Ford GP (series 1) slow build

[Mike Cecil]

The restored windshield frame and hood have finally arrived from Indiana, and I've fitted them to the GP. Also fitted the Burco fittings for the canopy and erected the canopy in place. It has been folded up under the passenger seat since arriving from Beachwood Canvas. Having had my head hammered by the flapping canvas of a Willys MA hood during a rainy trip in Normandy a few years ago, I can see why the MB/GPW hood was much improved over the canopies that equipped the prototypes! I think the GP canopy will live most of its life under the seat, but for now, it remains erected, the whole vehicle looking pretty good.

The side doors have stud fittings that needed three hands to install, and I only have two clumsy ones, so I made a tool from a G clamp to splay the centre stud while holding the inside face flat and tight against the sheet metal. Seems to work well, so that is the 'in progress' job at the moment.

The Wusty Welic Ford GPW project is just visible in the background.

Mike

[Wayne Hingley]

Very nice Mike! Great work on this unique vehicle.

[Mike Cecil]

Bled and adjusted the brakes, did several touch-ups to the paintwork, adjusted the accelerator linkage to hit maximum with the pedal stopped against the floor, and took GP 8920 for a short drive up and down our street.

Still chasing a charging - or rather, lack thereof - problem and rough running issues, but the vehicle is pretty much completed, at least within my limited capabilities and budget. Not concourse standard, but I'm reasonably happy with the result.

Mike

[Richard Farrant]

Looking good Mike, well done

[Keith Webb]

Looks great Mike!

[Wayne Hingley]

Looks great Mike! Im sure you will get the bugs worked out now that you have nice evenings to tinker with it between test drives.

[Mike Cecil]

Thanks, Gents, for your comments.


Mike

[Mike Cecil]

Spent some time over the last day or so chasing down my charging or rather lack of, issues. Turns out the generator was producing nothing, ... zilch, ... zip. And that from an expensive, supposedly fully rebuilt generator.

Took it to the auto elec wizard to be told the field coils are cactus and it will need an expensive rebuild!! Now what could have caused that? The generator was wired into the circuit as per the wiring diagram from Vintage Wiring of Maine, but never worked, so it seems it was cactus from day one. My biggest concern is that I may have done something wrong and caused the problem, but I don't know what, and don't want to repeat the process.

Unfortunately, the company that did the original work went out of business/business changed hands, and the new owner understandably takes no responsibility, so just have to swallow hard and fork out yet another bunch of $$ for the same item. Should be back in a week, and I'll do a test before I re-install it, and check the wiring connections.

Oh well ...

Mike