Nathans F15A Resto

[Nathan O'Malley]

Pulled the plugs today to see if I could find any with corrosion seems its previous owner stated it may have a cracked sleeve.

Sure enough number 6 is showing signs of corrosion on the piston head and plug, wont know how bad it is until we open it up so the engine is on hold now, efforts refocussed on cab disassembly and finding the missing panels we need.

[Mike Cecil]

Nathan,

I noticed in an earlier post that you have the drivers seat, and what appears to be the original seat spring base with the curved shape back. It might look dilapidated, but those spring bases are not easy items to find.

Also, the images don't quite show the back of the drivers seat, which, for a late production vehicle with Aust '44 patt cab and round military gauge dash board set, should be the Australian 'wide back' variant - slightly wider at the top to accommodate the shoulders more comfortably, and tapering down to the same width as the seat base. You will be looking for another of this wide-backed type for the passenger side.

Just a couple of thoughts...

Mike

[maple_leaf_eh]

Welcome.

As has been intimated, MLU is a very collegial place to learn and share. No matter what comes to mind, remember you're not the first person to worry or wonder.

The advice about tracking down the missing bits might become a compulsion! These green trucks have a tendency to accumulate in the yards and driveways. Now departed Alex Blair, who limited his collecting to paper manuals, coined the nickname "Rusty Old Truckers" or Rotters, for the likes of us.

You'll find you have to become an amateur metal worker. The Hammond Barn crew are a stellar example of self-taught fabricators. In their professional lives, none of them swung a rubber mallet, sparked a weld, or changed an axle seal. But of necessity, they are now setting a high standard of workmanship.

A professional colleague of mine uses the phrase, move move lose, as the biggest threat to any form of collection or archives. I know my father's example is to spread things out horizontally but my mother's nature was to keep like things together. It saves space, focuses the mind, and prevents over-buying of shiney bits. I find organizing my parts with durable hang tags and some numbering system, tracked in a spreadsheet, makes restarting a project after any length of time, so much easier.

[Nathan O'Malley]

Better image of the seat for you Mike.

base is certainly as you describe, I've got it all wrapped up to protect what is left of it

Spare part search is progressing, I have a truck wrecker on to it for me he has a Chev in the yard but no Fords but has contacts so hopefully that will turn up some of the missing parts I need.

[Nathan O'Malley]

silly question

The steering wheel, how do you get the bugger off? we have been poking and prodding at it for a while now and it seems firmly attached, have removed the nut but nothing it budging.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Nathen


What ever you do loosen but DO NOT remove the nut all the way while you attempt to remove the wheel. Have seen many steering wheels and steering shafts totally ruined by having the top of the shaft spread from use of a puller.


I would start with using your favorite penetrating solution, I like acetone mixed 50/50 with automatic transmission fluid. Just keep squirting the nut threads and after you have backed the nut off a couple of turns under the nut.


If the wheel is fitted with puller bolt holes then use a puller. With a puller cap spreading the push on the top of the shaft and nut. Tighten the puller up reasonably don't over due it. Then give the puller screw a sharp tap with a hammer. I have also vibrated it gently with an air chisels with a flat punch tool.


If the wheel doesn't have puller bolt locations, I have made a wood collar to go under the wheel, good snug fit around the hub not on the spokes seem work best. When we did this last on a Model A we made it up out of 2 inch thick oak unit was made in 2 halves that bolted together. Couple of long bolts and flat plate on the top side with a spacer to push on the end of the shaft and the nut. Then hit the center of the plate over the shaft a couple of smart hits.


Cheers Phil

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Nathan,

Ditto everything Phil said.

Unfortunately there are no puller bolt holes on the Ford F15-A steering wheel so any pulling has to be done from the bottom of the wheel hub. As shown in the photo the steel insert is recessed into the plastic (Bakelite?) of the hub. For this reason to avoid damage to the plastic hub the pulling force must be spread over the largest area possible.

I recreated, as best I can remember, the setup I used on my gear puller. I reversed the bottom plates so that I would be pulling on the steering wheel hub on a flat surface.

I must confess I didn't leave the nut on, but I was lucky. The flat rotating pilot on the screw spread the load out evenly on the steering shaft so no damage occurred. To do it again I would leave the nut on too.

I did as Phil mentioned and took just a small strain on the hub then gave the screw shaft a tap. I think it popped off on the first tap. Maybe I was lucky.

Another handy hint: if you lose, or want to replace the key they are often available at mower repair shops. Small motors use them. Local shop had drawers of all different sizes.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers

[Nathan O'Malley]

Thanks for the advice fellas we will give that a go.