How To: C15a Wire-3 restoration

[Jordan Baker]

Installed the tailgate today. Thankfully I left just enough room behind the rear of the truck and the rear shop wall that I can swing the tailgate open fully.

I also finished painting the wooden side boards. They received a few coats of POR15 to seal the wood, including inside the drilled holes. Then when I was screwing on the footman loops, I also applied POR to the screw threads. This should completely seal the wood around the screws.

[Jordan Baker]

Not too much to report over the past few weeks due to an overseas vacation. But the other day I started marking my engine rebuild/testing stand. Thanks to the drawings Phil Waterman put up on his site it has been an easy job of fabrication.

[Bob Carriere]

When thinking of wheels they are never too big. Unless you have the luxury of a hand troweled concrete floor small rubber tired wheels from Princess are preferable and easier on you. A somewhat wide stance when you do the wheels will also improve movement and balance.

Time to start looking for a quick disconnect old Johnson outboard tank from your favorite flea market.

If you are considering running your engine a generic sound radiator will do with a house electric fan. Removing the fan blade from the engine will greatly reduce noise and dust....and safer for knuckles......but keep the belt from the water pump.

If you install the tranny and clutch pack you can use one of Phil's old trick. Once you have established Top Dead Center for timing......open the little door on the bellhousing and mark your clutch pack with yellow pain stick..... use a bailing wire wrapped across the opening screw to screw...... so when you install the engine you can actually use the new timing mark....until you floor is installed....... I also marked my flywheel from below so I can hand turn the engine and find TDC easier.

Remember to have fun!!!!!!

[Jordan Baker]

Bob, im confused by your wheel comments? So i should get the rubber coated ones or go for larger cast steel only ones?

[Bob Carriere]

If the engine stand loaded is moved about in a garage with a rough floor or a dirt floor or even outside by the front of your garage, the larger wheels of any kind are best to overcome surface bumps..... in MHO the small 8 in to 10 inch inflated rubber tires as far superior to any type of steel or hard rubber coated caster system...... besides the small rubber tires are also available in caster format. the down side is they will require inflation maintenance.

The casters I used are fine in the attic of the barn on hard plywood floors but a real pain on dirt or the rough floor of my barn.

Cheers

[rob love]

I tried to overcome the flat tire situation by using the run-flat tires, available from princess auto etc on some shop carts I have here at the museum. The problem is that if you leave a load on them, they develop flatspots for the first while when you go to move them. But on the plus side, they are truly worth the extra $$ as opposed to dealing with the constant flats you get on the Chinese tires these days.

Another option if you have the room, is to grab a bunch of the smaller hide-a spares from your local junkyard. They are cheap, you can buy the appropriate (knock-off) hubs sealed for life for around $30, and are of good quality. They are perfect for oxy-acetylene carts as you can then go cross country, over airlines and extension cords without impediment.

[Jordan Baker]

I bought these last night at Princess Auto. They should work fine in the shop