Snail's pace Blitz rebuild

[Ryan]

What a year. The shed hasn't seen me in 6 months.
I damaged my back in early March chopping firewood for the coming winter. At the time I thought it was just a bit sore and didn't think much of it. Saw a local quack a few times who said " I see plenty of farmers like you. You'll be right in a week or so". Went to work a put up with the pain.
It got a bit worse, so I stopped working and saw another doctor who put me on some pain relief. Starting seeing a physio too who put me onto an exercise plan (the wrong plan now looking back) and was now off work full time due to constant nerve pain in my legs and lower back.
Stopped the physio, increased my meds, had a CT guided injection into the back ( which worked a treat....for two days ) and an MRI and after a long wait saw a specialist in melbourne.
To put it simply I was buggered. Prolapsed discs in my back now had me bed ridden and in constant pain. The specialist classed me as a CAT A patient - needing surgery within 30 days but he wanted me in quicker and I was on the table at Royal Melbourne in 7 days. When I woke up in recovery my legs felt normal again.
It's been 8 weeks since my surgery, I hope to back at work within the next 3 weeks and the shed now gets visits from me as I sweep and clean 6 months of dust etc.
So:
ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND STOP IF YOU START GETTING SORE.
ALWAYS GET A SECOND DOCTORS OPINION IF YOUR NOT HAPPY WITH THE FIRST.
And the Royal Melbourne is a great hospital.
So be careful out there people.


And I'm still on the hunt for a F15 gearbox to chassis adaptor plate please.

[Keith Webb]

Boy, you've had some problems!

Sorry to hear about your back - sometimes the medicos just get it wrong or you happen to get the wrong one. My brother had constant pain for a couple of years, went through the same processes as you through doctors and physiotherapy. Turns out he has multiple myeloma, a bone cancer, and has since had a harrowing time dealing with it.

So I certainly agree with keeping on trying until you get the right answer!

On the other part, great to hear you're back on your feet and getting back into your project.

[hrpearce]

Ryan sorry to hear you had that much trouble. My spine took three doctors to find the problem so I agree with you about getting second opinions.

[Lynn Eades]

Ryan, great to hear your out the other end and back into it.

[Plushy]

Sorry to Hear about your Back Ryan, Good to hear it`s now fixed and back in action . I am still waiting for my shoulder reconstruction it`s only been 5 years since the accident but TAC don`t like to rush .

Do you have a photo of the Adaptor plate you are after for your F15 , i might have one here still attached to a spare gearbox ?.

[Ryan]

Thank you guys. It's the longest holiday I've had in 20 years but one I do not wish to repeat.

Plushy there is a picture of it on p.22 of the F15 drivers handbook.

[Plushy]

unfortunately i cant find my Drivers handbook i moved house last November and still tracking things down .

I am am not sure but its the plate inbetween the back of the gearbox and chassis in this photo ? If so i have one for you .

[Ryan]

Thanks Plushy but no that's not it. The F15 gearbox adaptor sits on top of the chassis crossmember. The one pictured is for a 4x4 model that bolts up to the crossmember.

[Plushy]

Ah well , i will keep looking I will have to find a photo of one to make sure i am looking for the right adaptor .

[Plushy]

Ryan these are the brackets on these gearboxes ?

[Ganmain Tony]

Thats the one Plushy...

[Plushy]

Thanks Tony .

Ryan in that case i have two for you to take your pick from

Told you i had one here somewhere

[Ryan]

Thanks for your text plushy, I have no idea how I missed these last few posts.

Cool cool cool.
Whatever one looks the best and I can just hopefully bolt up i'll take.

[Ryan]

Just going back over old things.

The F60L ARN 53627 I have that was a 3ton machinery variant...well that has a tray on it with the drop sides and on the tailgate ( which has been folded down for many years and I had forgot what was painted on it ) it has painted:

52613
3 ton

So I wonder what has been changed during its life. The tray or the cab?

In other news nothing. Bit of tinkering. Still not feeling right up to getting stuck into the F15. My back still makes me second guess what I do. I have had thoughts about abandoning the work myself and getting it done professionally. Still not sure where I'm going with all this. Not giving up just yet.

[Keith Webb]

Maybe the rear body has been swapped at some time, perhaps during a major rebuild.

And don't give up... my projects have also been on hold while other things have had to take priority. Hope your back permits you to do the work one day!

Originally Posted by Ryan

Just going back over old things.

The F60L ARN 53627 I have that was a 3ton machinery variant...well that has a tray on it with the drop sides and on the tailgate ( which has been folded down for many years and I had forgot what was painted on it ) it has painted:

52613
3 ton

So I wonder what has been changed during its life. The tray or the cab?

In other news nothing. Bit of tinkering. Still not feeling right up to getting stuck into the F15. My back still makes me second guess what I do. I have had thoughts about abandoning the work myself and getting it done professionally. Still not sure where I'm going with all this. Not giving up just yet.

[hrpearce]

Originally Posted by Ryan

In other news nothing. Bit of tinkering. Still not feeling right up to getting stuck into the F15. My back still makes me second guess what I do. I have had thoughts about abandoning the work myself and getting it done professionally. Still not sure where I'm going with all this. Not giving up just yet.

Stick it out for now Ryan, I have been on meds for a crook back for 12 years now, when you are ready you'll invent ways to get things done.

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Ryan

My back still makes me second guess what I do. I have had thoughts about abandoning the work myself and getting it done professionally. Still not sure where I'm going with all this. Not giving up just yet.

Give yourself time Ryan, it's only a few months since your back op. Mate of mine had the same op last year and it was 8 months at least before he could resume his blitz resto. I know it seems grim at the moment but you'd be amazed at the recuperative powers of the human back. Something I've learnt after a lifetime of back trouble is never give up on your back. Countless times over the past 30 years I thought I'd never ride a motor bike again, but here I am pushing 60 and I've just bought another bike! Also don't be discouraged by the occasional relapse, no matter how bad it may seem at the time. Last month I lay on the floor for two whole days unable to move, living on dry biscuits and codeine and pissing in a bottle. I've learnt not to panic during the acute phase and sure enough I was back in action a few days later. Only once have I ever called an ambulance, and I walked out of hospital next day. I'm sure other guys here have similar experience, and they'll all tell you the best thing for your back is to remain active. Main thing is not to rush things, and use brains rather than brawn for heavy jobs, as Rob says. I'm sure you'll get the blitz finished eventually, it will just take longer than you'd hoped. At this stage you just need patience and faith. Anyway good luck and keep us posted.

Cheers,
Tony

[Tony Mathers]

The F60L ARN 53627 I have that was a 3ton machinery variant...well that has a tray on it with the drop sides and on the tailgate ( which has been folded down for many years and I had forgot what was painted on it ) it has painted:

52613
3 ton

So I wonder what has been changed during its life. The tray or the cab?

It may be the original tray.....

[Keith Webb]

That first one is a British numbered Cab 12 - looks like a Canadian body.

[Ryan]

Thanks for the kind comments guys. It's frustrating watching something just sit in your shed.

Cool pics tony. I have hoops for the rear tray too but I don't have that centre piece that is connecting them.

[Tony Mathers]

Euan has a hoop assembly similar to the pictures.... you may have something he wants?

[Tony Mathers]

Ryan your truck could be the following:

Truck, 3-ton, Workshop (Aust) “T” Loading M 6137 – MVFS 1363 - picture in DMV p59 (its a Woodworkers truck)

and as a bonus it has standard hoops for the canvas.

[Ryan]

A woodworkers truck. That's just weird.

[Ryan]

Bit of tinkering today. Bolted up some wheel carrier mounts. Bit of welding. Still looks like it did a year,or is that two years ago lol.

[Howard]

Good to see you taking a considered approach to your work, old son!

[Ryan]

Get stuffed lol

[Ryan]

Cannot find my answer in searches so here goes.
What are you guys using for insulation/absorbtion strips when reassembling the cab sections? And where do you buy them?
thank you.

[Ganmain Tony]

I would try Clarke Rubber Ryan. A lot of my Cab 13 has rubber stripping about an inch/inch1/2 wide as well as using webbing with a black tar as the adhesive.

The stripping is not thick, about as thick as the canvas webbing.

[Plushy]

http://www.macsautoparts.com/ford_me...ing+&x=19&y=15

I got my Oil Treated Cab webbing from MACs Auto Parts .

[hrpearce]

Ryan I used rubber strip purchased from rare spares. I cut the holes with wad punches.