Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Private_collector]

Hello Ken and Howard,

Thanks for the kind words. Ken, good to hear that you found Macs Auto of use. Going waaay back, it was another MLU member who told me about them, so it's nice that my scratchings could help someone else. Pity Macs shipping is so expensive though. Only recently, I received my order of 2x rubber covered foot pedal and rubber bump stops. Thankfully their pedal parts price was low enough for it to be doubled by shipping and still be worth the order.

Now that i have a reason to make future trips south, I hope one of those trips will coincide with the Corowa gathering. I'm quite sure Bryce would find that interesting as well.

My Wife and I went to look a Corowa late last week, while we were staying at Albury.

Saw this interesting truck on the road between Albury and Corowa. What is it? How long has it been there? Quite sure Corowa attendees who passed this way would be well aware if it's existence.

[Keith Webb]

Hi Tony, great to see you posting. I hadn't seen this truck before, as a 'Mexican' I approach Corowa via the southern route just past Wangaratta. The truck in your pic looks like it might be a re-cabbed AEC Matador. We had a fleet of those used as gun tractors for towing the 3.7" guns.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

My Wife and I went to look a Corowa late last week, while we were staying at Albury.
Attachment 73072

Saw this interesting truck on the road between Albury and Corowa. What is it? How long has it been there? Quite sure Corowa attendees who passed this way would be well aware if it's existence.

This is a Thornycroft Nubian 4x4 and Dave Mottram and I gave it a close inspection a few years ago. It would appear to have originally been a fire tender and very likely for airfield use as the RAF had some like it, you can see where the body has been cut away and cab has been changed at the back. It will date from early 1950's.

regards, Richard

[Private_collector]

The speedo in my grey CMP gathers speed data by a magnet on the tailshaft, apparently. This has proven to vary wildly, and I do not trust it. Adjustment may make it better, but I still don't trust it.

I went searching for alternatives. Non-standard alternatives. Came across this gauge supplier http://www.speedhut.com They sell a wide range of instruments, and prices not extortionary. Of interest to me, is their selection of GPS driven speedos, which do not require ANY speed calibration data and arithmetic to obtain extremely close speed tolerences. Naturally, if in an underground carpark or tunnel, your speedo goes dead until you resurface again.

The thing I found REALLY cool with this supplier, is that you can custom make instruments to your own design. I had a little play, and came up with this design with an 'aged' invasion star logo. There are sooooo many areas which can be customised, including dial colors, number font, speed marker lines, speedo needle, bezel color, etc.......

[Private_collector]

Has anyone bought worm gear or sector shaft parts for the small steering box, as in the Ford 2x4 CMPs? If so, where were they bought from?

I'm not certain yet, but am giving serious thought to rebuilding the box in my grey truck. It does drive easily and safely, now that I'm accustomed to the small, but frequent, corrections with steering wheel. It would be an ideal vehicle for someone with Parkinsons disease! Or perhaps....Peter Garret!

Have been looking through the Macs Auto catalogue, and will order from them if no better option arises, but they can be sloppy with answering questions for specific dimensions. A couple of years ago, one goose there asked what vehicle I was requiring parts for, then said "sorry, we don't carry parts for your application". Naturally I enlightened him that they actually DO have many parts that suit, they just didn't know they do! I also suggested he left the final decisions to me and just concentrated on answering the technical questions which were posed.

[Tony Mathers]

Have you tried Ross Prince?

[Private_collector]

No, Tony.

This is one occasion I won't be wanting NOS.
If available new, they will probably be cheaper, if they sell a fair quantity. Assuming the parts are compatible with other Ford vehicles of the time. NOS seems to be viewed as gold, due to being 'genuine'. If I need to, I will go for that option, but the price would no doubt be much more.

I have bought NOS leather seals from a number of sources in distantmpast, and found when about to use some of them that they are all dried then cracked. When touched, bits came off.

I'll try for new, if possible.

[Keith Webb]

I bought one from Macs years ago thinking it was the right one but I was wrong. The last genuine ones I saw were at the now defunct Hughes Auto Spares around 1976. That steering box was used in CMPs up to 3-tonners and was woefully inadequate which is why it is hard to find a good one these days.
Good luck, I hope someone else comes up with a source!

Originally Posted by Private_collector

Has anyone bought worm gear or sector shaft parts for the small steering box, as in the Ford 2x4 CMPs? If so, where were they bought from?

I'm not certain yet, but am giving serious thought to rebuilding the box in my grey truck. It does drive easily and safely, now that I'm accustomed to the small, but frequent, corrections with steering wheel. It would be an ideal vehicle for someone with Parkinsons disease! Or perhaps....Peter Garret!

Have been looking through the Macs Auto catalogue, and will order from them if no better option arises, but they can be sloppy with answering questions for specific dimensions. A couple of years ago, one goose there asked what vehicle I was requiring parts for, then said "sorry, we don't carry parts for your application". Naturally I enlightened him that they actually DO have many parts that suit, they just didn't know they do! I also suggested he left the final decisions to me and just concentrated on answering the technical questions which were posed.

[T Creighton]

Have you had a look at look at
http://www.fordv8parts.com/
They may have something to suit you but be very sure of the correct prefix on the part number if you order anything.
Terry

[Bob Carriere]

I actually went to the Mac Auto counter one day and asked so see a number of parts so I could match with the CMP parts I had. They got very annoyed....first you need to know the catalogue number..... which they send out back by computer.... then a bin shows up with the parts..... the individual at the counter was very annoyed when I took one out of five item and ask to see some more parts....... the proverbial question "What year Ford are you working on??? " I even tried to show them pictures of my truck..... the only interested parties where two older gentleman buying Model T parts.

It is a shame that they do not realize that not everyone is rebuilding a Ford as per the Ford manual.

I concluded that you buy and take your chance...... we are such a small segment of their client base that they can afford to ignore us.

I have had similar experience when ordering Chev parts from other suppliers..... when asked for dimensions the response from the polite person at the other end said....." I am only filling out an order form and I do not even have access to the real parts which is in a different warehouse somewhere."

....and most local auto store when you tell them the year of the vehicle.....Oh we do not go back that far in our computer....

It is getting to the point that you need to cannibalize another vehicle for some of the parts.

Cheers

[Private_collector]

Terry, that's a great idea! I had forgotten about AJs.

Bob, you hit the nail squarely. I find businesses run by enthusiasts are far superior in customer service than those run for profit alone. Maybe they started as enthusiast run, but eventually succumb to capitalism. Right Comrades? (I can say that, now that Senator McCarthy is dead)

Very frustrating. I see why NOS becomes attractive. Pity those parts are often highly priced. Still, that's supply and demand at play. Sometimes wish I had chosen to restore Jeeps or Land Rovers, though i would imagine WW2 Jeeps parts will creap up over time too, despite remanufacture of a range of bits. All adds to the fun, or the frustration. I'm forever getting those two things mixed up. What starts as one, often ends up being the other!

I drove the grey truck into town yesterday. Went to do a couple ot things for my elderly (89yo) Mother, then went to several businesses afterwards. Was pleased how well the truck went, and am certainly accustomed to the steering, to the point it doesn't bother me now. I still keep both hands on the wheel at all times though, just in case it decided to have a little wander. Not surprising, with the standard of our roads up here. Not quite the Red Ball Highway, but not brilliant either. I'm convinced our tarmac repair crews wait for a one hundred foot stretch of pot holes to join together, before they apply a shovel full of entirely unproductive cold mixed black gravel they refer to as bitumen. As we would fully expect, it does remain in the hole for a period of not longer than 20 minutes (or one dual trailer semi, whichever comes first). Of course, by the time the material gets squished out of the shallow grave it was put in, the repair crew have moved on to the next ineffective abortion of a repair. Makes interesting driving, that's a certainty, and you're never bored driving the roads of Queensland. Very hard to be bored when you have so much to concentrate on! Unfortunately, such concentration is not conducive to scanning the fields and farms for rotting CMP carrion.

[David Dunlop]

Tony.

From your description, I am now convinced your highway crews work up in these parts in their off season. Same techniques. Same results.

David

[Private_collector]

Yes, David, I fear that may be the case. Always amazes me, how many men are required to hold up shovels! The one remaining fellow fills the hole.

In my view, the one and only good thing to come from hitlers Germany was the desire to build astonishing infrastructures, including their highways. Pity he then went all cocky and tried to take over the world. Shame those roads were used to drive Panzers along, on their way to the rest of Europe. I have driven (well, actually BEEN driven) on Germanys major and minor roads, and I don't think there would be much argument that they are among the very best in the world. That has never been said of roads in my part of Australia. Not by anyone of sound mind, anyway. I wish more of our roads were constructed of concrete, instead of the sun weakened bitumin/tar. In summer, the road surface can get so heated that you can actually see a sheen on the surface, which is the tar coming out to the surface, helped by weight of countless trucks & cars. Only reason we wear thongs is to avoid standing in superheated butumin. Well, that's not technically true, but you get the idea. By the way, I know some countries wear thongs on their bums. We wear em on the feet. Go figure!?!?

I have no doubt there are some very dedicated, hard working, and productive road repair crews. I think they get jobs in the southern states. I have seen their work down there, while on holidays.

[Ganmain Tony]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

Sometimes wish I had chosen to restore Jeeps or Land Rovers.

[Private_collector]

Oh, settle down, GT. The thought passes soon enough.

[Ganmain Tony]

I thought I was going to have to defibrillate...

[Private_collector]

I'm starting to get excited! The weather is finally cooling down.
Won't be long before I can come out of my summer hibernation, and get some damn work done.

With all the discussion of spraypainting in recent week or so, I thought it would be a good time to finally get the fuel storage tank painted. It's not finished yet. The legs, ladder, and tank underside still need to be painted. I had a nice big Shell sign to put on, but because I had bought it many months ago, and it's been sitting in the shed, it went on all wrinkly and I took it off again. Used a much smaller one instead. Guess it doesn't look overly diminutive, but I would have preferred the big one. Lifes full of disappointments, eh.


Also repainted a Bridge Plate I bought a week ago. The original paint was in poor condition, and could not be saved. The number for this plate should arrive during the coming week. This plate is for the grey truck. It's about the only thing that will not require repainting later on. When I get the RAEME history book I have ordered, it may give me the epiphany I'm hoping for, so I can then start on a WW2 correct AEME TAC sign.

[David Dunlop]

Just a thought, Tony, but are any of the potholes out your way big enough to make it worthwhile investing in a Land Rover? I'm thinking that the smaller LR might just fit in the back of a Blitz. You come up to a big pothole, back the LR down into it, drive safely over it with the Blitz and pull the LR back out and Bob's your Uncle!

Just a thought...


David

[motto]

Don't know about QLD pot holes but on some sections of the Gunbarrel Highway the corrugations are that deep the kangaroos lay in the shade in the bottom of them.
Oops, seem to have wandered off topic again.
Speaking of parts persons that started out as enthusiasts and know their stuff, that is Ross Prince's story. Few people would know WW2 vehicle parts better than him.

David

[Private_collector]

A rather nice Ford maintenance manual arrived in the mail today. It deals with mostly military variants of civilian vehicles, but there are a couple of models which don't seem to have any obvious defence modifications (not shown here).

Cover is a bit ratty, with a chunk missing from lower corner, out of shot. A quick flick through has shown some familiar territory. Nice to see most of the illustrations show steering wheels on the right side, though there are some vehicles which are LHD. A little evening reading before bedtime!

[motto]

Hi Tony
I don't know what the legislation/regulations are in Vic where I live let alone QLD but wouldn't be surprised at all if you had to register your folly and maybe go through a series of hoops to do it.
Things have changed so much in recent years you can't do many of the things we used to be able to get away with.

Cheers

David

[Private_collector]

Yes David. There are a couple of hoops to throw ones self through!
Not needed yet. Its still a big pile of bits. Some assembly required.
Once I have enough parts that require 'good' welding, I will get those all done together. My welding is simply atrocious, and not anywhere near the quality needed for structural joining. I can do minor MIG welds and tack welding, but anything beyond that is out of my league.

[Private_collector]

Now that things have cooled considerably, it's time to get animated again. I was thinking the front of my new truck looked a little bland, so I set about adding a wee bit more militarisation. This dear old truck has so many modern changes to make it a vehicle worthy of long distance travel, and only a serious effort will return the exterior to authentic (more on that plan in a minute ), but a couple of choice touches wouldn't hurt.

I put on a vehicle number of family significance, several weeks ago. Today I added a 9th Division formation sign, and a bridge plate. The business in town that made the TAC plate for my other truck has closed down, and I am yet to find a suitable place to make the one I want for this truck. In readiness for it's eventual manufacture, I have negotiated with a gentleman in UK who is making a decal to identify the truck as an AEME vehicle. It will have the three horizontal colors, with the Corps logo in the middle. Another version has been ordered also, being the Corp logo alone, on a clear background. In that scenario, I would paint the three colors myself......the old fashioned way.....spray cans x 3

That was my Play for the day, though i did put one of the piston/rod units into the flathead engine. As usual, it's only a test, for now. I will need to insert all pistons from the bottom of the block. The super strong racing rods have a big end which is so heavily built that they cannot be installed from above, meaning that they will all have to be put in below and tapped towards the crank, which must be put in place once all pistons are already there. I have been told this is not unusual. It bloody well is for me, but because I have NEVER built any engine before, I wouldn't know how unusual.

My Wife and I took the 'grey' (I'm considering nick naming it Gandalph) for a drive this afternoon. Drove to Theebine, which is normally a 25min drive. The return trip took about an hour and a half. We did call in to visit an older gentleman who had been unwell, so I guess thats not too bad. Unfortunately, I now have a very splendid headache to contend with. Not sure if it was the symphony of sound that we call a diesel engine, of if it's all the bouncing and bumping around that has tried to make my brain into a cocktail, shaken but not in shock! Either way, I'm suffering for it now. My Wife is the smart one of the outfit. She took earplug. Incidentally, she doesn't have a headache. The trip was fun though. Got ever so slightly LESS fun when it started raining. The wipers work! Previous owner has rigged them so the passenger side wiper won't come on unless the seperate switch for driver side is activated first. That's the extent of thought which he put into his electrical work. I am still on a voyage of discovery, and new things are being realised every time I drive the truck.

How's this for a find? A friend of mine came across this Sunshine Cab roof, and contacted me. I had told him I was wanting one of these for the grey truck, but really didn't have any expectation that one would be found intact, let alone the nearly perfect one that this is. To my eye, it appears to have all the bits that it should have, and they all look to be in very good condition. What is the flat strip which goes across the front of the roof opening? Is this the thing that the canvas is attached to? If so, that is a real bonus. Never seen one so intact and unmolested. I can't see a single dent or rust hole, only surface rust. As you would expect, I jumped at the opportunity to buy it. I won't upset everyone by saying what price I paid. That would just be cruel. I have also purchased a full cab that takes the canvas covered doors. Another friend and MLU member has taken some photos and measurements of the steel frame for canvas doors, and my thanks to him for all his efforts in doing so. Without the help of people like you, restoration would be sooooo much more difficult, if not impossible. Thanks Rob

The chap selling me the roof has option to buy these trucks. They also are in remarkable condition. Look closely, you can see they still have a number of the original military items. I believe he will purchase them both. There is a significant cache of other CMPs he has located, but I will not speak about them yet.

[Keith Webb]

That sunshine roof is really nice, looks like the original piece for the front canvas too - it should have a grab handle (same as the ones in front of the hatch) to help open and close it. The F15A in the lower pic looks to have the ARN on a diagonal.

[David Dunlop]

Nice finds, Tony.

It's amazing how much fun you can have when the weather cooperates, isn't it!


David

[Private_collector]

Absolutely, David! Despite the sudden storm and no door tops, it was still fairly warm and dry inside the cab. Wouldn't have wanted much heavier though, or we might have got damp. The rubber window surrounds don't seal entirely and water was being pushed through, from the pressure built up by driving straight into the wind. Not surprising when you consider the great speeds these vehicles can get up to! When I get my other cab, I plan to use the window frames of it and use fresh rubber seals of another type, which are readily available at the local foam & rubber shop. I put the same rubber on window frames of the green truck. They seal much better and are considerably more flexible. I think the age of ones on the grey truck have made them stiff. Also the entire frames on 'grey' were manufactured from scratch, so they won't take the other type of rubber anyway, or I would put that on immediately.

I have been waiting for the cooler weather for such a long time. Might now get some well overdue jobs done.

As a foot note; It always amuses me, when going from driving the truck to driving my little Micra, it feels like a rocket ship to the moon, by comparison. Only by comparison, you understand. That tiny thing wouldn't pull a greasy sausage off a plate.

[Private_collector]

Well, my plan to get the pistons & rods into the flathead block came to nothing when I had difficulty removing the rod bolts. The SCAT rods have 12 sided ARP bolt heads. Tried hard, but came close to damaging one of the bolts because I only have six sided sockets and no soft vice jaws to hold them in while doing the job. Decided to bundle them and take to the engine rebuilding shop in Gympie. The guys there will do the job in minutes, and they will treat them carefully, while using the right tools. I did put the pistons and rods together beforehand, so achieved something planned, I guess. When they come back, it will be full steam ahead and they should be into the block this coming weekend.

Had to make a steering wheel puller. The wheel in the grey truck required a lot of care to restore to original condition. Wait, I take that back. The once barely discernible grooves around the top surface are now gone completely, so not that original now. Bloody lot cleaner than before though! I will give the wheel a second going over with finer grade glass paper I will buy tomorrow. Used 240 grit first, then 600 grit, and next one will be 1000 grit. Burnishing cream will bring the final sand to a very nice finish. With any luck I will still be able to hold it while driving. The degree of shine seen, is after polishing with Brasso, which doesn't work all that well. Brasso stinks too, and as a result of doing the polishing on lounge room floor while Mrs B watches TV, I am not very popular. The lounge room has an aroma akin to old cats urine. You can read that both as old whizz, or whizz from an old cat. The smell would be the same, terrible! Yuck. My snoz will be running for days.

[Bob Carriere]

Almost looks like a picture from a sales catalogue ...... I always believed that they needed to be repainted to look good......never crossed my mind that they could be sanded and polished.

...and where did you gain your expertise in "old cat whiz???"

Bob C.

[Private_collector]

G' Day Bob,

If there's no significant damage or cracks that need to be filled, a thorough sanding with progressively finer wet & dry sandpaper should bring a steering wheel up nicely. Note: I did need to sand to a degree that removed the ridges. Some folks may find that unacceptable. I had no problem doing that, personally. Someone with more patience than me might be able to fold the sandpaper doubled and run it through the groove to get a good finish without losing the detail, but man, you would REALLY need to want originality.

Oh, and the feline Urine? Simple, had a neighbour who seemed to be the pied piper of geriatric cats. Anti-social things they were. Give me a friendly old labrador, any day!

[Bob Carriere]

I am allowed to pull your leg as I have over a dozen cats...... and they love to snoop around the canvass Winter shelters looking for food and the only patch of dirt that is not frozen over during the Winter.

Keeps the field mice away from chewing the wiring and seat stuffing but come Spring you can really tell where they have been!!!!!!!

I need to fill a few cracks on my early cab 11 wheel but will probably shorten the restoration process by using a semi gloss POR coating.

Love to read your thread and follow your progress.

Bob C