Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Private_collector]

But first,
Cab roof - sunshine 1.jpg
Thanks Phil. You are correct. It's 'one for the price of 2' sort of thing. I took a good look at the one with best roof profile, and it is the one that will become the Sunshine Roof. The second roof is a suitable donor for rear window frame and possibly bugger-all else. I also have a third roof. It is OK to use as is, once cleaned up and panelbeaten a little, but that can wait for another time. I'm more interested in getting the hole cut through for the sunshine roof to go away for blasting, welding, etc.. I have a couple of metres of canvas on order. Should get it this week. Wasn't feeling best last weekend, so I sat down and did a lube job on the sewing machine I bought some weeks ago.
rear spring pitch coated 1.jpg
This morning (and afternoon) I did a job I have been avoiding for a long time. Rear springs. I have a good set of rear ones without overriders, from the 'organ donor'. All the clamps are intact. The main bolts are in good shape. The leaves are not rusted. Unfortunately the reason they are not rusted is because of an awful lot of pitch between all the leaves. Mmmmmm, pitch/tar/whatever........wat ho! Oh my god! Disgusting stuff to remove. Here's the steps:

Scrape all the edges and grooves with an old chisel.
Soak everything with petrol and remove what you can get at.
Go beserk with twisted wire cup on grinder. Spear several wire strands into legs etc...
Discover heaps of pitch still in grooves. Swear loudly and repeatedly.
Re-soak with petrol, and scrub grooves with wire brush.
Use compressed-air to clean MORE pitch from grooves, as it sprays everywhere. Clean black muck off hands.
Re-re-soak with petrol and remove yet more muck. Repeat previous step (and this one) x 3 times.
rub over with brillo pad and Marine-Clean (POR15) 5:1 mix.
Dry thoroughly with compressed-air and throw em in the car for blasting during the week.
Rear spring cleaned 1.jpg
Covered the bushes with an old pin in each side, and copious wraps of gaffer tape to stop grit getting in and damaging.

6 Hours for the pair. Couldn't bring myself to seperate the leaves. All the leaf clamps are 'Ford' stamped too!!
rear spring trial fit 1.jpg
Before I cleaned the springs, I wanted to make sure they would actually fit the truck. Not in great shape this weeekend either, so I certainly wasn't gonna waste hours on something that won't work. I attached a 'should now be painted' (Grrrr) back hanger and swing. Presto. Great fit. The new shackle pins and lock bolts should be here by the end of the week, springs should be blasted and back by Friday, and paint WILL BE ready for me to have by then too. Provided I actually feel up to truck work next weekend, the only thing left to be done by end of next weekend, is the U bolts blasting and running a die down the threads,

[Private_collector]

New shackle bolts 1.jpg New shackle bolts 2.jpg New shackle bolt lock pins 1.jpg
My new set of rear spring bolts & lock pins arrived today from MacsAuto, U.S.A. They are a PERFECT fit. Won't be any rattles coming from the rear suspension, thats for sure. I am lucky to have found enough good bushes for rear springs to have a good tight set all round.

Hope both the part numbers are clearly visible in the above photos.

I'll slowly work my way through as many potential sources of irritating rattles or squeaks as I possibly can. That kind of noise drives me to distraction, and I must eliminate the noise.

Shackle bolts: $9.50ea
Lock pins: $1.10ea
Total part cost = $63.60
Shipping cost to Aust = $65.43

P.S: The grease nipple you see, is one I put on. The bolts don't come with those!

As usual, it costs more to get the parts here than it does to buy the bits!
Still worth it for peace of mind.

Went to a local brake shop today. They will be making a new set of flexible hoses. Roughly $40 each. The ones I have here, I bought some time ago, and I don't remember their country of origin, so I daren't trust them. Make good example to have ones made from though.

[Private_collector]

Does anyone have any information on this type of inspection light?
Inspection Lamp.jpg
WWII maybe?

Anyhow, it's mine now, for $20!

[Phil Waterman]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

Attachment 54328 Attachment 54329 Attachment 54330
My new set of rear spring bolts & lock pins arrived today from MacsAuto, U.S.A. They are a PERFECT fit. Won't be any rattles coming from the rear suspension, thats for sure. I.....

Shackle bolts: $9.50ea
Lock pins: $1.10ea
Total part cost = $63.60
Shipping cost to Aust = $65.43

P.S: The grease nipple you see, is one I put on. The bolts don't come with those!
...

Hi Tony

Before you install them could you do us Chevy Nuts a favor and measure them. You may have found a source for us all.

Need length, OD, distance from end to center of the locking cross notch, approximate dept of the locking pin notch.

Cheers Phil

[Private_collector]

Will do!

I can start with length of 4.28" & OD of 1".

I know those measurements off by heart.

The rest i'll post this evening, when I get home.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Tony

Thanks for that information they won't fit HUPs but now I will have to find my overhaul notes on pins for the C60S and C60L.


If anyone curious I have the HUP pin and bushing dimensions http://canadianmilitarypattern.com/H...ril%20Work.htm

I have hope that it will turn out that the pins you have found through MAC's will also fit the big Chevy CMPs.

Cheers Phil

[Bob Carriere]

Hi Phil

the Pins for the C15a are no longer available from suspension shops..... I had mine done...... was quoted $60 each.... had them done for $40 from drill rods in a rural machine shop...... then found that Dirk had them at LWD NOS and cheaper.......

The machine shop cost comes from using drill stock..... heating them to remove the temper.....drill, cut the bolt lock and tap for the grease fitting them re-temper.... hope they will alst longer than the 70 eyars old originals.

Bob

[Private_collector]

Follows are the dimensions of rear shackle bolt, as requested by Phil.

It's hard to hold caliper still while taking photo with other hand, so I have taken the measurement first, then tried to hold in the representative position......or close enough to know what the measurement refers to.........I hope.

Length.
Rear pin length.jpg
O.D.
Rear pin width.jpg
Distance of groove bed start from end of bolt.
Rear pin groove base start from end.jpg
Distance of groove bed end from end of bolt.
Rear pin groove base end from end of pin.jpg
Groove total width.
Rear pin groove base width.jpg

Depth of the pin groove is 0.1185" below surface of the bolt, give or take a couple of thou.

Total width of the bevelled surface each side of the flat groove is 0.075"

Don't ask what the angle of groove bevel is, it's not 45 degree, but cannot find anything precise enough to measure accurately, and I am not learned in the ways of the force!

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Bob

I had to enlarge the pin grove in the pins I got instead of taking the hardening out of the pins, ground the groves larger. Took about and hour to do all the 6 pins. Can post details on cutting the groves if anybody needs it.

Cheers Phil