FGT project

[Tony Wheeler]

In addition to my Ford Blitz ambo project presented elsewhere in this forum, I'm also pursuing a number of FGT projects. I say “a number” because I'm not sure at this stage how far I'll get, or how long I'll live!

Initially the plan was to build a FGT 9 replica, starting with an F15A chassis. However, in the course of accumulating components over the past couple of years, I've come across some actual FGT chassis, each one better than the last, so the plan keeps getting modified. It has graduated from an F15A chassis, complemented with bits off a wrecked FGT chassis, to an actual FGT chassis, missing a few bits and quite rusty, through to a complete FGT chassis in good condition. In this way my single FGT project has multiplied, much like the fishes and the loaves!

Ideally I'd like to restore them all, as I hate to see any of these limited production blitzes disappear. No doubt Keith feels likewise – in our blitz hunting days as kids, the FGT to us was the ultimate prize – the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, which kept us pedalling ever onwards in the hope of finding! We didn't come across many of these rarities, but on the handful of occasions we did happen to stumble upon one, our excitement was immeasurable at the time, and we'd revisit them over and over. Keith became became so attached to a discarded No.8 body at a sawmill in Ringwood, that with no thoughts of how to retrieve it, or where on earth to put it, and no money whatsoever to pay for it, he walked upstairs to the manager's office and boldly asked if he could have it! Amazingly enough the answer was yes! I always thought that was a pretty impressive move for a kid, although I'm not sure his parents were so impressed when they got the news!

In the next few posts I shall present my 3 potential FGT projects individually. For the moment, by way of showing where it all started, here's a pic of the building where Keith hopped off his pushbike that day, leaned it up against the shopfront, and walked upstairs to acquire his first ever blitz. I think he'd agree it was a pivotal moment in his life! Some pics of the FGT body itself and various other treasures at the site can be found on Keith's website here:

http://www.oldcmp.net/ringfgt.html
http://www.oldcmp.net/rtnadt.html