The J4LC3 Bedford Blog

A bit of a brush up

2006-03-03T15:12:00.000+13:00

Brakes are sorted on the Yellow Truck, and we hope that I'll be sent into the local panel beater's for a bit for some CoF essential patchwork.

Yellow Truck is currently at home having some of the surface rust stripped off and a quick spray of primer.

On the road... almost

2005-12-12T10:16:00.000+13:00

Our owners drove the yellow truck to their Mechanic yesterday, after finally figureing out what was up with the rear indicators, tail and stop lights. Went remarkably well considering the yellow truck has very poor brakes (using the hand brake instead). About a 20km trip.

The Mechanic reckons that the master brake cylinder needs looking at, while we think that the wheel cylinders may also need some attention.

Brakes

2005-11-23T13:44:00.000+13:00

We attempted to inspect the brakes, which seem to be binding.

Unfortunatly the wheel nuts are all quite solidly siezed, and the badly bent wheel nut spanner that came with the Yellow Truck provided no leverage at all. Might still be able to get them off as I may have a better wheel brace in my tool box, otherwise it'll have to be a job for our local mechanic.

Being a bit clever, we looked through the inspection ports on the inside of the wheel hubs. Depressing the brake pedal causes no movement on the front shoes, which seem to be siezed 'out', while there's some slight movement in the rear shoes.

So, they'll need to be inspected...

It might be easier to figure out the electrics first...

The J4LC3 Bedford Blog

2005-11-15T15:03:00.000+13:00

After driving in circles and pumping the brake pedal, the brakes have improved to something drivable. Rather than disturb things too much, we'll just drain the brake fluid and replace it with fresh and bleed the brake lines.

The next trick will be figureing out the electrics, as the headlights, brake lights, etc. don't work.

The horn works, we can tell as the wire shorts out in the column and jams them on. Disconnected for the moment.

The Yellow Truck Runs

2005-11-13T12:49:00.001+13:00

After replacing the points (which were the orignal Delco-Remy part, and seemed to be conductive at all parts except the contacts), emptying and rinsing the fuel tank and unblocking the fuel line, and priming the pump and a big shot of ether into the carb, he runs.

We then flushed the radiator, though it will still need to be done 'properly' and maybe a new thermostat would be a good idea. We're going to have to do an oil change and replace the filter too, but we're going to need quite a bit of oil (~8 litres) to do that properly.

Runs very well actually, one cylinder might not be up to par, but good enought to get about with. This means that it will be reasonably easy to get the Yellow Truck on the road.

The next step will be to overhaul the brakes, as they don't work at all. Most likely the master cylinder will need refurbishing and the slave cylinders will need replacing, fresh fluid too.

We also need to look at the electrics, the horn gets stuck on and none of the lights work.

Bedford support groups

2005-11-13T08:43:00.000+13:00

There are a couple of Bedford vehicle support groups on the internet.

Yahoo groups has a well established mail group, but I find it very difficult to search through the archives (the search engine searches messages in batches, it's somewhat painful). Also, the bits that Yahoo stick on the end of messages can sometimes cause spam filters to falsely identify email as spam.

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Bedford-vehicles/

There is also a very new group at:

http://groups.google.com/group/Bedfords

The J4LC3 Bedford Blog

2005-11-10T14:07:00.000+13:00

The new truck is here. Unfortunatly it's in excellent condition, and provided that it runs and can be warranted (not a CoF, it's 'small' enough to be registered as a utility vehicle) it's not just going to be a donor cab for me.

Our owners have put in a charged battery and it turns freely, so it's not siezed. Something about the iginition coil being busted.

PS, photos taken with a Clie, hence the image quality.

2005-11-10T14:04:00.000+13:00

From the drivers door. The interior is in excellent condition (for a 1978 truck) nothing's bent or broken and it's almost complete (the jacking bar that clips to the front of the seats is missing). The wingnuts that hold the seat in are all there too.

2005-11-10T14:02:00.001+13:00

The deck. It's about 1.5 x 2m.

2005-11-10T14:02:00.000+13:00

Drivers side, that's a 54 litre tank full of what now smells like paint-stripper. Ohh see those 16" rims, the rice-boys will be jelous. Note the tare weight, 2140kg.

2005-11-10T14:00:00.000+13:00

Here it is, the new truck. Very "Dulon Highway Yellow". It's a J1C2 which makes it about 3m long.

2005-10-07T10:09:00.001+13:00

A fine rear end

2005-10-07T10:09:00.000+13:00

Well, they managed to buy the Yellow truck, here are a few more shots...

2005-10-05T13:37:00.000+13:00

Much shorter than me, only about 3m.

2005-10-05T13:36:00.001+13:00

A Yellow (probably Ministry of Energy) J1C2 with dual cab.

2005-10-05T13:36:00.000+13:00

My owners have found me a friend, they want to buy him.

2005-04-20T09:55:00.000+12:00

Sometimes the internet is awkward. Here's half of the wiring for a TJ Bedford, just like me.

2005-04-20T09:50:00.000+12:00

My owners have found me a power take off unit. It bolts onto the left side of my gearbox can be used to run a hydralic unit or a water pump. I think they want to fit a hydralic unit someday.

Himitangi Beach

2005-02-22T14:33:00.000+13:00

Liz and Aaron loaded Katie and Puku into the box, and put their gear and Pixie and her father Blue in the back and we all went to Himitangi Beach.

Much fun was had by all, event the fat orange pony did some trotting, with only intentions of mugging small children of their ice creams.

2005-02-04T20:40:00.000+13:00

Some of us aren't going to make it.

Katikati to Palmerston north.

2005-02-04T14:59:00.000+13:00

My new owners, Liz and Aaron, arrived shortly before noon yesterday. After quickly getting things sorted (keys, and bits of paper, and a chilly-bin filled with beef), we were leaving Katikati, and on our way up State Highway 2 to Waihi where we stopped at the local Firestone dealer to change a tyre, and then the VTNZ for my Certificate of Fitness. Surprisingly, the CoF inspecter passed me, but did point out things that will need attention. There was much conversation about not seeing many old Bedfords on the road anymore. Liz pops over to the local Post Shop and does my Registration and buys some Road User Charges. I'm legal to drive again, I don't think that's been done since October 2003.

From Waihi we follow S2 to Paeroa, and turn down S26 past Te Aroha, filling up on gas, then turning south down S27 through Matamata and getting back on to S1 and stopping briefly at Putaruru. Down S1 to Tokoroa, and then onto S32 to Turangi, where we stop and fuel up.

From Turangi, its through the Desert Road to Wiaoru, Tiahape, Bulls, Sanson, where you turn off onto S3 to Palmerston North. Liz and Aaron live a bit south of Palmy, in a little village called Linton.

If anyone remembers me on the trip, leave a comment.

Lake Maraetei on S32

2005-02-03T18:18:00.000+13:00

And here's the view. It started raining when we left. Not just rain, raindrops the size of bumblebees.

A long trip to my new home.

2005-02-03T17:34:00.000+13:00

Here I am on my trip from Katikati to Palmerston North. We're parked up on a little gravel siding on the side of Lake Maraetei

All Done

2005-01-29T11:52:00.000+13:00

Well, my old owners picked me up from the Muffler and Exhaust man who was doing my panel work. They're impressed, but I'll have to wait until Thursday to see what my new owners think, they're planning on coming up and taking me for my Certificate of Fitness in Waihi, and then to Palmerston North. I hope they have figured out a way of getting a new tyre.

They also say that their local mechanic can fit the LPG unit they have found. They tell me it is an Italian Lovato unit with a 100 litre tank. Its not a car kit, so it's not listed on the web site yet, but they do make the best units. I'm looking forward to having it fitted.

Alternative fuel

2005-01-20T09:25:00.000+13:00

The People from Palmerston North mentioned something about a new LPG unit. That would be nice, my old CNG unit is well out of certification and there aren't many places to get a refill.

A bit of a face lift

2005-01-18T15:09:00.000+13:00

I've seen the mechanic today. He going to have to do a proper job for my CoF, he says they're not allowed to do temporary repairs anymore. It's going to cost the people in Palmerston North a bit more than they thought. We phoned them and they still want to go ahead, they said it would have been work they needed to do themselves anyway.

They still need to find a better tyre for my outside right wheel. 20" truck tyres aren't cheap, by you can sometimes find good second hand ones from a wrecker or a truck yard. Especially good if you're not a commecrcial driver on the road every day.

Booked in.

2005-01-15T21:11:00.000+13:00

I'm booked in to get a quote to for some work done. This is very exciting.

The people in Palmerston North have also found some spare parts in Otaki. Three cabs! Only standard single cabs, not more generously portioned like me, but we have a lot in common so it's still a good thing.

Gosh they're keen.

Small hiccup

2005-01-13T18:55:00.000+13:00

The people from Palmerston left a rather confusing message this morning, something about getting some bodywork done so I could get a Certificate of Fitness. We didn't think we agreed to anything like that the other day.

We got hold of them later that evening and sorted it all out. They're going to pay to have the work done so I can get my CoF and go down to Palmerston North with them. This might work out after all.

Sitting by the loading race

2005-01-11T20:42:00.000+13:00

Here I am sitting by the loading race waiting for something interesting to happen in my life. It's not bad here in Katikati, but I don't get out much any more. Something about being a bit thirsty and a bit heavy, hey I'm a truck what do you want? All this laying about isn't good for me and my body's 'letting go' in places

Unexpectedly I was visited this morning by two people from Palmerston North who looked me over and thought I was pretty special. I haven't been admired like that for years, it goes to ones head it does.

They left saying they'd be in contact soon, and that they might try an pick me up next weekend as it's Wellington Anniversiary Weekend down their way, so they get the Monday off.

A New Year

2005-01-01T21:04:00.000+13:00

It's 2005, and I'm 31, and no one wants me. I'm up for sale again. Hopefully this blog will help me keep myself occupied...

A picture of me in a Paddock.