1953 Bedford K parts

05929 Marl Grey GMH 1954. Nitrocellulose Lacquer (Duco)

Does not appear in "pre-1954" colours.

Jarrod.

I wonder if that makes it a 54? Interestingly, considering so many of these chev engines were made it seems hard to find much info on them. A locally made red or grey Holden 6 can easily be narrowed down on google via its engine number, not so easy with these it seems. I believe the engine in the k should be a 216, but an identification page I did find seems to indicate it's a 235. The difference being the 216 had side plate all the way past the spark plugs with the 235 having a plate that doesn't cover the plugs. I'm not sure if that is the case? Its the engine the truck was built with though.

One rear drum off quite easily, other side snapped the chain! Looks like fun to be had. Don't have to apply some heat.

The engine is an English made 28hp (which was the RAC rating) and the same engine in later models was called the 214. It was running oil pressure to the mains when Chev was still relying on splash. Looks the same as Chev due to it's ancestry, but isn't.
Lucas often put build dates (as a part code) on things like distributor and dynamo so have a look there. Although officially Bedford replaced the K, M, & O models with the A series around May 1953 Australia would have been importing and running down existing stocks for some time after that, so I suspect '54 is when it found it's first owner.

So this one is main bearing pressure fed? That's a bonus. I'll check for some dates tomorrow after I swear at the right rear drum again.
With the Bedford sharing similarities with the chev 6, will chev intake and exhaust manifolds fit this engine?
Here are some pics and a video if it works! photobucket is crap, the video is there but wont work for some reason.

Do Chev parts fit?? As it was a ground up re-design by the poms in 1933 it seems unlikely, but try anyway.

There are some nice period style headers available for the chevs but they are not cheap, certainly too expensive to guess with. I do however have a HEI distributor for a chev 6, so I will see if that fits. HEI would add some good reliability and performance. There still seems to be a void of info considering how plentiful the Bedford 6 was.

Re the rust, I have stripped one of the wheels and while there is surface rust the area around the valley for the ring looks fairly tidy.
Some more persuasion with the right rear drum paid off and it cracked free.

fjwb, great to hear from another "K" owner, welcome to the forum.

Based on my ID Chart your Engine number KM207597 & Chassis number KZ207807 fall into the year 1951 where engine numbers ran from 200001 to 226328.

I think the chrome strips on the radiator nose cone confirm this as well.

Yes the wheels are a problem, mine are pretty pitted but my tyre guy reckons they seal ok.
I look forward to your progress

cheers
Pierre

The actual seat for the retainer looks fine. The worst rust was inside the actual wheel but given how thick they I think they will be fine. The worst rust appears to be on one of the rear wheels, externally where the centre joins the hoop. I'll get them blasted and I'll paint them so it stops any further rust. Interesting the year points to 1951 considering the paint colour reference above.