| Harry Grey lives in England, but has a strong interest in CMPs as the following story indicates: "My uncle 'acquired' what we knew as a Blitz. I was 9 at the time and I helped him take the head off the original engine. The engine was siezed so he bought a reconditioned block. He then disconnected the front rear prop shaft, removed the front diff and connected the fornt of the transfer box to a sawmill. Unfortunately I have no pictures of this set up. Then about 5 years ago, I started displaying a lot more interest in this particular truck. I've always loved old trucks. My uncle has a Studebaker US6 (ex BFB), a GMC CCKW 353 (worst condition ever known) and a Ford F60 (no 12 cab) and a lot of others. So he gave this Chev to me and started me off restoring it. I stripped it down to chassis. We then towed it up to his with a chain and pole (not for the first time). We then put it on the back of his dodge and took it off to be sand blasted. It also got a coat of red primer and I then painted with anti rust paint. I took the shoes off to be relined. I also got new lines and hoses. Round about this time we bought two more Blitzs. Both Fords, one with no engine or wheels and a late tipper. Both are in very bad condition and are more donor vehicles than restoration projects. Back to my truck. The gearbox was shocking, bearings and gears badly worn and coroded. But there was an old Chev (dunno what model, not a CMP) in a gully on our property which had a good gear box (also the source of fuel pump, filter and other things). As our land is very steep, I plan to fit a larger transfer box to get low range. So I took the better gearbox and one of the transfer cases of the other vehicles apart. They aren't two bad, maybe a few bearings to be replaced but they should be useable. So that is the current stage: a rolling chassis with new brakes. I plan to take the head off in July (the cylinders are reading different compressions) and probably get a new one (the head is original). Then respray the body, put the boxes back together and build a new tray. The body is all very tidy and mostly complete (including doors). The engine cover is missing though. " |
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