Info needed: C15A 2B1 cargo bed rebuild

[Bob Carriere]

You can't see down the filler neck.... and can't even use a short wooden stick to gauge level...... maybe a flexible piece of split bamboo painted flat black.

And id you thing that is a bad layout...... wait until you are dressed up in your finest re enactor uniform and you have to check the engine oil level....... I would love to roast the engineer who design such a foul up..... I usually have to get on my knees on the running board, open the round hatch and feel around the distributor to find the open loop of the dip stick........ very similar to untying our girl friends bra single handedly....... pull it out, wipe it...... oh straight out before finding a suitable rag...... then put it back in to get an accurate reading on the oil level..... but you can't see where the open pipe is...... so guiding the dip stick with one hand you get to push down the dip stick with the other hand...... now you engine usually drip oil on the side so you need to remove your oily hand and wipe them clean, after you straighten out, now bend over again to retrieve the dip stick and pull it out being careful; not rub it against anything or your read may be inaccurate..... and you need to do this every time you start up your engine for a drive......

&^%^&$ on this..... if it still drip oil there must be some left......

...and you also need to verify the coolant by unscrewing the two thumb screws holding the "bonnet" etc.........

....and the brake level in the MC...... I now use a 20 cc syringe from the farm store.....

By now it is to late to go anywhere.....


Ah the pleasure of old machinery........

[Paul Edwards]

Thanks Bob, you must have been a dab hand at removing the girlfriend's bra with one hand...........Practice makes perfect! Haha

Cheers,


Paul

[Paul Edwards]

Some progress made yesterday with mocking up and drilling the hood bows prior to plating, added a few extra roof bars to prevent the canvas sagging.

Canvas offered up and all appears to be correct, phew!

Locker boxes and rear wheel mug guards now to look at repairing, waiting for much improved weather to start painting the paint end tin work.

Thanks for all the advice and assistance, much appreciated.

Cheers,


Paul

[Bob Carriere]

Nice job Paul

Can we get a close up photo sof the top bar connections to the hoops??? concerned about wearing a hole in the canvass at the connection...... might try sewing a leather rub patch to the tarp on the inside. Will you truck be stored inside most of the time???? I don't think mine will fit inside the sea can without removing the hoops....blah!!!!

I am thinking of adding extra tubes to mine also so it will remain firm for the canvas. I like the models with two extra side bars at the curve so I can roll up the side and keep the top section on for shade.......I still plan on using leather straps.

Too cold here also except to work inside the barn..... but can't paint or risk blowing the roof off the barn with "Lucifer" the wood furnace.

Cheers

[Paul Edwards]

Thanks Bob, I'll get some close up pictures next time I'm over the yard.

We made the hoops in three parts, i.e. ridge pole and two uprights as I couldn't transport them and the platers tanks weren't big enough one one piece.

It worked out very well having the threes sections, sleeved with a hole for a clevice pin (and "R" pin, I know not period correct) to connect the holes and the horizontal roof bars.

If anything going to rub on the canvas it'll be the ends of the horizontal bars, I may change them to hang under the hoops but for the moment it was easier for them to sit on top and drop the clevice pin in.

Here's a question what colour zinc plating should I opt for, coloured gold or clear silver?

Regards,


Paul

[Bob Carriere]

...are you also plating your front bumper with a chrome finish????

Why the plating Paul?? I always assumed sand blast, prime and OD Paint.....

The water pipe I used were black but we scratch them a lot in the bending....mine were done in two piece than but welded as "one hoop"...... too cold now for sand blasting but will no doubt follow my usual routine of sandblast, phosphoric acid wash, and POR 15 semi gloss, urethane tie coat and 2 or 3 coats of OD flat green..... but to keep the cage firm and steady will do some horizontal twin bars on each side just about at the start and end of the curve....somewhat similar to the hoops on the cab 13 radio truck that Jordan has restored........ Not the full complements of rifle attachments like the cab 13 but something that will keep the tarp nice and tight and allow the sides or the front to be rolled up in sunny weather.

Can hardly wait for the nice days to return..... we have not had a real cold snap yet but the forecast for next weekend is around -24 C....... that will freeze the brass balls off a monkey!!!!

Cheers
PS..... whenever you get a chance .....no rush....would you look at the underside of your tie rod ends and tell me if you have Type "A" with a cotter pin holding the cap in place or a smooth cap with a simple large C clip holding the tie rod guts in place.... which I call Type "B".......

[Paul Edwards]

Chrome bumpers ehhh now there's an idea to far!

Why plate? Well I saw it here on this forum that someone had made hoops and zinc plated them. In a two week period since making the hoops surface rust was appearing so assumed plating was the course of action.

Yes, I'll at my tie rod ends next time I'm at the yard......I may have some pictures on file and will take a took and post if I find anything.

-24 brass monkeys indeed! We are wimps in the UK!

Cheers,


Paul