A mission

Keith Webb · #1 23-10-06, 23:26

OK, we have blue sky, a forecast top of 29C, the chainsaw is sharp and fueled, Euan is arriving soon and we're taking the tandem trailer on a mission.

The mission is to collect the cut up remains of a CGT No9 (AUST) body which Mike Kelly spotted recently in Ballarat. This came from a farm in the area around 25 years ago. The chainsaw is to remove a small hawthorn which is in the way.

These have an interesting history - some 45 or so complete bodies were built, but only two were accepted into the Army, only to be cut down into 5 ton cranes by Peter Brothers in Sydney during the war. The remainder were sold for scrap which seems to have been the fate of most.

Some have survived, four bodies were recovered from Hughes Trading in Melbourne in the 70s (although only 3 are still extant) and another two were rescued by Col Anderson from a sawmill around the same time. Both of these were rebuilt into trucks, one in Melbourne and the other in Brisbane. One of the Hughes bodies was restored in the 70s and is again undergoing restoration, another is unrestored, one was cut up and the other unaccounted for.

Rick Sheerman has the cut down remains of one in South Australia fitted to a C60L chassis.

What of the two original cranes? Euan McDonald owns one, and the other is at Albion Park, owned by HARS, the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society, who still use it as a mobile crane.

Beneath this pile of scap is a treasure...

Keith Webb · #2 24-10-06, 10:11

Here's the load on the trailer...

And here's it sort of fitted together.

And the other angle:

Yes, I know there's a bit of rust, a few missing bits, but with a chassis, a bit of welding and a lick of paint she'll be right as rain!

Rusty · #3 24-10-06, 11:34

Having seen your gun tractor Keefy this would be a great rear end for your Ford. But can you advise if the Chev and Ford Bodies are inter changable? or has Euan collected more Garden treasure

Keith Webb · #4 24-10-06, 11:57

What happens is violent sparks when you try to offer up a Chev bit to a Ford... Just kidding....

In theory it can be done, but there are enough differences for the finished truck to be devalued by being a bitzer.

I have another Ford rear body to collect - a bit wusty but the whole thing needs reskinning anyway.

phoenix · #5 25-10-06, 00:45

Looking good, but i'll be buggered if I can see it in the first photo

Keith Webb · #6 25-10-06, 00:53

We're magicians, and we'll need to continue to be I reckon.

Jon Skagfeld · #7 25-10-06, 06:24

Ah...Ballarat.

The Ballarat Times reported, some time ago, that there was a "Disturbance" at the United States Hotel, Main Road, Ballarat.

"Jon Skagfeld taken into custody for being drunk and disorderly and disturbing the peace", read the cut line.

As I cast eyes askance at that very same poster on my wall, do I really think that was me?

Play me dijeree do, mate.

Wayne Henderson · #8 25-10-06, 16:43

Hi Keith, this gives me heart, and makes mine look much better

Euan McDonald · #9 26-10-06, 03:25

Hey Wayne, This would have been the perfect donor body for your CGT project before you saw the errors of your ways & found a Ford chassis to go under the FGT body, its not to late if you would like to build a CGT as well.

oztankboy · #10 26-10-06, 09:25

Great to see another one from the same batch as mine going tobe restored!

Phil...