Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Grant Bowker]

Many modern bearings are available in 3 series: open, shielded and sealed - otherwise identical.
When rebuilding my Chev transmission I chose to go the open route, either by using an open bearing or removing the seal from one bearing. I'm not qualified as an engineer to have a technical basis for this but felt that since it had taken 60+ years to develop a bit more roughness than I was willing to tolerate I didn't see a problem with using an open bearing again as I won't be needing the truck in another 60 years.
One other thing to consider is whether any of the seals on input or output shafts need a bit of oil through the bearing to help them slip on the shaft as running dry might cause wear.

[Private_collector]

Yes, that's a very good point.

I think there is such an item which may require lube, on the input end of MDG, under throwout shaft. I will need to look closely at this tonight. From memory, it is a brass collar. May be able to do without it now that bearing is sealed? In fact now that I think about it, that collar nay have been output end. I'll see tonight. All the parts are layed out on floor, in an exploded diagram way.

Is it difficult to remove the seal from a bearing? Just in case I have to do it for whatever reason.

[Tony Wheeler]

Further to Tony's earlier post showing news reports of first CMP shipments to Australia in November 1941, this article from May '41 shows how desperately these vehicles were needed.

[Tony Wheeler]

This Canberra Times report gives a more detailed description of the new trucks, which were Cab 12 Fords delivered fully assembled (Australia never received any Cab 12 Chevs, only Cab 13 Chevs a year later as CKD chassis). Evidently these new trucks made the same impression then as now: "distinctive rugged appearance".

Interestingly these reports all mention US involvement in the CMP program, can't imagine where that notion came from.

[Private_collector]

Gearbox finished 2.jpg Gearbox finished.jpg Gearbox throwout 1.jpg
Finished the gearbox today. At least, internally finished. I am still awaiting the following, to complete entirely: clutch rod bushes, rear MDG seal, pilot bearing, locking wire (found enough for the shift forks), and the throwout grease hose. Thanks to Jacques, I contacted Ajays in NZ, and am waiting to hear if they can purchase more of the grease hose. They had run out some time prior and had none in store. Fingers crossed!

Worst part of the whole thing was keeping one of the thrust bearings in place while installing the quite heavy gear cluster that it mates with. I ended up holding it in place with a layer of masking tape around the ID, making sure no tape went anywhere I couldn't take it off again. I was fortunate that all gaskets came off in a single piece, and had no problem making new ones, with the exception of a few minutes searching for the correct thikness materials which were ....somewhere.

Thoroughly checked the shifting pattern, and everything works FINE! Just one little irritance, the reverse lockout rod sticks a little more than I would like (which is NO sticking). That would be my fault, I put the normal amount of paint coats on the shift lever etc.. A little bit if fine sanding may be in order if the graphite grease I applied doesn't work well enough.
Gear boot 1.jpg
I cut the unwanted portion from the gear lever boot, and did a trial fit. Looks OK, so it will stay in place, and I will attach it propper at a later date, when I need a 'time-out' from soething else. You know the Time-Out scenario? That's when you have to stop whatever you are doing that isn't going well, or you risk bringing a 12lb sledge down onto it.
Throwout body.jpg
Getting back to the discussion on sealed VS open bearings. I have decided to leave both of mine sealed. At the front, oil will still get past the bearing, Just in a much reduced quantity. The grooves in the slinger will hold some, and friction should be minimal there anyway. I chucked a handful of light grease in there for startup.

[Private_collector]

With the gearbox work done, I attached a couple of parts that arrived in the mail this week.
Junction block NOS.jpg
This NOS junction block is a perfect fit, despite being from another type of MV.
Rear brake hose 1.jpg Rear brake hose 2.jpg Front brake hose 1.jpg Front brake hose 2.jpg
The post-office pickup slip description which I thought may have been the long awaited wiring loom, actually turned out to be these two brake hoses, in a very well packed (and somewhat enlarged) box. This pair of hoses are the ones that go to front & rear axles. They were custom made in USA, and cost $50.00 including shipping, for the pair. They even came with the locking clips and copper washers. Now that I have seen the quality, i'll call the supplier and order a new pair for the front axle to wheel cylinders.

I had initially offered the local brake repair shop the job of making these (and two others), and I left a sample hose with them so they could get the right ends. That was 7 weeks ago now............Their loss!

I should actually have gotten more done this weekend, but we bought a new ride-on mower on Saturday, and I decided to tidy up the place first. This one goes a number of times faster than the previous, lethargic one. That includes in reverse too!! Naturally, when Gympie finally secures the Hardie Ferodo 1000 (or whatever Bathurst is called now), I shall enter immediately. In the years BC (Before Children), my wife & I took a detour to Bathurst while on a driving holiday, for the purpose of trying our new sports-car on the track. Well OBVIOUSLY I didn't make too much of a point of the track trying bit. As it turned out, I was saved from a very expensive speeding ticket by another motorist who flashed his lights to say there was a police radar set up on the downhill straight! For you foreigners, the 'Bathurst 1000' is a 1000km race on a closed public road that then becomes the racing circuit. Keep your NASCAR, our vehicles can turn right, as well as left!

[Private_collector]

It's here!

Wiring loom 1.jpg Wiring loom 2.jpg Wiring loom 3.jpg Wiring loom 4.jpg