How To: Ford CMP "Blitz" miscellany

[Jason Linders]

Hi Jacques Reed,
I will have a look at mine today and let you know and the thickness ,
but im sure its leather

if you need anymore info let me know

Thanks
Jason

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Jason,

Many thanks for that info. Will be glad to know its thickness and shape at the front.

Thought with the looseness in the existing rivets it might be leather, or maybe canvas doubled over to make it thicker where it is riveted to the back.

Cheers,

Jacques

[Jason Linders]

Hi Jacques ,
yes its leather and its 3mm thick
and it is only aswide as the log book pouch and square

hope this helps

Jason

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Jason,

Thanks for that information.

It should be a straight forward fabrication once I find the correct press stud snaps.
Looks like another trip to the haberdashery shop with, or without, my wife.

It would be a cheaper trip without!

Cheers,

[Jason Linders]

Hi Jacques,
Let me know how you get on as we may have the correct ones,
as my wife has a new industrial sawing machine and has heavy duty snap clips
becouse my wife makes swags and pig dog collars and canvas gear for shooting and my military vehicles .

Thanks
Jason

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Jason,

Thanks for that offer of the press stud snap clips.
Will see what Spotlight has this week and let you know if I have no luck.
Just thought too, my local bikie leather shop may have them. They made my Blitz .303 rifle holder leather pads for me. Might get them to make it for me and I can rivet it on.

One quick question: How far down is the bottom edge of the flap from the center of the press studs? I'm guessing only about an inch?

Cheers,

Jacques

[Mike K]

hi Jacques

I did have a few of those log book holders at one time, I think somebody had a big heap of them and a few of us grabbed some , probably back in the 1970's or 80's.

Anyway I always thought the cover was canvas I am not at issue with Jason's suggestion as he might have a complete original holder .

Do you have a log book ? They were around , Hudsons stores in Bourke st , used to sell them as note books for 50 cents I did buy some of the carrier log books from them .

[Jacques Reed]

Three months ago I started repainting my truck in a more accurate KG-J before winter set in. I had repainted the dash board and when I reinstalled the switch plates in it they looked a bit shabby by comparison. Even though they are still in a reasonable condition I thought it might be a good time to reproduce the graphics on a decal and put them on a spare set of plates I have. It would be a good wintertime project.

I had made decals before using Microsoft Paint so thought I could knock them out in a couple of days. After scanning my set of originals, and another light switch plate to get a couple of missing words, I set to work.
After completing the graphics I realized MS Paint had a few shortcomings and in the course of trying to correct them came upon paint.net. It is basically a freeware graphics editor developed from MS Paint but with a lot more capabilities. Rather than persevere with MS Paint I decided to start over again this time using the switch plate scans in the paint.net program. I am a big fan of it now and it wasn’t too hard to get a reasonable grasp of it having some experience with Paint. A couple more days work and then the decal graphics were done- again.

I test printed the graphics on my son’s monochrome laser printer instead of my inkjet printer as it needs to be printed in black only, and inkjet printer decals need a clear acrylic coating to prevent the ink from running when soaking the decal in water. This requirement is eliminated with a laser printed decal. Was quite impressed with the results even on plain A4 paper. He has been encouraging me to get a laser printer for a while, especially from the operating costs side. Suitably impressed, I went out and bought a new Brother monochrome laser printer for about the price of 6 new inkjet cartridges a few days later.

I obtained the A4 laser decal paper and was ready to print them. But first, a few more tests using plain A4 on my new printer. Here’s where I started pulling my hair out! When I put more than one image on a page the images shrank about 4%. I tried scaling the image but then the closest registration I could obtain between the switch holes was out by 1mm.

If I printed individual images on each A4 sheet the plates were printed full size with perfect registration, but it would be a waste of decal paper. I also noticed a fuzzy sawtooth edge on all the graphics and lettering on the laser printer images when viewed through a magnifying glass but not when it was printed it on my inkjet printer. What’s going on? A few more hours on the internet learning everything I could about decals, printers, file types, plug-ins, etc. Anyway, I could extend this post by a lot more but will save the reader a lot of computer geek-speak anguish.

Suffice to say, as a last resort, I contacted the Brother Help Centre last week and they informed me that I had to make one obscure change to the printer settings that I never saw in the manual, or if I did, I didn’t understand what it was. Bingo! Multiple clear, sharp, full size, perfect registration decals on one A4 sheet. I am always loathe to blame the equipment before exhausting every avenue but in this case I could have saved myself a lot of time if I had contacted them first. Still, I learnt a lot of other interesting stuff along the way so nothing was lost.

The spare switch plates were cleaned of all old paint and rust, then primed, spray puttied, and wet sanded, then primed again to provide a very smooth surface for the decals. Most off-the-shelf grey paints were too dark so I looked at hobby paints. Surprisingly, after comparing many colours, Testor’s Model Master, Canada Voodoo Grey, was the closest match- how appropriate for a CMP! Being a gloss paint it is also the best type surface for applying decals so that was another plus. A couple coats of that paint with an airbrush, then the decals, and a coat of clear satin acrylic to protect the decals completed the project. The decaled plates are to the left of the plates I scanned to produce the decals in the first photo and the plates I used for decaling are the ones in the right photo.

In all, a satisfying way to pass some time when the weather was not shed friendly.

Hope this is of interest to fellow MLU members.

Cheers

[Keith Webb]

Very impressive work Jacques! Now to find someone to correctly replicate the other zinc plates for gearshift, front axle, lubrication and cooling system, and of course the winch for FGTs.

I still have some of the original NOS publications and manufacturer's plates for Fords if anyone is in need of a set.

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Keith,

Thanks, it was a good project even if more labour intensive than I originally thought. I have been lucky finding those other plates in fairly reasonable condition either originally on my truck or some donor trucks.

I got a Publications plate from you a while back and perhaps you could help me with some info?

My late war round gauge panel doesn't have any holes for those Publications and Manufacturers plate. But a Ford gauge panel has the 4 holes for them on the top of the panel. I don't want to start drilling extraneous holes in the round gauge panel- I usually want to weld up those type holes!

I have seen a photo somewhere of those plates on the door and seem to remember a driver's side door? I once had with 4 holes in it I think for them.

Did late war Australian cabs such as mine have them located on the driver's side door and if so, what was the position of the holes?

Cheers,

[Keith Webb]

Australian built trucks did not use the door for the plates. You sometimes find Ford RH doors drilled for them - I had a F60L like that but that I think mostly likely indicates the door has come from a Canadian imported F15 - the ones with the 2C1 bodies.

The other fairly common place to find these plates was the engine cover - I have seen quite a few like that.

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Keith,

Thanks for that info re publications plates. Perhaps someone has a photo of where it is located on an engine cover on an Australian Ford CMP. My two covers only have the shift pattern and lubrication plates attached.

Attached is a photo of the switch plate reattached to the repainted dashboard.

I had some decal paper left over so have run off a couple more sets of the decals if anyone is interested.

Cheers,

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

Australian built trucks did not use the door for the plates. You sometimes find Ford RH doors drilled for them - I had a F60L like that but that I think mostly likely indicates the door has come from a Canadian imported F15 - the ones with the 2C1 bodies.

The other fairly common place to find these plates was the engine cover - I have seen quite a few like that.

Hi Keith et al,

Thanks for that info a while back.

Funny what you find out when you are doing something else.

I just pulled the engine cover on the right side in the attached photos out of storage in preparation for repainting it the correct colour this summer (if it ever arrives). I noticed the two holes in the upper rear part of it and upon checking, the Vehicle Publications plate matched the holes perfectly! I never even noticed them before and there were no matching holes on the left cover.

The other items of interest is that the cover on the right came off a F-15 and has only 4 holes for the engine/shift pattern data plate. The one on the right has 4 holes to accommodate the F15A, 30's, 60's with the transfer case shift pattern and hence a larger plate plus the 4 holes for the F-15 plate. Obviously one size fits all was the intention for that cover. The covers also have the rear lifting handles in different places.

They must have used one heck of a staple gun to drive the staples through the cover for the insulation in the right side one also!

Anyone looking for an original F-15 engine cover now that I won't be using it on my F-15A?

Cheers,

[Jacques Reed]

Hi All,

This is sort of related to my Ford CMP restoration so will post it here:

Perhaps someone can identify it.

I pulled the canvas cover shown in the photos out of 20 year storage a few weeks ago to check its condition. It came with an F-15A I bought in the 90's.
I didn't think it was original, perhaps a replica, but upon close inspection it is not even close in size or design as it is about 6" too short on the body and has flaps on the side. When I looked inside I saw the markings "Michaelis Bayley 7-71"

It is obviously Vietnam Era by the date stamp and interestingly when I Googled Michaelis Bayley I learnt it is the company that currently makes Homey Ped Shoes. I guess shoe making sewing machines could fill a canvas sewing contract for the ADF.

My question is what does it fit? Vehicle? trailer?

Any info gratefully received.

Cheers,

[Jacques Reed]

Good Day All,

Firstly my apologies if this has been covered before but I am seeking some info on the bridge classification disks used on Australian CMP's.

I just need confirmation of the diameter and the thickness, or gauge, of the steel from which they are made.

I read somewhere that they are 6" in diameter but that does not seem to be the case based on the spacing of the bracket holes to hold it and a picture of what I believe to be an original on an F15. Rough proportioning from the photo of the original would put it at 7" to 7-1/2" diameter based on the 5" between centres of the mounting holes.

I also note from AWM photos "5" ton is the amount shown on a F15A disk. That seems high based on weight of vehicle and cargo capacity. Were different weights specified or did all F15A's get a 5 ton limit?

Thanks for any info. May try cutting out one on the lathe this winter if I can confirm the diameter and thickness. Bolted to a block of wood on a faceplate it shouldn't be too hard to do.

Cheers,

[gjamo]

Jaques be extra careful doing that I have seen some horrific accidents with tradesman doing the same thing.

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Gjamo,

Thanks for the advice. I plan to bolt the plate to the wood with coach screws through the disk mounting holes and also bolt the steel plate outside the circle to the wood so that it does not fly around when cut all the way through. That part is only going to be scrap so a few extra holes in it won't matter. Could see a real disaster happening there otherwise.

Light feeds with the compound slide should do it. Any other suggestions out there?

Cheers,

[Mike K]

Jacques

The method you describe should be effective. I did it once and no problems happened.

I think you might get into strife if you have the rpm's too high . Keep the revs down and feed gently . But as gjamo wrote, things can go wrong .

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Jacques Reed

I read somewhere that they are 6" in diameter but that does not seem to be the case based on the spacing of the bracket holes to hold it and a picture of what I believe to be an original on an F15. Rough proportioning from the photo of the original would put it at 7" to 7-1/2" diameter based on the 5" between centres of the mounting holes.

I also note from AWM photos "5" ton is the amount shown on a F15A disk. That seems high based on weight of vehicle and cargo capacity. Were different weights specified or did all F15A's get a 5 ton limit?

Jacques,

The diameter of the disc is the equal to the aperture of the headlight on CMPs.

The digit on the classification signs does not indicate the the weight of the vehicle, but the bridge weight class:
"The number designated the maximum weight class of vehicles which could safely cross that type of bridge".
Read more on this subject on the excellent Canadian Soldiers website.

HTH,
Hanno


ford3ton.jpg

[Jacques Reed]

My thanks to you all, Graeme, Mike, Jonathan, David, Tony and Hanno,

Your thoughts and ideas are most appreciated. Always good to get different ideas especially when it comes to safety. Most of us are keen amateurs so we don't always have the years of a metal working trade behind us to know all the risks. Much better to take a bit more time and a bit of fiddling around but do it safely.

I had originally considered cutting it out with my Ryobi sabre saw but I have found the blade wanders by 1-2 mm each side of the centre line. This is why the lathe method came to mind. The saw is relatively new and upon inspection I found the blade and holder can be wiggled 1-2 mm each side of the centre position. I found this out when I ripped a sheet of plywood using a bit of steel angle as a guide. I wondered why the cut was serpentine along the pencil line despite the guide.
The saw is good enough for cutting out plywood Santas at Christmas but that is about it. Not much good for an accurate cut. Doesn't seem to be any adjustment like a gib to take out the slack and upon checking other brands at the local hardware store they all have some degree of sloppiness there too. Design requirement or just cheap manufacturing?

So on that note I would be most appreciative to take up your offer of the disk Tony and that way save a bit of work at the same time. (Also keep all my eyes and fingers!)

Thanks too Hanno for that link. Makes a lot more sense now.

Cheers,

[john piercey]

Jaques so did any one end up identifying the canvas?
John