Starfire Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Hi All, Here are some (bad) pictures of the FWD truck that our museum will be restoring in the future, provided that we can sort out our current problems with funding for the museum site, that is. I know that it's a 1917 FWD truck, that it was fitted with a factory pneumatic tyre kit at some stage and then was imported from the UK to Australia for use on a farm in northern South Australia. I also know that we don't have an engine or a set of solid wheels for it. There are a number of other parts for it in storage, including the radiator, gearbox and transfer case. Other than that, I don't know very much about it, but I will hassle the workshop guys when I see them next to try and get some more info and maybe open up the cage for some better photos. If anyone has any relevant information about these vehicles or can spot anything unusual about ours, please let me know. Cheers, Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Hi Terry Is it the same one as this? Cant tell you much about it really. From the tow hook on the front it looks to be an ex WD one and that is about it. Did you have the chassis or makers plate? More photos would help, particularly of the rear end of the chassis from above. As for finding an original engine and wheels, well I would think that you were in the best part of the world for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redherring Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 The war memorial in Canberra built one FWD from two. They may have some bits to trade? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 Hi Terry Is it the same one as this? Cant tell you much about it really. From the tow hook on the front it looks to be an ex WD one and that is about it. Did you have the chassis or makers plate? More photos would help, particularly of the rear end of the chassis from above. As for finding an original engine and wheels, well I would think that you were in the best part of the world for that. I honestly don't know much about it, as I don't work in the workshop at the museum and my main interest is Cold War equipment. I largely joined the Military Vehicle Preservation Society of South Australia to assist in getting my Saracen registered under our historic registration scheme. The fact that they ran the museum was somewhat incidental, however, I've somewhat fallen in love with the museum and have since become their webmaster and spend a fair amount of time there each week (mostly working on my Saracen, which is in storage there at the moment). I've only posted this up as the museum president pointed out what it was to me and I had seen some of the amazing WW1 build up threads on here. I figured some of you guys may be interested. Prior to that, I'd paid about as much attention to it as some of the other bare chassis (such as CMPs) floating around in the storage areas at the museum (i.e. very little). Where will I find the chassis number or markers? I'll try and open up the cage and get some better photos on Sunday, if I can make it down to the museum (I may have to work this weekend instead). Cheers, Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynx42 Rick Cove Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I largely joined the Military Vehicle Preservation Society of South Australia to assist in getting my Saracen registered under our historic registration scheme. Cheers, Terry Don't want to hijack this thread as the FWD is one on my wish list, but where did your Saracen come from? It is not one of the 28 APC version or the 2 fittters vehicles the Australian army had. Is it a Hong Kong import? Regards Rick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 Mine is an ex-Hong Kong Mk 5 (82 BA 88). The museum has an Australian Army Mk 2 (115 379). Cheers, Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Have a look at the inside top left of the scuttle. If there are no data plates there even the location of the screw holes might be a clue. In fact the location of any screw holes might be interesting to see. Could you photograph the back part of the chassis from above, rear tow hook, gearbox cover might be useful as well. I think that will do for a start. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Also, radiator and front tow hooks as well please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 Unless they're in storage, it doesn't appear to have any tow hooks. I'll see what I can so about the rest. Cheers, Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 OK. Well just the tow hook bracket which is visible on the front right corner of the chassis in the photograph will suffice. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 With work and forgetting to take my phone to the museum, there has been a bit of a delay in getting photos, however, on Saturday I took these: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 There are a few more photos that I haven't uploaded and I can get detail shots if anyone would like them. On the whole, it looks to be very restorable, with no obvious damage or significant rust. Even the radiator cores look good. Other than the gearbox numbers, I couldn't find any identifying marks on the chassis, but I didn't crawl around too much, as it was a bit of a struggle dodging all of the pigeon poo There was a placard attached to the back of the radiator shroud, but it was rusted beyond recognition. Cheers, Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 OK. That is very helpful. British Army centre rear tow hook and front army hooks so an ex WD wagon. I cant tell for sure but it looks like the post war extra wide radiator. Almost certainly war time truck rebuilt post war for colonial service. Good luck in finding an original engine. Thanks for posting these pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted August 31, 2014 Author Share Posted August 31, 2014 Would you like me to measure the radiator core or tanks? Cheers, Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeePig Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Almost certainly war time truck rebuilt post war for colonial service. Rebuilt by and for who? Military or civilian? As to the engine, I am sure there is one lying somewhere in a scabby piece of outback, just waiting to be found... trevor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 (edited) Would you like me to measure the radiator core or tanks? Cheers, Terry The wartime radiator has six rows of tubes, the post war version has seven. I can make out from your picture that it has seven rows. Edited September 2, 2014 by Great War truck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Rebuilt by and for who? Military or civilian? As to the engine, I am sure there is one lying somewhere in a scabby piece of outback, just waiting to be found... trevor Possibly. There will be a stampede if one is found. The surplus military FWD's came back to the UK with the majority being stored at Slough prior to rebuild and disposal by a Government owned depot. The whole site was then sold off and the FWD's were rebuilt for disposal to non military customers. A bit of background on the estate here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slough_Trading_Estate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeePig Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Ah, thanks for that, I know Slough trading estate quite well! I wonder if there are any pictures of 'the dump'? trevor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted September 2, 2014 Author Share Posted September 2, 2014 There may well be an engine out there somewhere, but you've got to remember that the Australian outback is about the same size as Europe... Cheers, Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 The British one appears to be about 10” wide whilst the USA one appears to be an inch narrower at 9” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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