Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Private_collector]

Due to summers heat, my restoration has not progressed in any significant manner. It's simply too hot for me to be in the workshop, thanks to an intolerence to high temperatutes and humidity. This, it seems, is a legacy from a past viral illness. The gift that keeps on giving!

It has been an almost constant thought, the amount of time which is passing without achieving progress on the truck, and my longing to finally drive the vehicle had gone unquenched. A friend of mine had his Ford CMP advertised for sale for a number of months with moderate interest but no sale. This vehicle had been on ebay, amongst other places, for quite a while. I wouldbe very surprised if it has not been noticed by someone on MLU and discussed in the forum somewhere. The truck is by no means original, with a number of modifications made for ease of use, safety, economy, and drivability. I would watch this vehicle sit advertised on ebay week after week, and wonder that it wasn't sold. Now, I know the seller very well, and I know his standard of workmanship. The original flathead V8 has been removed, and a small diesel engine with 5 speed synchro gearbox grafted into place. Radiator has been changed to match the current engine. Starting and charging system is 24 volt, instruments and dashboard are 12v. There are 2 seperate battery banks, both having 2x 12 volt heavy duty batteries. Both driver and mates side steps have a pair of batteries behind them. One system is primarily for starting and running of equip, the other is to power accessories such as electric winch, and power sockets in cab and rear (covered) body. This truck had been used extensively as a long range travelling vehicle, and he has done approximately 25,000 Kms travel in past few years. The electrical system is brilliant. For example, there is a button on the dash which, when pushed, engages charging to the auxiliary battery bank, to replenish and loss since last driven (that which was used overnight or longer while camped). The same button can be used to start the vehicle from aux batteries if starting circuit goes flat or fails. Windscreen wipers are now electric. An interior light has been installed to cabin and rear body. Original fuel tanks have been removed (I was given them some years ago. Still have them), and considerably larger ones installed. They don't look out of place, and give considerable increase in diatance between refueling. From memory, I think they may have been from a Studebaker 6x6 or similar size vehicle. Fuel system has electric pump, and ther are two fuel selector valves, instead of the original one. With changing the two valves in different configurations, fuel can be selected from either tank, shut off entirely (anti theft device), or can be rigged to pump fuel from one tank to another. This can be done to/from either tank. There are 3 stainless steel water tanks, all store drinking quality water. The rear body is fully inclosed by a custom made vinyl canopy, which has 4 windows with roll up covers. All windows have fly screen to ensure insects don't get through. A roll up awning extends out from left side of the canopy. This provides good sun cover from the elements and would be very useful for lunch stops or overnight camping where rain might be expected, because the side window can be left open without water coming in. There is a stainless steel camping table stored vertically in the rear body. Two square box section rods are clipped beneath the table, which slide into slightly larger box sections welded under left side of rear body (the awning side). There is a removable frame inside the rear compartment, which can fit a mattress of sufficient dimensions to allow sleeping room for 2 people. The frame can be folded up to turn this area into seating if a sectional type mattress is used. A power socket is placed in rear, so a camping fridge can be used. An inverter is used between auxiliary battery system and this power outlet. Vehicle came with 5 brand new tyres, but seller has made available another set of new tyres into the deal. These have a more military appearance, and I will put them on once he has another set of wheels for me to collect. I will then get those sandblasted and painted, before putting the other tyres on, and return the current wheels and tyres to him. Current tyres have all been balanced to their wheels and I will be able to return those to him still as balanced sets.
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I'm not writing all this to encourage or promote sale of this vehicle. After seeing it sit unloved on ebay, I decided to raise the funds, and bought it myself. While the changes are certainly making the truck more reliable and practical, there are several things I will eventually change. First thing will be to change the roof. A much earlier owner had removed the roof hatch and welded (roughly) a flat panel in it's place. I will make a sunshine roof from this bodged up panel. The other thing will be to repair some minor dents and repaint in a suitable lustreless green color. The chap I got the truck from has another cab frame which has the correct hinge pins etc for canvas doors. I will buy that and make a set of canvas doors to fit.

In the meantime, this is a very drivable vehicle as is, and I have been driving it extensively since it's arrival a fortnight ago. Also put my personalised plates on. So FINALLY, I have a CMP to have fun with until I get back to my restoration project.

[cliff]

good looking vehicle Tony.

BTW good to see you posting on MLU again

[David Dunlop]

Tony, that new Blitz of yours looks amazing! I can see why you were drawn to it and suspect you are going to thoroughly enjoy scampering around the country side in it!

Enjoy!


David

[Little Jo]

Hi Tony

Looking very nice you will have a lot of fun driving it. The colour appears to lend towards either Navy or RAAF markings. So good to have you back on deck again with the MLU group. Looking forward to your reports again.

Cheers

Tony

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Tony

Looks like a fun vehicle to drive and enjoy. I had just finished reading another thread Engine Conversion http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1082 and some of the thoughts are echoed on having vehicles that we can drive and enjoy is the best way to preserve them.

I always explain anything that is not stock or original on any of my trucks as being "field modification" done to make the truck meet the requirements of its currant purpose. Or use the phrase locally supplied body.

So drive and have fun.

Cheers Phil

[Private_collector]

Hello Gentlemen,

Ironic that I would end up purchasing such a modified vehicle, isn't it. Though not so surprising, considering the list of things I had to compromise with on the restoration truck, I suppose. Since buying the grey truck I have searched for any branch of the services who might have had similarly colored trucks in WWII. That search was ultimalely unsuccessful, and a number of individuals have advised grey was not used at all by any Australian military units at that time. That's a pity. It would have saved me considerable work, at least in the medium term future. At some point I will be striping down all the bodywork anyway.

I would like to retain the rear canopy, and hope to get a green canvas cover (same color as door curtains for other truck) made that will sit straight over the grey one. Obviously the windows and rear flap appetures will have to be slightly enlarged so that when they are rolled up the grey one underneath can be opened also. So far as I can imagine, that should be the only challenge. Side awning will be retained, but green canvas instead of current grey vinyl. The entire canopy and steel frame beneath can be removed with quick release clips pulled upwards. I won't need to test that feature, I wouldn't expect.

I should have mentioned in my initial post, that all the mechanicals which are still CMP have been rebuilt by previous owners. Most recent owner rebuilt some components of braking system, such as vacuum booster and pedal bushings. The owner prior to that had wheel cylinders bored and stainless steel sleeved, new rubber brake hoses made, and brake shoes relined. One of the two owners got new brake lines made, but I don't remember which guy did those, nor do I know whether they are stainless steel or steel composite material. Front end and rear axle have been rebuilt entirely. My only issue is with the steering box. While it is not unsafe, and I have 'learnt' how to drive it, there is a little wander in steering, which I want to remedy when I can. I had hoped to swap the steering boxes between the two trucks, as a short term fix, and rebuild the wandery box to then put into other truck. That won't happen. I discovered the grey truck has a smaller steering box in comparisn to the resto truck, so I will have to source one to rebuild then put that into the grey truck so it's not off the road at all. In my experience, small jobs seem to drag on and the vehicle can be disabled far too long, especially if parts need to be ordered from O.S.
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These are the tyres I will be putting on in place of the civi type which are on now.

[Bob McNeill]

Tony, since the new truck is 2 wheel drive, civvy tyres on the front so long as they,r 9.00s will be quieter and may handle better over a longer distance. Sounds like a liquid overhaul may solve the colour problem while you enjoy the smile value on the open road.

[Private_collector]

Hey Bob,

Not sure what the tyres are. I'll look, as soon as I get home on Monday.

I like 'liquid overhaul'. Not heard that reference before, but in hindsight, I know a number of people who have done one.

[Little Jo]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

I have searched for any branch of the services who might have had similarly colored trucks in WWII. That search was ultimalely unsuccessful, and a number of individuals have advised grey was not used at all by any Australian military units at that time. That's a pity. It would have saved me considerable work, at least in the medium term future.

Hi Tony

My mate has a genuine Grey WW2 MB Willys Jeep which belonged to the RAN. It came off the docks in Melbourne and is still painted in the Navy Grey colour. He said he wouldn't paint it any other colour than for what it was used for in the Navy. I am sure the Navy also used the two wheeled Blitz as well.

Cheers

Tony

[Private_collector]

Hey Tony V, long time no see. Yeah, RAN makes sense. Battleships were grey, why wouldn't their vehicles be!. If I didn't have a particular long-term plan, I would do the truck as RAN vehicle, and not bother with the effort involved in changing color. I'm not looking forward to painting it, to be honest, and it will remain grey for quite a while yet.

Although it has absolutely nothing to do with a light grey CMP that has been modified in many ways, I have put my Sons service number on both sides of the cab nose panel. Sometime soon, I should receive vinyl decals, 3" or 4" high (can't remember which I ordered now), that say A.E.M.E. That being, Australian Electrical & Mechanical Engineers, which was the WWII forbear of current RAEME. That is the Corps my Son is with. I know of no Australian Army unit that used grey vehicles, so it's bound to raise eyebrows of the purists, but my desire to demonstrate my respect and honour for a family member overrides my gyro have accurate appearances. I can live with that.......for now. Having then applied the 'stickers', I'll no doubt want to get my moneys worth out of em before I scrape them all off. I'm part Scottish you know!

The irony is this, I haven't been able to progress with the other truck through summer because the workshop was just too hot, so anything I achieved was done outside, and now a quick paintjob could be a stop gap until later 'good' job, but it's getting too cold to do so out in the open. It would need to be done in the workshop, which is full of big chunks of the green truck. Catch 22, I'm afraid.

All I achieved this past summer was some work on a low tech replica of an artillery piece I am making, just so I have something to drag behind the green truck (or possibly, second truck once green). I don't think anyone here will have heard much about this project. I have been acquiring all the flashy looking bits I wanted to use, but which I simply couldn't make. Still need a lot more though. Most are correct for a 25pdr, but some are just close resemblence and look the part......roughly speaking. The humorous thing is that once completed all of the fancy bits I've been buying will be hidden beneath a canvas cover. After all, it will only be a vague copy. See photos below, including a wooden muzzle brake copy that a Korean War veteran made on a lathe for me, and the canvas cover I had made for it. Barrel is an old lamp post. Breech I made from scrap. Axle is tube steel with Land Rover stubs welded on ends, and wheels are L.R as well. Trails are to be plated with steel sheet on both sides, similar to 25pdr. I forget how many wooden domed top plugs I worked out I would need, to replicate rivets, but have that written down somewhere. It's a folly, I know.
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More phtos to follow soon.

P.S: We arrived home from our trip to Albury, at around 1700hrs. Back to work tomorrow, and not looking forward to early rising for it.