On 20 September 2019, a restored 1942 Bedford QLD military truck owned by Ernest Donders from Helmond was severely damaged by fire during a Liberation Task Force convoy in Groesbeek, the Netherlands.
The truck burned down to the chassis, leaving Donders with a major restoration project. Rebuilding the vehicle required years of work and the sourcing of difficult-to-find parts. When specific English bolts and nuts were needed to refit the steel body panels, Frencken Group in Eindhoven helped connect the project with Fabory.
Restoration facts at a glance
1942
Year of the Bedford QLD military truck.
~€15,000
Estimated damage after the vehicle was destroyed by fire.
M8x15
Steel hexagon bolts supplied with washers and spring washers for the restoration.
A rare wartime vehicle
Ernest Donders is the fifth owner of the Bedford QLD. The British Army used the truck more than 80 years ago during the liberation of the Netherlands.
After the Second World War, the vehicle ended up in Denmark before later being brought back to the Netherlands by a collector.
Before the fire, the Bedford had already been fully restored. Donders estimates that only around ten of these trucks remain in the Netherlands today, with perhaps half of them still operational.
The fire that started a second restoration
During the 2019 liberation convoy, the truck suddenly caught fire. The cause remains unknown. The sleeping bag, bed and equipment in the rear of the vehicle caught fire rapidly, and the Bedford was burned down to the chassis.
Donders and his fellow passengers escaped, suffering only minor burns. The damage to the truck was estimated at around €15,000, and the vehicle was not insured for fire damage.
Years spent rebuilding and sourcing parts
Almost five years after the fire, Donders was still working on rebuilding the three-tonne Bedford.
Finding suitable replacement parts was one of the most time-consuming parts of the restoration and took several years. The rarity and age of the vehicle made sourcing the correct components especially difficult.
“This Bedford was the second-oldest fully restored one before things went so terribly wrong.”
Ernest Donders
Owner of the Bedford QLD
Finding the right fasteners for the restoration
When it came time to refit the steel body panels, Donders needed specific English bolts and nuts suitable for the restoration.
Through Frencken Group in Eindhoven, Fabory supplied steel hexagon M8x15 bolts together with washers and spring washers.
These components allowed Donders to continue work on the Bedford and move the long-running restoration project forward.
Specific fasteners for specialist projects
The Bedford QLD restoration shows how even a small fastening component can become critical when working on a rare or historic vehicle.
For restoration and engineering projects, finding the correct dimensions, materials and associated components can be just as important as sourcing the larger parts of the project.
Fabory offers a broad range of fasteners for industrial, engineering and specialist applications.
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Fasteners for specialist projects Looking for a specific fastener for a restoration or engineering project?Fabory supplies a wide range of fasteners for industrial, engineering and specialist applications. Talk to a Fabory specialist |