Bradford CC Lorry (The Tramp)

[AlanBartlett]

Well I have taken a plunge!

After thinking for a while how I would be interested at some point in the future getting another Jowett. An opportunity came up and I now have taken what seems a giant leap and bought another!

There was an advert in the autojumbler. which a my ex/old boss spotted and asked if I was interested, after a bit of thought and few phone calls later the deal was done. The lorry has spent the last 30 odd years in a garage up in Northumberland. A fair way from Somerset! But with a few work connections it wasn't too much trouble to get it collected and delivered down. It arrived Wednesday evening, and only having seen it a few photos in dark garage. The moment of truth. And it seeming structurally sound with a few bits and pieces to be done. Its starting the look better and better! Although at the moment he looks ragged around the edges I see a lot of potential!

As I still have a lot of cosmetic work to do on The Lady (Long Saloon). Hes going to be on the back burner, but still glad I've taken the first step!

[David Morris]

Hi Alan,

Well done! It looks a super project and will give you hours of fun! We look forward to seeing it on the road very soon ( next week? ).

David and Juliet

[k. rogers]

Well done Alan! It looks like the panelwork is sound - at least if there is woodwork to be done you only have the cab to worry about! What's the engine like?

[AlanBartlett]

Its going to be a slow one I think, though it is mainly all there.


It has been off the road since around 77, and being stored in a garage ever since. The reason it came off the road was it had snapped a crankshaft. In the picture is engine, the original one for it matching the chassis number. Though supplied with it was a lorry load of spares. including crankshafts so I'm hoping one of the spares should suffice together with new bearings and shells.



My plan of action is to repair the bits of woodwork, and get the body straight and ready for paintwork, then remove the cab, and get the chassis de rusted and repainted. Everything looks fairly serviceable on the car. Even the tyres hold air!

There are a few woodwork repairs to do but most of it has been already done.


In its marticulous history file it has all the receipts of what was done to it, and items bought for it,
It was originally used by a florist company from new, even as a record of the drivers log of various runs it made over the years.


Its nice to see that in a little under 20 years the special tools haven't changed much!

[ian Howell]

A couple of 'treasures' there Alan in the special tools!

It all takes me back to my first Jowett. That was a Bradford back in '63 but mine was in a FAR worse state than yours.

It also looks as if has been a lorry since new, rather than a 'cheaper than restoring a van body' job.

I wonder if you have considered it as an 'oily rag' candidate?

[AlanBartlett]

Ian, thanks for the thoughts. My first thoughts and overall plans were to repair what needed repairing, prepare it for a repaint, and sort out the engine and freshen up the chassis with a lick of paint also! But now you say about oily rag it does seem quite a good thing to do! So many directions it could go.
My three options are:

1. Repaint it/repaint all the chassis and make everything nice and presentable
2. Repaint it but perhaps in something with a little flare with paintwork perhaps airbrushing patterns and what not (flames!) A nice gloss black with flames all over the bonnet would be quite fitting! ha. A bit of fun.
3. To leave it as it and service all the mechanicals and running gear and get him going again. I must admit it would be quite an attraction as it is, though he needs a few repair patches for this it wouldn't be a bad options.

Now then for the pondering questions,

As I spent the day removing the small bits of trim and the doors so I could get to the wood work that needs to be done. I came across two bolts which I'm not sure if they look like there meant to be there or not? These were situated next to the windscreen on the a pillar, all the way though the woodwork and metal work. Which looked like the may have been chrome domed headed nuts at somepoint in the past. Should they be there?



My next question is on the brakes, what is the tool or approriete tool required to properly move the square adjuster on the top of back plate to adjust the brakes. As these are seized at the moment I was wondering what tool it would have been to fit it properly? Or would it just be a spanner that fits?

[george garside]

special square headed brake adjusting spanners used to be very widely available in different sizes as that type of adjuster was very common on both mechanical and hydraulic systems . They may well still be available new and certainly will be at autojumbles. The Bradford looks good enough o be sympathetically conserved ( oily ragged!) rather than 'restored'

george

[Tony Fearn]

Nice one Alan.
Wasn't there a recent post about vehicles in this state needed for restoration by one of the 'classic' car mags?
Jowetts are at the forefront of people's minds since the promotion blitz of the last few years by the Club's members and officers.
Perhaps Jack, or Noel might know more, and I'm sure they have the contacts.
It might just be a way to have help for it to be sympathetically restored whilst being the subject of a monthly item in a magazine.
Perhaps it may be of use to follow-up this idea before you take it to bits. Have a talk to them.
It would be another great opportunity to promote the Club in the motoring Press.
Your notoriety precedes you.
Tony.

[Jack]

Nice one Alan.
Wasn't there a recent post about vehicles in this state needed for restoration by one of the 'classic' car mags?
Jowetts are at the forefront of people's minds since the promotion blitz of the last few years by the Club's members and officers.
Perhaps Jack, or Noel might know more, and I'm sure they have the contacts.
It might just be a way to have help for it to be sympathetically restored whilst being the subject of a monthly item in a magazine.
Perhaps it may be of use to follow-up this idea before you take it to bits. Have a talk to them.
It would be another great opportunity to promote the Club in the motoring Press.
Your notoriety precedes you.
Tony.

Hi Tony,

I think it might have been me that mentioned it, however I can report that a Javelin in similar condition was recently collected by the magazine involved. We have not published much on this so that the magazine can run this as an exclusive, I would expect to see something on this within the next couple of months.

The press would almost certainly be interested in the story of the restoration - Bradfords in particular are good as we can talk to the Classic Commercial magazines where lots of people are interested in these (and a potential new market for members) but the best advice, as always, is just to photograph everything for any possible articles and also to help when putting things back together!

I will be able to include these photos in the "club projects" board that I am putting together for the NEC Restoration Show in April.

Jack.

[robert lintott]

Alan , From an entry in the London Gazette it seems that Barber Brothers were Florists in Forest Hall , Newcastle on Tyne in the 1970s
good luck Bob

[StevenGray]

Hi Alan
The domed head nuts are in about the right place for a rear view mirror fitting, when I acquired my Bradford back in the 70's it had a mirror (similar to the one on your drivers door) screwed through the pillar into the timber frame behind albeit on the drivers side, The CC Parts book shows a mirror that would probably fit the fixings. (Part no 865)
Judging by the gap showing along the top of the doors the "A" post pillar has moved, and the door has dropped, it is also evident in the waist line molding, if everything is inline then the scuttle is in the correct position, yours appears to run down towards the back.

Out of interest is the head board removable?, as it is so close to the back of the cab it would be impossible to clean down the back of the cab.

Brake adjusting spanner are available on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/brake-adjusting-spanner once they have been released I find it easier to use a 9MM open end spanner

Steve Gray

[AlanBartlett]

The general consensus is to keep it as is, and just get all the mechanicals sorted and right, Which the more I look it seems a great idea!

Steve, thanks for the link, I was able to find one, and should be on its way to me soon. You are right, both doors have dropped, this my first job to do is to sort out the wood work on the pillars, it has been patched before, luckily there is enough for a pattern, just got to get it out in one piece. Which seems do able.

Those mirror bolts appear to be the only thing holding the rest of the A post together! I shall replace with some chrome ones when I get nearer to it.



Out with the old and eventually in with the new, hopefully ill still have all my fingers!

[DavidMetcalfe]

I'm doing the utility Lkk77 so I know how bad the pillars can get!

[robert lintott]

Alan , There is a long article in the April issue of "the Automobile " which describes the renovation of a Bradford "Lorry" just like yours a must read for you regards Bob

[AlanBartlett]

Oh brilliant with pick up a copy tomorrow!

Well yesterdays tinkering discovery is that it used to be fitted with internal semi-phores/trafficators, which the body work has been patched up using filler and and gauze (a very old repair) Together with metal brackets for them which it still has in place. So when I get around to the wiring I would like to put them back in.


There has been modifcations to the headlights with a sidelight being put into the lightbowl. Or is this how they would have been originally, As I think there is a S - side and H - Headlamp position on the ignition switch. There are also rusty/dent holes where a sidelight may have been put on the front wings? Would they have side lights like a pre war?


Also in reply to the question about the headboard, they look removable, but these have been screwed into the right angle frame so I would imagine they should be removable.