Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Private_collector]

Nope! No signs ready today. Maybe tomorrow.

Can anyone tell me which Division the following units belonged to:

Signals Training Batallion
2/1 Australian Anti Aircraft Brigade Signals
Anti Aircraft & Fortress Signals, Northern Area
1 Australian Jungle Trunk Line Maintenance Section
12 Line Maintenance Section

I have been searching National archives of Australia, but nothing achieved so far.

Any assistance mush appreciated

[Private_collector]

TAC sign - Unit side.jpg
TAC plate signwriting has finally been delivered. This evening I painted the red background of the 'unit' side, cooked it for 15 min with a hand held floodlamp, brought it inside and applied the unit numbering.

Tomorrow I will paint the other side of plate & plate holder in vehicle color, and plan to apply the PASS lettering tomorrow night. Working on a way of eliminating abrasion between plate and holder when the plate is moved in/out. I have a 'cunning plan' though it may turn to night soil.

Bought an airbrush yesterday, for painting of light scratches and anything 'new'.....bolts etc..

While in town tomorrow, i'll be calling in on the local wrecking yard, in search of suitable rubber bumpers for the bonnet to rest on.

[Gunner]

Hi Tony:

The tire valve stems for modern automobile tubeless tires are a perfect fit and have a nice thick bottom to cushion your bonnet! I use the shortest ones I can find and you can gets lots of free ones at your nearest tire shop as they generally pull the old and chuck them out when changing tires. (You also have two spare valves under the bonnet should you ever need them!)

Would you consider sending your hi-res photos of the data plates to me as I have a chum who is an amazing digital artist who can create new digital masters from good photos. We could then post them to the resources page (with Hanno's help) for all Ford owners' delight.

Mike

[Private_collector]

Mike,

That's absolutely brilliant!!!!!!

I would never have thought of that in a million years.
I did end up buying 4 stops from our local rubber place. Then I come home, put them on................and THEN read your emai,l this evening

I would be happy to send photographs of the data plates! No worries. Ironically, I bought a new camera just 3 weeks ago, which is 14.5 mega. resolution. Hope the email will send them that size. Failing that, I could write them to a thumb disk and mail the old fashioned way.

As a matter of fact, I just put the data plates on engine cover this evening. That is not an issue, because they are screwed into position. I felt it was better to attach them to a highly visible part as opposed to putting them "in a safe place" which always gets forgotten. I had made enquiries to a couple of places in Aust. who may have been able to reproduce the plates. Only one replied, and they weren't that interested, citing the imperfections as a difficulty, and indicating it would add greatly to the cost. Something about the touching up to improve quality. Stuff 'em then

[Private_collector]

TAC sign - Pass side, finished.jpg TAC sign - Unit side, finished.jpg
FINALLY finished this bloody thing.
Cabin 6.jpg
Put the grille temporarily (spelling??) onto cab this afternoon to protect it, after nearly having it 'cop a whack' from a falling piece of steel. Got motivated to move it quickly after that.
0000243_300.jpg 9 inch Bridge Plate.jpg
With all the stuffing around on the TAC plate, I decided to purchase a ready made bridge loading plate with an appropriate load rating. The seller in UK has NOS bridge plates (9") for 18 pounds, including the load stencil in a range of fonts to suit. Should be on its way to me Monday. The sample pic shows different font to one I have chosen. Should be able to make a suitable bracket for it and for TAC plate tomorrow, weather permitting (I only weld outside).

My radiator shrouds will checked tomorrow, to see which one is best to use. All have some form of cracking and/or panel damage. If my welder (and welding) was better, I might make one really good one from the three I have. No hope of that with current skill level though!

[Private_collector]

Nearly forgot to say that Gympie Sheet Metal are happy to make more of the TAC plate & holders, if anyone is interested.

Their contact details are:

1/62 Mount Pleasant Road Gympie QLD 4570
(07) 5482 5977

[Private_collector]

Tac bracket.jpg TAC finished 1.jpg Tac finished 2.jpg
I'm sick of talking about these, so here's the photos. Whoopdy do!
Engine hatch 6.jpg
Would you have a look at the color difference between the two parts of engine cover! They are from same paint can, and painted on same day with same pot full of paint. Only difference is the variation of finish. Lower part was previously painted and only got an additional 'final' coat when painted second time (with large part). You can't actually SEE any variation with your own eyes, but the camera makes it look completely different color. Matt VS 'lustreless' finish is the culprit. With that in mind, I tried an experiment with the TAC plate bracket I made today. I used some of the 'old' paint I had from the painting of nose panel, which I had kept for brushing onto new bolts and scratches. It was getting a bit 'cheesy' but OK for this little project. Sprayed it REALLY dry on final coat, and YEP, have a look at the color when photographed. Looks nothing like that with the eye. Bloody smart arse digital cameras.

I also found that there is a slight difference between the catches of bonnet and engine cover. Engine cover has a slightly longer travel length. I found this when attempting to install the catches I thought were for bonnet, and found I had painted the wrong ones. Ran out of day for rectifying this...........and apathy took hold .

I have been offered a Sunshine Roof for virtually nothing, and would like to install this on my vehicle. The big question is..........did Ford CMPs have these originally?

P.S: The plate bracket isn't finished yet. You won't see it from in front when it's done. I just wanted to get some paint on it today.