11 Cab F8 - Change of Plans

[Mike K]

Great project, and a very early example.

Being located in Canada , I guess you will be looking for a original 1A1 or 1A2 body to measure up . Then building your own 1A1 as I did for my C8 . The 1A1 body is straightforward to build except for: some of the panel folds are complicated and require a good skilled sheet metal fabricator, I looked around for ages until I found a chap who was skilled and knew how to do the job. The old style checker plate floor pattern I could not find anywhere, so I used a modern equivalent. I enrolled in a welding course at the local TAFE (trade school) and I used their metal fabricating equipment to make up many of the body parts.

I suspect that Ford Canada built their own 1A1 tubs. Does anyone know more ? The early Chev C8 1A1 tubs have a 'WD Beath' makers tag on them. I have noticed some differences in the Ford and Chev tubs so it seems that there was more than one builder.

I have the Chev type Beath 1A1 body drawings , these were measured from a original tub . The vehicle is now owned by Nick Bullock .

For some reason, F8 vehicles are scarce outside of Canada, a few , maybe less than ten ? remain in Europe and I know of only one survivor here in Aust. (Sydney). Keith Webb unearthed an old pic of a F8 taken down at the Warrnambool stock car race track in the 1960s so there were a few more around. Jim Benny got onto a F8 that is located in a remote Western N.S.W. region - but it is a unconfirmed sighting.