67burwood Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Hi Guys first time posting so please be gentle.. I’ve recently bought a Fordson WOT6 for restoration and wanted to find out a bit more information if possible and share pictures of the rebuild. ( could be a bit slow though!! ) I believe it’s a 1944 machinery body truck and was last on the show circuit in 1995, from what I can make out the previous owner removed the V8 and converted it to a Ford 4d but it appears it never got finished, does anyone remember the truck and can anyone let me know if the chassis number is stamped on the chassis and where it could be found? hopefully I have managed to attach some pictures below. Many thanks Seamus 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Welcome to HMVF that looks like a very do able project and it certainly looks like a Machinery body from your photos I'll look forward ward to following the restoration. Are you going to keep the engine conversion or put a V8 back in ? Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67burwood Posted April 1, 2020 Author Share Posted April 1, 2020 Hi Pete It’s very tempting to put a V8 back in but at the moment I will leave the diesel and concentrate on the welding, the cab is far worse than the picture shows, I’ve just started to strip it down so will post more pictures soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Hi Seamus, Here is a photo of a WOT6 Machinery truck that I was involved in restoring for a friend some years ago. Should have a few more photos of during the strip down. I recall the chassis number was on the passenger side of the chassis, somewhere about in line with the rear of the cab. It was quite feint so do not use a sander. regards, Richard 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67burwood Posted April 1, 2020 Author Share Posted April 1, 2020 Hi Richard any pictures would be greatly received, the truck is fairly complete, the main item missing is the engine cover, I have the hood bows, rear mud guards and a ton of rotten timber, I will carefully hunt for the chassis number later today. Truck being delivered!! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKES Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 This the one that sat in a front garden in Brentwood for years. Was in good order a long time ago but sat and deteriorated. I looked at it not long before it was removed as a friend was interested but thought it too much work. Could not see the engine at the time so would have been disappointed to find a 4D in it! I've got photo's of it sat in the garden if you want them. Good luck with the restoration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Here are a few photos of the work being carried out and one before we started on it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 3 minutes ago, MIKES said: This the one that sat in a front garden in Brentwood for years. Was in good order a long time ago but sat and deteriorated. I looked at it not long before it was removed as a friend was interested but thought it too much work. Could not see the engine at the time so would have been disappointed to find a 4D in it! I've got photo's of it sat in the garden if you want them. Good luck with the restoration. I may be wrong, but think this WOT6 may have belonged to a chap called Tim Wood, who sadly passed away some years ago, I am sure he was from Essex. Somewhere I may have a photo of it at Beltring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Are there any other plates in the cab giving a contract number for the truck Seamus ? Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 30 minutes ago, Pete Ashby said: Are there any other plates in the cab giving a contract number for the truck Seamus ? Pete Hi Seamus, For a bit of history, go to the following website and just enter 39YX32 in the first box, you will have a charge for the search and receive a copy of a Key Card, this will havea number of vehicles listed, yours being one. The reg number was allocated after 1949 and the card will show the wartime number (not sure if the one on the door now is authentic), also when it was disposed off, occasionally there may bea remark indicating the last holding unit. Also the Contract number is shown. https://www.rlcarchive.org/VehicleSrch regards Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67burwood Posted April 1, 2020 Author Share Posted April 1, 2020 Morning everyone thank you for all your replies, it did possibly come from the Kent/Essex direction, I originally saw it for sale in Romney Marsh, it then went to Bolton for a couple of months before I bought it, any pictures would be great. Can’t find a contract number but have located the chassis number, the truck has had an older restoration which now all needs work. found under the drivers seat detective Work required!! Stamped Chassis number doesn’t match the chassis plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67burwood Posted April 1, 2020 Author Share Posted April 1, 2020 Copy of the key card 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Just looked the contract number up in the Chilwell lists it gives the following information: Census numbers run from L 5498053 to L 5498774 Contract number S 5060 Listed as 'Lorry 3 ton 4x4 Machinery (House Type) So it looks like at some point it lost the house type body and was replaced with a flat floor machinery type not an uncommon occurrence in service my Leyland Retriever was listed on the key card as a searchlight truck but this was altered in pencil while still under construction to 'Workshop' . Very nice truck look forward to following the restoration blog. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67burwood Posted April 1, 2020 Author Share Posted April 1, 2020 Pete thank you very much for the info. house type body? GS/cargo? it had a Military rebuild in 1956, could that explain the difference chassis numbers, also does anyone know what the BB18 stands for and is there a register of some sort to find out a build date? It would appear there is very little information on these trucks or I’ve just been asking the wrong !! Thanks in advance for any information Seamus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ltwtbarmy Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 I barely know anything about Fords, however, if I understand what people say in the link below, the chassis number is not on the chassis, because the engine number was in fact the chassis number, but this number is not actually on the engine, but at the front top flange of the bellhousing cover, while another states that the chassis number is on the rhs front. Apologies if this confuses matters. http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=30213 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67burwood Posted April 1, 2020 Author Share Posted April 1, 2020 Slightly confusing but it’s all a learning curve, I will investigate the gearbox number tomorrow and see what I can find Many thanks Seamus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1950 Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 You will need to find a lubrication chart for it, It has an inordinate number of hexagon greasers. If you go looking for them just when you think you have found them all you will spot another one then another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67burwood Posted April 1, 2020 Author Share Posted April 1, 2020 I managed to find an original Ford wot8 manual that covers the wot6 on eBay, just waiting for it to arrive but from what I’ve seen so far your definitely right, extra grease will need to be ordered👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally dugan Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 (edited) the no2 key card was used for both soft skin and armoured vehicles in the case of a soft skin the chassis number is displayed in the second column and never the engine number for obvious reasons as to the stamped chassis rail number it looks to have been messed with 906 RASC COMPANY TA they were at one time based at SCARBOROUGH BARRACKS DONCASTER Edited April 1, 2020 by wally dugan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67burwood Posted April 1, 2020 Author Share Posted April 1, 2020 From what research I have done the stamped chassis number could be the original Ford number because of the BB18 at the beginning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 1 hour ago, 67burwood said: Pete thank you very much for the info. house type body? GS/cargo? it had a Military rebuild in 1956, could that explain the difference chassis numbers, also does anyone know what the BB18 stands for and is there a register of some sort to find out a build date? It would appear there is very little information on these trucks or I’ve just been asking the wrong !! Thanks in advance for any information Seamus Hi Seamus, The number you can see clearly here, ie BB18 7257367 is I believe something that has been over stamped at a later date. You will see a 4-pointed star symbol, this is a prefix to the original number and after 'BB18' the actual chassis number was in larger size with an unusual font, you can just make out the first two numerals. It is quite possible the lorry went through a major rebuild programme at some point and maybe though error a number had to be changed to fit the paperwork. I know the one I restored had been rebuilt by a REME Heavy Workshop in Germany about 1952, there was a plate in the cab and one on the engine bearing this out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67burwood Posted April 1, 2020 Author Share Posted April 1, 2020 Thanks again for your help, I will look a bit further for more numbers tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel7 Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 The final 7 of 7257367 looks as though it may have been struck over a different, much larger, 7, presumably part of the earlier number. There is also what may be an F [or perhaps a 5] the other side of the 6, if that is what it actually is. It doesn't really look consistent in shape and size with the 3 and the 5 to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
67burwood Posted April 1, 2020 Author Share Posted April 1, 2020 The more I look the more I keep seeing, more cleaning required Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duson Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Hi Seamus, great project you have there. On my WOT8 there is the cab number on a plate riveted to the cab rear crossmember behind the seats. It may have been changed on WOT6s though. I also have a little plate with Chassis contract number in front of the passenger. Look for the manual below (mine issued in 1945) as it is very detailed and contents a short section on Machinery equipment. Good luck with your project and looking foward to seeing any progress. P.S. this thread shows some engine conversion on WOT6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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