Ford Blitz Restoration/Rebuild

[Private_collector]

Well, with fellow MLUer Andy Cusworth, I have spent a great chunk of today gathering some small parts I need for my reuild. Some of the things I got include:

• Pair of front shocks complete with the rods to the axles

• Hand brake lever and some of the mechanism that I was missing.

• The sunshine roof I was talking about some time ago.

• Bumper bar, badly bent, BUT has very good D shackles and the correct mounting hardware for the nudge bar........also with good nudge bar......and set of bumper bar to frame brackets....unbent & unmolested, thankfully. Didn't get it for the bar, just the brackets and other hardware.

Instead of trying to remove the roof panel from the rotted out cab floor it was attached to, I was offered to take the whole chunk, which I did. I noticed when I got it home that there is a substantial bracket assembly on passenger side of cab rear roof & rear lower panel. It has two round collars which I assume are intended to slip something tubular down into them. What is this bracket meant to be used with?? I'll try to remember to take a photo of it tomorrow (i'm on holidays this week). The inside of cab still has the piece that the door curtain bag attaches to, and I hope to save this for later use. Also has the two weapon clips inside, BUT they are different to each other, with the smaller size being on passenger side. We wondered if the smaller size on passenger side was for a Bren Gun? The rifle butt blocks are the metal rectangular type, and both are quite advanced in state of decay. One would be useful as a pattern for new ones, the other would be useful for contracting tetanus only!

The most exciting find is an absolutely PERFECT condition window frame! It is a passenger side, but I dont see any reason why it cannot have the lower section reversed and made to then fit driver side..............which I desperately needed! Did I mention it is entirely without rust, straight as a die and flat all around. That was incredible really, because it was sitting right alongside the other frame (both removed from the truck aeons ago) which was completely eaten away with rust all along the lower section. Guess that one gave its life so that the one I got could live.

P.S: Found the steering box STILL weaps oil through the sector shaft adjusting thread cap and locking ring. I already slopped these with gasket sealant, so no more stuffing around. Bought a tube of the 'semi grease' that someone mentioned here once.
A specially produced grease for vintage (read as leaky) steering boxes and gear cases! Take that, evil steering box.

[hrpearce]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

there is a substantial bracket assembly on passenger side of cab rear roof & rear lower panel. It has two round collars which I assume are intended to slip something tubular down into them. What is this bracket meant to be used with??:

Tony is this the bracket?
http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=9269

[Private_collector]

Thats it Robert!

Will be sure to save it, now that I know what it is.

So long as it doesn't rain, I'll be cutting up the rotten cab & roof today. Photos will follow.

T.

[Keith Webb]

Now you'll have to search for one of the bent tubular light machine gun mounts to go in it. Curious they are so hard to find seeing so many must have been made.

[Jacques Reed]

Good Day Keith,

I am in the same boat as many Blitz restorers, I have the cabin bracket for the machine gun mount but not the L shaped pipe. The only photo I have seen of one is the attached from the book "A History of the Ford Motor Company in Australia" by Geoff Easdown. It was from Ford's WW2 archives.

Not really enough info in the picture to make a good repro but it gives you a bit of an idea.

Probably the the straight pipe section was more usable post war on the land hence none are around.

Brgds,

Jacques

[Grant Bowker]

It wouldn't surprise me if many Blitz owners decided the pipe structure had caught in one too many trees and just heaved it to be rid of it.

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Grant Bowker

It wouldn't surprise me if many Blitz owners decided the pipe structure had caught in one too many trees and just heaved it to be rid of it.

I think you're right, although probably it happened even before the vehicles were disposed of, you see them in the factory or official images, then rarely in service pics. Probably if you weren't in an area under possible threat of aerial attack they were a major nuisance.

[lynx42]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

Now you'll have to search for one of the bent tubular light machine gun mounts to go in it. Curious they are so hard to find seeing so many must have been made.

And here's why!!



Regards Rick

[Keith Webb]

Great illustration of use Rick!

Originally Posted by lynx42

And here's why!!



Regards Rick

[Euan McDonald]

Lets play spot the gallows!

[Andy Cusworth]

Hey Tony,
Maybe the steering box is like old Land Rovers..... when its not leaking, it means its emply

I always used Robert's method of cereal packets as they are free and once in place absorb the oil, expand and help seal, with this homemade gasket along with the instant gasket I reckon you may crack it !

In this modern day world of Health & Safety .... ''This product will contain Nuts and this method could get you labelled as a Cereal Killer''