Greetings,
It has been a while, but work has been proceeding.
The other day I went to Sydney to pick up my front axle housing.
This is to replace mine which has been bent and welded.
The gent who i got it from has many MVs including 9 GMCs.
He keep most at a farm, but i visited his place in Syndey.
To paint a picture, it is about 5 miles from where the
Olympics was held in a busy suburban area...his house and
yard where cubically packed with 40 years of MV stuff..
it was great! I aspire to have my place looking that way!
( am well on the way)
He was a font of useful info, as one would imagine.
my REVERSE rotating winch mystery...he said that is a DUKW winch
...they look the same, but go in reverse.
I bought from him..2 doors, 2 brake hoses,4 rear oils seals, a bow,
a GOOD BONNET!!! and the axle housing...all for $250 OZ!
Also picked up an engine from another fellow for $60!! turns and all.
Les has an M35 also...very few in Oz..he tells me 8 were imported to
be trialed by the Oz army to replace the CCKW...they did less than
200 miles and were dispersed.
The Australian Army subsequently went and developed and built
the International ACCO 2 1/5 & 5 ton 6 and 4 wheel drive.
I wonder why they did that?....I suppose it was cost, but I do
remember hearing it may also have had to do with politics..
that meaning jobs...they were built in rural Victoria,
thousands of them...they were good trucks...i am pretty
sure Inter used them as the basis of there ACCO commerecial trucks
from the 1960s-80s.
These trucks virtually built Australia..up until post-war many
areas of Oz, particularly in thr tropical areas, had very poor
acess, mainly as conditions were too difficult to buils and
maintain proper roads..The GMCs and Blitzs were able to allow
materials, equipment etc to be trucked in to these areas..
for instance virtually all the roads north of Cairns in QLD
did not exist before the war...that is a HUGE area. I think
they badly wanted access after the war in case anyone tried
to invade the north again.
When i take parts and things to brake shops etc, I try and speak
to the oldest dude..often the manager..they usually remember
working on them in their apprenticeship, and are very helpful.
My CCKW is approaching the finish line...after the front axle,
it will only need brake and oil seals on the rear axles, blast
the tray, and some topcoat painting.
The axle was very hard to get apart..30yrs in a field mean the
fasteners have rusted..one side is not apart, cause the lock-nut
is seized on the thread...I think I will need to plasma it and
break it off.
regards tony
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Feb 06 2002 - 11:49:25 PST