The story of the FGT No8
 

This is a long-running saga of a vehicle I'm happy to say is in good hands now and being restored.
So this thread will attempt to trace it's life (with some very large gaps) from when I first found it back in 1973 in Ringwood.

Now long gone this is the shopfront for the Ringwood Timber and Trading Company, which had it's main sawmill on a large block behind this building.

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12558972820001

I had noticed there were CMPs in use in the yard so I went there one day on my trusty pushbike to have a good look around and discovered this discarded No8 Ford Gun Tractor body.

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12558972510001

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12558972550001

Part 2
 

It was fairly rusty by that stage but fortunately the chassis, although stripped of components was still there.

I approached the owner of the business and was astonished when he let me take it.

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12558972780001

And inside the shed were most of the missing doors!

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12558972330001

Which I also rescued.

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12558972680001

The rear door revealed it's original Australian army registration number: 132748

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12558972630001

Part 3
 

My friend Bert Barker had a timber carting business and kindly collected it on his timber jinker and stored it at his place at Wesburn.

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12558973050001

Which is where it sat for a number of years. In 1977 I left Australia on an extended overseas trip and the project then passed on to Peter Growse who did a certain amount of work on it including building up the chassis and sitting the body onto it.

The property where he kept it was sold and unbeknownst to him the FGT and another truck (C8A) were taken to the local tip which is where it was found by a MV enthusiast who called me and I was able to speak to Peter who again rescued it, although he was too late to save the C8A.

Part 4
 

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12558972860001

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12558972900001

In the early 2000s Peter passed on all his CMP material to his brother Alan who set about a restoration.

By this stage it had been subject to some 30 plus years of open storage and was looking the worse for it.

[IMG]http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12558972950001[/IMG]

Part 5
 

Alan has set about the task of completely reskinning the body.

The panels have not come off easily as they were not only stick welded to the frame but were also spot welded.

He has come up with the idea of using modern vehicle adhesives and sealants to affix new 16g sheet steel. Almost every panel has something bolted through it to the frame so this is quite a realistic method.

The pictures here were taken in October 2009 36 years after I originally rescued it and it's great to see something is finally happening.

Some of the panels are seen here being trial fitted.

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12558988020001

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12558987980001

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12558988090001

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12558988120001

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12558988060001

Great story
 

Hello Keith,

It is great to see something come back from the brink and be able to trace something you had a part of all those years ago. A lot of twists and turns and interesting photos. Now shoot me down in flames - a Cab 13?

Kind Regards
Lionel

No shooting or pyromania needed Lionel -Correct :thup:

Great to see the no.8 on the road to recovery Keith .Keep us updated :cheers:
And towed by a no.9 ! Have you any pictures of it as well Keith ?

Trying to work out if this vehicle has an incredible will to survive..... or the opposite!
Rich.

Part 6
 

Alan has just sent me some more pictures of the No8 (and his CGT 9).

The No9 is used to move it around for the time being. They make a nice pair don't they? Alan also has a F15A, a 7A2 cab 12 CGT and a HUP in need of complete rebuild.

Not many have seen this No9 as it has been out of circulation for a long while. It was built from one of the NOS Hughes Trading bodies back in the '70s.

Having just watched the best of Top Gear it reminds me of the HiLux a bit.

The panels are just sitting on the No8 in a trial fit.

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12559342850001

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12559343180001

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12559342710001

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12559343100001

http://gallery.me.com/oldcmp.net/100...12559343300001

YES they certainly do make a nice pair :thup2:

Alans lineup is impressive .A 7a2 cab12 CGT and a CGT no.8 and a HUP :note:

Lineup
 

Just to clarify:

1942 HUP

1942 F15A with 2A Aust body

1941 Chev CGT 7A2

1942 Ford FGT No8 (Aust)

1944 Chev CGT No9 (Aust)

Well that makes it even more impressive :doh:
I was thinking the no.8 was some one elses :confused

The 8
 

Yes it used to belong to me, and then Alan's brother Peter.

But wait, there's more
 

To complete the list:

1942 HUP

1942 F15A with 2A Aust body

1944 Chev C60L (spares)

1944 Chev/GM C60X for restoration

1941 Chev CGT 7A2

1942 Ford FGT No8 (Aust)

1944 Chev CGT No9 (Aust)

Well Done
 

Hi Keefy - what a fabulous story and end result.

Bob