Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[David Dunlop]

Just love the spin off information on stencilling recently developing in this thread! Do you think it might be worth our asking the trusty Mods to set up a new "Stencilling Information" thread to move this information to? As a topic, it may really take off, and it might benefit being a resource in its own for all of us.

Hope you are having a good Spring before things start to get toasty down there again.

Cheers,

David

[David Dunlop]

Forgot to mention, Tony, I love your Field Gun project! It is looking VERY impressive! If you were building it here in Canada, you'd probably be arrested.

[Private_collector]

Thank you for the kind words, David. I agree, a stencilling/sign making thread would be a good idea. Anyone can kick the thread off. I might do that myself, once I get the new rollers for the cutter, and actually have something for show and tell. I fear mail delivery may be like a watched kettle. It never boils, or in my case the package is painfully slow to arrive. In over 700 items purchased online, I have only lost one in transit. Bet the pinch rollers become number 2. You watch!

I wish the weather would get all the rain out of the way, then fine up. Been drizzling here, off and on, for the last.........well, roughly ever since I got my CMP wheels bck from the sandblaster.
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So, with time on my hands, I started playing around with making designs on the graphics software. The above image was modified from a JPG file, so that it could be cut with my machine. Although it is not applicable for my trucks, I will print a couple of small copies when able. The combination of dead straight lines, sharp points, and long curves will show up any calibration and alignment issues with the cutter. Apologies that the two photos look like I took them through a screen door. It's the combination of computer screen and digital camera.
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I just came across this 9th Division sign in my photos, so I'll have a go at tidying it up tonight.

[Private_collector]

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Between drizzles, I made a run into town to get my Sunshine Roof back from the sandblasters. I am always very satisfied with my blaster. Everything is ready when promised, and the quality of work is great. When I took the roof there on Tuesday, Glen the owner, was in the process of dabbing black paint onto back edges of bolt heads and behind brackets of a truck chassis they had blasted and painted. Only a man who takes pride in his work would be bothered doing this. I didn't say anything, but was suitably impressed.
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I knew there was one or two dents on the roof, but the smoothly primed surface now reveals a few other small knocks I was previously unaware of. I will need to be careful I don't 'repair' any of the spot welds or areas which appear to have been there since manufacture. For example, the third photo shows front passenger side corner of the roof. One or the two visible imperfections is an acquired dent, the other is a buckle in the panel, which looks like this occured during welding process. That one is raised up, not pushed in like wear and tear damage would be. One I will repair, the other stays as it is. It'll be covered by either canvas, or the metal piece that tensions the canvas (with 2x wing nuts, to tighten).
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Some of the spot welding is pretty average. I intend to drip-check the gutters, so they can't rust again. I know it's not authentic, but will avoid those unsightly corrosion stains. Nobody wants those pesky stains anywhere, right!

[Richard Seymour]

If you can come up with a 9th division stencil I will be happy to purchase one from you

[Private_collector]

Drove the grey truck into town this morning, to treat it to a pair of new batteries (as it turned out!). While there, I looked into having a wheel alignment done some time in near future. They did a preliminary check of all the components which might impact on alignment success. They found most things OK, but (and there is ALWAYS a but) there is play in noth king pins and a moderate amount in the steering box itself. The steering box issue I had already known about, but king pin wear was somewhat of a surprise.

Can anyone tell me a spurce for King pin bearings and/or bushes for the Ford 4x2 CMP, please? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Alternatively, if someone can tell me the measurements of the pins, bearings, and/or bushes, I can start scrounging for them.

On the brighter side, the truck actually sounds like is WANTS to fire up and get going, since the new batteries went in.

Thanks,

[cliff]

Tony I think the kingpins and axle are the same as the 1940/41 Ford civilian models so maybe one of the rear Ford spares places can help?

[Private_collector]

Thanks Cliff, I have seen some on ebay, but was hesitant. I've bought things in past which have subsequently proven to be incorrect.
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After lunch (and a brief nap) I made and attached the two cross braces for the rear of the gun shield. With a little daylight to spare, I started cutting out the main opening. Got the rough work done, and a small amount of finishing work. I managed to burn out a grinder doing the initial work. It won't be coming back to life, I wouldn't think. The filing required to get everything neat, is painful. I'll sleep well tonight.

My apologies, the photos are not great quality. I took them in a hurry.