clack Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Hello all,my first post! I have acquired a beautiful Fordson Thames ET6 v8 Civil defence corps truck Not running as yet but not into bad shape over all. I was trying to find out a little about it and what it potental value may be as I bought it to Rat rod up. But it may be of historical significance and worth more kept standard. Could anyone help me shed some light. Any other Thames owners on this site?? Help please Clint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arcot1751 Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Hello all,my first post! I have acquired a beautiful Fordson Thames ET6 v8 Civil defence corps truck Not running as yet but not into bad shape over all. I was trying to find out a little about it and what it potental value may be as I bought it to Rat rod up. But it may be of historical significance and worth more kept standard. Could anyone help me shed some light. Any other Thames owners on this site?? Help please Clint Hi there, Try and post some pictures on here, someone may recognise it and advise you better then. Sounds interesting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooky Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 In my opinion to radically alter a vehicle like this (especially as you say its resonably tidy) is wrong!!! There used to be quite a lot of these on the circuit a few years ago (in fact I owned one) but you dont see them very often now. There are a couple that have been painted in "garish" colours and used by the owners as motor homes, but to see one still in Civil Defence colours is rare and they do help to illustate an interesting time in our recent history and an organisation that was set up in case of nuclear war Quite a useful vehicle really can be converted into a camper without ruining the exterior appearence and if fitted with the cost cutter engine quite economical (oops just seen yours has the V8, still a very nice engine though) The gearbox though is an aquired taste!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clack Posted July 15, 2014 Author Share Posted July 15, 2014 Cut to the chase. I would hate to live with the brakes and lump. Love the looks tho! It would be pretty easy to convert to a iveco 2.8 lump and running gear cheap too I may add, whilst retaining its fabulous exterior even keeping the rusted dull faded paint and have a very usable extremely cool looking truck that would live on and in time could be returned to origional should any future perspective buyer so wish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooky Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Cut to the chase. I would hate to live with the brakes and lump. Love the looks tho! It would be pretty easy to convert to a iveco 2.8 lump and running gear cheap too I may add, whilst retaining its fabulous exterior even keeping the rusted dull faded paint and have a very usable extremely cool looking truck that would live on and in time could be returned to origional should any future perspective buyer so wish. Nothing wrong with either brakes or engine Brakes when set up are perfectly adequate for a 1950's vehicle (you just have to drive it as a 1950's vehicle) and as for the engine the ford V8 has to be one of the best engines for turning fossil fuel into a wonderful noise!!! And the V8 was quite unusual in these, they were usually fitted with the 4 cylinder cost cutter engine That said it is yours and if you feel the need to change it then that is yours and yours alone choice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meekumslr Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Hi Clint. Welcome to the site and congrats on the truck. Well, I own a fully restored 1956 Civil Defence Corps Thames ET6 Operations Vehicle and we are at the War and Peace show every year (stall). Mine has the original cost cutter 4 cyl engine, but I'm led to believe that some did have the V8. The fact its a V8 makes me think its the heavier of two types owned by the Home Office (Ops vehicle and radio vehicle). Without photos, I'd guess its a radio vehicle (radio equipment being heavier than Ops vehicle which was simply an office). PM me with some pics if you have some. Neil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clack Posted July 23, 2014 Author Share Posted July 23, 2014 (edited) <center> <a href="http://photobucket.com/'>http://photobucket.com/'>http://photobucket.com/'>http://photobucket.com/'>http://photobucket.com/'>http://photobucket.com/'>http://photobucket.com/'>http://photobucket.com/'>http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac344/Clint328/Fordson%20Thames%20ET6/20140705_152628_zps1e69d37f.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140705_152628_zps1e69d37f.jpg"/></a> <a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac344/Clint328/Fordson%20Thames%20ET6/20140704_143419_zps83601ff0.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140704_143419_zps83601ff0.jpg"/></a> <a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac344/Clint328/Fordson%20Thames%20ET6/20140704_141806_zpsb5d871d9.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140704_141806_zpsb5d871d9.jpg"/></a> <a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac344/Clint328/Fordson%20Thames%20ET6/20140624_135415_zps9218389b.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140624_135415_zps9218389b.jpg"/></a> </center> Edited July 23, 2014 by clack Pics issue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clack Posted July 23, 2014 Author Share Posted July 23, 2014 Hi Neil, great to hear from you. What a lovely looking truck. I have loads of questions, but heres some picture of mine. <center> <a href="http://photobucket.com/'>http://photobucket.com/'>http://photobucket.com/'>http://photobucket.com/'>http://photobucket.com/'>http://photobucket.com/'>http://photobucket.com/'>http://photobucket.com/'>http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac344/Clint328/Fordson%20Thames%20ET6/20140705_152628_zps1e69d37f.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140705_152628_zps1e69d37f.jpg"/></a> <a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac344/Clint328/Fordson%20Thames%20ET6/20140704_143419_zps83601ff0.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140704_143419_zps83601ff0.jpg"/></a> <a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac344/Clint328/Fordson%20Thames%20ET6/20140704_141806_zpsb5d871d9.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140704_141806_zpsb5d871d9.jpg"/></a> <a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac344/Clint328/Fordson%20Thames%20ET6/20140624_135415_zps9218389b.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140624_135415_zps9218389b.jpg"/></a> </center> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 It looks like quite a nice truck. As has been stated before, being your truck, what you do with it is up to you, but I think it would be a shame to heavily modify it and if it were mine, I would simply restore it to its original glory. Cheers, Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted angus Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 I can see the pictures of Neil's CD truck BUT not the truck in question the links to the pictures are corrupted ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooky Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Glad its not only me then!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meekumslr Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 I have to agree with the others and say it would be an absolute shame to destroy the truck with new engine and other bits. There are a few of this type of truck on the net but the trucks are not that plentiful that they deserve to be changed. Saying that, the bodies on these are not the easiest things to restore and paint and if you are not that way inclined, and don't want the work, I understand. Naturally, as an owner of one, I am biased when it comes to decisions to alter the vehicle. I only wish I'd have come by the truck as it would have been restored without a doubt. If you Google 'Civil Defence Corps truck', you may get the names of owners of this same model. Alternatively, sell it to me and buy something more suitable to convert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Child Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 I can see the pictures of Neil's CD truck BUT not the truck in question the links to the pictures are corrupted ???? Clack's posted his pictures in HTML code, which isn't the same as BBCode the the forum uses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clack Posted July 28, 2014 Author Share Posted July 28, 2014 Hi, sorry about the slow reply. Is there any way of getting the pictures up. They work for me. I may be interested in selling because as you say it may be of some historical importance/rarity and it would be a pity to change things to much. I was considering altering it to something along the line of this. I am not in a hurry and it would be a project over several years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clack Posted July 28, 2014 Author Share Posted July 28, 2014 I cant seem to paste the link. Please search ebay for. "Bedford ob bus 1 of a kind motorhome" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BEDFORD-OB-BUS-1-OF-A-KIND-MOTORHOME-CONVERSION-MODERN-RUNNING-GEAR-AMAZING-/281394280017 If you plan on doing modifications that tidy, I don't think you'd upset anyone. That Bedford is beautiful and tasteful. Cheers, Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean N Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Just goes to show beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The body of that bus is not bad, though I don't like the colour, but to me the front end treatment is dreadful, more a poor pastiche of an O type rather than a sympathetic modernisation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooky Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BEDFORD-OB-BUS-1-OF-A-KIND-MOTORHOME-CONVERSION-MODERN-RUNNING-GEAR-AMAZING-/281394280017 If you plan on doing modifications that tidy, I don't think you'd upset anyone. That Bedford is beautiful and tasteful. Cheers, Terry That is just so wrong!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeePig Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Ah, I wish I could have that certainty... To me it looks OK, after all - 99.9% of people will neither know nor care what the original looked like when they see it on the street. trevor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gritineye Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 (edited) Hi clack, just a suggestion, sometimes the best way to achieve what you want is to re-cab a more modern box van chassis of similar dimensions, giving you turbo Diesel, disc brakes P/S and maybe even A/C, you will only then need an period cab/bonnet/wings and so on. Doing it this way you have less hassle with insurance DVLA VOSA etc. as it is just a re-bodied truck and you haven't cut up a restore able historic vihicle. I'm sure you could easily move yours on after a good scrub up and be in pocket. Edited July 29, 2014 by gritineye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clack Posted July 29, 2014 Author Share Posted July 29, 2014 Hi clack, just a suggestion, sometimes the best way to achieve what you want is to re-cab a more modern box van chassis of similar dimensions, giving you turbo Diesel, disc brakes P/S and maybe even A/C, you will only then need an period cab/bonnet/wings and so on. Doing it this way you have less hassle with insurance DVLA VOSA etc. as it is just a re-bodied truck and you haven't cut up a restore able historic vihicle. I'm sure you could easily move yours on after a good scrub up and be in pocket. Well these are the things that need considering. I originally bought it with exactly that in mind. I have a complete Daf 45 in very good shape and the plan was to remove the cab/rear and simply mount it all on the daf chassi. But after speaking to a few people it seems that this truck is something rare and special. So I think I will be selling. Its a 1954 Model and has only covered 22k Considering its been standing for several years its in fantastic condition. We fired it up today!!!! If anyone would like to come and view or be interested in taking it of my hands I can be contacted on 07773331151 I would like it to end up with someone who will return it to standard and keep me posted as to progress. Ill find something less rare to use. Hopefully Ill be driving it by the weekend!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clack Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 Very pleased to announce, after a change of plugs, points new battery and a clean of the fuel tanks/lines she is running sweet as a nut! Super smooth and surprisingly refined for a 60yrs + V8. Just waiting for the brake master cylinder seals to arrive. The brakes have been checked and the hubs diff and gearbox are in amazing condition. The mileage is reading just over 20k and to be honest I should think this is a true reflection of the mileage. To say im pleased is rather a understatement. I was hoping to get it to the Honiton Hill Rally today, but I can wait. I'm looking forward to my first drive (Although I've already hit 30 being towed..lol) As stated before I'm not sure I could live with it in its current set up as I would like to use it regularly so I may be willing to sell if the price is right. If anyone would like to view or consider making an offer you may contact me on 07773331151 Many thanks Clint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Child Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Nice truck For those that couldn't see this is the first URL that was pasted in http://s914.photobucket.com/user/Clint328/media/Fordson%20Thames%20ET6/20140704_143419_zps83601ff0.jpg.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clack Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152552206231311&l=1085812338451764711 Thanks for that mate. What a lovely sound:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meekumslr Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 Clack, just got back on the forum after quite some time. What did you do with the truck in the end? neil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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