Its infectious

[Ganmain Tony]

Wow!

Thanks fellahs for the help - Greame thanks for the picture - I did ring that bloke in Queensland you put me onto in the Kit for W1 Carb thread & he did get back to me. So Ive got that sorted.

The tyres........turns out there's a mob in Melbourne (Antique Tyres) who do get the 18's in a chevron pattern but they are about $700 Australian each.

Still, I suppose you'd only have to buy them once.

[mafiamike]

1100x18 tires available in the states for 321 dollars us but i think the freight would kill you

[Ganmain Tony]

Ok

Brother! Have had steeeep learning curve with this truck but I have loved every minute of it.

So what have we done since last time? Rebuilt the Carter Carbie thanks Greame for your help with this. Put some new points in the Dizzy (From Repco at $14).

Got a set of Leads and 6 V coil and Battery. Put some fresh oil in her, overhauled the feul pump and tried to start her. Horrible backfiring!!

Checked everything.... Yep! all OK. Put No1 piston at TDC and took off dizzy cap......timing 180 degrees out. Pulled out distributer and refitted.

VVROOOOOOM!!!! All RIGHT!!!!

[Ganmain Tony]

After setback with discovery of different stub axles. We had some luck thanks to Richard Coutts Smith discovering a NOS Chev truck Civilian axle down at Stawell Vic. Rich very kindly sent me the fellahs contact details and we did some business.

Got that axle back to the farm at Quandialla. Pulled her apart for an inspection


All I could say was...... wow

[Keith Webb]

Nice work GT! You'll become a lover of GM products by osmosis I think. At least you'll be bi.

Originally Posted by Ganmain Tony

Ok

Brother! Have had steeeep learning curve with this truck but I have loved every minute of it.

So what have we done since last time? Rebuilt the Carter Carbie thanks Greame for your help with this. Put some new points in the Dizzy (From Repco at $14).

Got a set of Leads and 6 V coil and Battery. Put some fresh oil in her overhauled the feul pump and tried to start her. Horrible backfiring!!

Checked everything.... Yep! all OK. Put No1 piston at TDC and took off dizzy cap......timing 180 degrees out. Pulled out distributer and refitted.

VVROOOOOOM!!!! All RIGHT!!!!

[Ganmain Tony]

Keeping in mind this axle sat out in the weather for a lot of years. (Meaning more than 20) Check out these wheel cylinders. The seals were what blew me away. Not to mention the polished sheen still in the cylinder walls themselves.

Brake linings are like new the drums are little scored from water but cleaned up surprisingly well.

The wheel bearings and seals still look brand new.

[Ganmain Tony]

Putting the civvy axle next to the 18inch military one that is the original for this truck it is easy to see the military versions were much better built. Everything on the 18inch wheel axle is twice the size (including the axle itself) and must have been much stronger.

It seems a shame to put a civvy axle in it but with the prohibitive cost of 18 inch tyres - we have no choice. Not to mention the bloody Cocky that previously owned this has pulled the brake shoes and wheel cylinders out at some stage.

I thought I'd be able to use the 18's axle steering link rod.... BUZZZZ!!!! Nice try contestant but I'm afraid that's the WRONG ANSWER!!

Bloody hell! Now weve got to go and find one.

[lynx42]

I see that Clevo hasn't been converted to GM products as yet.

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Ganmain Tony

Wow!

Thanks fellahs for the help - Greame thanks for the picture - I did ring that bloke in Queensland you put me onto in the Kit for W1 Carb thread & he did get back to me. So Ive got that sorted.

The tyres........turns out there's a mob in Melbourne (Antique Tyres) who do get the 18's in a chevron pattern but they are about $700 Australian each.

Still, I suppose you'd only have to buy them once.

The chevy motors run very well with a Holden Stromberg carby fitted .. just a thought as a fill in carby while you battle with the horrible W-1. The Stromberg is so much easier to tune .

I've been told the most suitable Stromberg for a 216 is the grey motor type with the smaller venturi -- why I dont know as the grey motor was 138 ci I think . But you have to fit the adjustable main jet and turn the adjuster to suit the 216 ci . MIKE

[Ganmain Tony]

Stromy is definitely a better carbie Mike.

But the W1 wasnt a struggle. In fact it runs really, really well. I have been in consultation with an Chev guru and retired mechanic by the name of Bob Frank who is at Yass. All the Yass boys on here know him.

He's shown me a few things plus he said the W1 is one of the most economical Carbies around. True they are more complicated than the others but I enjoyed learning about it and having the patience to completely overhaul it has left me well rewarded.

[hrpearce]

Originally Posted by Ganmain Tony

timing 180 degrees out. Pulled out distributer and refitted.

VVROOOOOOM!!!! All RIGHT!!!!

180 degrees out, move all leads 3 places around cap

[motto]

There's no doubt about what sort of dog Clevo is. He's obviously a rot wheeler.

[motto]

Going back over the thread, I see that a photo of my truck appears on post three with some conjecture as to the owner.
L/L Chev registration number FN575 was mine for over 30 years. We travelled tens of thousands of miles together and among other tasks she hauled untold tons of vintage tin. We were in numerous TV and film productions starting with "The Sullivans" and she is one of the very few vehicles that has taken part in all three of the 'Back to the Track' runs through Central Australia. The last trip we did together was from Istanbul to Normandy with the ANZAC European Tour last year.When that was over we took her to England and attended some military vehicle events culminating in a week at the War and Peace Show in Kent. After that we turned the truck over to her new owner and a week later flew home.
Yes, I miss having her parked out in the shed. It couldn't be otherwise with a vehicle that had been a part of my life for so long and after all the adventures we had together.
David

[Ganmain Tony]

Originally Posted by motto

Going back over the thread, I see that a photo of my truck appears on post three with some conjecture as to the owner.
L/L Chev registration number FN575 was mine for over 30 years. We travelled tens of thousands of miles together and among other tasks she hauled untold tons of vintage tin. We were in numerous TV and film productions starting with "The Sullivans" and she is one of the very few vehicles that has taken part in all three of the 'Back to the Track' runs through Central Australia. The last trip we did together was from Istanbul to Normandy with the ANZAC European Tour last year.When that was over we took her to England and attended some military vehicle events culminating in a week at the War and Peace Show in Kent. After that we turned the truck over to her new owner and a week later flew home.
Yes, I miss having her parked out in the shed. It couldn't be otherwise with a vehicle that had been a part of my life for so long and after all the adventures we had together.
David

You cant tease us like that David without some pictures.....

[motto]

I will try and get some pictures up Tony but I really do struggle with this IT stuff and at times wish I had a very large catapult outside the back door that I could happily use to hurl this infuriating device down the paddock and out of sight. I can't even find where you shovel the coal into it!!
To make matters worse my photo collection is in total dis-array and as we are in the throes of serious renovations on the house (which by the way I should be working on) they are mostly in amongst a huge pile of boxes and stripey bags in the garage.
In the meantime. There was a documentary produced on the ANZAC Tour titled 'Driving to D-Day', that went to air in Australia and I think NZ on the History Channel on the 6th of June last. There is a web site to do with this doco and in the photo file is a picture of my truck taken in Mulhouse France. Mulhouse is well known as the home of the French national car museum which includes the Schlumff collection and also of the national railway museum, neither of which rates a mention but are world class displays.
I and my Chev are well known to some of the regular forum contributors and when the Chev went unrecognised as happened in a previous thread where it was pictured in Alice Springs I was somewhat puzzled. In that thread the cab was mis-identified by someone as being a Holden built one when it is in fact American. The mistake was understandable because of a reflection that made it look like it had quarter vent windows. At that time I didn't know how to post, only look, so couldn't correct but I thought that someone who knew the truck would have at least identified the owner.
The only way I know how to put information in a post is to type it so will close this and find the 'Driving to D-Day' website and put it in another post.
David

[motto]

Here 'tis.
www.drivingtod-day.com.au

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by motto

I will try and get some pictures up Tony but I really do struggle with this IT stuff and at times wish I had a very large catapult outside the back door that I could happily use to hurl this infuriating device down the paddock and out of sight. I can't even find where you shovel the coal into it!!

Hi Dave,

To help you out, here are a couple of photos of your Chev, one on the MVT campsite in Normandy and the other taken outside my workshop in England.
I have seen your Chev at Corowa several times, as well as on the Alice to Darwin convoy and again on the Ghan Track, and to see it in Normandy and then turn up outside my home, was quite something.......my neighbour was impressed!

regards, Richard

[motto]

Test photo. Brass band on board ANZAC Day 2008. Photo taken at intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets, Melbourne, April 25th 2008 whilst waiting to move off. My 90 year old father Ray, a WW2 veteran, in the passenger seat.
David

[Keith Webb]

Nice image David.
What did your dad do during the war?

Originally Posted by motto

Test photo. Brass band on board ANZAC Day 2008. Photo taken at intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets, Melbourne, April 25th 2008 whilst waiting to move off. My 90 year old father Ray, a WW2 veteran, in the passenger seat.
David

[motto]

Thanks Keith, Dad was with 7th Battalion Signals as a Don R. They were rushed up to the Northern Territory after the Japs bombed Darwin but Dad had too close a look at the back of a 1/2 Ton Dodge command car that overtook him on a dirt road then stopped on the road in the cloud of dust it was throwing up. He still suffers from his injuries to this day.
His memory is still sharp. He clearly recalls travelling south on a stripped out B25 Mitchell that the Americans were using on the milk run, he lost his breakfast on the flight.
When he sufficiently recovered from his injuries he was manpowered into essential work and was a welder helping to build those 6'x6'x6' pontoons with checker plate on one side that were used among other things to build floating jetties. The place also built unpowered steel hulled watercraft called 'lighters'.
Dad's name is on a memorial to those who served in the forces that is in a park just outside his back fence where he lives in Mildura. He still sees his few remaining service friends at the RSL regularly and attends the ANZAC Day ceremonies each year. This year he attended even though he had spent a sleepless night in hospital under observation due to a bad fall the day before, he's 91. I really don't think they make them like that any more.
David

[Ganmain Tony]

Thanks for sharing this David about your father. Sounds like a tough fellah!

I see your computer skills are on a steep but successful learning curve. These are great photos, I really enjoyed having a look at them. Thanks also Richard for your couple of snaps as well.

Plugging away with the master cylinder out of the old Chev. The compensating port was clogged full of crap. Got it cleaned up however.

Seeing the pictures of the completed trucks gives me a lift. Did yours originally come with the 18inch wheels David? If so, love to hear your experiences switching it over to the 20's.

[motto]

Yes Tony, I've taken some baby steps in the right direction with mouse and keyboard but Maggie and I should have had a family so as there were some grand children around to help me along.
My truck always had 20" wheels and I have not seen many that don't. The first time I saw a L/L Chev with 18" wheels I was very surprised as I had only ever seen them on 20's and I had seen quite a few by that time. The TM's for the trucks that I have only show 20's and one of them has a strip of paper across the cover that is printed in red ink and says among other things.
SPECIAL NOTICE. The 160" wheelbase CHEVROLET TRUCKS imported by the Commonwealth Government for essential civilian users are equiped with:- HEAVY 10" x 5/16" FRAME REINFORCEMENTS, AUXILIARY SPRINGS, 7" WHEELS, 7-7.50 x 20 TYRES AND HAVE AN ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT OF 14,300 lbs.
It goes on to give tare weights for Chassis and cab and trucks with platform,dropside or stakeside bodies.
Don't be taken in by these trucks only having five studs for the front wheels, There is a plate under the wheel nuts that obscures five of the holes in the wheel.
This leads me on to another mystery. The 30 cwt version of these trucks with the 9' tray used a heavier front axle and I mean heavier in every way including king pins and wheel bearings. Bearings are barrel rollers instead of the bicycle type cup and cones on the larger/heavier truck. It appears to be the same axle as under the 4x2 Blitz but narrower in the track.Figure that one out.
There used to be a fellow that drove a L/L Chev around Melbourne up untill about fifteen years ago collecting waste paper. Earlier in his career he had worked for Regent Motors the GM Holden agents and he told me that when the had both light and heavy trucks in the workshop they would swap the front axles over and not tell the owners. Hard to believe but that's what he told me and he was quite matter of fact about it.
There's an awful lot we don't know about these trucks.
You may have noticed Tony that I started a thread so as not to hijack yours. Keep up the good work.
David

[Ganmain Tony]

Didnt mind you Hijacking the thread David as it lead onto some interesting discussion.

Which I'd like to continue.

Interesting point you raised about the heavier front axle. Because thats what this truck had (until we replaced it ). The original axle as you said was heavier in every way. The actual size of the "I" beam is bigger, kingpins and it also has barrel bearings. The lighter axle now in the truck has a narrower track and the round bearings. We replaced the axle bacause I couldnt get the 20" rims to fit over the brake drums, which are also different in that the adjustments for the shoes are on the outside (similar to the Blitz stuff if not exactly the same).

By the way enjoying the new thread youve started as well.

[Lionelgee]

Originally Posted by gjamo

I reckon this would go close.
Ebay # 290396015493

Hello Tony and Fellows,

I was looking at parts for my REO Speed Wagon and found that it was fitted with a Carter Carburettor. After a bit of searching I found a site with scans of Carter Carburettors manuals that were used in Chevrolets which goes into quite some detail about the Carburettors including setting up and maintenance.

Carter Carburettors Home Page http://old-carburetors.com/Chevy.htm

All the makes of vehicles fitted with Carter Carburettors 1930’s to 1946-47 are found at http://old-carburetors.com .

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Ganmain Tony]

Thanks Lionel

Very very handy information.

[Lionelgee]

Originally Posted by Ganmain Tony

Thanks Lionel

Very very handy information.

No worries Tony - glad to help!

[Ganmain Tony]

This leads me on to another mystery. The 30 cwt version of these trucks with the 9' tray used a heavier front axle and I mean heavier in every way including king pins and wheel bearings. Bearings are barrel rollers instead of the bicycle type cup and cones on the larger/heavier truck. It appears to be the same axle as under the 4x2 Blitz but narrower in the track.Figure that one out.

Righto David and others. I need some of the vastly knowledgable Chevy fellahs to help me with this.

Here is a picture of the axle that was originally under this MCP Chev. It is set up for the 18 inch military wheels and as David has mentioned above, has all the things he has described.

The brake set up as you can see is a more military set up with the shoe adjustments on the outside of the drum. Different to the set up of the civilian Chevy brakes.

The Slave Cylinders are Wagner Lockheed. Part no's Front FD613 (1 3/8") Rear 5300892 (1 1/2") Anyone familiar with these??

The shoes have no identification other than a part no 3822 R44, and a date on each shoe 5-2-41. The date would seem to provide strong evidence to confirm this was the orginal set up from the factory. One very wise brake guy told me Dodges of the era used the same set up.

Apart from the obvious reasons for posting to expand mine & hopefully others knowledge. I need one pair of these shoes. THE BLOODY COCKY who owned this years ago has removed one set of shoes from one side.

Can anyone shed light on where I might get a set??? Or does someone have some they might sell??

Im getting very desperate as not having these will stuff the whole project.

Calling on the MLU community to come through once again.

[matilda IIA]

Hi tony

Send me your Number, I will be home in a few weeks and may be able to assist.

Kind regards
Matt

[Ganmain Tony]

Originally Posted by matilda IIA

Hi tony

Send me your Number, I will be home in a few weeks and may be able to assist.

Kind regards
Matt

PM sent to you Matt - with my details and thanks.

[Ganmain Tony]

The search for brake shoes continues.....

After talking to the keepers of the Chevrolet Flame down at Corowa this year. It seems the common phrasing for these brake shoes in Chevy land is 'Cast Shoes' they are also out of what is known as a 'Timken Axle'.

A further piece to the puzzle was found at Max's at Yass in a Manual.

In the second picture it reveals that only the 1 1/2 ton trucks (or 30 CWT) had this heavy duty axle. Seems to confirm what we thought - that the truck is indeed a 30cwt truck.

The thrid picture decisively shows what these front brake shoes look like. Certainly not conventional Chev, but exactly what is on the front of this truck.
The long and short of it is Im stoked to have found out it is all authentic Chev in the rarer body wieght.....but we are still no closer to finding a pair of brake shoes for it.

Has anyone got any ???? Please??