Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Private_collector]

It is with heavy heart that I acknowledge my idyl week of leasure is over. Back to work tomorrow morning. It will be a brave colleague that asks me if i'm glad to be back. I fear I may cut off their head, scoop out the insides, and send it to their mummy as a vase. (Thank you Cpt Blackadder)

Why couldn't I have been born rich instead of devistatingly handsome?
No, that's not true. I have a face like a dropped pie! And not rich either.
Fake Battery 1.jpg
As for todays efforts, nothing of great importance...again. Did get to a certain stage with work on the 'fake' battery top. The first layer of blade putty has been laid in the gaps between the three cells. There is not much that cannot be made either from scratch, or taken as a pettern from an original item. I have ordered 1x original period Ford cell cap from UK, and that will be used to make a mold for a batch of 'new' ones. The lead cell connectors can be easily made from scratch. I hope to be able to incorporate the "Ford" lettering from the top of the cap, into the cell connectors, making them look more realistic. The only thing I probably won't be trying to replicate will be the lead poles for the cables to attach to. These are easily obtainable from scrap metal place in town, so I will ask them if I can hack up a couple of old batterys to get em.
Ford Military Vehicles.jpg
That's enough for now. I'm off to bed to read my newly acquired Ford book.

Oooooh, just one more thing. I was following the journey of my front wheel cylinders via FedEx tracking, and see that they are now in Honolulu, HI.
Lucky bastards. Hope they bring me a nice loud shirt!

[Private_collector]

The front wheel cylinders have arrived. Only 8 days from order to arrival. Really only 7 days, because I got the package note yesterday, and couldn't pick up until today. Less than $100AUD for both, including shipping.

Also, take a look at this footage I found on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSnDr6zMlJs

It is an amauter film of the Victory Parade, London, 1946.

A dear friend of mine is the commander of the Churchill Tank that appears 3:05 into the film. What an honor that would have been. The film is even in color. I don't believe todays O.H & S would allow tanks to run so close to pedestrians these days. And probably not that fast either.

I remember in the early 1990s, I was at a "VJ" Day parade in Brisbane, and a couple of modern tanks were participating in that. I vividly recall the tanks were shut down for an RAAF fly past, then they started up together. I was standing quite near one of the two when the engines were started. Oh my GOD! I have never felt such a shaking of the ground, as they both roared into life. The whole street just vibrated with the immense power and noise. That's a feeling I will never forget. Mind you, there is such a number of pipes etc below the streets, that probably played a part in magnifying the effect.

The most moving sight for me that day was one old soldier who had obviously had a stroke at some point in the past and could hardly walk, but he half staggered, half dragged one leg, the ENTIRE LENGTH of the parade. He would be gone now, no doubt. There's no justice in the world

For those who don't know, VJ stands for Victory over Japan. In these politically correct & enlightened times, we now call the day VP day (Victory in the Pacific). Wouldn't want to upset the defeated agressors!

[Ian Fawbert]

Hi mate,

Not pedalling my own wears as from memory, I've sold them all, but I did fall over a pile of nos battery hold downs (the only decent pile I've ever fallen on!).

Here's a pic of the ones I had:



As fitted on my f15a to see how it fitted. They had a ford number which matched the parts lists exactly and were with a lot of other surplus stuff.


Hope this helps,
Ian.

[Private_collector]

Ohhhhhhhhhhh, crap!

Well Ian, if you ever find one you haven't sold, please let me have first option on it. I would rather have original spec if I can. There's enough 'substitute' materials already on this truck.

Thanks for posting the photos.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi

The battery hold down as shown in Ian's post is visually identical to Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, and Ford trucks used up to the late 40s. So you may be able to widen your NOS search. It is visually identical to the orginal one on my 49 Lincoln Cosmopolitan.

Cheers Phil

[Private_collector]

Thanks Phil.

Search goes on.....

[Matt Baker]

Hi Tony,

That Youtube Video was Great Thanks for the link, I bet my Father and his Parents would have been at this parade as the Family didn't move out until 1949.

Cheers Matt Baker

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by Phil Waterman

The battery hold down as shown in Ian's post is visually identical to Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, and Ford trucks used up to the late 40s.

Hi, Further to the battery hold downs. Attached are photos of the Vintique Repro I will be using. Unless NOS is absolutelly essential these look pretty good to me. After a few years of battery acid mist on it you will probably be needing to replace it anyway.
For those following the battery holder construction I am presently finishing off accurate drawings of it. When finished, I will post it on the forum along with some fabrication tips and info.
Wish to thank Ian Fawbert for the original pictures and sketches, Tony Baker for further info and photos, and Tony Wheeler who kindly leant me his holder to lift the dimensions. A real team effort from the Ford CMP truck lovers in Aus.

[Ian Fawbert]

Hi mate,

No worries. I'll have a look in the pile of bibs and bobs and see- yours first up if I find one.

Jacques, I am glad you had worked it out or are nearly working it out! I'm sorry I didn't get back to you- a lot of things piled up and I forgot about it. If I can help anymore, please let me know.

Cheers all,
Ian.

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Phil Waterman

The battery hold down as shown in Ian's post is visually identical to Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, and Ford trucks used up to the late 40s. So you may be able to widen your NOS search.

Repro item from Mac's auto parts looks identical to me. Good value at 12 USD.

http://macsautoparts.com/early-v8-fo...0R3CHL1071740/

[Private_collector]

Bloody hell Tony, I haven't even thought to check Macs yet. Cheers for the info. My next purchase from Macs will include one of those I believe. I need to order some supension and brake parts anyway.
Battery box base 1.jpg Battery box base 2.jpg
The afternoon has been spent playing panelbeater again. Determined to get all the driver side step/battery box parts looking as good as can be. Unfortunately, that involves a considerable amount of body filler, sanding, body filler, more sanding......
Battery box base 3.jpg
Guess this is how they faked the moon landing. The eagle has landed!
Step bracket 1.jpg Step bracket 2.jpg
If i'm calculating accurately, there is about 1/5 of all filler applied that actually remains after the sanding & shaping.

I won't get paint on the step/battery holder parts tomorrow. The photos shown above were taken around 3pm, so both those parts with filler are now under primer. The heavy steel battery tray base now has it's second (lighter) coat of filler, but not primed / spray puttied yet. The step has not yet been touched either. It is in good nick but does require a light skim of filler across where the tray bolts to it. With all that in mind, I wouldn't dream of trying to get final coat on tomorrow. Not enough time for the primer, spray putty & blade putty to dry. Paint them too soon and all sorts of nasty problems will eventuate.

I suppose I could paint the battery box itself, but no point soiling a gun, and all that cleanup afterwards, just for one part. I'll do em all next weekend..............as always, weather permitting.