Had the XF4 picked up this morning. Very wet day here in Perth.
Once D2 was under cover at it's new home, I began the process of giving it a quick 'once over' to clean out leaf debris/dirt and explore this trucks unique features.
First off the rank was the cab. The XF4s have tilt forward cabs for easy access to engine bay and hydraulics. The cab can be tilted with one hand. It is wonderfully well balanced, light and smooth in operation.
The cab interior is simple yet well thought out. The central control panel that hosts the gear stick, winch and driveshaft operation controls remain in it's original position when cab is tilted. This ensures the hydraulic lines remain undisturbed. Virtually all controls on the XF4 are hydraulically operated. As can be seen from the photo above, there is a plethora of hydraulic tubes servicing 'everything'
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At first glance, both cab seats appeared to be replacements. A closer look revealed the seats to be the originals. They are quite basic in their design and comfort. Hard to imagine sitting in them for long stints behind the wheel.
Both windscreen panels open a full 90 degrees.
Once the cab had been explored, the rear tray was next. I stripped out the removable central floor panels and cleaned out the under section of parts and dirt.
I also reinstalled the right side fuel tank and battery box.
Close inspection reveals that this truck is in remarkable condition. The all aluminium body is in almost perfect condition. The chassis is undamaged and rust free.
The only problem I see is the installation of the Ford V8 by a past owner. To accommodate this install, the motor, gearbox and transfer case have been re-positioned slightly rearwards from original. Fortunately, this has been sympathetically done and no damage to chassis has occurred. Should be quite easy to re-install IH V8 in correct position.
I now look forward to researching this vehicle before any further work is undertaken. There are a number of brackets and fittings that have to be identified and how they were utilised. Not the sort of vehicle one can simply go down the road and have a look at someone elses
.
