C15A resto

[harrygrey382]

I've joined this forum to share the long term restoration of my blitz, and leech dome info from all you experts...
So it's a C15A - 15cwt 4x4, no 13 cab. My uncle bought it in the early '90s. It had a seized motor, but was straight, original and complete. He towed it back with his Studebaker US6 (had to get a police permit to drive it - was on ANZAC day). He bought a rebuilt block that had been sitting in a shop since the 50s. He used the old head, got it running and used it to power a sawmill. I showed a lot of interest in it, and he gave it to me when I was 14. I started pulling bits off it a few years later, and have been chipping away at it for the last 14 years. I've now moved to Australia from the UK so can take it back up in earnest. My uncle is hopefully bringing it up to me on his truck in a month or so. I have so far:

Pulled the motor down, had a machinist confirm the bottom end had a decent rebuild and it's still well within rebuild tolerances. Had the valves ground in, got them to hone the bores out properly too. Rebuilt the gearbox using parts from a 1930s chev pickup dumped in our creek. Amazingly this box was in great nick. Rebuilt the transfer case using parts from three different cases. Originally these smaller 4x4 blitzes had a single speed T case, but I'm putting a 2 speed in. The 216 I6 isn't exactly over powered...
Rebuilt the brakes - all relined, new lines and hoses. New cups, honed bores (came out perfectly thanks to original fluid being caster oil). New wheel bearings.
Stripped the chassis, had it sandblasted and primed. Then whacked 3 heavy coats of black wattle killrust top coat on. Bought a sandblaster, stripped and painted the bulkhead/floor. It's back on. It's currently got an old jaguar radiator so I can run it. Runs nicely, the brakes haven't liked sitting for the last 4 years though. There was no brake fluid in them when my uncle delivered it last weekend, so I'll be finding where the leak is.

So I need to source a new radiator ($250 in the US or $1000 quoted for a record here), then strip and paint all the body panels. ALso I'll make a new timber tray (had a rotten one), and when I'm feeling rich buy a new set of tyres. I'm actually considering having a go at repairing the original radiator now though, it's better than I remember.

I've slowly been replacing what it had on it (9.00x16) with various 8.25x16 my uncle has lying about as the old ones have perished. You wouldn't believe what holds air though... Changing the tyres was a real job - they're two piece military bolt togethers, with no relief well. The beads are enormous rigid ones corroded to the wheel. After breaking the beads with the truck stabilisers, I chained one half to a tree, the other half to the cruiser and put a lot of pressure on. Some popped off, others needed persuading with cold chisels, angle grinders and a chainsaw (no steel belts).
So if anyone's still with me, here are some photos.

chassis stripped - uncle towed me 10 km up to the house behind his FSJ and me standing no a board steering it. Was a very steep rough track too...

Towing with the studi


how it sat for many years


starting to strip it



after putting all the gear back on the chassis and going for the maiden drive. That was a great feeling. Was 8 years ago now though



In these photos the tyres are the ones it had on it for the last 20 odd years. Pumped right up. Then just in the past 8 years three have died. The rear left is the last original military one. And I think is the remaining survivor. "They don't make like the used to"...


Bead breaking


gives a bit of satisfaction at the end though. Why didn't I get a tyre shop to do it? I didn't have the money (no income at the time), and I called a tyre shop for advice - they had to put their oldest bloke on the line "Jee I remember those old blitz tyres, the only way we could remove them was by putting them on the bonfire and burning them off".



top coated


current state