Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Ian Fawbert]

Hi mate,

Not pedalling my own wears as from memory, I've sold them all, but I did fall over a pile of nos battery hold downs (the only decent pile I've ever fallen on!).

Here's a pic of the ones I had:



As fitted on my f15a to see how it fitted. They had a ford number which matched the parts lists exactly and were with a lot of other surplus stuff.


Hope this helps,
Ian.

[Private_collector]

Ohhhhhhhhhhh, crap!

Well Ian, if you ever find one you haven't sold, please let me have first option on it. I would rather have original spec if I can. There's enough 'substitute' materials already on this truck.

Thanks for posting the photos.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi

The battery hold down as shown in Ian's post is visually identical to Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, and Ford trucks used up to the late 40s. So you may be able to widen your NOS search. It is visually identical to the orginal one on my 49 Lincoln Cosmopolitan.

Cheers Phil

[Private_collector]

Thanks Phil.

Search goes on.....

[Matt Baker]

Hi Tony,

That Youtube Video was Great Thanks for the link, I bet my Father and his Parents would have been at this parade as the Family didn't move out until 1949.

Cheers Matt Baker

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by Phil Waterman

The battery hold down as shown in Ian's post is visually identical to Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, and Ford trucks used up to the late 40s.

Hi, Further to the battery hold downs. Attached are photos of the Vintique Repro I will be using. Unless NOS is absolutelly essential these look pretty good to me. After a few years of battery acid mist on it you will probably be needing to replace it anyway.
For those following the battery holder construction I am presently finishing off accurate drawings of it. When finished, I will post it on the forum along with some fabrication tips and info.
Wish to thank Ian Fawbert for the original pictures and sketches, Tony Baker for further info and photos, and Tony Wheeler who kindly leant me his holder to lift the dimensions. A real team effort from the Ford CMP truck lovers in Aus.

[Ian Fawbert]

Hi mate,

No worries. I'll have a look in the pile of bibs and bobs and see- yours first up if I find one.

Jacques, I am glad you had worked it out or are nearly working it out! I'm sorry I didn't get back to you- a lot of things piled up and I forgot about it. If I can help anymore, please let me know.

Cheers all,
Ian.

[Private_collector]

Has anyone heard from Mike Calnan (Gunner) in recent times?

I sent him a PM more than two weeks ago, asking if he received the USB with the Ford data plate photos on it. I have not yet got any reply.

This evening I emailed a fellow that reproduces WWII vehicle data plates, asking if he could copy from the high res photos, same as sent to Gunner.

I'll let you know when / if I receive a reply.

[Private_collector]

Well, I did say I would let you know the reply to my email, but I didn't think it would be this soon.

The chap has asked that I email photos, sizes desired & material for the plates. I'll do all that tomorrow and email him again in the evening.

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by Ian Fawbert

Hi mate,


Jacques, I am glad you had worked it out or are nearly working it out! I'm sorry I didn't get back to you- a lot of things piled up and I forgot about it. If I can help anymore, please let me know.

Cheers all,
Ian.

Hi Ian, Fully understand, know how time slips away ie. 20 years later and still working on my F15A. I am still very grateful for the original photos and sketches you sent me as it got the ball rolling on making one up and filled in bits of info missing from other information sources. Many thanks again!

[Ian Fawbert]

Jacques,
Thankyou. Good to hear mate! I look forward to seeing them sooner or later!


Tony,

Have you tried Shane Hodby (in Qld) who is in the MJCQ? He and another guy whose name escapes me now (Peter?) have been doing repro dataplates for quite a while- i think they did have Ford CMP ones and if not, would make them up from pics and dimensions.

Cheers,
Ian.

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Phil Waterman

The battery hold down as shown in Ian's post is visually identical to Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, and Ford trucks used up to the late 40s. So you may be able to widen your NOS search.

Repro item from Mac's auto parts looks identical to me. Good value at 12 USD.

http://macsautoparts.com/early-v8-fo...0R3CHL1071740/

[Private_collector]

Bloody hell Tony, I haven't even thought to check Macs yet. Cheers for the info. My next purchase from Macs will include one of those I believe. I need to order some supension and brake parts anyway.
Battery box base 1.jpg Battery box base 2.jpg
The afternoon has been spent playing panelbeater again. Determined to get all the driver side step/battery box parts looking as good as can be. Unfortunately, that involves a considerable amount of body filler, sanding, body filler, more sanding......
Battery box base 3.jpg
Guess this is how they faked the moon landing. The eagle has landed!
Step bracket 1.jpg Step bracket 2.jpg
If i'm calculating accurately, there is about 1/5 of all filler applied that actually remains after the sanding & shaping.

I won't get paint on the step/battery holder parts tomorrow. The photos shown above were taken around 3pm, so both those parts with filler are now under primer. The heavy steel battery tray base now has it's second (lighter) coat of filler, but not primed / spray puttied yet. The step has not yet been touched either. It is in good nick but does require a light skim of filler across where the tray bolts to it. With all that in mind, I wouldn't dream of trying to get final coat on tomorrow. Not enough time for the primer, spray putty & blade putty to dry. Paint them too soon and all sorts of nasty problems will eventuate.

I suppose I could paint the battery box itself, but no point soiling a gun, and all that cleanup afterwards, just for one part. I'll do em all next weekend..............as always, weather permitting.

[Private_collector]

Driver side parts primed 1.jpg
All the driver side step & battery assembly parts are now repaired and under putty.
Driver side step before repair.jpg
The pitting on the step, is clearly visible here. It's fixed now, as is one of the diamond pattern shapes that had a very little hole on one side.
Passenger tank etch primed 1.jpg Passenger tank etch primed 2.jpg
I moved onto one of the fuel tanks, and got it stripped and etched. I can only see three dents that will need repair. Some of the places I originally considered may be dents, have turned out to be spot welds.

Pity I found a hole on the underside of the tank. It's smaller than 1/8in, but it will need to be brazed shut. I'll find someone in town for that. I bet they will be afraid to do it, thinking that it might blow up. Won't they be surprised when I tell them thats why I didn't do it myself. Seriously, the tank hasn't had fuel in it for years. I will flush it out before I take it in too.

P.S: Matt, I haven't forgotten that propellor boss we were talking about, I just haven't had the opportunity to photograph it as yet. I hope you will confirm that it is actually from a B-17 and not something mundane. It is certainly big enough for a large bomber. Heavy bastard too!

[Private_collector]

Matt,

I have finally taken some photos of the part in question. It is currently in an ackward location under some stuff in my other shed, so I wasn't able to get photos from directly above. Hope these two are good enough.
Propellor Boss 1.jpg Propellor Boss 2.jpg
As you can see, two of the propellor blades have been snapped off at the blade root, leaving traces of blade as shown. The third one is completely gone. My guess is that the gap between blade remnants and central hub of the three blades is where the variable pitch mechanism would have been. There is evidence of this on one of the blade sides, but it is not visible in these photos.

As a reference to size, the object on left of photos is a motor mower catcher. The piece is sufficiently heavy that I can only lift it for a second or two. Two person lifting is not much better either. It took me several lift attempts to heave it up to my car boot. Was just as much fun getting it out too!

As indicated, this was given to me some years ago, and advised to be from a Boeing B-17 that crashed. I can virtually guarantee it isn't from a Cessna.

My plan is to incorporate this artifact in a memorial to WWII airmen. Especially those airmen that did not return.