Cushman 53

We are still cleaning and painting springs but this weekend we managed to get back to lifting the front axle with the now fixed forklift to a good working height, we cleaned with wire wheels and then primed ready for top coat, we are hoping that we may get the green on this in the next couple of weeks if the weather holds! For now we have wrapped it up in plastic as this is outside. Many casting numbers and dates are cast and stamped.

I must say again that without a forklift such jobs would be impossible.

We had a broken rebound clip so a piece of steel was shaped and ready to be bent to shape.

started top coat, went on with roller really well.

We still cannot lift the axles to a good working height due to the forklift still being out of action, so the plan for now was to continue with the rear springs, at this point we think that what we have will be okay to use. There seemed to be lots of rust between the leafs and this was pushing them apart making them look worse than they actually are. There is no real easy way to clean these so we stripped them down and started to chip away the rust and then we used the angle grinder and finished off with the wire wheel, the sand blasters next door have gone which would have been easier but would also cost a fortune. This is a very long process but we are happy with the results, lots of pitting between the leafs but not rotted away at all which is good, the front springs were in much better condition as obviously these are fully covered where as the rears are exposed to the elements.

The plan for the weekend was to carry on cleaning the front and rear axles and we were hoping we would at least get them in primer. Unfortunately we arrived only to find that the forklift that we use was out of action! We cleaned some more of the front axle as it was easier to get to than the rear and done what we could with it being so low to the ground, not too good for the back but we are getting there.

There is a small round data plate on the front axle which was rusted through and wasn't save able, however we do have a spare front axle where we took a better condition one off, this being brass where the other was steel. Heavily covered in paint we carefully removed the layers and exposed a rather nice original brass one, interesting to see these were stamped with production number and both say rear axle even though they are from the front axle!

There are many bonding straps which we cleaned a few up and gave them to a very good friend to see if he could get them better for us, he did a great job and he told us that they have been tin plated, will dull slightly but we think they look great, still more of these to do now we know the results can be achieved.

We have been waiting to see if we can get to Belgium to hopefully pick up some rear springs, at this point we are not sure on the condition of those and so we dug out our ones just to see condition and if it would be a better option for us to have these repaired. Many years of rust were in the leafs and several clips broken and some leafs flat.

Thanks Phil, Radiomikw7  yes you are correct, front axle U bolts more of a pain as they go through the actual axle casing.

This weekend we decided to take the rear springs off the axle, not any easy thing as there seemed to be eighty years of rust holding the U bolts to the axle casing, eventually after braking the seal of the nuts with a bar and some persistence with a copper hammer the U bolts and castings were free. Also took the prop shaft off. The front axle had been stripped previously so spent some time cleaning with a wire wheel, still need to finish but it's getting there. I must say that everything is so bloody heavy! One rear spring alone is no easy thing to move, you really wouldn't want to lift this on your own, we are lucky that we have access to a forklift or else this would be impossible for us to do.

Pictures in no particular order.

IMG_20210725_133254568.jpg.crdownload

Thanks Scammell4199, my brother has messaged you.

Sunday's plan was to fit in place the transfer box, although we have a forklift we can use this was still a huge task, obviously trying not to scratch too much paint and having to lift it in a way to fit it correctly, doesn't sit upright at all but lays sideways. This is now in an now there is a fair amount of weight to the chassis.  Had to remove the hand brake but will put that back now.

Sunday we rolled the chassis out which sits on a trolley so we can move it around before we get too much weight on it, we are still waiting for the go ahead so we can get to Belgium for rear springs as ours are not really that good. Odd looking picture which appears to have a 67 mustang shell sitting on our trolley 😂

Spent this Saturday painting more cleaned and primed parts ready to be fitted.

Loving this build, looks very nice indeed Pete, soon be on the road!

Steering box

Thank's Pete and Phil, means a lot.

Steering box bracket, transfer case bracket and various other parts being cleaned and primed.

Thanks for looking, last few for now.

Gearbox and transfer box being cleaned by hand and primed, also steering column being stripped. If anyone has a good steering wheel please let me know as I think this is a bit too far gone!

With the Covid situation we were unable to carry out much work to the project, a few parts were cleaned at home ready to be fitted, we are waiting for the go ahead so we can get to Belgium to pick up rear springs so we can have a rolling chassis, whilst waiting we have been fitting air lines and valves and hand brake and cleaning and painting parts ready for assembly, in no particular order!

Nothing too interesting at the moment! Cleaning original washers by hand and priming whilst waiting on parts. Thanks to The DT Guy for the advice.

Hi Scammell4199,  the paint is a mix we had made to our requirements, its a semi matt finish so should not mark as easily as matt OD 

Thank's Phil, slowly coming together.

Starting to bolt parts back on! Where possible we have cleaned an re used original bolts.

Thank's DT guy, we do have a Hercules spare engine if we ever do decide to put that in, but we will be staying with the diesel for now, thank's for the offer though.