Our LRDG Chev

[Andrew H.]

Lately we have been working on the front bumper. First we found that the correct military style bumper is straight (with two distinct bends) but the original civilian bumper is curved throughout. So we need to make a new correct LRDG bumper. However, the correct dimensions are different from standard sizes of channel steel bought over-the-counter, so we had to have a new one folded up. Then we discovered that the original dumb-irons as used on the civilian Chev make the bumper hang far too low. The bumper has to be high enough for the crank handle hole to align with the holes in the grill and radiator apron. First we made up a plywood template (see pics) to get the angle of the new dumb-irons right and the bumper to hang at the right height. Then we made new dumb-irons out of 12mm steel (work still in progress - no photo of that yet).

We also discovered that LRDG trucks used the same kind of D-shackles on their bumpers as the Blitz trucks of that era. Modern D shackles are the wrong shape so we are now looking for two original WW2 D-shackles. Can anyone in NZ help us out with this? See pic of correct D shackle attached.

[motto (RIP)]

I have some of those towing shackles Andrew. One is identical to the one in the photo and the two others very similar except the mounting plates are straight rectangles instead of having that bulged appearance.
I may have a cheap way of getting one or two to NZ.

David

[Andrew H.]

Thanks David for your generous and helpful offer, but since hearing from you I have managed to find two new WW2 D shackles of the correct type here in NZ

[Andrew H.]

Today we finished off the bumper and attached it to the truck. Next we will attach a "brush bar" of the standard army pattern to the bumper. We had to scale the dimensions off several WWII photos before we could get all the bumper measurements and angles right and also to attach it at the right height above the ground. We are now pretty sure its right. One more step on the long and winding road!

[cliff]

looking at war time photos of these vehicles your bumper is missing the holes located at each end.

[Andrew H.]

Yes, we will do that later. That's a good place for the indicator lights.

[Andrew H.]

I have a perplexing question about the studs on our 16-inch split-rims. I am referring to the studs holding the two halves of the split-rims together (not the actual wheel studs).

Some of the split-rim studs need "chasing" with a die nut. The diameter is 7/8 inch but we cannot work out what the thread is. They are not BSF as there are 12 threads per inch. They are not like anything we are familiar with. The thread is right-handed. We don't know what vehicle they originally came from, but we understand it was CMP.

So what size studs were used on CMP trucks and how much variation was there? I hope you knowledgeable guys can help with this