Australian CMP spare tyre carrier

[Ken Smith]

Thanks Robert, that one has small differences to the 3 I have, which are all slightly different to each other. I have never really studied them until now, I had always assumed the tyre carriers were built by Ford or Holden but maybe they were outsourced which allowed little differences to creep in. I haven't even started looking at the differences in toolboxes yet.

I will check and see whether I have any tyre carriers with the hinged locking tab.

On the bright side it looks like there is no right or wrong one, so long as it will take a 20" wheel.

Which brings me to another question I have wanted to ask for a while, is there an Australian parts book that shows the Australian parts for Australian bodies, cabs, modifications and accessories?

Ken

[Ken Smith]

Robert your second photo shows the retaining piece with the screw in he top has an angle bent in the downbars, whereas in the first photo the downbars seem to be straight.

If the photos are of the same carrier then it must be an optical illusion.

Ken

[Darrin Wright]

I have seen the tyre carriers for 16" tyres have a shorter locking arm and the tyre carriers for a 20" have a longer locking arm. Both pivot.

Also earlier tyre carriers have a ladder under the main frame of the assembly, later they discontinued this feature, possibly due to steel shortages or to save steel.

In day light I can take some pics of wheel carrier on my Chev if that helps. It is 1944 or 45, fitted with 20" wheels.

[Ken Smith]

Good day Darrin,

Photo would be good thanks, this is really interesting there are a lot more differences than I thought.

It is funny I have sold 2 mint tyre carrier and tool box setups over the last 30 years, thinking I would never need one, just goes to show. I don't know if they were 16" or 20" though.

The bit about the ladder is good as I saved a ladder out of one of the setups I sold, and I have never seen another ladder since.

My truck is a 1945 Canadian cab 13, with round roof hatch, when the farmer got it from the dealer in 1956 it was fitted with an Australian army drop side wooden body, the whole truck was painted deep bronze green. It had 26,000 miles on it and it now has 36,000 miles on it. The farmer can't remember a spare tyre carrier on the truck, but they put a steel tipping body on the blitz in 1958 and dumped the beautiful wooden body.
Ken

[hrpearce]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Robert your second photo shows the retaining piece with the screw in he top has an angle bent in the downbars, whereas in the first photo the downbars seem to be straight.

If the photos are of the same carrier then it must be an optical illusion.

Ken

Ken the first is 16" the second is 20" and it does have a bend and an extra angled bit welded near the hinge that locates it's down position.

[Ken Smith]

Robert, that is good, of course it looks like I will have to bend a down bar as someone has cut one side off to repair something else. I was hoping the 20" would be the straight one, somebody has cut one side off it as well but it would be easier to replicate.

Ken

[Mike Cecil]

Darrin (and Ken),

"Also earlier tyre carriers have a ladder under the main frame of the assembly, later they discontinued this feature, possibly due to steel shortages or to save steel"

Actually, it was the other way around: the 'Ladder, Tyre (Aust)' was introduced on all Aust production CMPs with 20 inch wheels and the tyre/tool box arrangement from late 1943, with the proviso that there would be no program to upgrade vehicles already in service with the new ladder. The ladder stowed under the spare tyre/tool box mount in two angle iron members welded lengthwise along the lower edge of the frame. The ladder was held in position by a locking pin on a chain.

The idea was a single man could deploy or stow the tyre without assistance, by walking it up the ladder, then use the top rung to stand on while clamping the tyre in place. Having tried lifting a 20 inch wheel assembly into the spare tyre rack on my own (I was young and silly!), I can vouch for how sensible a design change it was.

Mike

[Darrin Wright]

I have some detailed pics of the tyre carrier from my C60L, ARN 89 134, sold off on 24 Apr 1963 from 3 BOD.
I believe this tyre carrier to be original to this truck.
Unfortunately someone had taken the truck ID plates, but it is a Sydney assembled truck in late 44 or 45.
Truck now has 15000 miles original to it ( I have added approx. 1000 miles in 20 years).
No ladder on this tyre carrier.
Fitted with 20" wheels.
The locking arm has a bend in it

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Darrin Wright

I have some detailed pics of the tyre carrier from my C60L, ARN 89 134, sold off on 24 Apr 1963 from 3 BOD.
I believe this tyre carrier to be original to this truck.
Unfortunately someone had taken the truck ID plates, but it is a Sydney assembled truck in late 44 or 45.
Truck now has 15000 miles original to it ( I have added approx. 1000 miles in 20 years).
No ladder on this tyre carrier.
Fitted with 20" wheels.
The locking arm has a bend in it

Thanks Darrin,


Good photos, and helpful. That looks like a nice truck. Does it have a round roof hatch?

I wish mine had been demobbed with a steel body, the farmer wouldn't sell the truck to me unless I promised to restore it with a wooden body, like it had when his family bought it. I have already waited 30 odd years to get it.

I had even bought a perfect late GMH body to put on it.

Ken