Looking good..... very good.
 

Following your project with interest has Grant will be doing the same full restoration to his radio box on day.

Pray tell.....what is the... lower steell roll forms have rotted away.... any close up pictures....is this the lower part of the steel frame itself that is composed of one piece of sheet metal that's been bent and folded a window frame.......

Anticipating similar problems when we get there.

I have salvaged the lower part of my cab 11 windshield frame by filing the frame rust hole cavities with epoxy and J-B weld..... it was rusted out to the appearance of soda crackers.

Bob C

Radio Box Window Channels
 

Hello Bob,

I will post some close ups later tomorrow. I need to get the exact dimensions and then I am going to contact M.P. Metal Products to see if they have some matching C-108 16 gauge roll formed window frame with miter. It would make things a whole lot easier if I can find a steel roll form that is reasonably close.

Will let you know shortly.
Regards, Richard

Radio Box
 

We will be restoring a Wire 5 radio box when the weather warms up. Like your box the window frames are well rusted and we are not sure how much of the lower frame can be salvaged.

We have been following the story of your restoration with great interest. Thank you for the information.

Edwin Wand

Radio Box Windows - Painted!
 

Hello Bob & Edwin!

So, after we looked at the window frames, we discovered that just about all of them could be salvaged. The brass closure thumb tabs cleaned up well, the metal roll forms were repaired with Bondo/JB Weld and the double pane glass were replaced. The screen frames were pooched but it is easy enough to make replacement frames and new screens. The lower steel window roll form for the door was completely rusted. I am using it as a pattern and I am having a new one fabricated by a local sheet metal shop. Door now closes properly with it's original hardware. We just had to replace the interior and exterior door handles.

Here are some pictures - before and after paint.

Good day for Painting - Radio Box!
 

Guys,

It was a good day for painting! After the new ladder was installed, ventilators cleaned, straightened, interior vents made operational, roof fan motor rebuilt, extensive patching of the exterior aluminum, Steve and Jim worked to fill rust holes in the spare tire carrier and wheel wells.

Today, I had the shop to myself so I was able to put down two coats of Olive Drab with the sprayer and well as get some paint back on the window and screen frames. This week, I hope to finish wiring the dash on the C-15A and get it out for a road test next week.

We have been 3 teaming it over the last few weeks. Jim and Steve on the Radio Box, I'm on electricals and paint.

I'll have more pictures when the windows are back in. The new owner of the truck and the box is going to be completing the interior wood work. We will finish all of the exterior for the box shortly.

Will post more pictures as soon as they are available.

Cheers, Richard

Screens and Windows Rebuilt
 

I must say, the Radio Box/Command Post is really coming along.
Steve and Jim have finished the screens and the windows. I'm in the process of finding window and screen "rubber" extrusions as the old ones have suffered severe sun damage.
Check out the thumb actuators - not bad for 71 years old!
Tomorrow and Thursday, we hope to install the wood slats on the roof and the underside hardwood spacer rails.
More pictures will be posted as soon as they are available.

Windows
 

Looks like they were manufactured yesterday Richard !

Looking good.

Robert

Exterior of C-15A Wire 5 - Roadworthy
 

Robert,

While there are many details to the inside of the Wire 5 Radio Box, there are also a great many details to the exterior of the vehicle. We are attempting to make the C-15A Wire 5 look correct for the June 1944 time period. We also have to keep in mind that we want the vehicle to be road worthy and certifiable by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation so we have had to sneak in some signal lights, brake lights and back up lights.
Here are some pictures of the project as of today. Next week, I'll be road testing the truck and then getting it certified. Box will be mounted after certification - just to keep things simple.
First five of ten pictures.
Cheers!

Wire 5 Box Exterior
 

Masts are the real deal, shovel, pic and handle are just loaners. Wood slats were installed on the roof along with a single #19 antenna base mount. Tie straps are being installed for tool restraint, window sliders are being painted. These will be re-installed with the windows and screens. Ventilators are operational with decals on the rear, kitty corner to the front decals.
Ten of Ten pics.
Jimmy and Steve have worked up a thirst getting us this far.
Cheers!

Man that is looking good!

Road Test!
 

Thanks Eric,
I can't wait for a road test. I have only had it in 2nd gear around the yard and I haven't driven a CMP on the highway yet. The only military vehicle I've driven is a carrier so I will need to be mindful until I get the hang of the particulars of this truck.
I also want to see it in the dark. We will have high/low beam lights on the front, convoy lights (front, rear and differential pod), signal lights, tail light and dash lights.
More pictures will be posted as they become available.
Regards,

Absolutely fantastic job Richard !

Wireless truck
 

Thanks David, very , very enlightening.

So as to not highjack Richard's tread i suggest moving this very interesting but specialised discussion in another place on MLU.

Richard has been doing a top notch , first class, dedicated almost loving restoration on this truck and box and i would not want to detract the attention from his project.
will leave it to an experienced moderator to help us out.

Thank-you .

:wacko:

Robert

Great idea, Robert.

I will start a new thread for this particular CMP Body and give the Moderators somewhere to sweep the detail bits. They say a busy Moderator is a happy Moderator! :)

Joining the CMP Driver's Club
 

Well Gents,
Jim and I finally got all the bits, parts and pieces together on the C-15A today! I couldn't believe how long it took to get the throttle cable properly mounted and I figured out that the best way to wire the instrument panel was to take the driver's door off. Other small details like engine timing and slight carb adjustments seemed to take most of the day. Anyways - at 3:30pm - I fired up and took off down the side road on my first drive in a CMP! Shifting didn't seem too much different than the carrier except the truck rolls a lot better however that centre gas pedal had my foot searching a couple of times! Upon return to Commercial Pallet, I had a few more things to tighten up and adjust and then we were off for a highway test. Jim and I took her down #117 to Baysville, a short johnt of about 5 km. According to the speedo, it was doing 40 to 45 mph in 4th gear, no problem! We stopped in Baysville to do a once over, front and rear brake drums, lights, tires, etc and then headed back to Commercial Pallet. Attached are some pictures of the C-15A after we got back.
Tomorrow, we are off to a Huntsville Dutch Liberation Day lunch. I won't have the Radio Box on the back, I'm going to bob tail up and back. I want to make sure everything shakes out before we put the box on the rear axle.
Cheers!

Rewards
 

Richard,

Enjoy your CMP time. You certainly earned it. Keep the pictures and updates coming.

Peter

Dutch Liberation Day Lunch and the C-15A
 

On Tuesday, May 5th, a small group of locals celebrated the 70th Anniversary of Dutch Liberation Day at the Schat Bakery in Huntsville, Ontario. The event was spontaneous in nature due to our reliance on favourable weather and vehicle availability. As it was, our jeep participate experienced a transmission issue on the ride into town and was not able to attend.
However, we were able to parade the Huntsville Legion MkII carrier down the main street, park both the carrier and the 44 C-15A on the street, have a nice little lunch and achieved our goal of maintaining the awareness of historical significance of the day.
I must say, driving the C-15A down the back roads from Baysville to Huntsville and back was quite enjoyable if not loud! The truck was very smooth to drive and I was comfortable hitting speeds of 45mph without straining the engine or developing any type of speed wobble or excessive vibration.
Attached are some pictures and a YouTube link provided by Cogeco TV.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSzggOZ8Xu0
This week - the Wire 5 Radio Box goes on!

Wire 5 Box Windows
 

As with anything over 70 years old, it takes longer than anticipated to "get 'er done" but the exterior window, window screen and interior sliding windows are now complete and installed on the Wire 5 box. Jim and Steve did a great job rebuilding rusted frames, forming new ones, freeing up mechanisms and restoring latches and sliders. The interior of the box is going to be restored by the new owner. Not shown are the 5 black out curtains and interior louvers for the roof vents. :cheers:

Wire 5 Box 95% Complete
 

Attached are some pictures of the present state of the exterior of the Wire 5 Box. I have to mount the No.19 radio antenna storage tube and the new owner is going to install the sliding step underneath. Unfortunately, the box did not come with the lower stowage racks. I am going to assume that these were removed when the box was originally mounted on the trailer to provide adequate clearance. I should be able to mount the box on the C-15A chassis this Wednesday or Thursday for a test fit. Will follow up with more pictures.
Regards,

Thanks for posting this, love to see pictures of the black out curtains. the spare tire holder is the correct one. 2 cmp seats were used in the van bolted to the floor. I have a original ws19 radio table but need plans for the slide out tray the holder in the front is for a fold up table that was supplied with the penthouse. the devil and the money is in the details.

Wire 5 Radio Box on C-15A Chassis
 

Guys, it has been a busy summer and I'm spent a good portion of September on the Wire 5 project. We had problems with the HEI coil and electronic ignition/distributor system on the 250 engine. I pulled it out and replaced it with a more traditional mechanical points, distributor and coil. Next, we couldn't figure out why I kept loosing acceleration, especially under load. We discovered a major vacuum leak in the carbutor so I pulled that out too and replaced it. Now the engine runs tickety-boo. Smooth idle, no smoke and much more simple plumbing - just the one vacuum line to the vacuum advance.
With the chassis running properly, it was time to lift out the Radio Box this morning and get it on the frame!

1944 C-15A Wire-5 Attached!
 

So, the C-15A originally was retrieved from the Minett area, the Wire 5 Radio Box was retrieved from a junk yard in Emsdale. I'm not sure if these two components were ever together but if they were, it would have been 70 years ago! Even if they weren't together, the Wire 5 Radio Box fit onto the C-15A chassis like a glove. Once it was U-bolted in place, I took the unit out for a spin! Does it ever ride NICE! 35 mph, 4th gear, 1/2 throttle - lights on, windows and vents open. After over 2 years of work, it sure is FANTASTIC :thup2:to go out for a drive! Many thanks to Jim, Steve and Scott for their help with this project! :cheers:

Rich,

Congrats on the restoration - sure looks great! :thup2:

Hanno

Wire-5 restoration
 

Great achievment Richard !

Congratulations for a job well done.

Cheers.


Robert

C-15A Wire 5 Shipped!
 

Thank you for the congrats! It was feelings of relief and some sadness that I experienced as I drove the C-15A Wire 5 onto the flatbed for it's journey to it's new owner. I'm glad to say that it is now in very good hands and that I look forward to seeing pictures of the restored interior, complete with radio gear. Here are some pictures of the tie down and departure. Now, on to the next project……..MK-1* or MK-II*?????

Next
 

Richard,

It was a great motivator reading your updates on the F15A wireless truck. I hope that you do write a thread on your next project.

Peter

Restoring the interior of the box of the Wire 5 project
 

Friends,

Thanks to Richard's excellent work , the truck is running and functional.

I am taking over the restoration of the box. I have removed the interior wood paneling thus exposing the bare aircraft aluminium.

I have cleaned everything up ready for a layer of aviation zinc chromate primer.

That will be in my next report.

Stay tuned and thanks again to Richard for the excellent work.

Robert

Wire 5 Interior
 

Looking good Robert! Can't wait to see the interior pictures once you have finished the interior wood paneling! Cheers and good luck.

Bonne chance mon colonel.
Gilles

Wire 5 restoration Zinc Chromate treatment
 

Merci Gilles.

As advertised , here is the result of the zinc chromate treatment on the inside of the box .

Before spraying i carefully removed the oxydation on the aluminium parts with a non-metalic scouring pad. The steel i cleaned up wire a steel wire brush.

Next step will be the woodwork when my friend and helper Daniel comes back from.. Florida ( lucky SOB ) in about a week or so .

In the meantime we are going to have a public showing on Armistice Day ( Nov 11 th) in the streets of the local community.

We ( at the local Legion ) are organising a small parade. First in order of march will be a 1944 Jeep , then a 1944 UC No2 Mk 2 and closing the march the 1944 Wire 5 truck. A police escort will open the cheering crowds and push away the screeming women and prevent them from tearing off our clothes ..we wil be buried in flowers just like in Holland 70 years ago ( we wish ) ..

Cheers and don't forget to attend the ceremony at 11 O' Clock or observe 1 minute of silence in memory of our fallen.

Keep tuned , same time , same channel.