Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Private_collector]

Bumper tow brackets.jpg
Got a ratty bumper bar yesterday, I wanted it for the two towing loop brackets that also secure the sprung bumper frame. That spring frame is not bad either, and will be kept. The bar itself is bent like a banana. Useless except for scrap value.
Bumper brackets 1.jpg Bumper brackets 2.jpg Bumper brackets - Ford.jpg
The bumper bar brackets are worth keeping, but I don't understand why the larger one (with Y piece) has thick metal spacers between bar and bracket. The other bracket does not. They don't look to have been butchered, and look as if they may have been there from original production?!?!?
Tyre pump assembled 1.jpg
Reassembled the tyre pump, last Saturday, for something different to do.

Advice from the engineering works has it that the chassis should be ready for me to collect tomorrow. I will want to see this for myself before I hire a trailer for return home. Unfortunately 'should' is a very loosely used word.

[Jacques Reed]

The bumper bar brackets are worth keeping, but I don't understand why the larger one (with Y piece) has thick metal spacers between bar and bracket. The other bracket does not. They don't look to have been butchered, and look as if they may have been there from original production?!?!?

Hi Tony,
Those spacers are correct according to quite a few Blitzes I have seen including mine.
Without them they bumper would be cocked off perpendicular to the frame.
Why they are there is the big question? Perhaps a design mistake on the dimensions of the Y bracket from day one fixed with a relatively inexpensive cast iron "dog bone". Maybe someone has the definitive answer out there, but they are correct and do belong there.

Brgds,

Jacques

[Keith Webb]

Yes, they belong there and I think you're right Jacques, but as to why they didn't just modify the brackets to make it fit is a mystery to me.

That bumper is a 44/45 pattern one with the spring bumper (as it's called in the publications of the time) mounted in front rather than behind the bar. It should also have small holes at the ends where the jewels (green reflectors) normally go.

Originally Posted by Jacques Reed

Hi Tony,
Those spacers are correct according to quite a few Blitzes I have seen including mine.
Without them they bumper would be cocked off perpendicular to the frame.
Why they are there is the big question? Perhaps a design mistake on the dimensions of the Y bracket from day one fixed with a relatively inexpensive cast iron "dog bone". Maybe someone has the definitive answer out there, but they are correct and do belong there.

Brgds,

Jacques

[Private_collector]

Keith, you are correct about the bumper. It does indeed have the small holes on ends. Unfortunately it is way too far gone to be repaired, and as such, it was disposed of as scrap this morning along with the Chev cab remains. Now that I think about it, I have another of the Y shaped bumper brackets where one of the forks is shorter, and other is longer by precisely the thickness of the "dog bone" spacer as Jacques termed it. That is even stranger to understand. That one suggests manufacture in a change over of design??

I have been scouring internet in search of the correct muffler body for exhaust system. Not found one as yet. Are there any suppliers in Australia?

After I placed my postings last night, I realised I had made no mention of a curious pair of parts on cab rear panel. One piece being a bracket for securing a round object vertically, which was welded on the line where roof & lower rear panel bolt together. Other part was a strip of metal welded at both ends and bulging out in a curve between the welded ends, of approximately 12" across and bulging roughly 3" out of flat. I take it that these are where a shovel was stored?! These probably wont be mounted on my vehicle. I have no intention of welding onto the now finished cab rear, and I dont think bolting it on would give as good an appearance.

Also salvaged a long folded metal strip and some matching smaller brackets that have eyelets for tying the canvas roof to.

While scavengong with me on Sunday, Andy spotted and brought to my attention a vintage prime mover turntable which was still mounted on rear of a CMP. I didnt make a serious enquiry about that on the day, mostly because of the excitement of visual sensory overload which comes of trying to scan eyes everywhere, in case you miss something. I intend to speak with the owner in coming days, and will ask about that then. I'm still notconvinced that I want to restore my vehicle as a F60T, but it would be good to keep the option open for now.

If I recall correctly, there was a member asking about locating some rifle clips. There were 2 on the scrap cab. Both different, and welded to cab instead of bolted as mine are. I will find out who that was and ask if still looking for some. The smaller of the two clips has me confused as to what it was to be used with. Could it possibly be for a No. 4 L.E.? As far as I know we Australians used either No. 1 Mk. 3* or (in limited numbers) the No. 5 Lee Enfield as the weapons of choice. As Andy pointed out to me, the Bren Gun would bo too long for it to clip there, unless barrel removed possibly. I wouldnt have thought the practice would be to remove a barrel, as requests for enemy to hold fire until barrel reinstalled would almost certainly be met with non compliance.

[Euan McDonald]

Tony,
When you scraped the roof remains did you notice the remains of a bracket protruding from the front of the roof? This was a sun compass mount found on sunshine roof's. The sunshine roof's were only found on C15A, F15A and the odd C/FGT#6.
Do you have the angle bracket that secures the canvas inside the front of the roof? (I have repo’s available).
You are correct regarding the shovel bracket inside the rear of the cab. I have also see them mounted off the rear of the step / corner of cab.

[Private_collector]

Didn't see any hint of bracket on front outside cab, but there are the two places where canvas attaches inside cab front. At least, I think that is the same thing. I'll get a photo to show you what I have. If it is the same thing, the bolt part is gone on both. I did see a large wing nut amongst the folliage on cab floor. Wished I had kept it now.

I did find a bracket on right side which Has a little piece attached that would hold a sun visor. I'll take photo of that too.

[Private_collector]

Euan,
Sunshine roof frame 1.jpg Sunshine roof frame 2.jpg
Assuming I have photographed the correct piece, this is how the brackets on mine look. Not exactly like your posted photo. I like yours better. Would be keen to see the repro pieces you have. Though this type of roof is not indigenous to my truck, I really like the look and will install one. I have several cab rooves, so I can do one with a hatch as well......later.
Shovel holder parts.jpg
These are the shovel holder parts I saved.
Sun visor bracket.jpg
This is the sun visor bracket I removed. Was this original??? If so, I will see that it gets reinstalled on my roof.
Sunshine roof tie loops.jpg
These are the surviving parts of the canvas tie down at cab rear.

I also saved the remains of system of securing what I guess to be a canvas cover for rear window opening. Sorry I didn't take photo of that this evening.

When I said 'scrap' for the cab remains after I finished, it really was devoid of anything useful. I even kept the best of the two metal rifle butt blocks. Well, best as far as you can still tell the dimensions and has the original felt lining, which is totally buggered, of course! My Tetanus inoculation is up to date!

In my next posting you will see why I got sidetracked just as dusk approached

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

While scavengong with me on Sunday, Andy spotted and brought to my attention a vintage prime mover turntable which was still mounted on rear of a CMP. I didnt make a serious enquiry about that on the day, mostly because of the excitement of visual sensory overload which comes of trying to scan eyes everywhere, in case you miss something. I intend to speak with the owner in coming days, and will ask about that then. I'm still notconvinced that I want to restore my vehicle as a F60T, but it would be good to keep the option open for now.

That would be great, an F60T would really stand out in the crowd, surely you would have the only restored one in Australia. No "boring back body", but you'd have to find a trailer. What's the wheelbase of your chassis?

H.

[Private_collector]

you'd have to find a trailer. What's the wheelbase of your chassis?

By pure dumb luck, the chassis had been shortened to 115" WB. If I have read correctly, this is the precise length of a F60T.

I'll contact the owner of the turntable and ask about a price. It is amongst the wrecks which I have posted about a couple of weeks ago. That's where the window frame came from last weekend too.

From what I have been told, those wrecks will go to auction in coming weeks/months. If auction becomes definate, I will advise this on MLU.

Here's a heads up: Amongst these trucks, are at least 4 USABLE doors. mostly Chev, but very suitable for rebuilding. In fact, two of em are better than the ones I repaired for my truck!

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

I have been scouring internet in search of the correct muffler body for exhaust system. Not found one as yet. Are there any suppliers in Australia?

Hi Tony, I have never seen an original muffler on a truck and I doubt with the passing of time anyone else has. I did see one NOS one at Treleven's in Adelaide years ago and dumb me did not buy it. I remember it being round, not oval, and not overly long.

According to an earlier wartime 4 x2 Ford Truck manual I had, the mufflers were 18" long, 6" in diameter with a 2" inlet and a 1-7/8" outlet. Assuming they were standard accross the Ford truck range I obtained an Australian made Redback Muffler, Universal fit No 0544L. Same length and diameter but with both inlet and outlet 2". I worked at Midas muffler as a teenager and was told the main reason inlets and outlet sizes were different was to ensure they went on the correct way round. As long as the Redback goes on the correct way, label to the inlet, there is no problem and no one would notice a 1/8" bigger diameter tailpipe.

Cheers,

[Private_collector]

Thanks for the info Jacques. I thought I had seen a diagram with a muffler that bulged out in a dome at each end. No immediate recollection where I thought I saw this, and most likely thinking of another vehicle. I am a little relieved this isn't for CMP. Wasn't looking forward to recreating the domes.

I spent the A.M in workshop (actually outside in the sun) stripping and priming the windscreen frame. Some may recall that when I did the passenger side window, I had trouble getting the hinge to allow window frame back to the closed position. No such problem this time. I beat the snot out of top part of the hinge, effectively allowing easier 'closed' movement. Hope it still opens more that 1/4" now.

Andy, if you are reading this, I have made one very good handbrake lever & ratchet/ratshit from one we got Sunday & stuff I had in stores.

I'll take photos of todays work when I can. This evening is my Sons graduation, so work ceased early.

[Private_collector]

2012-11-14 20.20.47.jpg Graduation nights are significantly grander than in my day!

[lynx42]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

Thanks for the info Jacques. I thought I had seen a diagram with a muffler that bulged out in a dome at each end. No immediate recollection where I thought I saw this, and most likely thinking of another vehicle. I am a little relieved this isn't for CMP. Wasn't looking forward to recreating the domes.

Tony,

My low mileage Cab12 is still fitted with its factory fitted muffler and fan belts. The muffler ends are domed a bit but I am sure that straight ends will suffice. I cannot get a photo for you for a few days as that one is stored at a mates place at present and I won't be gong there for a week or two. The fan belts have "Ford" visible on the outer flat.

I picked up 8 or 9 mufflers with flat ends at a disposals joint about 8 years ago. Two for the carrier, two for the Ford Lynx one each for the Cab11 and Cab12 and a couple of spares. These are replacement muffler for Ford vehicles.

The graduation night looks like it was a great success.

Regards Rick.