Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Tony

Just went out to the shop and looked in the doors of the HUP through the lock assembly hole. Both doors have full length plates which is much heavier gage steel than the door shell.

One of mine my backing plates was loose enough that when drilling the holes it started pushing the backing plate away, so stuck the hinge in place with the bolts to hold the layers tight together while drilling and welding.

Fix the front hinge area on my HUP for the first time some 25 years ago, so if the 2nd repair last as long I won't complain much.

The loading on the hinges of the front door of the Pattern 13 are ridiculous because they are placed so close together. Interestingly the side and rear doors of the HUP have a hole at the bottom of the door that would allow you to slide a new or additional plate in. Not sure what that would do to the hinge alignment though.

In the picture below you can see cracks in mine drivers side door, you are looking at the lower hinge are, if you look at the where the outer skin is folded over you can just see a little line of rust which is the area of movement between the outer skin and the inner door panel.



I'll try to remember to gather all of the door hinge before and after photos an post them on my web site.

Hope this is of help to you and others at this point in their Pattern 13 restorations or ongoing maintenance.

Cheers Phil

[Private_collector]

Thanks for the depth of info, Phil.
I'm glad you spoke up about this when you did, otherwise I would have been in for another repair far too soon.
Pity we can't have better acces to the inside without major surgery, we could make the design virtually 'bullet proof'.........perhaps literally!

[Private_collector]

passenger door damage 1.jpg passenger door damage 2.jpg passenger door damage 3.jpg passenger door damage 4.jpg passenger door damage 5.jpg
The second (passenger side) door has now been collected. I had always considered this door the worst condition, and while it is certainly in a bad way, I don't look at it with the same anxiety I did with driver side door. Still needs its share of working though!

This one has a small but quite defined dent on the outside, about 1/3 down from the top. This I will certainly lift out part way with a welded stud and slide hammer (or whatever I can find to use). When applying filler to a flat panel, it is best to try to support from the inside to stop the flexing that occurs. Repair work is more likely to be without a visible border once painted. Because the door lock access opening is not the full size of door cross section, I will use/insert a wheelbarrow tube and inflate to fill the space. An old panelbeaters trick, tought to me by an old panelbeater! Jeezus I hate panelbeating

I will also incorporate Phil's Technique to stabilise the inner hinge plate.
Speaking of hinges, the 2 from this door are in great shape, and wil not need to have any attention.

[Private_collector]

spare doors.jpg
I have these three damaged doors for parts or donor metal, such as the piece that will be needed to re-plate a section of passenger door arch. I just checked, and do have a pair of replacement hinges for driver side, so won't need to re-pin the originals.

I do still need the bolt-on plate around driver side catch release lever. If anyone has one for sale I would like to hear from you.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Tony

I wish I had the skills of some of the "old line panelbeaters" I've got one friend who fits this description. I've worked on panels with dents or creases with no visible progress, Larry will come into the shop pick up body hammer and mandrel give the panel couple of hits and its done. Drives me crazy.

Another thing I can't do is body filler, takes me way to many tries to get it smooth. Think this is why I enjoy body work on CMPs nobody expects them to be smooth.

Cheers Phil

[Private_collector]

I had a phone call this morning from the shop which had been acquiring my floor bolts. They said they had been trying to source them, but have had no luck getting them with the flat screwdriver head. They offered ones of correct size but with hex key head instead. I deferred my decision to commit to purchase.

This afternoon I sought a second opinion, and this company concured that they also could not get them in. I really don't want to use anything but the original specs, but bought 65 of the correct size with phillips head instead of slot and nuts & split washers. These all cost $5.00 in total! Thats why I got em, and they are as a plan 'B'.

I started looking on internet tonight, and have already found a few places that have the right ones in their online catalogue. Whether these are actually in stock will be discovered tomorrow.

[Private_collector]

In contradiction to local shops (x2), I have now found and ordered the correct Ford Cab Floor Bolts from: http://www.statewidefastener.com.au/

They have cost me the grand total of $22.00, including GST & Delivery! That is for 70 bolts and 70 nuts. If you remember, some time ago I removed the floor bolt caged nuts due to 'poor health'. Thats why the 70 nuts!