Ford GP (series 1) slow build

[Jim Gilmore]

Too bad the data plate was missing.....

As for a DoD.....

Ford motor Co. records show the original motor GP-8920 as being assembled on March 17, 1941. I would guess the DoD to be March 20 or 21, 1941.

Motors were usually produced 3 working days before being used in the assembly line.

For a USA number ...It would be somewhere between W-2017810 ( DoD 3/18) to W-2017893 ( DoD 3/21)

Hope this helps....

Jim Gilmore

Jim Thorpe, PA.

[Mike Cecil]

Thanks, Jim, I appreciate the data as I am well aware of the amount of effort that goes into compiling it in the first place.

Regards

Mike

[Mike Cecil]

My progress on the Ford GP is at a leisurely pace. A couple of views of where it is up to.

The GP hangs from the overhead crane as I had to dismantle part of the front suspension to take examples of the bush and pin to the machinist to have a few sets made for a friend in the UK, and a set of bushes for another GP restorer who lives nearby. Like me, he had purchased a set of pins & bushes from Australia, and now finds the bushes don't fit - the outer diameter is too large for the suspension hangers and the inside diameter is much too sloppy on the pins. The ones I have had made locally are a 'push fit' with a couple of thou clearance. They are nice and tight upon assembly. This time I'll have an extra pin and bush made to keep as the reference, for the next time a friend wants a set made.

I'm sure we have all been down this path: you know you purchased an item, and now it is time to install it, it cannot be found! I have a carbie air horn, which is a casting on the GP, somewhere nice and safe. Too safe, as I don't seem to be able to locate it! I'm sure it will turn up, probably after I buy another to replace it.

The lighting system worked fine when I installed it, but the light switch seems to have developed a fault so has to come out. Two steps forward, one step back!

Mike

[Peter Duggan]

Mike,

Nice looking jeep. Had to comment, I can can well relate to your comment "one step forward, one step back". It's become my personal motto.

Peter

[Mike Cecil]

The Ford GP serial 8920 reached another milestone last evening when I took it for a short drive along our nice quiet street. Krystii made a couple of videos with her i-pad, but they are way too large to post here, so you'll just have to see the stills instead.

Not a perfect job, and a long way to go yet with many small details to be attended to (fitting nomenclature plates, bleeding& adjusting brakes, tucking up and securing wiring, etc etc - you all know the drill!). The hood/bonnet & windshield/windscreen assembly are headed to Indianapolis, Indiana for some restorative work. I don't expect to see those again until next year. The canvas set is by Beachwood Canvas - Dan's team does an excellent job and worth the money. The set I have on the Willys MB (in the background) is also great - the canopy does not 'flap' at 45 mph.

The big red switch visible on the left of the engine bay is a temp battery isolating switch - always use one in a handy position during the resto, then move it to a more discreet/less accessible position upon completion.

And the carbie air horn I mentioned in the previous post .... I purchased another, still cannot find the first one!! Fits nicely on the (repro) Holley 847D carbie.

Mike

[jack neville]

What did you do with the original body Mike?

[Mike Cecil]

Jack,

The two bodies I had, plus a spare chassis and sundry other parts, went to the Netherlands.

Mike