The story of the FGT No8

[Keith Webb]

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.



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.

[Keith Webb]

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][/IMG]

[Keith Webb]

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.

[Lionelgee]

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

[aj.lec]

Originally Posted by Lionelgee

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

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

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

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

[Keith Webb]

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.

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

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.