How To: Ford CMP "Blitz" miscellany

[Private_collector]

Jacques,

I had these made locally, about a year ago.
rifle cups 5.jpg rifle cups 2.jpg rifle cups finished 1.jpg
One of the chaps that volunteers at the Gympie Woodworks Museum made them for me. He got the sloping floor almost perfect. Quite remarkable, considering he did all the inside work with a chisel!

My only criticism would be that they were too good. So good that I couldn't bare to paint them, out of respect for the craftsman.

If my memory serves me correctly, I thought it was Phil W. that sent me the plans. If not, my apologies to the actual supplier. The pair that were made for me cost $50.

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Tony,

I must admit I agonized over painting versus oiling/varnishing mine also when I had the replica made. As the original was painted, I went with painting them both.

I am not positive but I believe it is made from Blackbutt which is quite appropriate in view of its use.
My mate who made it for me comes from northern NSW where it is common.

The attached shows the replica and the unpainted underside. It is a lovely grain and a pity to hide it but I did! Yours look great Au-natural too!

Cheers

[Private_collector]

Those do look nice too!

I had wondered if the base inside bottoms could be routed if one end was raised up to match the degree of slope. Then it dawned on me that the sides would no longer be exactly vertical, and the routing would not work. What would work is if the base was crafted as a seperate piece, then positioned with small panel nails. There are a couple of ways this can be done. Either make the bottom exactly sized to fit inside dimensions and nail across, or make to have the raised base with a lower outer section so that you turn the whole thing over and nail vertically. Doing it the second way would allow the base to be slightly oversized in width, and then lightly sanded back to correct profile.

I have a couple of the metal alternatives to the wood blocks. They are highly corroded, but will make good patterns, should the need arise in future. They are two different sizes. One is considerably larger than required for a SMLE. A number of months ago I had the fortune to have a brief play with a BREN, and it struck me that the larger metal block would have been roughly the size of the BREN butt. The truck I cut these off had a 'gallows' bracket still attached (which I also kept), and the piece I was particularly wanting, a 'sunshine roof'. Could that part be for a BREN, I wonder.

[Jacques Reed]

In a very early post I mentioned how my Ford Sidevalve V8 had a problem with Chinese made studs purchased from a well-known American supplier stripping. These studs barely extended to the top of the nuts so there was not full thread engagement with the nuts hence the stripping.

In fairness, they were the correct length and I noted many of the original studs barely reached the top of the nuts. Maybe just better grade steel in those days?

My engine builder wound up using later 8BA head bolts, which did the job, but just did not look right on a wartime engine. I've read pages of info, pro and con, of studs vs bolts and good arguments can be made for either but I just like the looks of studs and nuts on those earlier engines.

I have just obtained at the Bendigo Swap a set of studs which are slightly longer and therefore the threads on the studs go all the way through, and slightly above, the top of the nut. This should ensure no stripping.

I had teed up with Michael Davidson of Flathead Fever, a well known Ford Flathead racer and parts supplier to bring them over from Adelaide to Bendigo. I try now to see first before buying whenever I can. He has them made in Adelaide so it also helps keep the local economy going.

There are two sizes 2.50" and 3.125" and they come with all nuts and ground washers. They are actually meant for 8BA's with alloy heads but should work a treat on my C69A block.

If you have the original cast iron oil filter bracket on the head then you need 3 more studs 3.50" long. Surprisingly the Chinese made ones did not strip as they went well above the top of the nuts on the bracket so they are still being used.

I asked him what stud thread sealer does he use in the block and surprising he said the best sealer is Holden (GM) stud sealer. He's built dozens of racing motors and never had a problem he says. Sounds like good advice to me!

Cheers,

[Jacques Reed]

I've been a bit quiet here lately, but thought this may be of interest even though it is not technically CMP vehicle stuff, but it sure will come in handy for vehicle restoration work. Believe I posted some info previously in MLU on the "New Shop Equipment" thread.

I finally have my 1940's Australian made Qualos lathe up and running. There is a bit of a military connection as the company was set up in WW2 and many of them were delivered to the RAAF.

Backtracking a bit, I was offered it in May from a friend of ours, but due to a serious family issue did not pick it up until the 1st Sept.

Despite the temptation to do a total strip and restoration I fought the urge and just settled for a good tidy up, headstock flush and clean, and compromised by repainting just the legs and chip tray.

On the 23rd of Dec I finally had it reassembled on its legs and the rewiring completed. (nice Christmas present too!) It can be run both directions using the original 3 phase, 3 pole, double-throw switch. Motor is single-phase, capacitor start, but same HP as original.

I already have few projects in mind for it for the Blitz.

Here's wishing everyone on MLU a Happy, Safe and Prosperous New Year.

Cheers,

[Marc Montgomery]

just a note on the rifle butt blocks... I used my excellency condition originals to make plans which appeared in one of the Convoy magazines..perhaps thats where Phil W got the plans?

In any case Tony may have the easy solution to create the slope by making the oval sides and interior-sloped bottom piece as two separate items, By the way , it you want to be really accurate, there should be a small 3/16 hole drilled horizontally at the low end of the slope to allow for drainage.

Originallly they should be painted, but I can easily understand the desire to have varnished wood which would stand out.

Meantime Jacques, I sincerely hope your family has some good news re you son-in-law in this new year. 2013 seems to have hit our collector community hard with the sad loss of a few members and some vintage vehicles.

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by Marc Montgomery

j
Meantime Jacques, I sincerely hope your family has some good news re you son-in-law in this new year. 2013 seems to have hit our collector community hard with the sad loss of a few members and some vintage vehicles.

Thanks Marc for your kind words of support. It indeed has been a year of tragedy on many fronts in our MV community.

As an update: Ricky, our son-in-law, has now spent over 8 months in hospital and the rehabilitation centre.
Not a lot of progress to report and it could even be another 6 months before he could go home.

On a brighter note however his son, William, and our first grandchild who now is almost 4 months old, has given him a big morale boost and the family so much joy in an otherwise joyless year. He is an alert, happy, healthy, little fellow keeping our daughter and my wife busy. I joke that I see less of my wife now than when I was at sea! Still, supporting the family in time of need is what life is all about.

I thank everyone here for their kind words of support during this past trying year for our families.

Cheers,

Jacques

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

I have a couple of the metal alternatives to the wood blocks. They are highly corroded, but will make good patterns, should the need arise in future. They are two different sizes. One is considerably larger than required for a SMLE. A number of months ago I had the fortune to have a brief play with a BREN, and it struck me that the larger metal block would have been roughly the size of the BREN butt. The truck I cut these off had a 'gallows' bracket still attached (which I also kept), and the piece I was particularly wanting, a 'sunshine roof'. Could that part be for a BREN, I wonder.

I have been sorting through some of my bits and pieces and rediscovered these two items.
Just wondering if they were for a Bren or LAAMG as the vehicle I removed them from had the LAAMG gallows bracket on the side of the cabin. They were both behind the passenger side seat while the driver's side had a regular wooden butt socket and standard .303 rifle holder behind it.

The metal butt holder had the remains of split rivets in the 16 holes which held what looked like thick felt to protect the rifle butt. Size is 170mm long x 70mm wide x 62mm deep.

I cleaned up the steel butt socket mainly as a pattern. The steel was quite wasted with a few holes in it. Looks better in the picture than in real life. Bit like E-dating sites!

Any info from Blitz armaments experts will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

[Keith Webb]

That's a standard Australian one as found on Fords - the FGT has 6 of them.

[Jacques Reed]

Thanks Keith,

So it is just another later/earlier version of the shorter one pictured below?

Without a .303 rifle to check it out, and based on the smaller sized clip at the top of the extended holder, did the short one hold it by the stock and the extended one hold it by the barrel?

Over the years I have seen only the shorter ones on Blitzes where the holders still existed.

Cheers,

[Keith Webb]

Hi Jacques

I was referring to the bases rather than the barrel clips, interestingly the FGT has a double clip on the front one with a base on the inner wheel arch. The upper bracket mounted above the windscreen has two clips for different weapons.

Originally Posted by Jacques Reed

Thanks Keith,

So it is just another later/earlier version of the shorter one pictured below?

Without a .303 rifle to check it out, and based on the smaller sized clip at the top of the extended holder, did the short one hold it by the stock and the extended one hold it by the barrel?

Over the years I have seen only the shorter ones on Blitzes where the holders still existed.

Cheers,