How To: Ford CMP "Blitz" miscellany

[Jacques Reed]

Good Day,

Working on another project which I wanted to do for a long time. Covid lockdown hasn't been bad for everything.

I have done the artwork for Ford F15, F15-A and F60 Engine and Transmission data plates. See attached.

I used a very good F15-A plate that I scanned at 1200 DPI then digitally cleaned up and redid the graphics and lettering. I then used photos of the F15 and F60 model plates and modified the Auxiliary Transmission section and the quantities sections for those variants.

I looked into ways to reproduce them and the costs vary from astronomical to reasonable. They were probably done originally with a photo anodizing system similar to Metalphoto but that wasn't invented until 1950. That method is very good but cost prohibitive. Each tag would cost over $100 to produce in small runs.
I found a laser engraving business here in Australia that engraves black anodized aluminium plate with a laser at 600 dpi. That should ensure very good definition of the letters and graphics. In effect it is the opposite of the WW2 method but almost the same results. The black anodizing stays behind for the graphics and letters and the aluminium is exposed with the laser.

Presently I am awaiting to receive a prototype to analyse it before offering them for sale. If I go ahead with it the first run will be for the larger CMP's with 2 speed transfer cases as they seem to be most plentiful. Following that if enough interest shown I will get the F15 and F15-A plates made followed by the other instruction tags for the engine cover.

Stay tuned...

Cheers

[m606paz]

Good Job!!
If you need a late F60 plate pics, tell me!

[Grant Bowker]

A link to creating etched brass plates. https://www.instructables.com/Etching-brass-plates/
There used to be a similar set of instructions on stovebolt.com but I can't find them today.....

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Grant,

Thank you for that link. Brass may be an option if aluminium laser etching isn't satisfactory. Would like to keep it the same metal as original-aluminium.
Seems Chevy CMP's opted for brass plates or am I wrong?

That article would be very handy for someone restoring the early war Ford CMP's brass switch plates. I had one which I sold and think there was some black colour remaining in the graphics. See attached. Perhaps the whole plate was black but removing the green patina may have also remove the black.

Cheers,

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Jacques Reed

Hi Grant,

Thank you for that link. Brass may be an option if aluminium laser etching isn't satisfactory. Would like to keep it the same metal as original-aluminium.
Seems Chevy CMP's opted for brass plates or am I wrong?

That article would be very handy for someone restoring the early war Ford CMP's brass switch plates. I had one which I sold and think there was some black colour remaining in the graphics. See attached. Perhaps the whole plate was black but removing the green patina may have also remove the black.

Cheers,

I have never seen a brass plate on a Chev. They were all steel with the decals (except Chevs with square instruments where no plate was used). I've only seen the brass plates on early 13 cab Fords. This speaks to factory and Canadian/British CMPs, no idea what the Australians may have gotten up to.

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Bruce,

Looking at the LWD website I saw a couple early C8, C15 brass shift plates.

I also see the black print on steel shift plates for the later Chev's so I guess most were of this type.

My understanding is that all Ford Australia assembled CMP's came to Australia as bare cab chassis with just the cowl, controls, and instrument panels. Doors, roof, and cabin parts were stamped here and added. I think even the floorboards were locally sourced. Perhaps to keep the shipping weight down?

I had two sets of brass switch plates from Australian assembled cab 13 trucks so I assume they came in with the cab chassis and not added later.

Cheers,

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Jacques Reed

My understanding is that all Ford Australia assembled CMP's came to Australia as bare cab chassis with just the cowl, controls, and instrument panels. Doors, roof, and cabin parts were stamped here and added. I think even the floorboards were locally sourced. Perhaps to keep the shipping weight down?

I had two sets of brass switch plates from Australian assembled cab 13 trucks so I assume they came in with the cab chassis and not added later.

Jacques, the Ford and Chevrolet CMP truck were shipped CKD - see this link and the description quoted below.

It means that the trucks were not assembled before being crated and shipped, but that crates with parts were shipped over, to be assembled in Australia with locally sourced parts - this may well have included switch plates.

Mike Cecil listed the difference in CKD content from Ford and Chevrolet on the old forum:

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

This is endorsed by the differences in CKD content (what was shipped from Canada) between Chevrolet and Ford, as listed by Mike Cecil in the thread "Antipodean Ford CMPs" on the Old MLU Forum:

• Chevrolet: all chassis and mechanicals, wheels. Rest manufactured locally: complete cabs, complete bodies, spare tyre rack and tool box.
  
• Ford: all chassis, mechanicals, cab floor/lower cab frame, upper (windscreen) cab frame, doors, windscreen frames, front shell, wheels. Rest manufactured locally in Aust: cab floor, engine cover, cab back, roof, guards, spare wheel carrier & tool box, body.

CKD:

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

To be more precise, may I quote from an earlier posting:

Usually large trucks like the Mack were not shipped CKD, only partly knocked down. Read the articles on this subject in Wheels & Tracks magazine.

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

I have never seen a brass plate on a Chev. They were all steel with the decals (except Chevs with square instruments where no plate was used). I've only seen the brass plates on early 13 cab Fords. This speaks to factory and Canadian/British CMPs, no idea what the Australians may have gotten up to.

12 Cab Chev:

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

12 Cab Chev:

I'm only talking Chev 13 cab dash switch plates. The transmission/transfer case plates were brass (I have a brass on for my HUW) and later they were printed (decal?) on the engine cover. No such thing as a metal one with decals that I've ever seen.

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by m606paz

Good Job!!
If you need a late F60 plate pics, tell me!

Hi Mariano,

That would be great!

I just discovered an anomaly. Capacity of the two speed transfer case is 5 pts at the low plug and 7 pints at the high plug. From Special Pattern Vehicles booklet. See attached.

Zooming in on the F60 photo I can see where the transfer case capacity was stamped with a "2+" in front of the 5.
A modification obviously to show the high fill plug capacity.

Does yours show just the 7 pt. capacity?

Cheers

[m606paz]

Hi Jacques
This is the plate found attach on F60 LAAT

[m606paz]

And for the Fuel Tank Capacity(42 Gal), seem to be for the FAT.

Why the IMP erial MEASURE words... for Export??

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by m606paz

And for the Fuel Tank Capacity(42 Gal), seem to be for the FAT.

Why the IMP erial MEASURE words... for Export??

Imperial Pints and Gallons are different (more volume) than US Pints and Gallons. In Canada, where there is a possibility of confusion with US measures, the standard used needs to be stated.