Bedford M project brake servo

I'm working on a 1947 Bedford M truck. The brake servo is a Clayton Dewandre unit is pretty much toast.
My question is, has anyone replaced one of these with a more modern booster and how to do it rather than try and rebuild the existing servo. Also the engine is a 216 Chevy 6 cylinder and I'm after some info on what rear engine mounts should be on it as I'm not sure if the ones on it now are the correct type.
Some pictures so far.
Thanks Craig.

Looking good, Craig.

I'm certainly no expert on brakes although my ML and TK both need work so watch this space (but don't hold your breath!)! LOL.

I can only suggest sending an email (they don't answer the phone) to ACW Bedford in Melbourne and asking your questions. They do several things like gas conversions, electronic ignition kits etc that 'modernise' Beddies and will have seen a lot of different things so should have some good advice.

www.acwbedford.com.au/index.html

You and I could also write a short story and put it on my Beddy site to see if anyone has any comments!

I'm in West Wyalong.

Craig nice looking truck i also have a msc although it does have the dropside I am trying to figure out what year it is I think it is a late 40s any suggestion on how to identify the year of manufacture it has the plate and has original engine and is in reasonable shape for its age the brakes need work but they do still just work brentnz

Thanks fellas,

Andy regarding ACW I did speak to them on another matter some months ago and I was told they were getting out of the business and the bedford parts had been passed on to another wrecker who I also phoned and from memory they told me they didn't have much left.

In the mean time I spoke with Power Brakes in SA who have rebuilt a couple of these old servos-but it is not cheap. About $2000.

I can get most of the parts I need from the UK for about UK 250 (about $390) but then I've gotta re-build it and get it to work. I have read somewhere they do not work particularly well.

My prefered option at present is a 7" underfloor booster from the states that they put in old Chevy trucks, to replace the original which should fit in ok after I remake the bracket for right hand drive. I can still use my original pedal. Thats going to cost me about $400 US. So that's the way I'm leaning at the moment.

Rusty your MS would be a '47 or '48 I'd say there should be the date stamped on the metal plate in the engine bay just below the passengers front window.

Craig, that's concerning about ACW. I haven't spoken to them since last year.

I thought yours was an MS as she looked a little short in the photo and I was going to ask. My ML doesn't have the booster connected. She stops but not very well. Once she's up here, that'll be one of the first jobs once the TK is out of the way.

The Chev booster sounds like a good option. Keeps it in the family somewhat too.

Brent, I'm currently hunting a listing that I'm sure I saw of KMO chassis numbers and, at least, rough build dates. No luck yet. One of the 'tricks' for dating one of these trucks, as several people have told me, is to check the spare wheel and look for "Sankey" stamped on it. The "Sankey" usually has a two digit number following it which, apparently, is the build year ... of the wheel of course.

Really pleased to hear you guys are working on these trucks. They're a great bit of gear and I take my hat off to the guys who used to drive them for hours on end. The longest stint I've done in my ML is five hours and I came out of it like a half-opened pocket knife. Big grin though.

Hi there,

I've just recently picked up a few rims from acw in bayswater ( 3 weeks ago ). Still going and good for parts, just a bit harder to source.
I have a ml and just sort of finished doing the brake thing.
Drums, cylinders ,shoes etc,etc....the only thing that seemed to be ok was the master cylinder, reason being someone had already replaced it. Not original, but it almost had me, looked like the original excluding the can siting on the back was different. So I sent acw a pic and they notified me that it was out of a tj.
So theirs an option, mine seems to work well.
Just haven't tried it out with the new brakes yet [ch128517].
Good luck.

Lucas also put dates on components like distributor. With that motor it will be interesting to see if you can get her to stop as quick as she goes. 1940's technology and a 30mph speed limit at the time of manufacture they were made for sedate progress, even when new.

I have just had my 48 mlz Bedford booster and master cyl rebuilt by Power Brakes in Adelaide for $982.00. It has been re sleeved with stainless steel and all new rubbers and painted in a brake fluid resistant paint ( so I was told) Well worth it I think. I haven't had a lot of success with ACW Bedford with spare parts as yet, they did price a full rubber kit for the cab which they source from Bill Thompson Auto Rubbers I think. For any thing mechanical try Don Kyatt Spares

Just thought I would come back to this thread and post this pic of my reco Bedford ML brake servo which I picked up last month along with all my machined drums new linings and resleeved wheel cylinders.

I would like to say ACW are still a live and kicking as of 2 weeks ago so no worrys about them closing yet or in the near future. Dave