Its infectious

motto · #1 13-06-10, 07:24

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 · #2 13-06-10, 08:40

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 · #3 13-06-10, 10:19

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 · #4 13-06-10, 10:57

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.

Ganmain Tony · #5 14-08-10, 11:32

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 · #6 14-08-10, 13:00

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 · #7 15-08-10, 00:38

Quote:

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 · #8 09-05-11, 12:51

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??