Wireless Van C15 Australian

[Rod Salter]

In the week before Easter,
I got A nose bolted on [the holes don't exactly line up]
Fitted some random doors [latches are rusted solid]
Made up the interior wall with those two sections from the different walls
Attached the roof.
Parts from at least four different trucks
All sitting in place now so I can get the rear wireless box into place to weld it, hopefully this week
It is beginning to look like a wireless van

[Rod Salter]

I did get the pieces of sub rail chassis that I cut from the other van welded into place, after dragging together with endless chains.
I must have walked around from side to side about 30 times, getting down underneath to lie on my back and measure that all things were equal, straight and square.
I welded the floor inside together.
Good or bad, I have wire brushed and rust treated the overlapping surfaces before welding.
I have had to rent the oxy/acetylene to be able to beat this thick metal into shape.
It is not like a modern vehicle where you can smooth the tin with your thumbs.
I also removed the door latches and made them work again [that was easy to say]
Next week to join the sides

[Rod Salter]

It is coming together.
It is twisted and stretched.
But getting it 'stitched'
I'll have to 'imagineering' what metal is missing
next onto the right side

[Rod Salter]

This side has been side swiped, and from the way the pieces are, I think the swipe happened before the van was chopped off the original truck.
There is also a large dint and rip in the roof on the left which could only happen on a complete truck
You might say it has been 'in the wars'.

After removing the window trims [which took some heating and beating, to straighten them]
I used these blocks and a length of box section, with a large persuader and huge G clamp to pull it straight enough.

I have unpicked the 'caneite' brackets from the old almost rusted away wall and am using the upside-down tin off the rear cab/door latch pieces from cab2.
The pieces are just large enough to make the section from the top of the window to the van roof line.

PS the site won't let me rotate the photos, in future I will keep the camera level.


Next week onto rebuilding the window frame and the top section up to the gutter

There is a huge hole where the storage boxes should be, I can only 'imagineer' it back together

[Mike K]

It's coming along.

After you have done the staightening and welding and the van body is back together in one piece. Are you planning to have the body abrasive blasted ? The blasting process can warp thin panels so maybe that's not a ideal rust removal method in your case. I see that caneite is still available which is a nice bonus for your project- but of course now it is mede in metric dimensions.

[Rod Salter]

The window frame is straightened and put back in place and I did get the right side rebuilt up to the box gutter line, weeks ago

I have cut the jiggered bent front edge from the roof and took it to a metal-fabricator to duplicate the pressed ridges
I also ordered some lengths of angle to be made

Meanwhile, I decided the edge that holds the caneite and the cupboard doors is too far damaged to use
I drilled the spot welds, removed the rusty angle and ordered a new piece to be made

[Rod Salter]

You may remember that the roof of the van had been crushed by a chain during transport at some time
Just why any transport would dog down a chain like that is beyond me

I attempted to straighten the left side some time ago, not very successfully

I have now attacked the right side and got it as close as I can

The left side damage is directly behind a frame work and practically inaccessible
luckily the right is slightly away from the frame

There is daylight showing through near there, which will have to welded to make it water tight

I have rented the oxy/acetylene and maybe able to have another attempt at the left side
And I still have the big rip in the roof to look at