Army FC Standard - For Ken

[cruiser056]

Gday All,
             I was stationed at Bandiana back in 1998 and I actually did some some work on the FC at the museum.  I replace the clutch slave cylinder, although I don't really know why as they didn't really drive it, they used to move it around in the museum every now and again.  I asked the question about the history of the car as well as some of the other vehicles and was told it was just donated locally and put together with what ever is available to look good for the museum.  That is why the FE bonnet.

Michael

[nigelb42]

Michael,

You are dead right.  The guys at the museum are pretty much volunteers and rely mostly on donations of equipment for their displays.  I guess the main thing is that this particular FC is out of the weather and just waiting for that day when somebody 'volunteers' to restore it properly.

Although upon saying that, god knows what the Army mechanics of the time actually modified on her during her lifetime as it was certainly well before the days of fleet management and outsourcing and therefore she may be an 'Army' FC as she is ?

Nige

[nigelb42]

G'day,

Slunk over to the museum again today to try to delve into the history of the FC staff car.  I found out a couple of things, like the Switch on the far RHS of the dash is actually the pump for the NASCO window washer.
http://img67.photobucket.com/albums/v204/nigelb42/Army%20FC%202/Washer_pump.jpg
http://img67.photobucket.com/albums/v204/nigelb42/Army%20FC%202/Washer_bottle.jpg

Ken, here is your picture of the firewall - sorry its so crappy, the camera is an older model.  Hope it helps and I am all too happy to crawl over the car for more pics if you want them.
http://img67.photobucket.com/albums/v204/nigelb42/Army%20FC%202/LH_Firewall.jpg

Also the vehicle would have been fitted with TAC plates as I found a heap of photos of FB utes and an HD staff car and they were all fitted.  There would have been one either side, front and rear and they identified firstly which unit the car belonged to and secondly which command it belonged to.  Here are some examples from the same era - the easy thing is you can just about paint any numbers on the TAC plate as FCs would have been issued to all commands in Australia
http://img67.photobucket.com/albums/v204/nigelb42/Army%20FC%202/Tac_Command_ID.jpg
http://img67.photobucket.com/albums/v204/nigelb42/Army%20FC%202/Tac_Unit_ID.jpg
http://img67.photobucket.com/albums/v204/nigelb42/Army%20FC%202/Tac_Plate.jpg
http://img67.photobucket.com/albums/v204/nigelb42/Army%20FC%202/Tac_plate_base.jpg
I suspect that they would have been attached to a bracket that was drilled to either a bumper hanger or part of the body behind the bumper.

I spoke to the guys in the storage shed and they said there were no more FE/FC there but I did find the original log book !  The car was enlisted in the army on 18 Jan 1960 and first issue to 103rd Company of the Royal Aust Army Service Corps on 28 Sep 1960.
The log book was amazing, it had every service, repair, adjustment, and replacement the car had during its life.

Including the replacement of the speedo - I guess the FB one was considered better ??  

Heres a sample of the log book (if it turns out)
http://img67.photobucket.com/albums/v204/nigelb42/Army%20FC%202/Log_book_sect_1.jpg
http://img67.photobucket.com/albums/v204/nigelb42/Army%20FC%202/Log_book_Sect_2.jpg
http://img67.photobucket.com/albums/v204/nigelb42/Army%20FC%202/d5ec7bd4.jpg

Plus I found a heap of photos from the 1950 - 1970 era which have some FE/FC in them.  My next task is to convince the guys to let me scan them.

Nige

[mcl1959]

Thanks heaps Nige, I have one only TAC plate and I like the kangaroo with the crossed swords and crown.
I will try and do a copy of that one and put it on the car.
I hate the sight of that great big plate screwed over the firewall, might give that one a miss and leave the firewall as stock.  Will think about it anyway!!!!!
Very late FC indeed - about mid Dec 1959
This is why it is a 215 and not a 217, the 217 was dropped in mid 1959 and thereafter all taxis and commercial cars were made from 215's
Mine is an early 59 car so it is a 217.
I love every bit of info you have found - well done.

Regards  Ken

[customFC]

Nice work Nige.
Very interesting reading and viewing.
Do some fast talking and get them pics scanned.
I will have to put that museum on my 'to see' list for the next trip down the Hume.
Regards
Alex

[graham_fuller]

Really interesting reading keep up the info and More More Pics.
Cheers,
Graham