C-15

[Robert Sexton]

Hello all, I have just acquired a C-15 with what I think is a general purpose body.The engine number gives it an ARN 60113 made in 1942.Under the engine bonnet is stenciled C15-8421-1942'Some of the designations in the vehicle registration books probably tell me more. Is there any out there who can tell me what the "V" designates and what WO1 stands for in the reghistration columns.On the left of the page is stamped "WD type- UK order 889" what does that mean?
The tyre carrier is on the RH side and a wooden locker with two hinged doors is accessed from the LH side.The locker and tyre carrier are built on a separate sub frame from the timber tray body. On the top of this locker is what looks like three places to carry batteries or at least they are the same dimensions as a 6 volt battery. Could this truck have something to do with wireless?
The tray is badly rotted away but not a real problem as there is enough to take patterns, all the iron work seems to be there.
The engine cover does not seem to fit at all and has a name plate with a different engine number and WO 87 stamped in it,did the C-15 have an engine cover with different dimensions to other type 13 cabs?
Thanks for any info
Robert

[Ken Smith]

Congratulations, what a delightful truck. Plenty to work with there, and even has a front TAC plate holder.
Someone here will know what the numbers mean.
Ken

[Robert Sexton]

Ken, yes a lot of work but looking forward to it. I have two other projects to finish first so probably the end of the year before I start.I usually like to know what the truck was used for or what its history was before I start just makes it more interesting to me. A few bits missing,drivers seat,instrument panel u/s, side lights, rear shock absorber arms ,all I can see at the moment.
Robert

[Mike K]

Hi Robert

The body on your C15 looks like it could be the same as this one on this C15A 4x4 ? Were these the wooden GS bodies built before GMH began building the all steel GS body ?

I wish that guy standing near the door would move so we could see the tyre carrier !

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Robert Sexton

Hello all, I have just acquired a C-15 with what I think is a general purpose body.

Robert,

Great find that C15, looks like a great project. The body is a rare Australian GS body No. 1, not many of those still around.
Rod Diery here on MLU has (had?) the remains of one of these body, can't think of another one.
If you restore it, please record measurements and construction details for others who may wish to recreate one of these.

Thanks,
Hanno



Source: http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=428

[Hanno Spoelstra]

You''re right Mike, I was typing a reply at the same time you were.

Here's a picture of a C15 Cab 13 with the Australian GS body No. 1, courtesy of Dave Prince's Australian Army Body Types webpage.

[Robert Sexton]

Thanks everyone, the body is indeed the one illustrated (no1) I can see that the catch on the tailgate is the same as mine and the number of horizontal boards are the same.
I will cut the timber from local hardwood (Jarrah) and keep the measurements as Hanno has asked.The boards are all tongue and groove for the floor and sides at one inch thick but of differing widths, seven inch,five inch and four inch.The locker boards are three quarters inch thick and also of varying widths , five inch,three & three quarters and five &one quarter. It will be a very interesting project.
much obliged,
Robert.
PS I think I paid too much at auction ($400) ,but I had to save it.

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Robert Sexton

PS I think I paid too much at auction ($400) ,but I had to save it.

You have got to be joking . That is a very rare body, relatively few were made in the first place and being wood , will rot and be termite fodder . There are only two of them known to be surviving on the planet, yours and Rod's . $400 would have been to much in 1970

[Robert Sexton]

Mike, it is the unpredictability of auctions, I could have had it for $100 only one other person bidding. I knew I was looking at something unusual but did not know what ,I had made up my mind to get it and was prepared to pay a lot more. Four more wheels (tires with the DD stamp)came with it, a twenty inch wheel and a tow hitch from a C60.
The truck had been in the family since the late 1950's but being quite small had not been used much, it had languished in the open for many years.
I now feel very privileged to have it , a colleague and I will do all the timber work and if we can convince another friend who is a retired draughtsman to make the scale drawings the we have something that others may wish to use.

[lynx42]

Nice truck Robert, good luck with the restoration. At least you have the original body to copy.

The items on top of the spare wheel carrier are for 3 x 2 gallon POL tins. (Petrol Oil and Water), so nothing to do with being a wireless truck.

Regards Rick.

[Robert Sexton]

Rick, yes having thought about it for another 5 seconds it would be a silly idea to put batteries up there.
I have added a pic with the correct petrol can on, fits perfectly. My locker has space for three cans ,were there different lengths of locker?
I now another two cans, it never ends.
Robert

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Robert, Re. engine cover, feel silly saying it, but, Ford and Chev are way different, is that the issue?
Rich.

[Robert Sexton]

Nothing silly about it Richard, I just think that something is wrong. I have very little knowledge of the Fords. The engine cover has engine numbers and serial numbers that do not match my truck, I was posing the question that maybe the closest engine cover would do at the point of disposal.
It just does not fit right maybe it is distorted from an accident, I have yet to have a close look , it was in a pile of stuff on the tray when I bought it,probably not as important as the rest of the truck.
thanks for your interest anyway Rich,
Robert

[Mike Cecil]

Standard/listed issue for the GS Aust No.1 was three x POL - one each petrol, oil and water.

The later No.2 with the steel tool box had stowage for four cans but the standard/listed issue remained at three for some reason (maybe no one thought to change the issues list to reflect the revised stowage?)

There are differences between Aust cans and CDN cans, too, and not all Aust cans are the same either, so be sure when buying that the cans you are getting will actually fit the stowage. There was an article on the subject in a past Army Motors.

Mike

[Robert Sexton]

Thanks Mike, the can that is in the pic is stamped DD with the vertical arrow, the stenciled "petrol" was faintly visible. I have another can the same but with the screw spout to missing. I will keep looking.
Robert

[Robert Sexton]

Hello all, just an update on the rebidding of the NO1 Australian tray on mu C15.There was enough timber left to take fairly good measurements, although the species of timber has not been identified.
Several things became clear on closer inspection of the remains, the timber locker box is of a much higher construction standard than the tray with quite close tolerances , less than two millimeters where the framing for the POL cans is attached to the top of the box, similarly the clearance for the two doors are <2mm.The box is screwed together with slotted head screws . The tray I think was made by hand as the lengths of the boards vary in length by more than one eighth or 3mm.
It would have been very time consuming to make as each part is fitted into the tongues then bolted or in the case of the floor it is all nailed.Because the tray does not have a longitudinal runner along the chassis I believe it was never meant to be made separately and then transported to the assembly place, the only thing holding it all together when it is off the truck are the floor boards,I think it was built on the truck.
Attached is some of the work in progress, I have chosen the local hardwood(Jarrah) as I can mill it myself and it will last many years exposed to the weather without treatment.
Robert.

[Robert Sexton]

A couple more pics. My tray is missing the tailboard but I assume it will be much the same as the later ones.Wayne Henderson knows of one other No 1 body that I am hoping to get measurements from.There was not any evidence of the brackets to carry the tarpaulin hoops on the remaining sides nor was there any sign of the brackets that carried the pick and shovel on the sides.Most pics that I have seen also had a toolbox under the rear of the tray, there is not evidence on my tray for those boxes, the only bolt hole was for the mudguard stiffener.
The resto will have to cease for a couple of months while I finish the C60.
I have taken plenty of measurements as Hanno suggested and now will have them drawn into some thing that is usable for others.
Robert

[maple_leaf_eh]

Robert, where is my thumbs up button? I like how you've thinned out the ends of the cross members. As per original?

It always surprises me how overbuilt this machinery is. Bob Carriere at the Hammond Barn showed me some CMP trailers a year ago. Those beasts are solid steel bar stock everywhere. The load factor would have been 100% greater, if the makers had chosen lighter materials or thinner stock. It makes me wonder whether anyone at HQ was even slightly concerned about fuel costs per ton per mile.

[Robert Sexton]

Hello Terry, the front section carrying the locker and spare tire is separate from the tray entirely,it is an exact copy. The ends were scalloped to clear the fuel tank although I would think a lot of skin was lost opening the fuel tank as the clearance is so close. The tray although heavy had some quite considerable weak points; the last bearer that carries the tailgate only just sits on the chassis and relies on the next anchor point to hold it in place, in rough off road driving it would be highly liable to failure as all the vertical movement would go through the mortise joint..Where the tailgate catch is fixed you will see that the vertical steel support finishes two boards below the catch, this leaves the critical catch point (for the tailgate) only connected to the two horizontal boards without support from the vertical member. Maintenance of tightness in the hundred or so bolts not to mention the hundred screws would have kept the driver occupied in his "spare" time. It has been fun to do all the same.
Robert