How To: Ford CMP "Blitz" miscellany

[Jacques Reed]

Good Day All,

Here's another snippet of miscellany which may be of interest:

Thought today, being a quiet day, I would look for some machine screws to fit the tapped holes in my doors for the check strap retainer screws. Luckily the tapped holes inside the passenger side door were unmolested as the screws must have gone missing years ago. Cannot say the same for the driver's side, however, where modern self tapping screws had been substituted damaging the original threads.

After looking at a number of Imperial size machine screws in my collection of which most were too large or to small in diameter or too coarse a thread I was stumped until I tried a tap from a cheap set of Japanese taps I picked up in the 80's. As it turned out it was a No.12-28 UNF threaded hole. See photos.

Ok, so now I knew what to look for so it should be easy to get the right screw- wrong!

Seems there are plenty of No.10 UNF machine screws (smaller) and 1/4 UNF screws (larger) around but No.12 screws are very hard to come by. Checked hardware store websites and bolt and nut supplier websites, no luck, then called Classic Vehicle Fasteners to no avail and finally by dumb luck searching for a while on the net, found that No.12-28 UNF Fillister head screws are available from gunsmith suppliers.

Have contacted my local gun dealer and indeed they can get them in so have ordered four. Perhaps others have found them here in Australia but if not try a local gunsmith for these obscure sized screws.

Always amazed at what various fasteners they used to put together these vehicles. Can add another one to the list.

Hope this is of some interest and help for other restorers.

Cheers,