My C15A

JamieCavanaugh · #1 14-11-12, 03:50

Just got a C15A and am quite excited to start working on the old girl. Lots of work to do but I am up for the task. Looks like this is the site for all the info one would need for a resto like this. Under the hood I found some stenciling and was wondering if anyone else came across this. This truck does not have dataplates but it does have a rceme engine rebuild tag that I am trying to post but, not having any luck. Does anyone know if you can track a trucks history by the engine tag providing this is the original 216 or find out where it was rebuilt. It reads 17 coy as the workshop and was done in mar of 1955 if that's any help!
thanks
Jamie Cavanaugh

cletrac (RIP) · #2 14-11-12, 05:54

It's got the lifting flanges on the hubs so that makes it 1944 or newer.
Those channel irons pointing ahead look like it must have had a plow or blade of some kind mounted there.

lynx42 · #3 14-11-12, 22:45

Jaime,

Welcome to MLU.

You won't find a better place for info and help with the restoration of your Blitz.

How about a bit of your background.

Good luck with the restoration and take plenty of photos.(And post them on MLU.)

regards Rick.

RichCam · #4 14-11-12, 23:09

Jamie,

I concur, MLU is the best place to find advice for your C15A restoration. I'd recommend buying the C15A-04 Chevrolet Spare Parts List and the MB-C2 Maintenance Manual.

If you need any parts for your Cab13 - like a grill cover - let me know. I have 2 Cab13 "parts" trucks here in the yard.

Good luck and have fun!

JamieCavanaugh · #5 15-11-12, 03:33

Thanks everyone for your replies, I have a feeling I will be on this site regularly. Does anyone know if brake drums are available?

Bob Carriere · #6 16-11-12, 02:59

Everything is Jamie .......

.... you just have to figure out where and how much they want.

Welcome to the Zanny world of CMP restoration.

First lesson ........ don't expect to walkin' at CTC or NAPA and find NOS parts for your truck......

On the other hand there are a lot of guys on MLU that may know of what is available and where.....

For example BCA as a fully arly rebuilt front axle ...from brake drum to brake drum for sale......

On the other hand are you sure you need a brake drum...??? is it really totally busted....?

Once you start rebuilding you will soon realize that you either need a spare parts truck for bits and pieces....... and then you realize your spare parts truck has the same part missing that you desperately need....

You are on the right track by posting on MLU.

CMP brake drums are massive and unless cracked can be turned clean. Make friends with a local machine shop who you will be visiting over the coming months.

A lot of us have spare parts to trade or sell...... shipping can be abitch as they are heavy. Make a point of looking up at Phil Waterman's site in New Hampshire........ or Dirk in Holland LWD.... he has impressive listings of parts some original NOS.......

take stock of what you need........ get your self a cheap digital camera and photograph everything 3 times....... you will alwasy regret later not having taken a snap shot form a particular angle.

Be kind to the sheet metal...... they are the hardest to find replacment for due to rust/damage/modifications....

There are no dum questions....just question you have never asked and some of us have had the same problems before..... might as well take advantage of our mishaps and successes.

You are located near the main highway and TO as a Hub...... easy to get to and get at...... lots of MLU members either live near you or drive by you which makes it easy to drop off / pick up parts.

So what are your plans for the beastie...... ?

Good luck and do not forget to post pictures .... some of us can't read to well.

Bob C.

JamieCavanaugh · #7 16-11-12, 15:56

Thanks for the reply

I am very eager to start this project, the tear down anyway, not sure how I'm going to finish it. The guy I bought it off told me it was a tow truck and a fire truck so I guess I have options. I am a heavy truck mechanic so I hope those skills can be applied to an aging vehicle. I believe a mig welder purchase is in the future or me as this truck needs extensive panel repair/ replace. It is great to find out they're is such a community as this for a fellow like myself to become a part of. I'm sure my questions will never stop.
The interior of this truck is painted turqoise, would this be military colors after the war?
I will post more pics soon.

JamieCavanaugh · #8 17-11-12, 01:20

Here's some more pics!

Bob Carriere · #9 17-11-12, 02:19

Usually Olive drab green.

HI Jamie

Does not matter what it was converted to after the war....... it was born OD green....inside...outside..on top and underneath...... of course the underneath had a generous overspray of oil leaking from every orifice you can imagine.

Your truck was probably a GS .....general service...... with a short cargo box.

How is the engine.... running....seized or turning free.

Any pictures of the instrument panel..... seats.....

You will need to visit the Museum at the Oshawa airport... they have good restored models to look at... not sure what hours they are open.

Do you have access to a sheltered area to work on it during the Winter or plan over the cold Winter what you will attack first next Spring.

Hang in there.

Bob C

Bob Carriere · #10 17-11-12, 02:25

... the back of your cab.... behind the driver...... as this rectangular hole......
( you will need to loose that modern rear window)

..... which might indicate that it was a wireless radio truck...... that hole was for a canvas rectangular tube between the hard cargo box and the driver.... so they could shout instructions..... so you may have a wireless truck..... which might explain the RCEME rebuilt engine late into its service life...mid fifties....

Bob C

JamieCavanaugh · #11 20-11-12, 20:31

Just waiting to sell my house so I can upgrade to one with a garage. No, the engine is not running and I don't think it has for 30 years according to guy I bought it off of. I just noticed on the ls front panel there is a worn out marking. Did all units have these markings or was that post war? The exterior has od green but the interior is that turqouise color, Was that UN colors post war?

Bob Carriere · #12 21-11-12, 02:05

You might want to sand slowly with fine grit....using a flat sanding block,,,, the area on the cowl that seems to have some unit colours. Sand a little wet it down and see what you can read...... sand a little more.... as you slowly wear down the layers of paint one at a time you may be able to take a series of pictures and eventually read or sort out what is actually underneath.

Turquoise may have been popular with the French army..... never heard of it being used on Canadian vehicles.

Bob C