2017 F15A Starting over

[sth65pac]

Well after a short break of 9 years I am back on to my F15A.
To search threads here is my original linkk http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=7402

The Army Registration Number is 57827 after researching at the Australian War memorial. It is a 1942 Ford F15A.

In 2009 I fell through my old trailer and crushed my back disks so I wasn't able to do a large truck until now. I have learnt a lot but know far from everything.

I'll have questions and suggestions. I take on that some people are perfectionists I'll admit I am not so live with it. This may be a little out of order But I will try to make it flow.

After an initial assessment the rust in the cab roof is worse than ever and I have NO desire to use Protec paint ever. It is porous and has allowed my truck to deteriorate badly. Ahh well live & learn.


I removed the roof the very next day. It will need to be sand blasted and repaired (again) I have had the gutter parts pre-made so I will mig them on once the Sandblaster has done his job.


A great example of care when assembling (somewhere between issue and me becoming owner)

Today (ANZAC DAY) I took the steering box off- yes some water inside but we'll have to see how it goes... :

Are there meant to be grease nipples here ??? (front of front springs?)

Cheers,

Ian

[Ron King]

Protec paint is not too bad.
Any flat paint is porus.
I tend to mix a harder to flat paint which not only makes it dry quick but just adds a slight gloss and helps the paint to seal.

Please keep posting your progress.
You know where I am if you need help lifting something and save your back .
Ron

[Mike K]

We have all done the wrong thing when painting . Nowadays I apply a 2 pack seal coat over the initial primer coat.

The local paint shop here often has 2 pack mismatches they are stuck with . A customer has ordered say 4 litres of the best quality Wattyl 2 pack top coat, the customer turns up, hates the colour and the shop is stuck with the paint, they put it under the lower shelf for sale at less than half new price. Doesn't matter what the colour of the 2 pack is, its job is to seal the primer from moisture. You can then paint your flat khaki enamel over the seal coat.

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by sth65pac

Are there meant to be grease nipples here ??? (front of front springs?)

Hi Ian,
Nice looking F-15A for a starting point.

Yes, there are grease nipples there to answer your question.

Cheers,

[sth65pac]

Originally Posted by Jacques Reed

Hi Ian,
Nice looking F-15A for a starting point.

Yes, there are grease nipples there to answer your question.

Cheers,

Many thanks Jacques... Added to my I need it list
Purchased today QTY 20. Thank-you for the clarification.

Cheers,

Ian

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Ian,

You may know this, but be careful when buying grease nipples as there are a few types of threads available. Society of Automotive Engineers- Lubrication Thread (SAE-LT) is the type mainly used on cars and trucks. It has a tapered thread to form a tight seal and is screwed into a parallel sided UNF tapped hole.

There are also Metric threads, BSP threads and NPT threads available. Some are not tapered either. Some are close in size but will not seal or tighten up, and more likely strip the threaded hole. Australia prefers BSP pipe sizes with Metric sizes on Chinese stuff, and the US prefers NPT pipe sizes.

If you have an original sample best to match the thread type up to that.

Hope this is of some help to you and others. I learnt this the hard way ordering grease nipples on my Korean built ship with British, Chinese, and Japanese machinery on board. Think she went to the breakers with a few boxes of unused wrong type grease fittings on board!

Cheers,

[sth65pac]

A little more progress, Fuel tank removed and all the JUNK from the rear.

I have a twisty step, I am probably going to attach a long bar to it and bend it back the way it was (I hope).

Cab remains will be removed tomorrow I hope.

and the dreaded rear cross-member.
Hopefully it will spring back to the original line. If not I have a hydraulic pack to persuade it in to alignment. I will cut off all the rivets and replace it. That means making having a new one made in the coming weeks.

Cheers,

Ian

[sth65pac]

This is looking at it end on. Not good

Hopefully I can get this all straight.

Cheers,

Ian

[T Creighton]

Hi Ian,
Good to see you are getting back into the restoration again.
You say in the beginning that you are not a perfectionist. Even so, pulling that rear end completely out, getting rid of the rust that will be between the plates, making a new xmember, painting it and riveting it all back together again will give you lots of satisfaction when you stand back and look at the finished job.

Re the paint:
On my current Morris Commercial job I am using Wattyl Solarguard roof paint over PPG Industrial Coatings Protecto Primer. Sandblasted and hand prepared steel. Good for wood as well.
Guaranteed for 15 years on house roofs so no porosity with that and it's so easy to apply by brush or spray.
10 times easier than the 2 pot "Lechsys" system that I used on the Ford restoration and no horrible solvents involved. A lot cheaper as well.
Their stock "Karaka" colour suits me fine but they will probably tint it to whatever colour you want.
Best regards, Terry

[sth65pac]

Originally Posted by T Creighton

Hi Ian,
Good to see you are getting back into the restoration again.
You say in the beginning that you are not a perfectionist. Even so, pulling that rear end completely out, getting rid of the rust that will be between the plates, making a new xmember, painting it and riveting it all back together again will give you lots of satisfaction when you stand back and look at the finished job.

Re the paint:
On my current Morris Commercial job I am using Wattyl Solarguard roof paint over PPG Industrial Coatings Protecto Primer. Sandblasted and hand prepared steel. Good for wood as well.
Guaranteed for 15 years on house roofs so no porosity with that and it's so easy to apply by brush or spray.
10 times easier than the 2 pot "Lechsys" system that I used on the Ford restoration and no horrible solvents involved. A lot cheaper as well.
Their stock "Karaka" colour suits me fine but they will probably tint it to whatever colour you want.
Best regards, Terry

Thanks Terry,
I am going to use my favoured paint of Concept. It is not cheap but it remains pretty stable in colour and finish. Wattyl in my neck of the woods is a swear word lol.

Cheers,
Ian

[sth65pac]

Managed to get the lower cab off the chassis on Saturday. What a job. No surprises but 75 YO bolts were FT!



Now I can access the fuel switch and lines to make new ones. This part will go to the sand blasters eventually or I will home sand blast it.



Lastly


Are the cab mounts available or do I make my own???
Cheers,

Ian

[Lynn Eades]

They look like Ford v8 engine mounts? (you can tell I'm not up on CMPs)

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Ian

I made my own rubber washers for my C60S, I had a hint as to how to make them though when I took my truck apart. When I looked at the original rubber mounts on my truck, noted that they were made out of layers cut from tires. Apparantly cut from the side walls of tires, now we know what one of the uses they made of all those tires collected in rubber drives during WWII.

They were easy to make just took a hole saw of the correct size and cut out rubber donuts from the side walls of tires. Then drilled the center bolt hole on the drill press. Found that bias ply non-steel belted tires worked best.

Enjoy your restoration keep us posted on progress.

Cheers Phil

[Grant Bowker]

Both rubber insulators (the upper one seen in the photo C29Q-8111240 and the lower one hidden by the cast bracket C29Q-8111241) are shown in the parts book with the "peculiar to Canadian Military Pattern" asterisk. I understand this to mean that the part wasn't an off the shelf part before adoption for CMP use but it is possible that the part could have been adopted for another use later on. The same two part number insulators are listed for the mount at center rear of the cab.

[sth65pac]

I wasnt sure, I have some old conveyer belt which would be suitable to cut donuts out of, but I wasn't sure if they are an 'off the shelf' part.

Funny you say that Phil, as I have noticed that the Chev's had a lot of 'tyre' type materials as washers etc in the CMP fleets. I am guessing Ford had more of literally everything back then.

Cheers,

Ian.

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by Grant Bowker

Both rubber insulators (the upper one seen in the photo C29Q-8111240 and the lower one hidden by the cast bracket C29Q-8111241) are shown in the parts book with the "peculiar to Canadian Military Pattern" asterisk. I understand this to mean that the part wasn't an off the shelf part before adoption for CMP use but it is possible that the part could have been adopted for another use later on. The same two part number insulators are listed for the mount at center rear of the cab.

Hi Ian,

I am almost certain the rubber parts are the same as Ford engine mounts looking at my collection of old body and engine mounts. See attached.

The only difference I can see is the length of the bolts. The body mount ones on the left are slightly longer, probably to accommodate the thicker cast steel chassis to body support arm. The third one is an original Engine mount bolt and the one on the right is an early Landrover engine mount. This would account for the astisk Grant mentioned in the parts list.

As a mater of interest Ford CMP engine mounts are also the same as early Landrover engine mounts. I bought my engine mounts from a Landrover parts supplier a long time ago in the years BI (Before Internet). Think he said they were the same as Series 2A engine mounts. Perhaps the Landy experts on the forum can confirm.

Surprisingly Blackwoods Industrial Supplies carried at that time an identical rubber vibration insulator in their catalogue. No guarantee it is still available though.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers,

[sth65pac]

Originally Posted by Jacques Reed

Hi Ian,

I am almost certain the rubber parts are the same as Ford engine mounts looking at my collection of old body and engine mounts. See attached.

The only difference I can see is the length of the bolts. The body mount ones on the left are slightly longer, probably to accommodate the thicker cast steel chassis to body support arm. The third one is an original Engine mount bolt and the one on the right is an early Landrover engine mount. This would account for the astisk Grant mentioned in the parts list.

As a mater of interest Ford CMP engine mounts are also the same as early Landrover engine mounts. I bought my engine mounts from a Landrover parts supplier a long time ago in the years BI (Before Internet). Think he said they were the same as Series 2A engine mounts. Perhaps the Landy experts on the forum can confirm.

Surprisingly Blackwoods Industrial Supplies carried at that time an identical rubber vibration insulator in their catalogue. No guarantee it is still available though.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers,

Yes Jacques,
I have found a supplier here in Oz for the mounts so now its all about the money, yes they are the same as Ford engine mounts. Land Rover mounts would suffice (I have a few) but I will be getting five new mounts from http://www.tcrcarponents.com.au.

Many thanks to all contributors to this thread, (so far Lynn, Phil, Jacques, Terry and Phil) and it makes a restoration so much easier when you're not the 'trail blazer'!

On another note: I dropped my roof in at the sand blasters today so it will return next Monday with all the tin worm damage visible. Then I can set to repairing it.

Cheers,

Ian

[sth65pac]

Well I had the cab roof sand blasted and as usual the tin worm has had a good 75 year munch.

I have the replacement parts pre-made. Just have to chop off the rot and tack on the new. Jeremy's efforts some years back gave me confidence to do this task.

I have made quite a few measurements so I have it 'just' right.
Pictures for your edification.




Two Piece affair I had made up some time ago.


Cheers,

Ian

[sth65pac]

Well good olld photo bucket, missed this one


Ian

[sth65pac]

Well have chopped off one gutter, and cleaned up the seams as well as treated the rust as good as I can, welded up the rust holes.

Now tomorrow I will weld on the new gutters, sadly I miss measured the box section so I will have to get another couple of U sections folded up to make it all look original.

There's always plenty to do . Colonel Klink and the cat think its great!

Photos for observation,






Cheers,

Ian

[Ganmain Tony]

Great to see some good progress Ian... it'll be a ripper of a truck.

[sth65pac]

Originally Posted by Ganmain Tony

Great to see some good progress Ian... it'll be a ripper of a truck.

Thanks Tony,
As you know, its WELL overdue.
I might even get game enough to drive it to....... take it to Corowa when its done.

Cheers,

Ian

[sth65pac]

Busy today, Managed to get the drip rails on, but the boxed sections I have had them made incorrectly. I have sealed up the seams and painted the parts.



My Welding Skills have improved a bit


The finished product less the box section


Cheers,
Ian

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Hello Ian,

Great to see you have restarted on your F15A. Thanks for sharing all the photos, we like them here on MLU. Could you please attach them as described here?
http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=19
Our experience over the year (decades, really) is that using external photo hosting will one day lead to the loss of pictures, rendering a thread like this useless. That would be a shame and waste of your work posting it here.

Thanks,
Hanno

[sth65pac]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Hello Ian,

Great to see you have restarted on your F15A. Thanks for sharing all the photos, we like them here on MLU. Could you please attach them as described here?
http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=19
Our experience over the year (decades, really) is that using external photo hosting will one day lead to the loss of pictures, rendering a thread like this useless. That would be a shame and waste of your work posting it here.

Thanks,
Hanno

They are on Photo bucket Hanno. I can email them to you if you wish and you can do what you want.

Ian

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by sth65pac

They are on Photo bucket Hanno. I can email them to you if you wish and you can do what you want.

Ian, I have edited your last post to show how it works. But you will have to do it yourself, mate, can't spend day & night editing other people's postings. Administering & moderating MLU is already taking too much of my time...

Cheers,
Hanno

[sth65pac]

I had an original hatch with the truck VERY RUSTY, but it had a broken hinge. Obviously a bit of a rush in the factory as the hinges are reversed between the two. Hopefully these pictures will upload ok. I'm new to this photo upload style so bear with it. I drilled out the rivets on the old hinge and will plunge weld on the donor hinge. Its 16:50 here now. Enough on a Friday.

Still have to repair around the turret and finish the drip rails.

Tomorrow I says...tomorrow.

Cheers,

Ian

[sth65pac]

Slow work yesterday, after some grit in my eye. No injuries with PPE on any vehicle except this truck.. My eye is slowly getting beeting better. Some hatch patches. tacked in first then fill the popped holes (rust) Dress with a flap disk.

[sth65pac]

A little more cut and fill, tack in slowly. These hatches are oh so old and frail.

I could re-skin the whole lot but to me, its making a new axe. Preserving what I have is harder but better.

Cheers,

Ian

[sth65pac]

Hi Folks,
After last week's eye injury (grinding grit in my eye- and I was wearing safety glasses) Managed to finish off the drip rails with a re-made piece of the correct dimensions. The box section was too small so a new drawing and off to the sheet metal man again.
This is markedly better than the rusted ones of 70+ years.
Its very satisfying to see parts how they should look, not old and damaged.

I dressed all of the repairs to the roof again, not satisfied with the first pass. About 6 hours work now but the result is great.

Ahh and you can see I have to repair the hatch area (Ford) when has a lot of water damage over the years. Again, my measurements were a little short so I will have a rail made at the sheet metal shop.

Cheers,

Ian