How To: C15a Wire-3 restoration

[Jordan Baker]

Well my first bit of real sheet metal body work is almost done. It took a lot longer then I anticipated. I started just after 10, stopped at 1400 or so for lunch (coincidently Cnd Womens beach volleyball was on), started working again around 1500ish or so and then called it a night around 2100.

Since I don't have a roller I decided to just start at one side, clamp, weld and clamp some more then weld some more. Move the clamps along and continue my way across the wall. For welding I decided to plug weld. What I came up with seems to give really good welds. I'd clamp the sheet down tight to the frame, mark my holes with a sharpie. Then using my handheld drill if drill a 1/4" hole through the sheet and just into the frame. I'd then blow the bits out and then weld it up. I found by drilling into the frame I got nice clean metal and the sheet was held tight to the surface. I'd do 5-7 welds, take the clamps off and then grind down the weld with a flap wheel. It was slow but it seems to have done a great job. Other then my frame being a little out of shape in a few spots it should all be fine. I figure once I have the wall bolted to the cab frame I can always pull/push it a bit for a better fit.

Pictures will be posted sometime tomorrow.

@Barry...... You don't wanna know.... It'll make you shake your head......

[Jordan Baker]

As promised some pictures.

[Jordan Baker]

Some more pictures. For creating the ends that are folded over I drew out a pattern on some paper and then traced it out onto the sheet. It was cut out using a zip disk in the hand grinder. I also cleaned up the edges with a hand file. The first edge I put the 90deg bend in prior to attaching the sheet to the frame. I then worked me way clamping and welding along the frame to the other end. This last time I simply hammered the edge down onto the frame, clamped it and welded. In hindsight if I had to do it over again I would probably start with clamping/welding the sheet in the middle and then working out to both ends.

[Bob Carriere]

...obviously not working under wartime pressure of one spot weld every 5 inches.

Can you image the face of the guy redoing that rear wall 75 years from now!!!!!

Any problems bending the sheet metal in the curved corners...?

Cheers

[chris vickery]

When I replicated the rear wall on my 12 cab, I made my piece of sheet and test fit before welding.
The folded over end, I broke first and clamped into place. I then rolled the sheet around the first corner, clamping as I went. I worked it to the other end, up around the corner to the front. I then marked it where it met the edge. I removed the sheet and added the required amount to the marked line I made on the second edge. I then boke this 90deg. So, I essential had a piece of sheet metal which was the correct lenght with breaks on both ends.
I then refit this to make sure it was OK.
As mentioned Jordan, I did start from the center and worked back and forth towards each end. I replicated spots welds only where they were supposed to be, which included along the cross bracing at the rear.
My main mistake which led to some difficulty was the fact that I used 16g instead of 18g. In the end a very good rear panel.
If you notice on original panels, the spot welds do show up. Thats they way they were made, quick and dirty.
Keep up the good work!

[Alex van de Wetering]

Jordan,

Excellent work. Thanks for this step-to-step description....and great to hear you ( and Chris) managed to get the rear wall around the frame without pre-forming the sheet....that's something that has been bothering me for a while. I had already looked at the lamp post across the street, but it seems I can leave that alone

Alex

[Bob Carriere]

HI Chris

Of the 5 cab 12 and one cab 11 at the barn .....the rear wall does not wrap around the angle iron BUT finishes flush and spot welded..... I have only seen the wrap of the skin around on original cab 13 such as the water truck done at the Caldwells one year.

Cheers

[Jordan Baker]

I'd rather overkill it with the spot welds then under do it. On my original the welds were every couple of inches but it also varied a bit.

As for going around the corners it was really simple. The 18ga simply followed the bend of the frame. If I let it go it would spring back. But with clamps I could easily hold and pull it in tight.

I decided to smooth out my welds as I probably over did it with the heat a bit to get good penetration into the frame. On my original only a few of the spot welds were visible and that was usualy from the rust forming between the sheet and frame and pushing the sheet out.