Ford Truck Update
Juli 1999
Ford V3000s Update
By Rttf. Ihssen
Unfortunately this year has got off to a
really slow start on the truck, and we haven't been able to
accomplish as much as we wanted. We were hoping to have had
most of the vehicle shot blasted and primed, but, due to numerous
problems with the shot blast machine and compressor this hasn't
happened. It looks like the shot blaster is going to be a
No! No!, so it will be down to the good old electric drill,
rotary wire brushes and loads of sweat and heartache.
Repair work to the cabin is probably about 50% complete, with the
boxed sill on the drivers door almost rebuilt. The
windscreen frame is also about half way to completion. Both heads
were removed from the engine to check the condition, and the
internal bores are perfect, with only normal coking to the
cylinder heads and valves. Although traces of water was
found in the oil when it was drained, it could be from 20 odd
years of condensation. The engine and gearbox are
almost ready for removal to allow overhaul and access to the
chassis.
Over the next few weeks we are hoping to
document and photograph all the remaining woodwork on the back of
the truck and to start dismantling it, allowing us free access
then to the whole chassis. Once we have it all clear, then
a serious effort can be made on cleaning the metalwork and
repainting. This will also give us a clear run at all the
break pipes etc.
The vehicle still needs rewiring, unfortunately not a lot of the
original wiring-loom remains to allow us to copy. The
dashboard, although complete requires a 100% overhaul, hopefully
some of the dials maybe salvageable. The seats require re-stuffing
and recovering, then final paint job, then maybe just maybe it
will be ready for the millennium.
Ever since we obtained the truck we have
always been under the assumption that it was built in 1944,
research into the numbering of the vehicle seems to prove
differently. As you can see by the scanned image of
the ID plate below, the Type is a V8 F198T this translates to
:-
V8 symbol is self evident (engine).
F = Country of origin France
1 = Model Year....1941, 9 = 1939 etc etc
9 = 3.9 litre
8 = Model...V3000S
T = Truck
Unfortunately the Poissy plant is long since gone and no records exist for the number of trucks, cars, spares etc that where produced. The only evidence we have for a 1944 date was on a small metal plate that was once attached to the wooden body. But the vehicle itself now appears to be 1941 vintage.
For further updates on Rttf. Ihssens German Ford click here to visit his web site.