1940 Ford WOC1 - Project

[jybella]

Winter is long and I thought I would post about a project I am starting to working on.

Not Land Rover! But interesting I hope.


Like Landrovers old Fords are supported by a great after market industry. So I searched for a Ford product that would be a good candidate, I was not really interested in doing a Jeep and looked for another Ford product that could be a candidate. 

So a little history:
At the beginning of WW2, Britain was in desperate need of vehicles to support the British Expeditionary Force fighting in France. Ford's plant in England, Dagenham came up with a prototype 8cwt (800 wt), 4 x 2 truck based on a modified American commercial model OC1, 112" 1/2 ton chassis, Desiginated WOC1 ('WO' for War Office, 'C' for commercial and '1' for first type), it had something of a split personality from the bulkhead forwards, it was virtually the same as the 1940 truck but the cab was of an open, military type, and the rear body, with a removable tilt intended to double as a tent.

Component parts were either manufactured at Dengenham or imported via Ford Canada (my CDN connection), it was right-hand drive and fitted with a 4 spd gearbox. There was no time to embark upon lengthy trails and the prototype was approved within two weeks, with the first order being placed in 1939 for 1000 vehicles. This was followed by another order (1000 Vehicles) a month later. Production commenced on Dec 20 1939 and all vehicles were delivered by 24 July 1940.

The 8 cwt class of vehicle was gradually superseded by the 15cwt class and remaining vehicles were declared obsolescent in 1945. It is not thought that any WOC1's served beyond WW2, with any remaining disposed of pretty quickly.

The only original one that survived as a partial body/chassis, was purchased in 1946 at a military disposal sale by a Mr Chance from the Worcester area who removed the rear body and cab with the intention of fitting a station wagon type wooden body. It lay in the Garden right up to 1984 when a UK enthusiast John Worthing spotted it and began the restoration  and completed it in 1984.

[jybella]

Achive photos of the WOC1 seem to be few and far between although several exist showing BEF vehicles wrecked in France. Clearly though, not all of those left behind by the BEF were unserviceable.

Here pictures show the German Army repurposing them as active vehicles.

[jybella]

Now to the present.

I knew that I need to find an untouched, original (not Rat Roded) truck so that I could start with a complete chassis  and all parts in their original locations. As we all know its the missing or small parts that kill a project.

Diligently monitoring Kijiji was not producing any leads.

I finally found a 1940 Ford 1/2 ton truck on a farm auction site that was going up at the end of summer, I put reserve bid and won the auction, lucky me got to drive to Ponteix Saskatchewan (not much in Ponteix except flat prairie grain fields), a quick 9 hour one way drive south of Swift Current. One good thing about the location is that the truck is in amazing original condition for a 77 yr old vehicle. The front sheet metal is all solid and only one cab corner was rusted thru. The farmer said they had a whole 1/2" of rain this year.

The original motor, transmission, rear axle, gauges etc etc was still in the truck,. It was originally purchased by the farmers great Aunt, and had been in the family since new. The last time it had a plate on it was 1958.

[Matt H]

Another really interesting project. I'm jealous. Keep us posted!

[Trevor]

REALLY like those old Ford's! Good on you for bringing one back from the dead!

[jybella]

I have reservations about cutting the cab from the firewall back and replacing with all custom made up panels on this original cab. The flapping of a canvas top at any speed can be quite annoying, so right now I am thinking of following the direction of another truck that was made just at the beginning of WW2, it is the Dodge T212, these were made in Canada and sent mostly to Africa, based on the Dodge 4x4 chassis but with the British specified box and tool boxes, these boxes were designated FFW (fitted for radio).

This way I could keep the 40 Ford front end and cab with the British spec. FFW box.

[jybella]

With the help of the MV community I was able to gather up the info and detailed pictures to make drawings of the rear box and tool boxes. Lots of help from a couple of guys in England and Australia.

I did these drawings on a real simple IPAD program and had the pieces made up.

[jybella]

With pieces back from the sheet metal shop I was able to start the asssembly.

[jybella]

Getting the wood correct was a challange, I needed a finished 1" thick actual dimension, also I wanted a rough sawed looked to the wood as these boxes would have been made quickly and certainly not furniture quality. I scored big with a rough fir, with a 1" thick dimension. The original wood be 1" thick tongue and groove material. THe millwork shop made up the panels and put a glued joint on each piece and then simulated the beveled edge of the T&G boards. Stronger than the orignal boards, yet look like the same.

[jybella]

Some small progress on the box, it is starting to take shape.

I have a good 239 cu Flathead V8 that I am planning to use. It will need a complete rebuild, I swapped some parts for the labour a good friend is going to do the rebuild , these motors only have 95 hp stock. Not a lot of extra power in these motors, kinda like a LR. The upgrade will be a modern transmission, the plan is using a Tremac T5, 5 spd with overdrive, the shortest combo is to use a Jeep T5 with some custom parts available online, the plan is too keep the original banjo rear and and torque tube driveshaft.

[jybella]

A little more progress, worked on the frame for the canvas rear, more pieces yet to fab.

[binch]

Well done Jim!!!!   This project is coming along very nicely ;)

[jybella]

Tailgate starting to take shape, counter sunk the holes for the wood screws around the edges. Fit the outer hinges and checked the fit. All seems to be OK, I have a couple of holes to fill, overall looks good. I was going to use these "Antiluce plates" from the UK, seems familiar!!! ;) ;)

[binch]

Those anchor pins look just like the ones on my land rover....Maybe I should go look and see if they are still there hahahhahahhahahah

Making great progress there Jim ;)

[jybella]

More progress.

Made the frame for the canvas and added the attachment points for the frame to the P/u box