Ford blitz ambo project

[Tony Wheeler]

Hi all,

As a newbie to MLU forum I'm not sure of the protocol, but I guess I should introduce myself properly.....starting from the beginning. I confess to being a certified CMP tragic, having first caught the “blitz bug” in my early teens. The roots of my affliction can be traced back to a particular sawmill in Warburton (Victoria) where my folks had a holiday house at the time. Exploring the area by pushbike one day with my childhood friend and neighbour Keith Webb, we stumbled upon a number of strange looking truck wrecks, which in their varying stages of decrepitude we found not only highly photogenic, but also strangely captivating in some way. Returning to the site often to photograph and clamber over these unusual vehicles, we soon became thoroughly hooked.

In the years to follow, driven by a strange irresistible urge completely unfathomable to our parents, we spent every available weekend and school holiday ranging far and wide on our pushbikes, through the countryside around Warburton and to the furthermost suburbs of Melbourne, seeking out more examples of what we now knew were WW2 “blitzbuggies”. Initially satisfied with simply photographing them liberally and spending hours in the darkroom processing B&W blitz prints (our other hobby) we soon came to covet the real thing. Eventually the inevitable happened and I bought one – to my parents even greater astonishment! Shortly thereafter Keith's parents found he'd brought a blitz home too!

My first blitz was an F60L, which interestingly enough turned out to be Canadian built, having a circular roof aperture and the distinctive dot/dash chequer plate floor. It set me back $60 in 1973 money – which amounted to several weeks pay pumping petrol at the local servo after school and on weekends. It was followed soon after by a second F60L purchase, this time for an outrageous $100, which I bought primarily for the chassis.

The plan was to build a Ford blitz ambo, to which end I shortened the chassis to medium wheelbase. My dream at the time was to quit school and drive around Australia, picking up work as I went, and camping in my blitz ambo! Unfortunately real life intervened – I'd just gotten it restored to cab & chassis stage when I had to leave home, and having nowhere to store it I had to sell it. Moving interstate I lost touch with Keith and all things blitz-related, and for the next 35 years became distracted by such trivialities as career, girls, cars, motorbikes, beer, football, overseas travel, and even marriage!

Having assumed after all these years I'd been cured of my adolescent blitz obsession, I've been shocked to find recently that the “blitzbug” has merely lain dormant in me all this time, and at the ripe old age of 55 has broken out once more to produce adult blitz fever – a far more serious condition, the unmistakeable symptoms being a compulsion to purchase every available blitz and make ever more ambitious plans for their restoration! Sitting in my backyard now are four running blitzes plus an additional three wrecks, with further remains purchased yet to be recovered. These projects alone threaten to occupy me for many years to come – in fact I suspect my case of blitzbug may be terminal this time!

I take comfort however in the knowledge that my syndrome is not unfamiliar to others in this forum! Since joining your community recently I've been enjoying several past threads detailing various CMP projects, which I hope to reciprocate in due course. I shall post some pics shortly of my current collection for your interest.

Having failed as usual to be brief I shall now endeavour to conclude, but first I'd like to thank all contributors here for many hours of enjoyable reading, and the wealth of information contained in these threads. I've been amazed to discover the level of CMP interest these days, compared to when Keith and I first caught the bug. Our preoccupation with the humble blitz back in those days was most unfashionable, even amongst MV collectors who generally viewed them with some disdain, dismissing them as little more than commercial workhorses. And yet was there any vehicle type, softskin or armoured, which could be said to have contributed more to Allied victory in WW2? That should start some interesting arguments on MLU! Anyway it's very pleasing after decades of ignominy and abuse in sawmills etc. to find CMP military heritage widely recognized nowadays, and exemplified in so many wonderfully restored variants in museums and private ownership around the world. Hopefully I can add to the total in the not too distant future by completing my long interrupted blitz ambo project!

Cheers,
Tony

[Richard Farrant]

Hi Tony,

Good introduction At least we now know who led Keith astray in those days far gone, or was it the other way around?

regards,
Richard

[Tony Wheeler]

At the risk of self indulgence - on Keith's excellent website here http://www.oldcmp.net/warby.html can be found a pictorial record of our first blitz encounter more than 40 years ago, at the sawmill in Warburton just across the river from my folks holiday house. Many enjoyable hours spent here photographing these strange vehicular relics from every conceivable angle - Keith has climbed high up in a tree for this one!

[Tony Wheeler]

Also of interest on this site was the old Warburton train turntable, just visible beyond this line of CMPs. Located at the end of the railway line a few hundred metres past Warby station, this was where steam locos were spun around for the return journey to Melbourne. Keith may recall the circular brick-walled pit across which lay the rotatable steel girder onto which locos were driven.

The site has long since been cleared of blitz remains and securely fenced off, although I confess to trespassing a few years ago to walk the sacred ground one more time! I assumed the turntable had been removed too, but I've since learned they simply backfilled the pit, as can be seen from these recent photos and accompanying text:

"To ease congestion in the yard due to the number of tramways from outlying mills & the loading of timber, the Warburton line was extended a short distance to La La siding, where this turntable was installed. In recent years a saw mill occupied the site. When the mill closed the turntable pit was partly filled during the clean up. A recent attempt to remove the fill & remove nearby trees, by the developer of the site, resulted in some damage to the brick wall of the pit."

This caused some outrage amongst train buffs which led to numerous articles in the local rag a few months back. It seems this site is sacred in more ways than one!

[hrpearce]

Welcome Tony, I too was interested in blitz's working at a sawmill my Farther sold logs to when grazing income was limited. I eventually purchased a blitz as a workhorse for the farm and was happy. A couple of years later I attended Howards "shed full of shit" sale, found out about Corowa, was introduced to Keith and I have been terminal eversince.

[Tony Wheeler]

Thanks Richard, and I'll try to keep future posts a little more brief!

On the question of who led who astray - as I recall neither of us needed any encouragement, we were both fanatical from the outset! However I have no doubt that Keith has led many people astray since then!

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

Thanks Richard, and I'll try to keep future posts a little more brief!

On the question of who led who astray - as I recall neither of us needed any encouragement, we were both fanatical from the outset! However I have no doubt that Keith has led many people astray since then!

Tony, no problem, write as much as you like, we all like a good read, thats why we are here. Keith's video's and dvd's have inspire more people to get into this hobby, I have no doubt

[Tony Wheeler]

Thanks Robert, I guess we "terminals" just have to accept our fate and enjoy it!

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

Keith's video's and dvd's have inspire more people to get into this hobby, I have no doubt

Yes I'm sure there'd be many who would thank Keith for inspiration and support in the hobby, both through his work and on a personal level. He has certainly helped me enormously in getting back into it after all these years.

[Tony Wheeler]

Following our blitz epiphany at Warburton sawmill, Keith and I discovered dozens of CMPs scattered throughout the suburbs of Melbourne, and within two years of that fateful day I found myself the proud owner of this F60L - spotted in a construction yard in Bayswater, a mere 20 km pushbike ride from our doorstep!

It was none too pretty but it was very sound mechanically, having lately been in road service, and best of all it had a newly reconditioned motor. We subsequently realized it was a Canadian built F60L (note circular hatchway) which is quite a rarity in Australia.

The photos here come from an excellent album compiled by Keith at the time, which chronicles the entire restoration process, from day of purchase to "test drives" on logging tracks in the mountains behind Warburton. This particular sequence depicts delivery day - an event which I was unable to attend myself, having to work at the servo all day instead!

[Tony Wheeler]

As 40 year old pics I'm aware these may be of limited interest, but having no current resto in progress they're the best I can offer for the moment!

This series depicts disassembly prior to cut up and disposal of the chassis, which was badly bent and twisted. The front section was retained as an assembly bed for the motor, which can be seen running in one of the pics. Despite having been recently reconditioned I pulled it apart to fit new rings and bearings, and to lap the valves and adjust clearances. In fact, youthful curiosity led me to pull everything on this blitz apart, just to see what was inside! In so doing I created a great deal of unnecessary work for myself, but it was an excellent learning process, and did lead to some replacement of badly worn bearings etc, so the effort wasn't entirely wasted.

Looking back now it's hard to believe such a resto could be carried out in the open, with very limited tools, and everything having to be lugged around and manhandled into place by a couple of teenagers! Only once did we use any lifting gear, when I borrowed a block and tackle from the servo where I worked, to carry out final engine fitment. Perhaps that accounts for my lifelong back problems!

[Tony Wheeler]

My second blitz was another F60L, found abandoned alongside a dirt backroad near Bullengarook, about 60 km north of Melbourne, on one of the occasional car trips which Keith and I routinely nagged our parents to take us in search of CMPs further afield! As can be seen from the photos this one was quite a wreck, but it did have a straight chassis, which I badly needed to proceed with my resto.

This series of photos depicts the purchase and recovery process, which entailed two separate trips. First pic shows me standing by patiently, clutching my trusty Pentax, while my long-suffering father inspects this latest object of my desire rather dubiously. Finally relenting, we set off on a house to house search for an owner from whom to purchase it. Personally I would have dispensed with such formalities and simply towed this long forgotten wreck away, but my father insisted. Eventually, in a run down farmhouse some miles away, a crusty old gent laid claim to it, and with an eye on dad's flash company car, figured he could take these city slickers for $100. Having no other chassis options, I reluctantly forked out what for me at the time represented several weeks hard earned pay at the servo.

The following 3 pics show preparations for recovery, which basically involved getting it up on wheels and rolling.

Final pic taken soon after arrival home shows the clean straight chassis to good effect, with Keith sitting in the now roofless cab in the pouring rain!

[Keith Webb]

I remember the excitement of those times very well. Of cranking the F60L up an incline of blocks so we could experience a few fleeting seconds of it in motion... The funny thing is the first experience of riding in a real, live blitz for both of us was a C15A Sigvan belonging at the time to John Shaw who bought it from disposals in Alice Springs and used it as a camper van with the internal wall moved back to allow for a second seat. It now resides in far north Queensland in the Sid Beck collection.
The writing you can see on the photographs was my best attempt, and sometimes I was lucky to be allowed to use my father's typewriter which I felt was most professional.

[Tony Wheeler]

Funny you should mention the Sigvan Keith, I was only thinking about it today. I was remembering that first drive one Sunday morning, when John took us off road in a gully off Deep Creek Road in Mitcham. I remember it like yesterday, but I couldn't figure out how we both fitted in the seat. I'd forgotten he'd moved the wall back and put in a back seat.

What prompted me to think of that Sigvan was the realization that our first drive had been in a Chev. I then tried to recall our first ride in a Ford. I think you went out in Cowley's F60S tipper one day, but I suspect my own first ride in a Ford may have been as the underage driver of my own blitz!

[Keith Webb]

Well remembered Tony! My first Ford ride was indeed in a F60S tipper. I have the spare wheel and also a spare NOS radiator from that vehicle, purchased from Warwick a couple of years ago. I had to pick them up from Strabane Avenue.

Here's the F60S:



Link

And the Sigvan - as we set out for Mitcham with Tony in the background...

[Keith Webb]

And here's no ordinary picture, it is the first of thousands of CMP images I have taken since 1970. It is one of two Cab 12 F60Ls at that mill.

[Keith Webb]

This was a very rare thing - colour reversal film was so expensive I hardly ever had any, but I remember buying a roll of Agfachrome for the special event.



You can see an excited Tony on his bike as he arrived from work at Harry's Shell garage. I waited quite a while for this pic.

[Keith Webb]

Taken around the time Tony got his first blitz I think, maybe even on the same roll of film.

[hrpearce]

Hanno we need a new sub-forum "reminiscing for the over 55's"

[Tony Wheeler]

Keith lashed out occasionally and bought a roll of colour film, so it can now be seen that my second blitz was red! The first one was yellow BTW, but having no colour pics you'll just have to take my word for it!

This pic shows my second blitz in the final stage of dismantling, prior to clean up and paint. In evidence too is our mode of transport - although Keith being a year older than me was possibly driving by this time.

[Tony Wheeler]

Great pics Keith, some of which I don't recall ever seeing before.

I must learn how to post images in the message body.

[Tony Wheeler]

First pic shows the chassis from my second blitz newly painted, having been shortened from F60L to F60S wheelbase.

Second pic shows final engine fitment, which as mentioned earlier was the only time we used lifting gear of any kind.

Remaining 3 pics are pretty much self explanatory.

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

Hanno we need a new sub-forum "reminiscing for the over 55's"

Too right, Robert!

Here's another memory for Tony:

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

Keith lashed out occasionally and bought a roll of colour film, so it can now be seen that my second blitz was red! The first one was yellow BTW, but having no colour pics you'll just have to take my word for it!

This pic shows my second blitz in the final stage of dismantling, prior to clean up and paint. In evidence too is our mode of transport - although Keith being a year older than me was possibly driving by this time.

No need to take your word for it, here it is in glorious colour taken during the tear down.

[Keith Webb]

Here's another taken before it was towed. I have some more somewhere with the Bedford used to tow it and also one of your dad bravely steering it while under tow.

I think I may still have those odd headlights somewhere.

[hrpearce]

I had to have a last drive before removing the transfur case for repairs.

[Tony Wheeler]

Wow, those colour pics sure trigger the memory neurons!

[Tony Wheeler]

First pic shows the final stage reached, with only the bumper yet to be fitted. Good roofs were scarce even back then, so to keep out the rain whilst parked I rigged up a makeshift canvas top supported by a flimsy wooden frame.

With the project now driveable I came under increasing parental pressure to move it elsewhere, so they could finally retake possession of the backyard. Arrangements were made to park it in a sawmill in Wesburn belonging to a fellow blitz enthusiast, who owned a C15A at the time. Second pic shows preparations for towing; third pic passing through Yarra Junction; fourth pic at the sawmill in Wesburn; final pic on first test drive in nearby mountains.

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi Tony - I can just visualise two freckled faced kids forty years ago on their treddlies haunting all the Blitz sites. But more importantly we need to get together so you can tell us some real dirt on our mate Keefy.

Bob

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

Hanno we need a new sub-forum "reminiscing for the over 55's"

Yes as I mentioned at the start there may not be much general interest in 40 year old resto projects. It does seem to have degenerated into private reminisces between the only two people actually there at the time!