Utility or lorry

[nigel jarrett]

We are restoring a 1953 utility that was purchased as a flat pack .The rear frame and panels are in a fairly poor condition .we were considering converting it to a lorry and was wondering what other people thought ,is there any pitfalls to doing this and how would the value reflect

[Jorppu]

Well,
I've built a lorry of remaining parts of appr. 10 utilities and vans.
A few things I've learned after that (there may be more things that are a bit different):
- The petrol tank's filler tube is in a bit different place
- The rear wall of the cabin is made of plywood covered with a thin alumin plate
- The seat is just one sofa-like thing
The New Zealand members can help at least with pics too, I think. With Bradfords "Wait" and "See"
info@waitandsee.net.au + William.Ebzery@det.nsw.edu.au

There must be patterns for the wooden parts with the man who rebuilt Bill Purves' Bradford.
(Bill is no longer with us, as you probably know)
In general I believe that the best way to get a good result is trying to make things as near (or similar) as the originals.

Try to contact someone who has got a lorry as original as can be for more information.
Perhaps a visit to the JCC Rally at Peebles this year may help.

Happy restoring - the fastest way of failing is to start

[Keith Clements]

Great post Jorma..

[David Kemp]

I had many Bradfords but only one true lorry,
Mine had bucket seats, & the back was a steel sheet.The cab was steel panelled with no aluminium , unlike the vans.
& I agree the fuel tank filler was in a slightly different place as the filler was located just behind the passenger door.
Mine was CKD NZ built car .

[NoelStokoe]

Hi David......Have you any idea how many Knock-Down Bradfords came to NZ?

I would be very interested to know.

Noel Stokoe

[David Kemp]

I don't know , my feeling is most would have been CKD to avoid import duty , which was very high in New Zealand.
I had more than one that had been imported just as chassis, the bodies were no where as good as the Jowett body.

[nigel jarrett]

I visited the vehicle at the weekend and have had a close look at the rear panel and wood ,also what panels are with it .
The floor timbers are new ,the other timber from the B pillar back including rear doors are missing or crumbling and the majority of the roof panels I can't find .
My present thoughts are to get the vehicle up with me and then to turn it into a custom built ute/pickup using the lower halves of the side panels and wings I was wondering what people's thoughts on this are

[k. rogers]

I'm all for the lorry option, Nigel. Far easier and a cheaper option! I personally prefer the truck to look at, too. There's also one not far from you in very original condition which I'm sure you could copy dimensions from.

[David Kemp]

Do it as you say, they look good as style side lorry's/utes.
Bradfords were commercial vehicles regularly modified to the owners needs.

[AlanBartlett]

Morning Nigel,

Your welcome to come and take a look for ideas. The lorry bit looks fairly simple. Other than the under "horse shoe shape" chassis rails. The fuel tank you would have to get modified to move into the cab area unless you have it outside. If you get stuck with the A posts I still have the old ones to copy, plus I'm still in contact with the chap who made mine for around £300 mark ish from what I remember, he also makes bodies for BSA three wheelers!

I think Split Pin (Steve) did the same to his.

Alan

[StevenGray]

When my van fell apart I rebuilt it as a lorry, it was done without having ever seen a "proper" one other than in publications, the back of the cab position was detrmined by where I needed the seat to be for a reasonably comfortable driving position which by chance allowed the fuel filler to exit in the bodywork without modification. The lorry bed was constructed in a simalar manner to normal commercial practice, two longtitudinal timbers with cross timbers retained using steel angle and coach bolts.

I opted to make the platform shorter as I always felt the original looked to long. Making it 4ft long meant I could use a standard sheet of plywood.
Instead of cutting the u shape into the timbers and using U bolts to fasten to to the chassis I utilised the original body mounting brackets
Steve