Bedford TK

Okay, here goes. This isn't a pull it down to the chassis rails and build it back up project. I don't have the time, money or skill to do that. However, the heart of the beast is a good'n and the cab remains the best I have seen on an unrestored TK.

She has her challenges. Everything that needs grease hasn't seen the stuff for a while so pins of all description in the running gear need replacing along with several broken grease nipples.

The windscreen has gouges in it but I have a replacement. The driver's seat has a nice tear but the passenger's seat is spotless. She needs new tyres on the drives but not the steers. She has a cracked exhaust manifold but I have a set of extracters. The brakes need a full service and all of the wood in the tray needs replacing.

I moved her on Saturday to get better access in the shed. Couldn't get her going but the electrics are all happy and the cab interior (other than the driver's seat and floormat) are better than I remember with internal lights working, window mechanisms sweet and trims etc showing wear but easily fixable.

So, a bit of elbow grease will see the majority of the problems sorted with $ covering the rest. I'm aiming to have her back on the road by the end of the year (while chipping away at the Albion too) ... fingers crossed.

I doubt anyone will learn anything from this thread but I know I'll learn as I tick off the jobs.

g'day Andy .. the Bedford name is missing off the front...and with those style park lamps i think they had the letters B.E.D.F.O.R.D on the front panel along with the early ones having crease lines in the panel as well...

...keep us all posted on your progress as i reckon they are a great old bit of gear and this one is a cracker....cheers mate

Looks like a really well looked after beddie look forward to seeing the progress

Good one Andy. Looking forward to watching your progress.

Hey Andy, the only advice I would give you is to forget about any other project until the one you are on is drivable. Leave the Albion and concentrate on the Beddy. Hasn't you missus told you that us blokes can only do one thing at a time? You've got a real good ground work there, one bit at a time, tick it off the list on the next job. All little victories, you can't go wrong. Don't start another job on it until the last one is finished, it won't take long and you'll have a great looking truck to cruise around in. If that has been sitting for a while I'd keep a very close eye on the brake fluid levels too mate. Bring it on, it looks the part already.

Hi Andy,

Glad to see you are enthused again. I agree with Cam about getting one done (maybe the Beddy if it will be quicker) so you have something to drive around in and pickup bits for the others

Over the last year I have been selling of bits for a very sick man who had restored bits of about 6 trucks. If it had been one it would have been finished or close to it when he got crook.

Andy
Gudday M8

Not kno n u're abilities n available $$$

a qik fix
(dependin on how far u go)

to get the grease flow n jist remove grease niples use a smaller twist drill n drill out holes to get the crud out by twistin by fingers

Drivers seat ....a seat cover from the 'U bute' Speed shop will fix th@
Pre luvd 2nd hand tyres can B obtained from tyre man
Brakes yes U will need good stoppers best leave to those th@ kno

Tray wood ifn it's flat u can buy household yellow tongue type chipboard th@ is waterproof for a given time
so U could just wack th@ n put a sealer over it


Jist my 2 cents worth...........change can B arranged
LOL

NuthingVenturedNothingGained

Andy I doubt that there will be nothing to learn if only it is what not to do but I'm sure it will be a whole lot more than that good luck I'm sure you will get there don't get side tracked like I always do regards Paul

Thanks, chaps, I really appreciate the advice and suggestions.

Detective, I have the separate letters for the Bedford script but am missing one of the Ds or the R from memory. The letters are on the shelf behind the seats which has always led me to think she smacked something so the letters were removed to effect repairs. Maybe this is why the cab is in such good nick? I haven't seen any evidence of repairs but then I haven't stuck my head up behind the front panel yet in the 4.5 years I've owned her. I am in touch with the owner still so will ask him.

She's a 1968 model and from what I've been able to work out, it was about '68 when the crease lines in the front panel disappeared but that style of park lamps remained. Looking at tonnes of pics, I've kinda worked out the lamps changed to the 2-in-1 style in about 1973 (that's about when the "Bedford" moved to the grill too). I use those basic rules to date TKs and it's only failed me once or twice ... and doesn't help with re-cabbed trucks! LOL.

I'm with you, Cam and Bruce, on the one project at a time. I already have little time to commit as you know but the push is on for the TK. I'm in NSW (as is the Albion) and the TK is in Vic so nothing will happen quickly. My brother-in-law is due to give the 308 in the TK a full service and I'm in the process of getting a replacement steering component to replace one with a stripped thread. It'll be slow going as we'll work on the bigger things like the brakes (full rebuild, I suspect) when I'm in Melbourne but I'll be able to organise the windscreen being replaced etc from up here and Grant can 'supervise' onsite. The Albion hasn't progressed for a few months but it needs a couple of things doing just to get it to a certain stage ... and so it can be moved from next to Pat's driveway!

I will do that with the grease nipples, thanks, Swishy, as I know things are certaily full of crud.

I was told the truck wouldn't pass roadworthy with just a seatcover so put the upholstery job in the budget. Anyone got any recommendations for a good upholsterer? Does the cllub have a 'preferred supplier'?

Second hand tyres would be the go. I've been considering retreads. The spare is good but I think I'll leave it as a spare and have four 'new' matching tyres on the drive.

I was thinking of going to a building salvage yard and looking for old floor boards. Pretty much what the truck has on her now and, with a bit of love, sanding and sealer, the new wood should turn up okay.

My abilities aren't flash and the budget isn't huge but many old truck blokes have achieved more with less so I should be good. Always happy to ask questions and listen and learn. I think that's what I'm most looking forward to besides getting my hands dirty again and getting out on the road in my own truck again.

I always get side-tracked, Paul, but the Bedford is patient!

I'll dig out my pics of when I first bought her. She hasn't changed much but the photos have more detail of bits and bobs and illustrate her issues a bit better (hub leaks etc).

Has anyone got a photo of a restored TK's steering wheel or one in original condition? I pulled a heap of that sticky, dimpled vinyl stuff off mine as it was falling off and don't know if what I'm left with is as it was out of the factory.