Weeks 2 & 3: While looking at various sites I came across some 1950 Bedford parts for sale. In particular a partially restored chassis with new king pins and bushes, rebuilt diff, unis, and brakes (but no master cylinder or brake lines), plus seven new tyres fitted. Bought over the phone, and viewed the following week, I borrowed two wheels to go on to the O type.
The A-frame was trial fitted and a friend was enlisted to act as a potential sacrifice in the truck to ensure that it tracked correctly behind my tow vehicle.
Until the towing lights arrived I could not organise a permit, but then disaster struck - my Pajero tow vehicle blew an oil line and the diesel self destructed before I could find a safe place to pull off the highway (long downhill stretch, 11:30 at night and 75 km from home).
Not wishing to rebuild the Pajero it was advertised for sale “as is” and the guys that bought it were offered a reduction if they would pick up the Bedford for me first. Expecting them in a tilt tray I was somewhat surprised when they arrived with a car trailer, and suggested we take my long ramps with us. It was interesting how their reaction when they saw the size of the Bedford was similar to mine when I had seen them pull up with the car trailer. Once they had delivered the Bedford safely, they took away the deceased Pajero.
As can be seen in the attached picture the ramps came in useful, as did two railway sleepers I fortuitously had in the back of my car. Hopefully the captions in the picture are legible . . .
The Bedford (by now dubbed as
B for) arrived home on February 19th, and the fun was about to begin in earnest.