Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Private_collector]

Bought a new vacuum cleaner to use with my sand blasting cabinet.

The original one died the death of a thousand farts!
Anyone who has heard an electrical motor in process of burning out will know exactly what I mean

Today I was shown a set of two paintings which someone had painted during WW1, while their relative was in europe fighting the germans. They are VERY impressive and extremely detailed. More like murals really. I will attempt to photograph these and show them here, when I get a chance. Apparently it was a form of 'therapy' while awaiting safe return home of their loved one.

[Private_collector]

Nose painted 1.jpg Nose painted 2.jpg Nose painted 3.jpg Nose painted 4.jpg Nose painted 5.jpg
The nose panel is finally finished! With fairly stiff wind gusts and council working on the dirt road (wind blowing my way, hooray!!!), I continued with painting as scheduled.

Each coat required a light going over with a tack cloth, and gentle removal of selected pieces of crap. Winds decreased just prior to final coat, which was a great blessing because final coat was mostly reducer with a 'hint' of actual paint. That coat was basically to flatten the sheen further.

Cont'd...

[Private_collector]

Nose painted 6.jpg Nose painted 7.jpg Nose painted 8.jpg
I think I got all the little bits painted, that go onto the nose. Mine has a removable piece across top where the bonnet sits onto. Lucky I kept the brackets with the larger part.
Nose painted 9.jpg Nose painted 10.jpg
It was only this morning that I realised the passenger side 'air vent' is missing it's inside handle. Must have been like that all the time I've had it, unless it fell off at sandblasters. I don't give a damn.....the driver side has it's one

[Private_collector]

Headlight driver.jpg Headlight passenger.jpg Headlights both.jpg
Once the paint was almost touch dry, headlights went on, as did the upper mudguard bracket that sits under nose panel. I also did a very brief trial fitment of the bonnet late this afternoon. As usual, it fits in a way that touches a number of areas where it shouldn't! It also will require addition of a shim under each hinge attachment point. Here we go again!!!!
Accelerator linkage.jpg
Now that I have a new vacuum, i'm back in the business of blasting my own smaller parts again. Started with the accelerator pedal and associated hardware. These are now painted (black) and drying for fitting on Sunday.
TAC sign for nose.jpg
I have been stuffing around with ways of spraying the TAC sign onto the nose panel. A lot of unusual ways have been suggested. Hair spray has been rumoured to have sufficient 'stick' to hold the stencil in place. It doesn't work. I tried using a paper glue stick around the edges. This works but can bleed through the edges and spoil the edges.

Tomorrow I go into town and buy a pack of A4 size labels, which I will print a copy of the TAC sign onto. Then the white bit gets cut out and the remainder gets put on the nose for spraying straight through. No problem, simple, unless the label sticks No........it won't......will it?!?!? We will know by end of Sunday.

Tomorrow is a 'CMP free' day. Next SitRep Sunday. The vehicle serial numbers might be on then too.

[Private_collector]

As it turns out, today not quite so CMP free as I had originally thought
Pedal plate 1.jpg Pedal plate 2.jpg
Once I got home from Brisbane this evening, I found myself an indoors project to do while watching Heartbeat. Decided to reassemble the accelerator parts on pedal plate.

Once the throttle linkages are in place, the accelerator pedal sits nearly in the vertical position when returned by the linkage spring. Is this normal? I have sought of figured that if it is, there must be another mechanical 'stop' somewhere from here to carburetor that holds this in a more reasonable position.

As you can see from the photos, I still need to find the other two plates that go over clutch & brake lever holes.

Would I be correct in believing that the absent cover part for clutch & portion of steering column is one combined piece?

If you have either of these bits for sale (or a correct accelerator stop rubber), I would love to hear from you. It will save me a lot of running around. At my age, that's important!

[Private_collector]

With help from friends, and a fair deal of speed reading, I now know exactly the unit sign that should be on my truck. If you recall, I want to restore this vehicle with the signs of 29/46 Infantry Btn, and the vehicle number will be my Father's service number.

Late last night (or possibly early this morning), I had finally discovered the unit sign should be:

29-46
----- (one solid line)
56

with a solid red background.
P8240082.JPG
When I first discovered this, it occured to me that this seemed vaguely familiar for some reason. I started searching where I had seen this before, and came across the photo above which shows the men of 29/46 Btn on parade, being reviewed by the Duke of Gloucester! In the background is the precise sign I had been searching for. I didn't realise this was same as that on their vehicles. I thought it meant there were two groups present on parade, 29/46 & 56 Btns. Wrong!
TAC sign for nose.jpg
As planned, A4 size labels were purchased this morning and I had the shop print a few copies of the Division sign onto label stock. Tomorrow I will spray a matt black patch, and attempt to copy this sign, as a stencil to the nose panel on R) side.

Hopefully all will go well!

[David DeWeese]

Hi Tony,

Are these what you are needing?

Thanks, David

[T Creighton]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

Once the throttle linkages are in place, the accelerator pedal sits nearly in the vertical position when returned by the linkage spring. Is this normal? I have sought of figured that if it is, there must be another mechanical 'stop' somewhere from here to carburetor that holds this in a more reasonable position.

Hi Tony,
I solved my problem with the pedal by fitting a rubber piece and washer on the connecting rod so that it bears on the out side of the foot plate. This acts as a stop and to a certain extent a seal. There are no other stops from there to the carburettor.
It may not be what was there originally but it is simple and works well.
Keep up the good work.
Cheers,
Terry

[Private_collector]

David, PM Sent.

Terry, thats a good idea! I will effect something similar.
Though it seems that this is normal............well.......it will drive me mad just looking at it, and usability will be even less difficult unless I have my right foot broken and recast in an ackward position!!!

I cut out the stencil template for division sign late last night. It is about time I finished my coffee and got to painting the black background for it to go onto! I peeled off a bit of sticker backing from a portion not required, and found something interesting / disturbing. When the label gets wet, it easily de-laminates, leaving the glue stuck to whatever surface it is applied to! This will occur regardless of substrate or tack UNLESS it is allowed to dry completely. At which time it becomes sound again. Glad I thought to test this prior to application. Well, I simply wouldn't have used unless it was tested anyway, but the requirement to get this done today will be to spray the black backgrouhd as early as possible (now) and leave to dry well before spraying white onto it.

We will see how this theory goes in a few hours, won't we!