Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Private_collector]

Chassis repair 1.jpg Chassis repair 2.jpg Chassis repair 3.jpg Chassis repair 4.jpg Chassis repair 5.jpg
Finally back on the computer again. Here are the photos showing current state of chassis. Waited 2 hours while they finished the work that was 'ready' for me to pick up. It did give me opportunity to see how they drill holes, and how they cut larger round holes using the Oxy-Acetyline torch. That was quite impressive to see actually. I took the pintle brackets off before I attempted to trailer the chassis home. They would have been too heavy for me to safely 'wheel' the chassis around on the axle I have temporarily chanied, for mobility.

I kept a real good watch on the rail alignment as I torqued each of the bolts around the rear member etc. Pleased to say it wouldn't be more than 2mm out of true! Yay!!

You will note that the rear cross member has a cut-out section at each end, unlike original. This annoys me, but in reviewing the photo I had given them, the ends of the rear member are actually VERY difficult to see in the photo, not that I believe the photo ever was shown to the guy that did the work! This method is how they do all replacement cross members for the heavy vehicles they do. It's supposed to give greater ability to flex. I have no plans to alter this now. I will be putting a second bolt on top surface of the cross member, and will need to add another hole underneath, where the spring hanger bolts through chassis base.

The new sections of chassis rails look good, too good really, because it's the only part of the chassis that doesn't have a surplus of holes along it.

It is ironic that I finally get the bloody thing home, just days before we all depart for annual holiday, so no work will be done for roughly the next 2 weeks. The new security system and neighbour with 12ga will deter would-be thieves in our absence.

I will have my tablet device with me on holiday, and hope to be able to post from a 'historically significant' location.....or two

[hrpearce]

From hear on the more you bolt to the chassis the greater the urge to finish.

[Private_collector]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

From hear on the more you bolt to the chassis the greater the urge to finish.

Yeah Robert, I understand what you are saying, and hope I don't start rushing things to the extent that I make a bollocks of something!!!

Once I actually get the frame painted, a number of things should go straight on. Especially those bits I worked on while without the chassis. Both steps, both tanks, brake master & booster, Pedal levers, etc..

When I get back from the trip, I hope to have enough $$$ left over to buy a wiring harness ASAP. I'm also biding my time, trying to catch a former neighbour who is a retired mechanic. He may be enticed to do the engine rebuild for me. No hurry with that stage, just want it done well.

[Private_collector]

Good morning, and greetings from Honolulu, on the morning of December 7th, the seventy first anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

We arrived here early on December 2nd, local time, and have been touring Oahu and also the island of Hawai'i, known simply as "The 'Big' Island". The morning we checked into our hotel I met a gentleman in the hotel elevator who is one of the dwindling ranks of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. He is a tour volunteer at Pearl Harbor, and will be here doing that for the next month. Such a delightfully friendly old chap whose name eludes me for the moment. I see this fellow most days and hope to get his photograph (and name again) soon. Because I am using the 'tablet' device, I dont have easy way of uploading photos to MLU unless they are taken with phone, which is considerably lower quality than the camera I am carrying.

It was my desire to attend the commemorations at Pearl Harbor this morning, but now know it is to be a closed program for veterans, families of deceased veterans and of course dignitaries. This afternoon, Pearl Harbor is once again open to the public, and I plan to visis then. I may even see my newly acquired friend then.

This evening at 1800hrs there will be a large parade through Waikiki, which leaves Fort Derussy, heading eastward through Wakiki in direction of Honolulu Zoo. From the list of parade participants it seems to be more of a social event as opposed to a historical commemoration, but time will tell if this is indeed the case. Obviously I will watch the parade and take copious photos. I will also carry my phone, to take a few photos for MLU posting. You may recall I posted one photo of my Sons graduation evening some time ago now, and that was primarily to see if phone photos were sufficiently small enough not to choke while uploading to MLU.

At time of finishing this post, it is approaching 7:55am, the exact time hell broke loose at Pearl Harbor. I am dissapointed to report that a scan through local television channels has proven fruitless for any coverage of the ceremony which is either in progress or about to commence. In fact, a number of the locals had forgotten the signifigance of today. Not all that is, but some.

Lest We Forget.

[Private_collector]

Well, I have just had a very exciting & moving day. This afternoon we visited Pearl Harbor again, took lots of photos there, then earlier this evening, staked a good viewing spot for the second annual Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade. The parade was truly wonderful. There were a vast number of school and community groups, with marching bands and great range of performances. Everything from gymnastics to hotrods, custom motercycles, and even some Low Riders. I do love the lowrider vehicles. They are just so impractical and bizarre that you gotta appreciate the damn things.

Unfortunately, no vintage or classic military vehicles. The U.S service personnel were splendid in presentation and drill. The stars of the show were undoubtedly the Pearl Harbor Survivors. My hands are gonna be sore tomorrow from all the clapping, thats for sure.

I was lucky to top the evening of with a good long chat with the gentleman I described in the previous post. He is Mr Alexander Dyga, and he was on shore on the morning of December 7th, 1941, and was initially in the vicinity of the fuel storage facilities which despite being identified as a prime target, were not bombed. Mr Dyga has served in the military for an extended period beyond WWII, and spoke about his time working with missiles at Vandenberg AFB and other locations, all the way up to the 1960s. I happened to have brought a book to read on the flights, about Gallipoli, and to cut a long story short, I gave it to Mr Dyga because he is interested in military history but had not heard about ANZAC or the Gallipoli campaign. In return, I was given a really good tip about where to eat cheaply in Waikiki. invaluable!
Attachment 53648
Bought a whole heap of stuff at Pearl Harbor, including copies of significant WWII newspapers, a couple of really neat military vehicle (Sherman & M16 half track) models in 1:32 scale, the mandatory T-shirt and a U.S flag which was flown over the Arizona memorial earlier this year, on Memorial Day.

Its now 2210hrs and time to retire to bed. Tomorrow morning I try the restaurant Mr Dyga told me about.

[Private_collector]

This morning was the annual Honolulu marathon. It is sponsored by Japan Air Lines, so lots of japanese participants. All very keen and sprightly today, but if memory serves me right, tomorrow will be a different story. Already seen a few who look like walking on blisters........or dead muscles.

Physical exertion, when will people learn!

When travelling around in last week, I came across a large number of WWII period defence structures. Most on coastal locations, but not all. Photos to be posted upon return home next week. One of the most unexpected finds was a series of concrete pill boxes and artillary foundations, in the sand dunes on west side of Oahu. Saw one of them from the road and went treking in the brushes to discover the accompanying ones.

Saw an improvised cattle ramp made from an articulated trailer (? WWII vintage, very old) with the side walls made of lengths of marsden matting. Still looked like the matting was OK too. Got a couple of photos of that as well.

[Private_collector]

This morning, while at Starbucks ordering the morning coffees, a lady remarked that she liked the 'Aloha' shirt I was wearing. When I thanked her for the kind comment, she asked about my accent and where I was from. When I said Australia, she enquired what language we spoke in Australia! Right now there is a lady from continental U.S.A trying to convince her friends that Australians only speak english abroad, and that our native language is actually Dutch.

As my daily routine here is to get up around 0330 to 0430hrs, go for my morning walk, then sit outside Dennys waiting for the coffee shop to open at 0530hrs, I get to see a little of the side of local life that others wouldn't notice. I am perpetually surprised with the number of homeless people around. More than I recalled on previous visit. I guess if you must be vagrant, where better than in Hawaii, right? Still a very sad sight to see these folks that in better circumstances could have had a vastly different life. Who knows what chain of events lead to their present situation. The few that I have spoken with seem decent folks, if a bit guarded about discussing themselves. I could never imagine how desperate their lives must be, living among such affluence, but being reduced to a life on the streets and rummaging through bins for food or recyclables to cash in.

Certainly makes one grateful for the things we take for granted every day.