Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Private_collector]

Hello Gentlemen,

Ironic that I would end up purchasing such a modified vehicle, isn't it. Though not so surprising, considering the list of things I had to compromise with on the restoration truck, I suppose. Since buying the grey truck I have searched for any branch of the services who might have had similarly colored trucks in WWII. That search was ultimalely unsuccessful, and a number of individuals have advised grey was not used at all by any Australian military units at that time. That's a pity. It would have saved me considerable work, at least in the medium term future. At some point I will be striping down all the bodywork anyway.

I would like to retain the rear canopy, and hope to get a green canvas cover (same color as door curtains for other truck) made that will sit straight over the grey one. Obviously the windows and rear flap appetures will have to be slightly enlarged so that when they are rolled up the grey one underneath can be opened also. So far as I can imagine, that should be the only challenge. Side awning will be retained, but green canvas instead of current grey vinyl. The entire canopy and steel frame beneath can be removed with quick release clips pulled upwards. I won't need to test that feature, I wouldn't expect.

I should have mentioned in my initial post, that all the mechanicals which are still CMP have been rebuilt by previous owners. Most recent owner rebuilt some components of braking system, such as vacuum booster and pedal bushings. The owner prior to that had wheel cylinders bored and stainless steel sleeved, new rubber brake hoses made, and brake shoes relined. One of the two owners got new brake lines made, but I don't remember which guy did those, nor do I know whether they are stainless steel or steel composite material. Front end and rear axle have been rebuilt entirely. My only issue is with the steering box. While it is not unsafe, and I have 'learnt' how to drive it, there is a little wander in steering, which I want to remedy when I can. I had hoped to swap the steering boxes between the two trucks, as a short term fix, and rebuild the wandery box to then put into other truck. That won't happen. I discovered the grey truck has a smaller steering box in comparisn to the resto truck, so I will have to source one to rebuild then put that into the grey truck so it's not off the road at all. In my experience, small jobs seem to drag on and the vehicle can be disabled far too long, especially if parts need to be ordered from O.S.
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These are the tyres I will be putting on in place of the civi type which are on now.

[Bob McNeill]

Tony, since the new truck is 2 wheel drive, civvy tyres on the front so long as they,r 9.00s will be quieter and may handle better over a longer distance. Sounds like a liquid overhaul may solve the colour problem while you enjoy the smile value on the open road.

[Private_collector]

Hey Bob,

Not sure what the tyres are. I'll look, as soon as I get home on Monday.

I like 'liquid overhaul'. Not heard that reference before, but in hindsight, I know a number of people who have done one.

[T Creighton]

It's great to be able to read your interesting postings again Tony.
And with a new??? vehicle that you can drive around in. What a turn up.
Your enthusiasm is still shining through.
I was looking forward to seeing that French V8 up and running but I guess that will be down the track a little bit now.
All the best with your grey (for the moment) CMP.
Regards, Terry.

[Little Jo]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

I have searched for any branch of the services who might have had similarly colored trucks in WWII. That search was ultimalely unsuccessful, and a number of individuals have advised grey was not used at all by any Australian military units at that time. That's a pity. It would have saved me considerable work, at least in the medium term future.

Hi Tony

My mate has a genuine Grey WW2 MB Willys Jeep which belonged to the RAN. It came off the docks in Melbourne and is still painted in the Navy Grey colour. He said he wouldn't paint it any other colour than for what it was used for in the Navy. I am sure the Navy also used the two wheeled Blitz as well.

Cheers

Tony

[Private_collector]

Hey Tony V, long time no see. Yeah, RAN makes sense. Battleships were grey, why wouldn't their vehicles be!. If I didn't have a particular long-term plan, I would do the truck as RAN vehicle, and not bother with the effort involved in changing color. I'm not looking forward to painting it, to be honest, and it will remain grey for quite a while yet.

Although it has absolutely nothing to do with a light grey CMP that has been modified in many ways, I have put my Sons service number on both sides of the cab nose panel. Sometime soon, I should receive vinyl decals, 3" or 4" high (can't remember which I ordered now), that say A.E.M.E. That being, Australian Electrical & Mechanical Engineers, which was the WWII forbear of current RAEME. That is the Corps my Son is with. I know of no Australian Army unit that used grey vehicles, so it's bound to raise eyebrows of the purists, but my desire to demonstrate my respect and honour for a family member overrides my gyro have accurate appearances. I can live with that.......for now. Having then applied the 'stickers', I'll no doubt want to get my moneys worth out of em before I scrape them all off. I'm part Scottish you know!

The irony is this, I haven't been able to progress with the other truck through summer because the workshop was just too hot, so anything I achieved was done outside, and now a quick paintjob could be a stop gap until later 'good' job, but it's getting too cold to do so out in the open. It would need to be done in the workshop, which is full of big chunks of the green truck. Catch 22, I'm afraid.

All I achieved this past summer was some work on a low tech replica of an artillery piece I am making, just so I have something to drag behind the green truck (or possibly, second truck once green). I don't think anyone here will have heard much about this project. I have been acquiring all the flashy looking bits I wanted to use, but which I simply couldn't make. Still need a lot more though. Most are correct for a 25pdr, but some are just close resemblence and look the part......roughly speaking. The humorous thing is that once completed all of the fancy bits I've been buying will be hidden beneath a canvas cover. After all, it will only be a vague copy. See photos below, including a wooden muzzle brake copy that a Korean War veteran made on a lathe for me, and the canvas cover I had made for it. Barrel is an old lamp post. Breech I made from scrap. Axle is tube steel with Land Rover stubs welded on ends, and wheels are L.R as well. Trails are to be plated with steel sheet on both sides, similar to 25pdr. I forget how many wooden domed top plugs I worked out I would need, to replicate rivets, but have that written down somewhere. It's a folly, I know.
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More phtos to follow soon.

P.S: We arrived home from our trip to Albury, at around 1700hrs. Back to work tomorrow, and not looking forward to early rising for it.

[Little Jo]

Hi Tony

So glad you are back with us again. I think using your boy's service number is a great idea and in the end who cares about the puritans. You use it anyway you feel is good for you. Anyway its your vehicle to use and enjoy.

Cheers

Tony

[Private_collector]

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First photo is the equipment cases which will be attached to the inside of front shield, which will be 6mm aluminium........$$$ kachinnng. The second photo shows the inner barrel tube. Best not to ask about the spark plug or piping! It does work though Third photo another angle of the trails when I did a test fit onto the axle & wheels. Fourth photo is the cap that goes onto end of the recoil mechanism (? recuperator). Had to make that from fibreglass with large nuts incorperated into it, and the rectangular shaped section it goes on top of, is made from two lengths of 100 x 100 square steel box welded side by side, making 100 x 200 total. Sorry, I don't have a photo of that piece handy right now. Last photo,......well,.......you get the idea.

As i said, a folly!

[Lionelgee]

G'day Tony,

Good to see you back posting on MLU Tony .

Kind Regards
Lionel

[David Dunlop]

Spark plug and piping. Hmmmm. Wiring that into the brake system in lieu of lights per chance? Get ones attention better than a 'Keep Back 50 Metres' sign, that's for sure!!!

[Private_collector]

Not a bad idea, David.

[Ken Smith]

Good day Tony,
It is nice to have you back, you must be so proud of your son and his chosen profession.

I have been going through your thread a fair bit since I got my latest F60L and I even buy stuff off Mac's Auto now, thanks to you.

Somewhere in your thread you asked about the ends of the studs that hold the wheels together being painted or not, the wheels on my good C60L had the ends of the studs painted. The truck didn't come out of the army until 1955 so I imagine some poor appy being handed a tin of red paint and a brush and being told "Get on with it".

Cheers Ken

[motto]

Hi Tony
I don't know what the legislation/regulations are in Vic where I live let alone QLD but wouldn't be surprised at all if you had to register your folly and maybe go through a series of hoops to do it.
Things have changed so much in recent years you can't do many of the things we used to be able to get away with.

Cheers

David

[Private_collector]

Yes David. There are a couple of hoops to throw ones self through!
Not needed yet. Its still a big pile of bits. Some assembly required.
Once I have enough parts that require 'good' welding, I will get those all done together. My welding is simply atrocious, and not anywhere near the quality needed for structural joining. I can do minor MIG welds and tack welding, but anything beyond that is out of my league.

[Private_collector]

Now that things have cooled considerably, it's time to get animated again. I was thinking the front of my new truck looked a little bland, so I set about adding a wee bit more militarisation. This dear old truck has so many modern changes to make it a vehicle worthy of long distance travel, and only a serious effort will return the exterior to authentic (more on that plan in a minute ), but a couple of choice touches wouldn't hurt.
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I put on a vehicle number of family significance, several weeks ago. Today I added a 9th Division formation sign, and a bridge plate. The business in town that made the TAC plate for my other truck has closed down, and I am yet to find a suitable place to make the one I want for this truck. In readiness for it's eventual manufacture, I have negotiated with a gentleman in UK who is making a decal to identify the truck as an AEME vehicle. It will have the three horizontal colors, with the Corps logo in the middle. Another version has been ordered also, being the Corp logo alone, on a clear background. In that scenario, I would paint the three colors myself......the old fashioned way.....spray cans x 3

That was my Play for the day, though i did put one of the piston/rod units into the flathead engine. As usual, it's only a test, for now. I will need to insert all pistons from the bottom of the block. The super strong racing rods have a big end which is so heavily built that they cannot be installed from above, meaning that they will all have to be put in below and tapped towards the crank, which must be put in place once all pistons are already there. I have been told this is not unusual. It bloody well is for me, but because I have NEVER built any engine before, I wouldn't know how unusual.

My Wife and I took the 'grey' (I'm considering nick naming it Gandalph) for a drive this afternoon. Drove to Theebine, which is normally a 25min drive. The return trip took about an hour and a half. We did call in to visit an older gentleman who had been unwell, so I guess thats not too bad. Unfortunately, I now have a very splendid headache to contend with. Not sure if it was the symphony of sound that we call a diesel engine, of if it's all the bouncing and bumping around that has tried to make my brain into a cocktail, shaken but not in shock! Either way, I'm suffering for it now. My Wife is the smart one of the outfit. She took earplug. Incidentally, she doesn't have a headache. The trip was fun though. Got ever so slightly LESS fun when it started raining. The wipers work! Previous owner has rigged them so the passenger side wiper won't come on unless the seperate switch for driver side is activated first. That's the extent of thought which he put into his electrical work. I am still on a voyage of discovery, and new things are being realised every time I drive the truck.
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How's this for a find? A friend of mine came across this Sunshine Cab roof, and contacted me. I had told him I was wanting one of these for the grey truck, but really didn't have any expectation that one would be found intact, let alone the nearly perfect one that this is. To my eye, it appears to have all the bits that it should have, and they all look to be in very good condition. What is the flat strip which goes across the front of the roof opening? Is this the thing that the canvas is attached to? If so, that is a real bonus. Never seen one so intact and unmolested. I can't see a single dent or rust hole, only surface rust. As you would expect, I jumped at the opportunity to buy it. I won't upset everyone by saying what price I paid. That would just be cruel. I have also purchased a full cab that takes the canvas covered doors. Another friend and MLU member has taken some photos and measurements of the steel frame for canvas doors, and my thanks to him for all his efforts in doing so. Without the help of people like you, restoration would be sooooo much more difficult, if not impossible. Thanks Rob
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The chap selling me the roof has option to buy these trucks. They also are in remarkable condition. Look closely, you can see they still have a number of the original military items. I believe he will purchase them both. There is a significant cache of other CMPs he has located, but I will not speak about them yet.