Project F15

[Keith Webb]

Or at least it's brother. I was looking through an original photo album from Syria, 1942 and noted this pic - same type, same body.

This pic is a crop of a tiny 3 1/2" print so it's a bit blurry, but not so soft you can't see the front hub is from a 4X2.

[Howard]

FANTASTIC PIC, KEITH!
Pitty my RHF door is not fitted (on mine), it would be interesting to see if we could match up some markings. Do we know what the markings on this truck are for?
Thanks for your help,
HH

[Howard]

Well this is what she used to look like.
Photo circa 1948, can't have been long after the truck was purchased.

Also, I have updated my online diary, with a photo of the F15 without the scaffold gear. Also I have started Tony's page.

[Howard]

G'Day All,
We have spent a couple of more hours on the F15. See my web page here
Also spent a morning exploring a farm with several Blitz's. I expect Keefy will have pix on his website once he returns to Melbourne...
Cheers Everyone.

[Mike K]

Howard ,

Is that you in nappies ? You look so young for somebody who was around in 1948 .....

Mike

[Howard]

The big fella holding the rifle is my Grandfather, Allan.
The girl on the step is my Aunt, Heather.
My Dad can be seen (or at least his melon), near Allan's legs.
I'm a 1969 model, so I doubt that I was even being considered at the time of the 'photo!
Cheers, Howard
PS Thanks for the PM

[Howard]

This arvo we removed the fuel pump & carbie for a touch-up. I am trying to nut out the PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) system on the engine. I have a service manual for a '43 showing a valve near the front of the carbie that supplies vacuum. My engine ('41) does not have that set up. We checked on Tony's & another old engine we have but there is definitley no fitting near the front of the carbie. At the rear of the carb mounting (a part of the manifold) there is a fitting with a blanking plug fitted. Beside that a fitting with a banjo fitting that supplies vacuum to the distributor. On that same fitting there is a vacuum diaphragm, of which the vacuum pipe has been cut & crimped.
So, do early (41) V8's have a PCV system, and, judging by my questions, would it appear to have been removed?
Any help appreciated, a photo of the set-up would be better!
Thanks chaps!
Howard & (Ganmain) Tony.

[Howard]

After looking at some photos we have worked out the blanking 'plug' is where vacuum would be supplied to the brake booster hose.
So that's ONE question answered.
Photo is a reference image I have of a Bren Carrier, but diaphragm (or what I assume is a diaphragm) pipe is cut & crimped, just the same as mine. What is/was it for?
Cannot see PCV set up on any pix I have...
Thanks.
HH & GT

[Ken Hughes]

howard, on my 42 f30 that fitting under the carby goes to the vacume wipers
If yours had crankcase ventilation fitted there should be a sandwich plate between the carby and the manifold,with a brass fitting coming out at right angles and down the side of the manifold .
The fitting is about two inches long and i suppose you would call this a valve,which has a pipe that runs along to the front of the manifold and tucks in behind the generator mount to fit on a nipple there.
there is a diagram in MBF1 on page c-5 fig 6 on the operation of this,I hope this helps.

[Howard]

Thanks Kenney,
The diagram is a lot clearer now with your explanation!
Obviously I am missing that 'sandwich plate' with the PCV valve. I'll scratch through my boxes of stuff & see if I can find something that matches the description.
Thanks Again
HH & GT

[Keith Webb]

From the AWM

ID Number: 045078
Physical description: Black & white
Summary: Lebanon Mountains, North Syria. 1941-12. Gun crew with the 2/1st Anti-Tank Regiment and a two pounder anti tank gun on their way to take up defensive positions against predicted movements by the Germans. The crew consisted of Gunner W. P. `Sol' Madden of Queensland; Gunner Brady; Driver `Slim' Collins of Sydney, NSW; Gunner A. C. Boxall of Blacktown, NSW. (Donor A. Boxall)

[Keith Webb]

But it might not be there now.


Source

[Howard]

G'Day All,
I have updated the F15 rebuild diary. Stay tuned, I plan to drive it home next weekend 27th/28th October, about a 15km trip... Should make for some good pictures!

[P. Andrada]

Hi Howard.

Could you put pictures in detail about the crane and the rear truck? This is an interesting F15 model.

Regards.

Pedro.

[Howard]

G'Day Pedro,
The crane is a fairly "recent" addition - it was constructed about 30 years ago specifiically for the construction of sheds & silos.
Check your PM's I will send more info during the weekend.
Cheers
Howard.

[Keith Webb]

This morning Howard drove his F15 home on at least 5 or 6 cylinders...

[Plushy]

COngratulations Howard she looks great on the move !

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Way to go, Howard!!

[Howard]

It only ran on 5 or six, but at least the smoke from the oil filler kept the flies off!
Thanks Keefy for posting the photo! and thanks Ganmain Tony for your help! And thanks Jo for holding the fort while we were out playing!
I was promised that she would sound great in 3rd gear...
She didn't have enough grunt to pull in top gear so I drove 17km in 3rd gear... Yep, had enough of that noise already...
Now that she's a lot closer to home the fun can really start!

Diary Updated! (Or am I supposed to call it a "blog"??)

[colin jones]

Bugger, I reckon I could have squeezed that on my trailer on my last Border Raid.
good luck with ypur project.
Colin.

[Ryan]

What a mean lookin' beast, even if it was a little short of breath!

[Howard]

Okay I'm a newbie to all this and bow to the educated, am I wrong (I know you will tell me) but that photo looks a hell of a lot like my Chev Portee when I dragged it out of a paddock, (The windscreen, headlights on the gaurds, no real doors and space for the outrigger thingies that I have.

Rookie

[Howard]

Rookie,
If your portee is a #12 cab it will look very similar to my Ford. Only a few small diferences. When you get your photo posted we'll point 'em out. Or email your photo to me howard at wcac dot net dot au

[Tony Smith]

Originally posted by Rookie
Okay I'm a newbie to all this and bow to the educated, am I wrong (I know you will tell me) but that photo looks a hell of a lot like my Chev Portee when I dragged it out of a paddock, (The windscreen, headlights on the gaurds, no real doors and space for the outrigger thingies that I have.

Educate an idiot folks!!!

Rookie

The Ford and Chev CMP's were broadly similar looking, but with a surprising amount of non-interchangable parts. They came in 3 main cab versions, being a Cab 11, Cab 12 and Cab 13. Externally, Ford and Chevs look similar, but little of the bodywork will interchange. The Interiors of the cabs are significantly different

Both Howard's F15 and your Portee have a 101" wheelbase and Cab 12's, which explains the initial similarities. But Howard's F15 is a 4x2 V8 powered Ford with 16" wheels, while your Portee is a 4x4 with 20" wheels and a Chev 6. Mechanically, there is probably very little in common between the two.

[Tony Smith]

Howard, Cletrac has just found an interesting pic of a Cab 12 F15 with the same body as yours, in this thread.

[Howard]

Okay I'm a newbie to all this and bow to the educated, am I wrong (I know you will tell me) but that photo looks a hell of a lot like my Chev Portee when I dragged it out of a paddock, (The windscreen, headlights on the gaurds, no real doors and space for the outrigger thingies that I have.

You are right, they do look the same.
The easiest way to pick a (#12) Ford Vs Chev I find is the vent covers. The Chevs are round & covered with a mesh. The Ford has a fluted (is that a word?) square cover over theirs.
I aldo notice yours has tow "D"'s on the bumper, where my tow hooks are eyelets mounted to the chassis upward & rear of the bumper (obscured in pic).
The nudge bar mounted to the bumper (mine missing) is wider on a Chev than a Ford.
Mine is supposed to have doors. The LH door is still mounted, the hinges are broken off the RH side & door long gone.

Point for Hanno, Keefy, Jiff etc... I thought a portee was supposed to have the original cab back panel??? Rookie's doesnt!

[Keith Webb]

It's a modded Portee which I think the Kiwi Army did to extend their useful life.

[Tony Smith]

But it still should have had a "Portee Style" rear wall on the cab, which is different to the normal Chev Cab12.

[cliff]

Could it be an original back panel that is missing the short side panels that cover the end of the seats?

[Keith Webb]

The YouTube conversion has mashed it somewhat but this gives you an idea of the recovery. link.