Dicky’s Disastrous Debris - pickup progress 4/5/26

[Surface Rust]

Great work, can't say I've had to deal with woodworm in any of my heaps thankfully!

[mk2_craig]

1 hour ago, Angrydicky said:

Floor in and finished with dark wood stain, trying to make it look like it wasn’t all new in 2026. I think it looks pretty good if I do say so myself. I’m waiting for some period-correct brass countersunk, flat head wood screws to arrive then I’ll fit the restored ironwork (the steel strips that run lengthways down the bed).

Fuel filler neck was rotten, two holes in it and a bit thin in places, I brushed on a coat of POR-15 fuel tank sealer over a couple of little tin patches, then once dry a coat of black enamel. Rubber hoses replaced as a matter of course. The originals were in very poor condition.

I bought some rough sawn planks from a local reclaimed wood place, they needed a fair bit of sanding but have come out ok, nice bit of patina on them as well. 

 Metal rubbing strips having had a coat of zinc primer.

 

Brilliant to see these updates Dicky. Exceptional work. Thanks for sharing.

Would the Briggs bodywork have involved much graft to fit? 

[Angrydicky]

8 hours ago, mk2_craig said:

Brilliant to see these updates Dicky. Exceptional work. Thanks for sharing.

Would the Briggs bodywork have involved much graft to fit? 

Thanks. I’m quite pleased with it!

It probably would have been less work but it still would have needed a good few days spent on it.

The Briggs body (the usual one fitted to Hampshire pickups) has a steel frame with aluminium sides. All the steelwork was rotten on the flat packed one John had.

Incidentally this has now been purchased by a club member in Northern Ireland, who intends to fit it to an Aus import pickup which is fairly solid but its body tub was missing.

To be honest, I’ve been enjoying the woodwork. Makes a nice change from seemingly endless welding.

[captain_70s]

Nice work on this. Nice to see so much good work go into it while still looking like an honest survivor

Luckily the only carpentry work required on my fleet is the 145's sunroof frame, which I'm choosing to pretend doesn't exist...

[High Jetter]

Proper job, that.

[Angrydicky]

I know I'm a bit of a 'patina king' but after a good deal of soul searching I have decided that eventually the truck will have to go back to the original livery and that includes a respray in blue.

Why? The signwriting was clearly a work of art but is in such poor condition, even the better parts are not very readable. It's too nice not to recreate. The blue paint is Fordson Tractor blue, reflecting Ernest Doe's status as a Fordson main dealer at the time. 

I can only find period pictures of two Ernest Doe vehicles online. None appear to have made it into preservation. 

Ernest Doe themselves have expressed interest in buying the vehicle for their heritage collection in the future.

The green paint was applied after it was sold off from Does, maybe early 60s so has been on a long time and had I not found the signwriting I would have happily kept it scruffy - in fact I even started making a ladder rack from a bit of scrap for that classic 'builders truck' look before discovering the signwriting.

Tractors and anything associated with them have a big following, so I think it would get a lot of interest at shows etc.

Discuss!

 

[Matty]

13 minutes ago, Angrydicky said:

I know I'm a bit of a 'patina king' but after a good deal of soul searching I have decided that eventually the truck will have to go back to the original livery and that includes a respray in blue.

Why? The signwriting was clearly a work of art but is in such poor condition, even the better parts are not very readable. It's too nice not to recreate. The blue paint is Fordson Tractor blue, reflecting Ernest Doe's status as a Fordson main dealer at the time. 

I can only find period pictures of two Ernest Doe vehicles online. None appear to have made it into preservation. 

Ernest Doe themselves have expressed interest in buying the vehicle for their heritage collection in the future.

The green paint was applied after it was sold off from Does, maybe early 60s so has been on a long time and had I not found the signwriting I would have happily kept it scruffy - in fact I even started making a ladder rack from a bit of scrap for that classic 'builders truck' look before discovering the signwriting.

Tractors and anything associated with them have a big following, so I think it would get a lot of interest at shows etc.

Discuss!

 

Its yours at the end of the day. Truly up to you. Itd be nice shiny but also nice on its working clothes so to speak. You can only do what suits you.

[Dyslexic Viking]

I will vote to bring it back to original with original livery with signwriting as when it was with Ernest Doe.

For me, the history of these old cars is one of the great things about them and must be preserved in my view.

[Tickman]

I hope bringing it back to how it was will reflect it was a working truck and well used.

[captain_70s]

My sole concern about a respray is that fresh paint on shabby panels usually looks a bit naff. So you'd really have to sort all the dents, etc.

Then all the battered, worn trim looks odd juxtaposed with a clean shell, so you're into rechroming territory.

If the long term goal is a full restoration that's not an issue, obviously!

Commercials are a funny thing, as I think it is easy to end up with something that looks like a half hearted replica, rather than a proper restoration or preserved survivor.

[Lord Sterling]

On 14/03/2026 at 21:09, Angrydicky said:

I think this one now resides in Birmingham just off the M6 when I was with @Imhotep. I recognise the number plate and colour/condition of the car.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

4 hours ago, captain_70s said:

My sole concern about a respray is that fresh paint on shabby panels usually looks a bit naff. So you'd really have to sort all the dents, etc.

Then all the battered, worn trim looks odd juxtaposed with a clean shell, so you're into rechroming territory.

If the long term goal is a full restoration that's not an issue, obviously!

Commercials are a funny thing, as I think it is easy to end up with something that looks like a half hearted replica, rather than a proper restoration or preserved survivor.

Nail, head. I remember seeing various mk3 and 4 Escrot vans back in the day, when it was de rigeur to lower them, weld on a bonnet extension and then change the colour to something not-very-commercial. Loads of them looked tidy from a distance, but rough as rats up close with loads of dings under the shiny paintwork. 

Unless full resto is on the cards, maybe home respray over the panels you've flatted off, and then reinstate the signwriting over it.  

How bad is the rest of the paint and do you see yourself sacking it off, long-term? 

Great work so far, regardless. I love the way it continues to come back to life a little more with each update. 

[Dyslexic Viking]

3 hours ago, captain_70s said:

My sole concern about a respray is that fresh paint on shabby panels usually looks a bit naff. So you'd really have to sort all the dents, etc.

Then all the battered, worn trim looks odd juxtaposed with a clean shell, so you're into rechroming territory.

If the long term goal is a full restoration that's not an issue, obviously!

Commercials are a funny thing, as I think it is easy to end up with something that looks like a half hearted replica, rather than a proper restoration or preserved survivor.

That's a good point.

And makes me wonder if it's possible to paint it so that it looks a little used.

Another thing I thought about was if this was painted in Fordson blue back in the day, the new paint they are applying today is almost too glossy I think and unsure if the tractors were really like this new and unsure if this would fit the pickup. Someone maybe make a ai pic of it in this color?

[Joey spud]

It's a tough call you need to make as said already a shining fresh plastic looking paint finish would look out of sorts against old but honest trim.

If everything is then renewed to match the fresh paint then the truck looses its charm and originality. It's only original once.

I don't know what the process is called but you now see vehicles painted in a sort of satin/eggshell finish that is obviously not original is far more forgiving to imperfect panels and surrounding trim.

Would the truck have been supplied new just in primer as an option and the first owner then painted it in their preferred colour possibly by hand even ?

I'm sure you'll make the right decision.

[junkyarddog]

Sell it to Doe's and let them worry about the resto.

[Angrydicky]

I suppose the problem is it’s not very original! It was originally supplied new in fawn (with black wings) to a farmer near Colchester. I don’t know how long he had it but presumably not very long. Ernest Doe then bought it, repainted the fawn parts blue and had it blue with black wings.

Then once they sold it, the paint was flatted back and resprayed the current dark green.

The signwriting is interesting, but a lot of it is almost totally unreadable, especially the bits on the cab.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Looking at it again, the shade of green looks just right. I don't think I'd colour change it. If you're talking full respray, the chrome is definitely going to need some love. Personally, I reckon the survivor look suits the old girl down to a T. 

[Asimo]

2 hours ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

if this was painted in Fordson blue back in the day, the new paint they are applying today is almost too glossy I think and unsure if the tractors were really like this new

That looks more like the later Ford tractor blue, I recall Fordsons as being a different kind of blue. Certainly never saw a shiny one. Neither of the Fordson Majors  that I drove were anywhere near new mind!

[Angrydicky]

3 hours ago, junkyarddog said:

Sell it to Doe's and let them worry about the resto.

No.

[Shite Ron]

I like the idea of it going back to its original working livery. I also think the blue is a nicer colour than that shade of green. In blue it would look good alongside your Hampshire. Sorry if I have missed a bit but do you still have the Royale? This is a great thread and you are doing great work on this and your other cars.

[Angrydicky]

2 hours ago, Shite Ron said:

I like the idea of it going back to its original working livery. I also think the blue is a nicer colour than that shade of green. In blue it would look good alongside your Hampshire. Sorry if I have missed a bit but do you still have the Royale? This is a great thread and you are doing great work on this and your other cars.

I do, but I've completely lost interest in it. Have sunk far too much money into it, had it running, then it broke down and hasn't run since. That was about eight years ago and it's been dry stored since. Needs the engine, wiring and fuel system all going through plus a bit of welding. Want to buy it? I'd love the space to put some owld shite in.

[wuvvum]

3 hours ago, Asimo said:

That looks more like the later Ford tractor blue, I recall Fordsons as being a different kind of blue. Certainly never saw a shiny one. Neither of the Fordson Majors  that I drove were anywhere near new mind!

Presumably the correct blue is the blue that can be seen on the back of the cab in the photos with the bed removed on the previous page?  I assume it survived in the places that the green respray didn't reach.

[Shite Ron]

36 minutes ago, Angrydicky said:

Want to buy it?

I do but space is also a huge problem for me, it would be great as a comparison to my mk2 Granada and SD1 but I prefer the idea of someone else owning it who has more time and space than me as I have enough seventies executive saloons. Assuming you can ever have enough as I do struggle with this theory.

I liked the last post for the fact you replied and still have it not the fact it has cost too much money and broken down.

[Angrydicky]

6 hours ago, Dick Cheeseburger said:

Looking at it again, the shade of green looks just right. I don't think I'd colour change it. If you're talking full respray, the chrome is definitely going to need some love. Personally, I reckon the survivor look suits the old girl down to a T. 

I like it too. I was thinking about putting some fictional signwriting for myself on there, then I found the Doe signwriting which changed everything.

I think I’ve made up my mind. A sympathetic restoration back to Doe’s colours and livery. Resprayed in cellulose so it doesn’t look ridiculously shiny. Interior left as it is. 

[Angrydicky]

4 minutes ago, Shite Ron said:

I do but space is also a huge problem for me, it would be great as a comparison to my mk2 Granada and SD1 but I prefer the idea of someone else owning it who has more time and space than me as I have enough seventies executive saloons. Assuming you can ever have enough as I do struggle with this theory.

I liked the last post for the fact you replied and still have it not the fact it has cost too much money and broken down.

I’ll probably stick a for sale post up on here as soon as I’ve found the V5 for it, it needs to go and there’s a large quantity of spares to go with it as well. Probably an easy project to the right person. It won’t be expensive.

[Angrydicky]

15 hours ago, Dick Cheeseburger said:

Looking at it again, the shade of green looks just right. I don't think I'd colour change it. If you're talking full respray, the chrome is definitely going to need some love. Personally, I reckon the survivor look suits the old girl down to a T. 

Chromework isn’t too much of a problem as there’s very little of it on the pickup. The one thing that does need doing more than anything else is the front bumper (rear bumper is painted steel) .

The bumper is actually in three sections and bolted together. Which makes it much easier to get rechromed.

There is some damage to this where it’s had a bump at some point, not sure if it’s the bumper itself or the irons that are bent. Common problem.

[ruffgeezer]

I wonder if you could get Fordson blue in brushable paint, that might give it the slightly dull but deep look - I work next door to a tractor collector (He also owns the cafe at Langrick) so I can ask him if he's got any or knows somewhere that might have?  Crawfords might be worth a try?

[Nick57]

These people are very helpful. Got some paint for my Riley from them.

ww.craftmasterpaints.co.uk