The story of the FGT No8

Keith Webb · #1 18-10-09, 23:01

This is a long-running saga of a vehicle I'm happy to say is in good hands now and being restored.
So this thread will attempt to trace it's life (with some very large gaps) from when I first found it back in 1973 in Ringwood.

Now long gone this is the shopfront for the Ringwood Timber and Trading Company, which had it's main sawmill on a large block behind this building.

I had noticed there were CMPs in use in the yard so I went there one day on my trusty pushbike to have a good look around and discovered this discarded No8 Ford Gun Tractor body.

Keith Webb · #2 18-10-09, 23:11

It was fairly rusty by that stage but fortunately the chassis, although stripped of components was still there.

I approached the owner of the business and was astonished when he let me take it.

And inside the shed were most of the missing doors!

Which I also rescued.

The rear door revealed it's original Australian army registration number: 132748

Keith Webb · #3 18-10-09, 23:19

My friend Bert Barker had a timber carting business and kindly collected it on his timber jinker and stored it at his place at Wesburn.

Which is where it sat for a number of years. In 1977 I left Australia on an extended overseas trip and the project then passed on to Peter Growse who did a certain amount of work on it including building up the chassis and sitting the body onto it.

The property where he kept it was sold and unbeknownst to him the FGT and another truck (C8A) were taken to the local tip which is where it was found by a MV enthusiast who called me and I was able to speak to Peter who again rescued it, although he was too late to save the C8A.

Keith Webb · #4 18-10-09, 23:22

In the early 2000s Peter passed on all his CMP material to his brother Alan who set about a restoration.

By this stage it had been subject to some 30 plus years of open storage and was looking the worse for it.

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Keith Webb · #5 18-10-09, 23:29

Alan has set about the task of completely reskinning the body.

The panels have not come off easily as they were not only stick welded to the frame but were also spot welded.

He has come up with the idea of using modern vehicle adhesives and sealants to affix new 16g sheet steel. Almost every panel has something bolted through it to the frame so this is quite a realistic method.

The pictures here were taken in October 2009 36 years after I originally rescued it and it's great to see something is finally happening.

Some of the panels are seen here being trial fitted.

Lionelgee · #6 19-10-09, 04:18

Hello Keith,

It is great to see something come back from the brink and be able to trace something you had a part of all those years ago. A lot of twists and turns and interesting photos. Now shoot me down in flames - a Cab 13?

Kind Regards
Lionel