Ford blitz ambo project

[Tony Wheeler]

Following our blitz epiphany at Warburton sawmill, Keith and I discovered dozens of CMPs scattered throughout the suburbs of Melbourne, and within two years of that fateful day I found myself the proud owner of this F60L - spotted in a construction yard in Bayswater, a mere 20 km pushbike ride from our doorstep!

It was none too pretty but it was very sound mechanically, having lately been in road service, and best of all it had a newly reconditioned motor. We subsequently realized it was a Canadian built F60L (note circular hatchway) which is quite a rarity in Australia.

The photos here come from an excellent album compiled by Keith at the time, which chronicles the entire restoration process, from day of purchase to "test drives" on logging tracks in the mountains behind Warburton. This particular sequence depicts delivery day - an event which I was unable to attend myself, having to work at the servo all day instead!

[Tony Wheeler]

As 40 year old pics I'm aware these may be of limited interest, but having no current resto in progress they're the best I can offer for the moment!

This series depicts disassembly prior to cut up and disposal of the chassis, which was badly bent and twisted. The front section was retained as an assembly bed for the motor, which can be seen running in one of the pics. Despite having been recently reconditioned I pulled it apart to fit new rings and bearings, and to lap the valves and adjust clearances. In fact, youthful curiosity led me to pull everything on this blitz apart, just to see what was inside! In so doing I created a great deal of unnecessary work for myself, but it was an excellent learning process, and did lead to some replacement of badly worn bearings etc, so the effort wasn't entirely wasted.

Looking back now it's hard to believe such a resto could be carried out in the open, with very limited tools, and everything having to be lugged around and manhandled into place by a couple of teenagers! Only once did we use any lifting gear, when I borrowed a block and tackle from the servo where I worked, to carry out final engine fitment. Perhaps that accounts for my lifelong back problems!

[Tony Wheeler]

My second blitz was another F60L, found abandoned alongside a dirt backroad near Bullengarook, about 60 km north of Melbourne, on one of the occasional car trips which Keith and I routinely nagged our parents to take us in search of CMPs further afield! As can be seen from the photos this one was quite a wreck, but it did have a straight chassis, which I badly needed to proceed with my resto.

This series of photos depicts the purchase and recovery process, which entailed two separate trips. First pic shows me standing by patiently, clutching my trusty Pentax, while my long-suffering father inspects this latest object of my desire rather dubiously. Finally relenting, we set off on a house to house search for an owner from whom to purchase it. Personally I would have dispensed with such formalities and simply towed this long forgotten wreck away, but my father insisted. Eventually, in a run down farmhouse some miles away, a crusty old gent laid claim to it, and with an eye on dad's flash company car, figured he could take these city slickers for $100. Having no other chassis options, I reluctantly forked out what for me at the time represented several weeks hard earned pay at the servo.

The following 3 pics show preparations for recovery, which basically involved getting it up on wheels and rolling.

Final pic taken soon after arrival home shows the clean straight chassis to good effect, with Keith sitting in the now roofless cab in the pouring rain!

[Keith Webb]

I remember the excitement of those times very well. Of cranking the F60L up an incline of blocks so we could experience a few fleeting seconds of it in motion... The funny thing is the first experience of riding in a real, live blitz for both of us was a C15A Sigvan belonging at the time to John Shaw who bought it from disposals in Alice Springs and used it as a camper van with the internal wall moved back to allow for a second seat. It now resides in far north Queensland in the Sid Beck collection.
The writing you can see on the photographs was my best attempt, and sometimes I was lucky to be allowed to use my father's typewriter which I felt was most professional.

[Tony Wheeler]

Funny you should mention the Sigvan Keith, I was only thinking about it today. I was remembering that first drive one Sunday morning, when John took us off road in a gully off Deep Creek Road in Mitcham. I remember it like yesterday, but I couldn't figure out how we both fitted in the seat. I'd forgotten he'd moved the wall back and put in a back seat.

What prompted me to think of that Sigvan was the realization that our first drive had been in a Chev. I then tried to recall our first ride in a Ford. I think you went out in Cowley's F60S tipper one day, but I suspect my own first ride in a Ford may have been as the underage driver of my own blitz!

[Keith Webb]

Well remembered Tony! My first Ford ride was indeed in a F60S tipper. I have the spare wheel and also a spare NOS radiator from that vehicle, purchased from Warwick a couple of years ago. I had to pick them up from Strabane Avenue.

Here's the F60S:



Link

And the Sigvan - as we set out for Mitcham with Tony in the background...

[Keith Webb]

And here's no ordinary picture, it is the first of thousands of CMP images I have taken since 1970. It is one of two Cab 12 F60Ls at that mill.

[Tony Wheeler]

Keith lashed out occasionally and bought a roll of colour film, so it can now be seen that my second blitz was red! The first one was yellow BTW, but having no colour pics you'll just have to take my word for it!

This pic shows my second blitz in the final stage of dismantling, prior to clean up and paint. In evidence too is our mode of transport - although Keith being a year older than me was possibly driving by this time.

[Tony Wheeler]

Great pics Keith, some of which I don't recall ever seeing before.

I must learn how to post images in the message body.

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

Keith lashed out occasionally and bought a roll of colour film, so it can now be seen that my second blitz was red! The first one was yellow BTW, but having no colour pics you'll just have to take my word for it!

This pic shows my second blitz in the final stage of dismantling, prior to clean up and paint. In evidence too is our mode of transport - although Keith being a year older than me was possibly driving by this time.

No need to take your word for it, here it is in glorious colour taken during the tear down.