Jump to content

FWD arrives


bobs1918

Recommended Posts

After several months my FWD with ordnance repair truck body has arrived. . First step will be to remove the body from the chassis for sand blasting and primer. New wood for the bed if needed. Can use a steering wheel and the step to get up into the seat. Also missing 2 of the four louvered engine panels. I have a good lower water intake and water pump and I have a chap fabricating the connection between the two. Yes Tim this is the truck we discussed MANY months ago. Any idea why the wood panel on the side of the body??

IMG_0639.jpg

IMG_0640.jpg

IMG_0641.jpg

IMG_0642.jpg

IMG_0654.jpg

IMG_0668.jpg

IMG_0670.jpg

IMG_0672.jpg

IMG_0674.jpg

IMG_0683.jpg

IMG_0657.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That has to be the most complete great war vehicle I have ever seen. What a find! The governor, the choke knob, the silencer bypass pedal are all there. Truly amazing!

 

It is interesting that the side panels are missing. FWDs all seem to overheat and the panels are missing in a very high proportion of the photos. I guess your was the same! What is its history?

 

You know where to come for information anyway. Good luck with it and we will look forward to seeing your progress. :D

 

Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a great find and better than many WW2 barn find trucks. Quite unusual for an American FWD to have the spoked cast steel wheels too.

 

Are those rails in the floor of your shed ? Not that I'm nosy or anything !

 

David

Edited by David Herbert
Link to comment
Share on other sites

An absolutely wonderful find - well done!

 

The Side Panels on our engine were cut down to half size and we had new ones made. I am sure that Steve must have the Drawings for those somewhere - and if we still have the drawings and you would like them, then we shall be pleased to send them to you!

 

Steve is correct - overheating did appear to be a problem with this truck and that is why we assumed that those Side Panels on ours when we got it were cut back - to allow more air to circulate over the engine. The later rebuilt ones from the British FWD Factory were fitted with bigger radiators - same shape to look at from the front but deeper with additional tubes.

 

We wish you well !

 

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Bob

Nice to see that you have got it home. Not sure if I would have parked it on a railway line though! Very interesting to see that it has the American Car and Foundry data plate still on the body.

 

The wood panels on the side are unusual. I assume that they are not covering up holes cut into the metal? As the side of the body folded down to form a working platform could it be for them to rest on something else to make it steady?

 

Good luck with the restoration. Please keep us updated with progress and if there is anything we can do to help please ask.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Bob

Nice to see that you have got it home. Not sure if I would have parked it on a railway line though! Very interesting to see that it has the American Car and Foundry data plate still on the body.

 

The wood panels on the side are unusual. I assume that they are not covering up holes cut into the metal? As the side of the body folded down to form a working platform could it be for them to rest on something else to make it steady?

 

Good luck with the restoration. Please keep us updated with progress and if there is anything we can do to help please ask.

 

Yes it is parked on a trolley line. Well actually a long unused piece of track. It is housed at a site where the truck will be sandblasted and primed to stabilize the metal. The body will be separated from the chassis so as to entirely complete this task . I was also surprised to see that body data plate undisturbed.

I bought the truck because it is so complete and unmolested. Was it not for the many areas of surface rust I considered leaving the truck in it's present condition and perform a mechanical only restoration. However it retains about 10% original peeling paint and it would be better preserved with a fresh coat of paint and body straightening and minor repairs to the frame of the drivers seat pan. Not yet sure about the wood deck It seems almost salvageable as it is but further examination to follow. I will post more pictures as I move along. Likely several weeks from now I will get back to it and perform the body chassis separation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

An absolutely wonderful find - well done!

 

The Side Panels on our engine were cut down to half size and we had new ones made. I am sure that Steve must have the Drawings for those somewhere - and if we still have the drawings and you would like them, then we shall be pleased to send them to you!

 

Steve is correct - overheating did appear to be a problem with this truck and that is why we assumed that those Side Panels on ours when we got it were cut back - to allow more air to circulate over the engine. The later rebuilt ones from the British FWD Factory were fitted with bigger radiators - same shape to look at from the front but deeper with additional tubes.

 

We wish you well !

 

Tony

 

Tony actually 2 of the original side panels were found in the bed of the truck!Not sure which ones I have or need but I will have a pattern.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Bob

Nice to see that you have got it home. Not sure if I would have parked it on a railway line though! Very interesting to see that it has the American Car and Foundry data plate still on the body.

 

The wood panels on the side are unusual. I assume that they are not covering up holes cut into the metal? As the side of the body folded down to form a working platform could it be for them to rest on something else to make it steady?

 

Good luck with the restoration. Please keep us updated with progress and if there is anything we can do to help please ask.

 

yes there is NO hole in the body . I believe you are right when the sides and back are folded down this most be part of the support. As you may recall the truck is of Kissel manufacturing as a subcontractor to the FWD Co.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So it's a Kissel license-built truck? In looking at lots of old pics, a license-built truck is more likely to have the spoked cast wheels. You do also have to account for the possibility they were changed at some point.

 

Amazing that it never was repainted in a civvy color. I'll bet it has a verrryy eeeeeeeennnteresting history. I've only personally seen one more unaltered original, and it was a truck that went from military use to a Hollywood film studio lot before being sold to private buyer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
Hi Bob

Nice to see that you have got it home. Not sure if I would have parked it on a railway line though! Very interesting to see that it has the American Car and Foundry data plate still on the body.

 

The wood panels on the side are unusual. I assume that they are not covering up holes cut into the metal? As the side of the body folded down to form a working platform could it be for them to rest on something else to make it steady?

 

Good luck with the restoration. Please keep us updated with progress and if there is anything we can do to help please ask.[/quote

 

 

There are no holes in the body and the wood panels will be removed as they are quite warped. On the subject of wood here is a view of the wood floor inside the IMG_0680.jpgbody.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was fortunate to find an original water pump from a man who specialized in Stutz cars. The Stutz also used the wisconsin engine. The Magneto is an anti rotational model Eisemann with impulse starter. I was told that it made a good spark but as yet untested. Crack in casting of mag but I have spare casesIMG_0772.jpg

IMG_0771.jpg

Edited by bobs1918
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is the only photo that I have of the FWD workshop body floor.

 

RG%20156-H%20054_zpspowjdsaw.jpg

 

It looks similar but I imagine that the floor would vary from one type workshop to another. Can you see the location for fixing the machine tools? Perhaps we can work out which load it carried.

 

Very lucky in finding a water pump for it.

I am looking forwards to seeing this progress.

 

Tim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...