1942 Ford CMP - Project

[camo388]

I wonder how well the grill guard worked?  I've seen that style on some of the older LR in the Outback of Australia.  I guess the idea is if anything big enough hits it, the spring will flex then straighten back, pushing the deer (or kangaroo as the case may be), away from the front end.  I'd like to see a demonstration before I build one for the front of my Defender. ;D

[Already a Rover]

Yeah, that would be a "Roo Bar" back in Auzzieland.   Very common, but I don't think all that functional.

[jybella]

I thought I would include a couple of pics of the unit that will be used as a replacement for the original welder that would be mounted on the deck. It is powered by another Flathead, so the truck will have dual V8 Flatheads!!

[binch]

wow....great job keeping this old stuff alive  ;)

[camo388]

When I was welding on barges in Churchill, the other welders always saved the big old welder for gouging.  They figured the older machines were built tough and could stand up to hard use.  It burned a lot of gas but you couldn't kill it.  They preferred to newer machines for welding as had a smoother arc.

[jybella]

Before trying to start the motor I thought it would be a good idea to drop the oil pan and inspect the bottom end. These motors never ran a remote oil filter, just a course screen on the pump, i dropped the pan and there was a good 3/8" of sludge on the bottom of the pan. To drop the pan i had to remove the exhaust, of course the studs on the manifold were seized, so the i had to remove the manifolds from the block, the one came off in two pieces. Lucky the guys at the radiator shop blazed it back togeather which is a lost skill now. I will add a muffler to the exhaust so it does not sound like a rat rod to move it around, that's tomorrows project.

[binch]

 ;D

[jybella]

Worked on the spare truck this weekend, I really wanted to get this unit running under its own power so I can move it around. The motor had zero compression on 2 cylinders with stuck valves, managed to get the valves unstuck and the motor was running amazingly smooth.

Also found a interesting tag on the motor, it had gone thru the RCEME shops in 1953. The other chassis has a Ford rebuild tag from 1943 on its motor.

Now that it can move under its own power I can get the deck off of it and move forward with getting the truck together.

https://youtu.be/5XYaeiizQZ4

[binch]

Yup, this is worth watching ;D

[jybella]

Progress.

I wanted  to get the truck  deck sandblasted and painted however the original deck was modified by the PO for the tow truck rigging. They had cut the wheelwell and lowered them down for a flat deck. They really did not waste anything as they used the original wheelwell material, this gave me an original pattern to work from.

I cut the wheelwell out from the deck and then took them to make a new ones. This weekends job is to weld them in.

[jybella]

I also took a compression test on the motor I am planning on using. It was pretty consistent so I was very happy with the results.

[Matt H]

I like the temporary drivers seat  8)

[binch]

This is great fun to read there Jim!   keep it coming  ;)

[jybella]

Progress

New tool boxes, was able to use the original as a pattern. The new ones have a bottom!!!

[jybella]

Progress pictures

Set the cab on the frame over xmas, now all the small details.