Info needed: Building a repro LRDG 1940 Chev.

[Paul Singleton]

Hi Bob,
If I recall the C-15 front axle has the front spring mounting points further apart than a civilian truck. I think the axle is from a cabover truck. I will measure my truck and let you know in a few days. My truck is currently in storage. It may be easier to make up some adapters to allow the CMP wheels to fit your existing hubs, but I am not sure if the track width would be ok.
Paul

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Great project Bob! I think it deserves its own thread so others working on replicas as well can chime in.

Here’s a pic to inspire you. From what I can see here is that those 10.50–16 chevron types you have fitted to your CMPs would well suit the LRDG Chev.

278D1018-A8E3-4CBE-A303-992273015C14.jpeg

[Bob Carriere]

I am a great believer that our successes and failures should be documented on MLU for the future generations..... where else will that information be available.

On the tyres, I have read on official correspondence of the period where they preferred the sand pattern as it was less likely to dig themselves in loose sand and that they preferred a strip down Chev 2x4 to a 4x4 v8 Ford who was too heavy, burned too much gas compared to the GM 216....... water and gasoline being a priority. Some sarcastic comments were made that the special sand tires requested finally got to them when they were being moved for the Italian campaign......

The LRDG now with Rick Cove is puzzling us because the front view ,shows an axle that according to the CMP manuals at hand to be for the C8 with ribbed brake drums. The parts manual has diagram showing the physical differences between the C8 and the C15 front beam axle and there is further differences with the LRDG front axle build in Canada(1941-42) which I believe was taken from a HD COE 3 ton truck with roller bearing instead of bicycle wheel ball bearings. So at this stage I am not sure what his underpinning is....may have been a 3/4 ton truck...but I know it looks good.

The frame width which will affect the spring brackets width will be something we need to look at closer as pointed out by Paul.

The Good Year All Weather tire in 9.5x16 seem to be available in various ply ratings...some up to 2250 max load....... but they are manufactured sporadically as the demands / back orders stackup. The are popular on golf courses in the states.

We also have to consider whether we are using a flat cowl with a flat hand made dash and round instruments or a civilian curved dash panel with the typical 1940 rectangular instrument cluster such as a C 15A....... windshield post stubs or not.... even with or w/o windshield.....

Since most of the fun is in the hunt we are having a ball.......

comments, suggestions, pitfalls all are welcomed.

Cheers

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Paul Singleton

Hi Bob,
If I recall the C-15 front axle has the front spring mounting points further apart than a civilian truck. I think the axle is from a cabover truck. ... It may be easier to make up some adapters to allow the CMP wheels to fit your existing hubs, but I am not sure if the track width would be ok.
Paul

Does the answer to the question of the front axle have to be an "All or None" situation? I'm thinking that the C15 style hubs (pictured in post #5) and spindles might be able to be fitted on to the narrower civvy beam axle by pulling the kingpins and swapping them over?