The Wheat Lamp Charging box got the zinc plating treatment today. Buffed up to like new condition.

Hi Jordan.

All cleaned up, that looks a lot like an off the shelf, prewar, electrical Junction Box found in many homes from the 1950’s and earlier.

David

I suspect that that is exactly what it is. I’ve got some older boxes and they match the same gauge of metal used unlike the modern ones which are noticeably thinner.

Yes. Very likely thinner gauge and fewer cable feed options to keep production costs down today.

Boy...I hope this hobby never reaches the point where we are tearing down old houses to salvage vehicle parts. :blink:

David

Blast from the past - here’s the ad from back when it came on the market after having been stored for a very long time: https://sites.google.com/site/elalameineu/otter

Great find Hanno.

I removed the remaining parts of the brake booster to check them over. Hopefully the missing parts can be found or an entire unit.

A couple of names that might help in your search. The system started with a company called Bragg Kliesrath (names of the founders) and I think it was either bought by Bendix or Bendix bought rights to produce the booster system as their BK (as in Bragg Kliesrath) series. Note the part number on your cast end plate is BK22289.
One source for repair parts and service used to be Classic and Exotic but their website seems dead this morning.
If I don't add more information within a week or two, please PM or email me to remind me as I'm sure I should have or be able to find information to help. In the meantime, I'm sure there have been past threads on the CMP boosters, just need to find them....

Or is it BK322289? There is a small 3 cast in there.

I see the small 3 now. Interesting the difference in size. Either way, I'm not yet finding it in a BK parts list I have. That parts list has a lot more 5 digit part numbers than 6 digit.

Working away on the hydrovac brake components. The large leather seal is shot, thinking of replacing with a neoprene one. Lastly removed one of the hood latches. Some automatic transmission fluid and heat and the retaining screw came right out.

Every little bit accomplished is a step in the right direction, Jordan.

If somebody is still making rebuild kits for the Hydrovac system, it would not surprise me at all if they moved away from leather quite some time ago.

David

Working on the hood latches. Nice bit of detail in finding the original gloss black layer of paint under the KG#3. The bolts had weld added to the heads and these will be turned down in a lathe to match the original domed head.

Lathe and flap wheel on a angle head grinder to profile the bolt heads ? For small and short bolts a speedy way to reprofile a hex bolt head into a dome like fitting is set a hand drill to run and flap wheel sculpt the desired shape using the Mk.1 eye ball.

Interesting find with the black paint, Jordan.

I wonder if those parts enjoyed a significant commercial application on equipment of some sort pre-war, before being adopted for use with the Otter?

David

Finished off the two internal assemblies for the hood latches. Made new collars from turning down a bolt with the correct size threads. The heads for latch ends were done on the lathe. I’m glad I made four as I got carried away on the lathe and turned them down too small. However I only needed two so I’ll keep them as spares. The springs are an off the shelf item from the local hardware store. They are very close to the originals with only slightly smaller wire gauge used but have one extra coil. Now just to wait until next month when the foundry does the cast pieces for me.

Also put the heat to this door hatch assembly. The long arm was bent into a U shape due to I believe the vehicle having been rolled onto its side st some point. This also bent the smaller arm and popped out the pivot pin. After about an hour of work everything was back as to how it should be and the hatch opens and closes easily.

Got the vacuum power brake assembly back together today. Or item I am needing details on is the following

4.928 5269136 gasket, power brake cylinder.

I am not sure if it should be a rubber type O ring or more of the card stock gasket material.

Did you ever contact.....
 

the Stoney Creek rebuilder in you rebuild process....??? Stuart?????

It’s my go to for this week when I get the chance.

I had to replace the hinge pin on the Otter hood. The two ends of the pin were broken off along with a few breaks inside the hinge. Lots of heat from the touch and ATF fluid and WD40. Some gentle persuasion with a 10lbs sledge and a drift slowly made progress. After about an hours work the pin pushed out in 4 pieces. A new pin will be made from 1/4” rod.

Looks like that hinge pin was due for retirement, Jordan.

Will you need to harden the new one?

David

No need to harden anything, just use drill rod for a hinge pin, that may not have been hardened back in the day. But being realistic, regular round stock would work well I imagine.

Great mail delivery’s today. Both NOS. The steering wheel was a pleasant surprise from a find in the USA. It’s part number was for a Chevy M6 bomb truck. However it physically matches what the Otter used. The American trucks tended to use a 20” wheel but the M6 and the Canadian vehicles used an 18” wheel. Secondly was the Zenith carburetor. This was is very close to what was used on the Otter.

Today I picked up the rough castings of the hood latch components. I still need to do the cleanup and machining.

I finished the cleaning up of the castings this afternoon. I still have to do the final machining on them. I’m quite happy with how they turned up.

Turret basket removed. This is mostly complete but some of the features on it bring up some questions. The two wood runners on the bottom side and the locking hasp. There also appears to be some strap ends riveted to the front side. The stowage diagram sadly doesn’t offer up any clues.

Last two pictures. Even the locking hasp seems to have had a strap on it.

Hi Jordan.

Is it possible you are dealing with an Early/Late design change?

If you look at your Magazine Rack, there are slots for three Bren Mags forward of the seat hanger slot and four mags aft.

In the drawing from the manual, there are four mags fore and aft of the two seat hangers.

The drawing suggests an open storage bin under the front of the seat between the mag racks. Your assembly seems to have been modified with two wooden runners or guides to hold or support something. This ‘something’ appears to be more important/valuable than the items stowed in the drawing, thereby requiring a locking cover.

Interesting mystery.

David

It very well could be an early vs late design change. Unfortunately the period documentation and photos are severely lacking. With only 25ish Otters left and most of them missing the turrets and seats it’s hard to track down originality/purpose.

There is no corresponding part of the hasp on the seat tray. Also this basket was installed reversed in my Otter compared to the drawing and other Otters I’ve looked at. Mine shows no holes or markings on the floor for the Boyes magazine box trays either.

Interestingly the metal basket shows remains of white paint whereas the wood appears to be in khaki green #3.

The Overloon Museum Otter turret basket also has the signal pistol bracket.

Jordan, I'm assuming the hasp swings vertical and down so can't swing up towards the seat? If so it suggests something stowed below the pan obviously. I also think those two rivets may be for a tab spring instead of a web strap. Would the driver's glass insert fit there? The Fox stowage diagram shows greatcoats on top of the battery box (to the right of the driver) in one place, and the visor insert (with wooden blocks, although smaller) in another, so there were two versions.