Blitz (and related) bits on Ebay Australia

[Ian Fawbert]

Going on a limb here, but was this one a gun tractor?
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/cleve...uck/1036257762

Looks very sort and the cut rear cab? If not, what might it have been being so short (shortened?).

Cheers,
Ian.

[Euan McDonald]

Ian,
Looks more like a F60L or F60s cut down, GT's don't have over load springs or small fuel tanks. going by the plating down the chassis rails I suspect more cut down than GT.

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Ian Fawbert

Going on a limb here, but was this one a gun tractor?

Yes this one had my FGT antennae twitching too Ian and I put in a call to the seller. Unfortunately it's already sold but it hasn't been picked up yet so I'm hoping to identify it when he gets home.

Normally I'd agree with Euan that it's a cut down F60S/L, but in this case I reckon it's a 15cwt chassis that has broken its back and had to be shortened. That would account for the fuel tank being moved forward, and it would make sense to move the rear fuel tank mount forward to the FGT set of holes, which is where it is on this vehicle. It's possible the crane had to be moved back to clear the cab as well, which might account for the overhang at the rear. There's no reason to cut down a F60S/L chassis so drastically and create all this extra work. Auxiliary spring hangers have been bolted on, so we can't draw any conclusions there.

Statistically speaking it's more likely to be F15A with a retrofit winch than a FGT, and while the home made cab may raise suspicions, it's not EVIDENCE of FGT. I've been trying to identify the front step mount, which is slightly different on FGTs, but it's very difficult with these low res photos. Anyway I'm unable to rule it out as a FGT so here's hoping!

[Ian Fawbert]

Hi Euan and Tony,

Thanks guys! I thought it worth asking given the few clues I saw, but being (as the little slogan says below my name) a jeep guy in a CMP world, I am still learning and this one and both of your responses has helped me learn a lot!

Cheers,
Ian.

[Tony Smith]

C60S Tipper.

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/sprin...58002?mpch=ads

[Tony Smith]

Jeep FC170.

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/port-...03373?mpch=ads

Do I recall a MLU thread on this vehicle before?

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

Statistically speaking it's more likely to be F15A with a retrofit winch than a FGT

Nevertheless I'm now convinced it's a FGT, based on the fuel tank brackets, which are both in the FGT position. In other words it hasn't been shortened, it's just a FGT with a 12 gallon fuel tank. That's why there's no rear step mount, which you'd expect on a F15A. There are other indications too but they're nowhere near as conclusive, eg. the cab of course, and the presence of CMP rear fairlead pulleys on the crane, and possibly the top plate still on the chassis. Unfortunately the rear crossmembers have gone to make way for the cable apparatus, but I'm expecting the glovebox to be there which will provide confirmation when I finally get onto the seller. If the front shell has been changed the bifurcated crossmember will confirm the chassis as FGT.

[Keith Webb]

Love the detective work based on a couple of crappy photographs, but your observations make sense Tony. If you do visit it and establish FGT lineage the next task is to either find the ARN or a chassis (engine) number.

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

Nevertheless I'm now convinced it's a FGT, based on the fuel tank brackets, which are both in the FGT position. In other words it hasn't been shortened, it's just a FGT with a 12 gallon fuel tank. That's why there's no rear step mount, which you'd expect on a F15A. There are other indications too but they're nowhere near as conclusive, eg. the cab of course, and the presence of CMP rear fairlead pulleys on the crane, and possibly the top plate still on the chassis. Unfortunately the rear crossmembers have gone to make way for the cable apparatus, but I'm expecting the glovebox to be there which will provide confirmation when I finally get onto the seller. If the front shell has been changed the bifurcated crossmember will confirm the chassis as FGT.

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

Love the detective work based on a couple of crappy photographs

You don't know the half of it Keith, you wouldn't believe the lengths I've gone to trying to confirm that bloody front step mount!

FGT.JPG Gumtree ad - Copy.JPG F15A.JPG

Unfortunately this vehicle is 1,322 km away in the middle of the Eyre Peninsula, so I'm unable to visit it with emery and bucket of water in hand. Even more unfortunately it's already been sold, so I'll have to chase up the new owner. However it hasn't been picked up yet so I'm hoping to confirm it as FGT with the seller before it goes. I shall keep you posted....

[Keith Webb]

I can just see you in front of your computer uttering the command "enhance!" repeatedly.

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

You don't know the half of it Keith, you wouldn't believe the lengths I've gone to trying to confirm that bloody front step mount!

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

I'm expecting the glovebox to be there which will provide confirmation when I finally get onto the seller. If the front shell has been changed the bifurcated crossmember will confirm the chassis as FGT.

Well I finally spoke to the seller and it's all a mad panic now because he was busy loading the vehicle for pick up in 2 hours as we spoke! I got him to check the glovebox but unfortunately there's none present and no tell tale weld marks that he could detect. I then got him to check for the presence of a crossmember just behind the transfer case crossmember. Yes there is one he said. Does it have forked ends? Yes. Are they riveted to the chassis? Yes. Does it have fishplates? Yes. Is there a half inch spacer between the crossmember and the bottom of the chassis rail? Yes.

So we now know the chassis is FGT but we don't know about the cab. There's no writing under the bonnet, no ARN visible, no data plates, so I asked him to take some pics in certain key locations which he said he'd do. I've also asked him to put me in touch with the new owner so we can pursue full ID, notwithstanding probable swapped front shell and/or cab, Chev motor and g/box, and RH front chassis rail heavily plated over both top and side!

Anyway it's always fun to find another FGT and amazing how they continue to surface so many years after so few were built. Of course they're getting a little hard to recognize now which probably explains why they're bought and owned and sold without even knowing it!

[Keith Webb]

Well done Tony! Did you find out whether it's moving closer or further away?

And is it going to one of 'us'?

[Tony Wheeler]

I wasn't able to learn much about the new owner Keith, the seller said he's from Wellington near Port Augusta, but I can only find Wellington near Murray Bridge. Apparently he's had a couple of blitzes in the past but that's all I know about him at this stage. To be honest I'm not sure why anyone would buy this blitz without knowing it's a FGT. If I'd gotten onto it earlier I would definitely have bought it myself. Apparently it was sold a year ago but the bloke never collected it.

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

I wasn't able to learn much about the new owner Keith, the seller said he's from Wellington near Port Augusta, but I can only find Wellington near Murray Bridge.

Wilmington, SA?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

I then got him to check for the presence of a crossmember just behind the transfer case crossmember. Yes there is one he said. Does it have forked ends? Yes. Are they riveted to the chassis? Yes. Does it have fishplates? Yes. Is there a half inch spacer between the crossmember and the bottom of the chassis rail? Yes.

So we now know the chassis is FGT but we don't know about the cab.

Hello Tony,

Where were you when we were trying to solve the riddle Is the FAT a 60cwt or 15cwt truck? Could you please post your knowledge about the chassis differences in that thread, so we can learn a little more about this subject some ten years after the thread started....

Thanks,
Hanno

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Could you please post your knowledge about the chassis differences in that thread

No worries Hanno, I hadn't come across that thread before, no doubt I would have contributed by now if I had!

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

No worries Hanno, I hadn't come across that thread before, no doubt I would have contributed by now if I had!

Sorry Tony, I now realise you had not yet joined the MLU ranks back in 2004.

Could you please tell us more about the "crossmember just behind the transfer case crossmember with forked ends riveted to the chassis with fishplates and half inch spacer between the crossmember and the bottom of the chassis rail" -preferably with pictures - in the thread Is the FAT a 60cwt or 15cwt truck?

Thanks,
Hanno