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A was for Austin, but now B is for Bedford

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4 years 7 months ago - 4 years 7 months ago #207287 by PDU
As posted previously but now reposting under this new heading, which will be an update on my truck meanderings with the O type Bedford that has been purchased to replace the Austin.
"Two years plus later and the Austin is still basically in the same state it was at the end of 2017.
I did re-visit the brakes, treating the master cylinder and front slave cylinders to new seals after freeing up sticking pistons, plus replaced the dodgy looking front brake hoses. For the first time I actually had a brake pedal AND brakes (other than the hand brake) BUT after a week the master cylinder stuck again!? Basically it probably needs to be sleeved OR have a heavier spring inside it to push the piston forward again???
However, other things have happened in the last month that have changed things around here . . .
But first some history: When I bought the Austin I was at a clearing sale - to potentially buy a pointy nose Bedford (1939-53), which was two lots after the Austin, but could not bear to see the 15ft long steel chequer plate tray (and truck) sold off for a pittance, so bid on it anyway. The ruckus my wife made about what I was doing caused considerable amusement amongst the other auction participants whilst the auctioneer calmly carried on, with a huge smirk on his face, calling out for more bids until he announced, "Sold to the happy man on my right." Wife was not impressed - more amusement all round.
I decided that it would have been more than somewhat imprudent to attempt any bidding on the Bedford thereafter, and wondered how on earth I was going to get the Austin home!?
AND so we move on to February 2020 - lo and behold an O type Bedford was spotted for sale locally, viewed, and ultimately purchased.
It's like going back three years to where I had originally intended to be and the Austin is now available for sale - reasonable offers please, preferably without the tray but if the offer is suitable I'll even let that go too. It will fit on to a car trailer (the Bedford did, just, with the same wheelbase) and it can be driven on and off which is eminently easier than I was able to do with the Bedford - another seized engine to sort out!! :pinch: :dry:"

So basically if anyone wants the Austin, with the 15" x 8' tray still on it, please contact me, $2000, less the battery.
But now on to my Bedford project. I have been busy in the last two months but will say no more for now, other than the O type body is off and destined to transfer onto an M type chassis - which will make it a bit of a hybrid/phantom as Bedford never did it.
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Last edit: 4 years 7 months ago by PDU.
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4 years 7 months ago - 4 years 7 months ago #207317 by PDU
Bought January 31st 2020. First week of ownership was spent trolling through various websites, learning some facts about Bedfords generally, and checking out how I could drag the truck home.
This entailed several visits to the farm where it was located, soaking wheel nuts with WD40, and pulling the front bumper bar off to look at fitting my A-frame onto the bumper mountings (more than solid on the O type).
So ground work was under way, my A frame was modified ready for action, a set of tail-lights, lead, plug etc, ordered on line, and I started looking for two wheels to replace the two front tyres that were well and truly flat/perished.
Meanwhile the Austin had been advertised, sold (pending) within an hour, and things were looking good.
Piccies from the farm . . .
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Last edit: 4 years 7 months ago by PDU.
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4 years 7 months ago - 4 years 7 months ago #207328 by PDU
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.
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Last edit: 4 years 7 months ago by PDU.
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4 years 7 months ago #207331 by Zuffen
The trailer's suspension looks like it was maxed out.

Good effort to get on and not have it try and roll off.

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  • Swishy
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  • If U don't like my Driving .... well then get off the footpath ...... LOL
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4 years 7 months ago #207332 by Swishy
PDU
OK
then
Wot iz 'C for

We had a dog named "D"fir


LOL
cya

OF ALL THE THINGS EYE MISS ................. EYE MISS MY MIND THE MOST

There's more WORTH in KENWORTH

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4 years 7 months ago #207333 by IHScout
Good story so far PDU. I couldn't read the captions on the photo without magnifying the screen significantly, so for the benefit of other without the ability to read the captions I've reproduced them below starting with the top one then clockwise from there:
1. "The truck was part winched part towed by my Adventura onto the trailer"
2. "My ramps past the front edge of the trailer with nose of B for right out over the winch"
3. "Outer rear wheels up on the trailer sides, with the inner wheels sitting on two 4 inch blocks of wood"

Dennis
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4 years 7 months ago - 4 years 7 months ago #207335 by PDU
That would be easy having a Humber engine in my arsenal Swishy - Commer

And Zuffen the trailer took it amazingly well considering, and to get it on there I towed it with a rope while one of the guys used the winch to take up the slack. The outer rear wheels looked decidedly dodgy until I jacked under the diff and slipped the railway sleepers under the inner wheels. Guess you could say we were fortunate not to meet any members of the local constabulary (traffic variety) on the way home. ;)

IHScout - wait for the developments, I've got a few weeks to put on here yet and there are some interesting discoveries along the way . . . courtesy gaining a greater understanding about the different Bedford types by "doing". :S
Last edit: 4 years 7 months ago by PDU.

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4 years 7 months ago #207336 by 600Dodge
At least the truck made it home and you got rid of that horrible Pajero.

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4 years 7 months ago - 4 years 7 months ago #207344 by PDU
Just a short one this time with some other piccies that I missed, and the last one specially for 600Dodge . . .
My A-frame when I trial fitted it, and then didn't use

Rear shot of the Bedford on the trailer; being prudent I followed it home . . . . . . at a distance :blink:

And other than the dead engine there was very little wrong with the Pajero, and looked what they towed it away with B)
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Last edit: 4 years 7 months ago by PDU.
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4 years 7 months ago #207346 by asw120
So...is that pronounced "Beefa"?
Had a mate years ago we called Arfa. R for Rick!

Jarrod.


“I offer my opponents a bargain: if they will stop telling lies about us, I will stop telling the truth about them”

― Adlai E. Stevenson II

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