have looked at. There are numerous NOS spares, including generator armatures, exhaust pipes and many small parts are still in boxes wrapped with cosmolene (hope that's homw it's spelt).

Even the crank handle and the wheel hub removal tool are included with the sale. I won't be getting the truck until early January 2011.

Re: Headlight reflectors for the 'F15 ', I have ordered reproductions from the U.S at far cheaper cost than resilvering here. They are chromed, but thats OK. The money saved will go into the kitty to pay for the F60.

New shed is now more urgent than ever before.

Tony