Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Private_collector]

At present, it is looking very unlikely that I will get any outdoors work done today. Light drizzle combined with low temperatures will bring any painting to a halt, I fear.

[cliff]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

At present, it is looking very unlikely that I will get any outdoors work done today. Light drizzle combined with low temperatures will bring any painting to a halt, I fear.

Yes them darned Mexicans sending their Melbourne Weather up here like this!!!!!!!!

[Private_collector]

The rain didn't stop all day, but I really wanted to get the windscreen frame painted, so I can insert the glass during the week. So, I put the cars out for a 'natural' wash, and set-up work under the carport.
Window frame - passenger painted 1.jpg Window frame - passenger painted 2.jpg
I was worried that the paint may 'blush' in the low temperatures, so each coat of paint was quickly followed with a few minutes of exposure to heat lamp (well it's a floodlight, but it's bloody hot up close).
Window glass - passenger 1.jpg Window glass - passenger 2.jpg
The windscreen rubber took far longer to make than I had planned on. Nothing new there. The rubber seal was slightly too thick for the window channel it will go into, so once attached to the screen, I had to pare it down quite a bit. This involved some hand sanding to taper the side so it would 'seat' in the frame. I followed this up with some additional paring with a hobby knife, where high spots remained.
Window glass - shavings.jpg
It's obvious from this photo that the trimming of screen rubber was quite labor intensive. Pity I couldn't just hit it with an orbital sander. I used 40grit on a broad file instead. There is still no guarantee that I have got the job done to extent required. If not good enough, it will all have to come off and be started again from scratch, with a fresh piece of rubber. The thing that worries me is the effects that corrosion has had on the width of window channel. Some internal rusting must have occured, and the track is slightly thinner inside diameter in places. This could snag the screen as it's lowered into the main part of the frame.

If I had the luxury of painting yesterday, the screen would be in now.

Got the correct size rubber vacuum tubing yesterday, in town. Now I need to find photos that show where the tubing runs to, and try to find a 'T' piece connector. Ebay again, I think

[Private_collector]

Would anyone have a rough guess as to how much one end of a F60 chassis would weigh?

I have a trailer axle/wheels to put under one end, for when I move the bare chassis to/from the sandblasters, and was thinking about using a solid rubber trailer jockey wheel at the other end. That would give a degree of lateral manouverability while at the blasters. The chassis will need to be wheeled from blasting booth to the engineering shop floor, where they will make & attach the rear cross member.

I was originally intending to get a second axle setup for the other end, but thought a jockey wheel might be worth considering, provided it can handle the weight of one end of the chassis!

What do you think?

[Phil Waterman]

Hi

Just the chassis either end 1/2 ton, but start adding parts like springs, axles and wheel assemblies it jumps up real fast.

Doing my C60L I could pickup one end of the frame with the springs with the light chain fall. Rated at 1000 lbs but could not pickup either axle with brake drums and wheels fitted.

Winch assembly is also very heavy.

Cheers Phil

[Private_collector]

I was hoping it would be something like that. It will be just the chassis. Everything else will be off by then.

If we get some sunlight and dry conditions this weekend, I plan to remove the transfer case, then the front end, leaving only the rear axle. All going well, that end will get two of the adjustable jockey wheels bolted onto it for transport purposes. I guess they could also be used for levelling that end of chassis, when the guys are attaching a new cross member. That function most likely won't be required because they have stands used for that.


Oh, I nearly forgot. While looking at the transfer case last weekend, I see there is an output for a winch. Didn't notice that before!

[Private_collector]

Windscreen - passenger 2.jpg Windscreen - passenger 3.jpg Windscreen - passenger 1.jpg
The first of the window frames is now finished. I decided to put the glass in tonight, in case I broke it and needed to rethink the rubber seal technique. Fortunately it didn't break and went in smoothly. Considerably better than I was expecting.

Did have a little help though. I applied new grease to the parts of the rubber that would be required to slide down into the lower part of the screen frame. Without that, the rubber would have been displaced badly while sliding in.

I'll have to find something useful to do tomorrow now

The transfer case has to come out this weekend, and ideally, front end to be removed as well. I have booked a weeks holiday for late July. That is when the chassis will go for blasting.

P.S: I just couldn't get the upper left corner join to go together perfectly. Perhaps the rubber is preventing a proper fit. I might back the bolts off a little and give a bit of encouragement with a rubber mallet. Failing that...............guess thats how its gonna fit!