Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

This is one of the exhaust pipes I was talking about. Is 2" tube the correct size for these trucks?

Tony,

1-3/4" seems to be the standard, reportedly bigger diameter pipe makes it lose the "old flathead" sound. If you want I can measure up my truck's exhaust pipe tomorrow.

Hanno

[Private_collector]

Thanks Hanno!

That would be great, if no inconvenience. I'm not i a great rush.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

Thanks Hanno!

That would be great, if no inconvenience. I'm not i a great rush.

Tony,

Just took a picture and some measurements. The diameter of the front pipes connecting to the exhaust manifolds are 1.5", the rear pipe after they merge is indeed 2" diameter like "theotherTony" stated. My bad.

Hope this helps,
Hanno

[Private_collector]

Thanks Hanno! Thats excellent news. My pipes are the same, except the short piece for right side header doesn't have the bend that yours has half way along the part that connects to the left side. It does fit my engine though, and does not prevent the drain plug from being removed.

I just won an auction for this Ford battery box. No internals, just the box, so it shouldn't cost a kidney to ship from USA to here. I'm hoping to get a mold taken from it, and have fibreglass reproductions made for sale.
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Didn't want to say too much about this until I had actually been successful with the purchase.

Also started looking closely at the Volvo mufflers. Several different mufflers show up as 240 series, but I know the ones you were talking abouy, and SHOULD be able to order one locally.

[Private_collector]

As you see, the battery top that comes with the case is just a flat piece of perspex. I will remedy that myself.
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These NOS caps will help me.

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

My pipes are the same, except the short piece for right side header doesn't have the bend that yours has half way along the part that connects to the left side. It does fit my engine though, and does not prevent the drain plug from being removed.

Here's a pic of the original set up Tony. It's handy having a few reference vehicles in the back yard! I believe the bend in the RH engine pipe is to prevent it fouling the diff housing, just like the cutaway in the front crossmember. However it sounds like yours passes even further back near the drain plug...?

[Private_collector]

Now that I look at your photo, my pipes look to be very much similar, if not identical.

Probably best if I do a test fit onto the engine. The exhaust manifolds are in place already, and provided the trolley doesn't get in the way, I should have no problem installing them temporarily. Perhaps it was the angle I was looking at my short pipe that made me feel the bends were not as pronounced. I don't believe the cross over is any further to the rear, than yours is, but this isn't based on any facts.....yet!

Thanks again for your responses, chaps. A picture certainly does paint a thousand words.

[Tony Wheeler]

Is there a source for these engine pipes in Australia? Or do we have to get them made up from a pattern?

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

Here's a pic of the original set up Tony. It's handy having a few reference vehicles in the back yard! I believe the bend in the RH engine pipe is to prevent it fouling the diff housing, just like the cutaway in the front crossmember. However it sounds like yours passes even further back near the drain plug...?

Hi Tony W and Tony B,

Just catching up on reading the MLU posts.

I have attached photos of what I believe is a section the the original exhaust pipes at the engine. This was attached to my vehicle but had been cut off short and a new section added to the rear to the muffler by the previous owner. Interestingly the new section was 2" pipe swaged to fit over the remnant of the exhaust pipe and it too kicked downwards as it does in Hannos's photo and the photo I posted a while back of an original one at Bandiana Army Museum.

It seems to concur with Tony Wheeler's photo and Hanno's photo of the entire pipe.

The crossover clamp is the same as used on Jeep exhausts so is readily obtainable.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers,

Jacques

[Private_collector]

Thanks for that, Jacques!

I do still have the metal caps, bu they are worn from friction against steel.
I'm not aware of anywhere the rubber seals are to be found, and I know from experience that the ones Macs stock are far too small. They have evaded me this far, on any of the auction sites too.

It's my turn again to have major computer problems with the home laptop, so the photos I have been trying to post, showing the battery box I have now received, have not yet been uploadable. My IP is working on this problem, but not yet able to cure it.

When I got the battery box, I had a very pleasent surprise. What I had originally thought was just a piece of black perspex used to hide the 'modern' battery inside the original, was far more useful. When I turned it over (the side NOT shown on the ebay listing), I found the previous owner had attached the two original lead cell connectors, as well as three battery cell caps!!! The caps aren't right, but the lead strips are exactly what I was wanting. I plan to try and make a plaster mold from the best one, so I can make more at a later date.

Thanks again, Jacques. I'll write to you privately, this evening.