F60L resto NSW Australia

[Jacques Reed]

Hi David,

Welcome to the forum! Always great to have new members onboard and to hear that another Ford CMP truck has been saved from extinction.

I cannot offer any info based on the s/n but a photo of it would help to identify it.

As a general rule, the raised casting number and letters on the right front side of the block and/or the bell housing will give you the date the block was cast. If you post them I can identify it for you. It would be something like "C..9A"

There are some Blitzes around that have been retro fitted with earlier 21 stud motors which automatically rules it out being the original, likewise the later 8BA engines with the separate bell housing, top mounted distributor etc.

Car engines were often substituted for the truck engines over the years so things like single sheave pulleys on the crank, water pumps, and generator indicate a passenger car engine. A 1944 CMP truck would have used double row pulleys.

Hope this point you in the right direction to get an answer.

Cheers,

[Keith Webb]

Likewise welcome here David.

Have a look on top of the valley machined surface for an engine number as well. The original engines for a 1944/45 model was 4G with a F suffix.

Out of interest the original engine number is usually stamped on the top go the gearbox housing and also on the right front chassis next to the engine mount, this doubles as the chassis number.

Jacques is right on the money for help with the ID of different flathead types.

[David Nicholson]

Thanks for the encouragement and info... I haven't found many more casting marks, but it is still covered in thick layers of dust and oil! I'm suspicious that it may not be the original engine. I do have the data plates for the truck, and the engine serials don't match. However, I have read that this was occasionally the case with wartime manufacturing!

Anyway, here are some photo's as promised.....

[David Nicholson]

And with 20 x 1200 Tyres fitted to the front which I found. Looking for more.....

Engine is out, trying to free some valves, and remove split valve guides. Ready for it's acid bath.....then off to the specialist for rebuild evaluation.....

The truck came with good radiator, lights(Minus the lenses!!!), and a whole lot of bits and pieces! Engine was complete but seized.

Engine may not be original as stated before. Bore's measure 3 3/16 (3.1875).

I purchased another engine, but it was worse than original, so will re-build this one if nothing too bad is found...

I bought some excellent engine covers which are complete and rust free...

It looks like the transfer case intermediate gear has failed at some point, so will need that looking at.

Gearbox looks in excellent condition. I have removed the side cover and drained the oil(sludge) and inspected the gears which all seem ok, and without pitting!!!(Need a win sometime!).

BTW, does anyone know if you can directly replace the older style split valve guides, for the latter model guides and valves in the older blocks?

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by David Nicholson

BTW, does anyone know if you can directly replace the older style split valve guides, for the latter model guides and valves in the older blocks?

Yes, you can. A little info on Valvetrain in THIS THREAD

[Keith Webb]

Looking at the front on shot it has a 'Divers Helmet' distributor as fitted to the 1941 vehicles. You mentioned the engine number is different to the one on the data plate, what is the number of the engine that was in it?
I have some NOS transfer case gears, might have the one you need, but will have to dig them out of storage.

[Mike Cecil]

What did you do with the boom crane? It looks to be the original crane as fitted to the F60L. Both the RAAF and the Army (mainly engineer units) used that crane type.

The original engine number, as Keith said, was also used as the chassis number of Aust assembled/built Fords, so that would be helpful in finding out its original identity/military registration number.

Nice project. Best of luck. The thread Tony pointed you to re valves just about provides everything you need to know or the options you have before you. As for pistons and crank shaft bearings, I used a later model crank shaft with two oil holes per journal, and fixed shell bearings rather than the original full-float type. Four ring pistons and 8BA con rods with fixed shell bearings. Also a crab-type distributor rather than the helmet type you already have. Balanced, it went like a train.

Mike

[David Nicholson]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

Looking at the front on shot it has a 'Divers Helmet' distributor as fitted to the 1941 vehicles. You mentioned the engine number is different to the one on the data plate, what is the number of the engine that was in it?
I have some NOS transfer case gears, might have the one you need, but will have to dig them out of storage.

Thanks Keith, I'd appreciate if you had some gears, and wanted to sell them. Keep me in mind as I'll be looking at the TX case soon.....

4G6532F is the number given on the data plate....see pic. The number on the casting on the bell housing is D363:1 K. Engine does have the divers helmet fitted. Mmmmmm need to find more numbers on the engine. I'm beginning to think it was a quick fix by putting another motor in it?

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by David Nicholson

And with 20 x 1200 Tyres fitted to the front which I found. Looking for more.....

When it was fitted with duals, there was a spacer fitted to the front hub to allow correct steering geometry with the offset "Dual" rim. If you're going back to 12.00-20's on single rims, you will need to remove the spacer to get correct steering again. The spacers were made by the Aust Army for fitment to to 3 ton tippers.

[David Nicholson]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

When it was fitted with duals, there was a spacer fitted to the front hub to allow correct steering geometry with the offset "Dual" rim. If you're going back to 12.00-20's on single rims, you will need to remove the spacer to get correct steering again. The spacers were made by the Aust Army for fitment to to 3 ton tippers.

Thanks Tony! Appreciate the information........

I've also got 3 out of 4 Shockabsorbers apparently seized? Has anybody had any experience in un-seizing these? I imagine you can't get new ones .... But I'd like to get them moving at least. Not sure if I'll ever need them to work as designed......With those springs I dont think I'll really notice the difference crawling through the bush....

[Jacques Reed]

Hi David,

Wish I could tell you how to un-seize them but I can't. Years ago I tried everything from filling with Penetrene, acetone, and even soaking in kero for a month. Nothing moved. I didn't try brake fluid and acetone together as has been mentioned before as a great penetrant for seized nuts and studs. Perhaps that might work?

I wound up getting them restored by Frank Curcio in Melbourne who specialized in reconditioning those type of shock absorber as used on A Model Fords but are a bit smaller. He took a couple extra ones apart for me so I could have a look. I don't think he is still in business though. To do it again I would do it myself as all he did was heat up the arm at the pivot shaft while using a puller that he fabricated for the job. Once the arm is off, the hardest part, the rest comes apart easily for cleaning.

As per the photos Houdaille shock absorbers are beautifully machined and that is the problem. Once the fluid congeals or goes hard in those tight clearances it effectively locks everything up.

Beware too that they have a clockwise and anti-clockwise operation so you cannot swap left to right and vice versa should you find some that move.

There are a few websites that explain Houdaille shock absorbers which makes for interesting reading.

Hopefully I got the ball rolling and someone will be able to add to this.

Cheers,