Ford WOT 8

[jack neville]

It will be a while before we get started on this truck but we would like any contact or assistance with other owners to determine what is missing in and around the cab. Particularly the seats, engine cover, gauges and fuel tank and spare wheel carrier.

[Mike K]

We first laid eyes on that vehicle many years ago. The VMVC had a couple of XMAS trips to the previous yard at Lysterfield , along Wellington road. Would have been 1976 the first one. Anyway Ash Wednesday burnt out the Lysterfield yard , John nearly lost the whole collection , he moved to the new spot only a short time before the massive bush fire.

A couple of us were hoping we could restore it as a club project but that idea never got past the initial thoughts. It was in better condition back then , the ACF logo was not so faded. Andrew B has a pic or two of it somewhere .

Good luck with it

[jack neville]

We are thinking of restoring it as depicted here with the ACF livery. Would love to find a photo of this truck during the war.

[Ian Mastin]

Well done guys! look forward to it see it when I get home from Malta�� I see it looks a bit cold and wet were you guys are�� well it’s 31dec here great beer and red wine drinking weather ����. Cheers from sunny Malta Ian

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by jack neville

It will be a while before we get started on this truck but we would like any contact or assistance with other owners to determine what is missing in and around the cab. Particularly the seats, engine cover, gauges and fuel tank and spare wheel carrier.

Hi Jack,
I did some work on a WOT6 3 tonner some 11 years ago and here are a few photos that might be of help. Sending photos in several posts.

[Richard Farrant]

Two more of the WOT6, another two to follow. Hopefully there might be details to help you in them. Top photo, I was in the process of rewiring, hence the cables all over the engine.
Be wary of the gearbox as water can get into the box around the gear lever as it is outside of the cab. When I drained the box on the WOT6 it was full to brim with water, all the oil had floated out. Got away with the gears, but changed all the bearings.

regards, Richard

[Richard Farrant]

These are in no particular order as you can see.

[jack neville]

Thanks Richard. They appear to share quite a few common parts with other Fordson WOT trucks as expected. Interesting that the cab on the 6 you worked on has a seperate top half. Jakes is solid.
Any more photos will be appreciated.

[David Herbert]

I can't wait to see the restoration of this truck. I would have regarded it as too far gone but having seen the Tilly and Dodge ambulance threads I can see that it is just a matter of a vast number of man hours and we will see a new one for the first time in preservation.

I have been seriously interested in military vehicles for 50 years and have never seen a WOT8 in any condition at all. There should be a WOT6 in equaly dreadfull condition somewhere that could donate its transfer box which I assume would be the same. I wonder if there is a parts list out there somewhere? Does anyone know which units were originally issued with WOT8s and what bodies were fitted to them? Low volume trucks like this tended to be put to more specialist uses as that made parts supply simpler.

David

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by David Herbert

I can't wait to see the restoration of this truck. I would have regarded it as too far gone but having seen the Tilly and Dodge ambulance threads I can see that it is just a matter of a vast number of man hours and we will see a new one for the first time in preservation.

I have been seriously interested in military vehicles for 50 years and have never seen a WOT8 in any condition at all. There should be a WOT6 in equaly dreadfull condition somewhere that could donate its transfer box which I assume would be the same. I wonder if there is a parts list out there somewhere? Does anyone know which units were originally issued with WOT8s and what bodies were fitted to them? Low volume trucks like this tended to be put to more specialist uses as that made parts supply simpler.

David

Hi David,
There is a restored WOT8 in Kent, it has been around the area for some years. The WOT8 is a 30cwt truck and like the Bedford OXD 30cwt GS, they had a short production span as the government decided that producing 30cwt trucks they could buy a 3 tonner version for very little extra and one truck doing the work of 2. If I remember correctly they were produced around 1941. I think all the WOT8 trucks were GS Cargo bodies.

Richard

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by jack neville

Thanks Richard. They appear to share quite a few common parts with other Fordson WOT trucks as expected. Interesting that the cab on the 6 you worked on has a seperate top half. Jakes is solid.
Any more photos will be appreciated.

Hi Jack,
Here is another shot of the cab. The seat cushion is not original but the canvas backs may well be.

The cab roof has to come off to remove the engine and gearbox, they will not come through the front aperture, so guess the earlier models had to have the cab lifted to change an engine or for a simple job like a clutch. There was a lot of commonality with parts in those days, same with Bedford as well.

regards, Richard

[jack neville]

The seat appears to be the same as the WOT2 H I have. I have two spare seats but two other WOT ‘s that need them. Another 2H and a 2D. I might have to go down the same path I took with the Tilly seats.

So initially it appears that a WOT 8 is a very rare vehicle. Information from Bart Vanderveens Directory indicates only 2500 produced, and at this stage only one restored example mentioned on this forum. Surely there must be more than that still in existence.