Roofless CMPs

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Restored C8AX in New Zealand.

It looks well made but I reckon the soft top cab isn’t original?

Well known vehicle in the South, I'm certain it has featured in a couple of international publications.

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...102#post127102

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Thanks for that link, Tony.

Chris, if you ever come across those directions for a field mod that was constructed of a pipe, please let us know. Apart from the practicalities of a soft top cab, they have a certain charm, too.

[David Dunlop]

Hanno.

Are there not also a pair of factory built Ford 30-cwt Gun Platforms that lacked cab roofs and perhaps even windshields? Quad 20mm and 40mm perhaps?

I often wondered how the gun crews coped with those two vehicles in the rainy seasons and winters.

David

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Hi David,

Yes you are right, the F60B with 40-mm Bofors has the Cab no. 43, which was widened and has a soft top (left).

There is also the Lorry, 3-ton, Anti-Tank Portee which has a Cab No. 13 with soft top (right).

These vehicles were built in an era when many ships ships still had an open bridge - hardy men they were....

AKL046336.jpg scannen0001.jpg
Source: https://nimh-beeldbank.defensie.nl/f...f-cd331fcafb9c

[Ed Landstrom]

My CMP is a Seagrave fire truck with an open cab. Not too surprising, since most old fire trucks had open cabs, even in the Canadian climate. It was used at Camp Borden to extinguish grass fires on shooting ranges. Apparently, there was a problem of tracers setting fire to the grass. I don't know its earlier history, so I can't say whether it was shipped to Seagraves in a chassis-cowl configuration for completion, or whether it had a previous life with some other type of body before being converted.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Ed Landstrom

My CMP is a Seagrave fire truck with an open cab. Not too surprising, since most old fire trucks had open cabs, even in the Canadian climate. It was used at Camp Borden to extinguish grass fires on shooting ranges. Apparently, there was a problem of tracers setting fire to the grass. I don't know its earlier history, so I can't say whether it was shipped to Seagraves in a chassis-cowl configuration for completion, or whether it had a previous life with some other type of body before being converted.

Hi Ed,

I recall Brian Gough showing me a picture of a very attractive CMP fire truck, who knows it may have been yours.

It looked a like this one in New Zealand (ref. http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=16783) - definitely an attractive type of roofless CMP.

c8-c60_13_15982.jpg c8-c60_13_15983.jpg

[Phil Waterman]

Hi

Just wanted to add a comment about driving CMPs without the roof, it is significantly quieter, the noise of the engine an transmission goes by your ears only once instead of bouncing around inside the cab. I've driven both my Pattern 12 and 13 extensively without the steel cap top. In fact I have never permanently installed the roof on my Pat 12.

Did try and make a soft top for the Pat 13, but found the problem to be getting the fabric tight enough to drive more 30-35 MPH. Also never tried driving it in the rain.

Cheers Phil