help with engine swap to 8BA engine

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Grant Bowker

In general, the prefix seems to reflect the first vehicle to use a given part......It might be effective to find/borrow one of each frame, stack them on top of each other, photograph this and hand it to several of your knowledgable friends and ask them to play spot-the-differences.

No need Grant, I have 3 FGT chassis and 4 F15A chassis in my backyard, and I've spent innumerable hours poring over them looking for differences! All I can find on the siderails is an extra set of holes for the fuel tank brackets, which on forensic examination prove to be drilled rather than stamped, with lines scored from the adjacent stamped hole set for accurate measurement. Evidently this was necessary to fit the running boards unique to Australian pattern FGTs.

All other differences relate to additional and/or relocated crossmembers and fishplates, which I've catalogued in post #39 here:

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...?t=1929&page=2


I wonder if the two different siderail prefixes arise from early parts before the alternative rivet holes were included to simplify production. Also of course there are differences between Cab 12 and Cab 13 side rails, and in the case of Cab 12 chassis I believe the FAT preceded the F15A in development.