M5Clive Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 (edited) Its high time for another Stevens feature length:) HMVFer's of a certain vintage will well remember one of the early vehicle restorations featured within these electronic pages by Suffolk CCKW enthuiast, Robert Clayden (aka ShopNut.) For varying reasons, Robert sold the truck to me around 18 months ago, having done a serious amount of restoration work on the vehicle over the several years that he had it, but the restoration remained unfinished. Although Robert had restored all of the mechanics absolutely A1, the body work on the Shop Van was tired, so on one winters morning in 2012, Howard Wade and myself fetched the old girl out of open-air North Essex hibernation and returned it so Sunny Suffolk, leaving Robert with a long face. WWII specification from the manual demonstrating various uses for the Shop Van Just out from hibernation under a sheet Rust Oxide - British Leyland had trademarked this invention under a number of guises...Austin Maxi, Morris Marina, Allegro etc Extremely original inside with genuine US worktop, drawers, flooring and high shelf across the side window (unique to the M30?) I employed HMVF's Howade Wade of rustybits.co.uk to undertake the remained of the project and was anticipating the trucks first show debut around July last year. Sadly my father in law's health deteriorated alarmingly during the summer of last year which resulted in his untimely departure in October and therefore with all this going on and although finished, I put the Shop van on the back burner. Nobody at home was feeling remotely jubilant during the second half of the 2012 Show Season and the atmosphere was just not right, so I left the truck's debut for another day, another year in fact. Off with the Old............ ......on with the new........! A lick of paint........ ......and a touch up to ! A proper job and the classic wooden wheel (now commanding a second mortgage) Having procrastinated on which markings to adopt, I finally opted for my own now somewhat 'Stevens Trademarked' white bumpers with black markings, which I have used on all of my USAAF marked vehicles from the Chrysler Royal, to almost every CCKW and Dodge that I have had over the past 19 years. I couldn't make up my mind on the unit identity, but thought that as the truck will spend much of its life at home and I live 50 yards from the old heavy bomber hardstandings at Eye airfield, Suffolk, (which was home to the resident 490th Heavy Bombardment Group of the US Eighth Army Air Force), and the fact that unlike the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, the 490th never get much of a look-in when it comes to restored MV representation, so here was the answer. First day out wearing nice clean shoes and not a cloud on the horizon! I was even heard to mention "If there's any mud on this route, I'm turning around!" Fortunately there wasn't. Ain't they pretty and what an impressive line-up, including a couple of 'two-a-penny' Dodge Carryall's for good measure! So two weeks ago, Howard blew the dust and bird-poop off the old girl and applied the stencils. Its first debut was Bank Holiday weekend just gone, where we took both of my CCKW's out for the first airing of the Show Season to do a WWII MV Convoy from Debach Airfield in East Suffolk, around the green lanes and back to base. Suffolk Area MVT mustered around 35 vehicles for the trip and the finalie was a formation flypast by Maurice Hammond's two P-51 Fighters (Janie resplendent with her brand new zero timed Merlin engine), followed by a 10 minute display by Mr Hammond's Boeing Stearman. What a great day:) "I just wanna get closer than close" (I think Barry Gibb composed it!) I never profess or claim to being a dedicated MV restorer, although I did do a lot more before we had children, owned and operated our own business and took up house restoration - so the credit for the finished article must really lie at the doorstep of other HMVFer's...... Shop-Nut for sourcing all of the original hard to find US WorkShop truck parts (Original US fuel tank, WWII US rear doors etc) and for being a perfectionist to start with! Tank Barrell for providing all the new metal and for reworking and fabricating some of the damaged section Howard Wade for completing the restoration, fettling, farting about and storing the vehicle when it wasn't prudent to use it. I think you'll agree they make a tidy couple of wagons and do the designers at GM and Yellow Truck and Coach credit. You don't see many ST-6 Bodied trucks this tidy on the show circuit, although I know that Jeepest in France have a corker. Edited June 6, 2013 by M5Clive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 Great stuff Clive, thanks for sharing.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 See even Clive has a Man's Truck. Good to see everyone is still alive in Suffolk too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VULCANFREAK Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 Looking good Clive, fitted woodburner yet :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 See even Clive has a Man's Truck. Good to see everyone is still alive in Suffolk too! No Jack, he's got two and it's long past time YOU got at least one;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 Well done to all involved in this resto and it has certainly found a good home with Clive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadline Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 That manual is that shop van model page from? Looks like it would be an interesting read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 No Jack, he's got two and it's long past time YOU got at least one;) I am too old for them these days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 I am too old for them these days Jack .......nobody is too old for a GMC probably the best truck I ever owned...... not counting the cost of fuel of course, Ah, then there's the tyres every few years then the constant maintenance bolting back on things that got rattled off oh and I nearly forgot, the odd bout of fuel vaporization in embarrassing situations.............no, never too old perhaps just a bit wiser Pete the Old Fogie :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
private mw Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 very nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 I am too old for them these days TOO OLD:shocked:.........I was old when Methuselah was a lad and I'd have another one like a shot and don't forget it's all your fault I sold the 352:n00b: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulture Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 (edited) Excellent looking job ! Well done to all involved ! :clap::thumbsup::bow::-) I had a slot set aside on my CCKW Photo Blog (No 71) for this vehicle Clive. Hope you don't mind, I've lifted a couple of photos off this thread and added them to it. :cool2: Vulture Edited June 7, 2013 by Vulture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M5Clive Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 (edited) Excellent looking job ! Well done to all involved ! :clap::thumbsup::bow::-) I had a slot set aside on my CCKW Photo Blog (No 71) for this vehicle Clive. Hope you don't mind, I've lifted a couple of photos off this thread and added them to it. :cool2: Vulture Not at all - I have a bit of a reputation for taking a month of Sunday's to get around to doing things, so more than happy that you have saved me the trouble NB - Blog Number 167 is the same truck. This was how is was when Robert Clayden first bought it, but being a perfectionist, he researched the Chassie-Number and deduced that it had been re-fitted with a hard cab post war. He then sourced an excellent condition Open Cab and converted it back to how it would have been when it was built. He also sourced an original wartime fuel tank and replaced the incorrect one, which you can see in the photo on Blog Spot 167. Hope this helps make things a bit clearer. Edited June 7, 2013 by M5Clive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulture Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 Not at all - I have a bit of a reputation for taking a month of Sunday's to get around to doing things, so more than happy that you have saved me the trouble NB - Blog Number 167 is the same truck. This was how is was when Robert Clayden first bought it, but being a perfectionist, he researched the Chassie-Number and deduced that it had been re-fitted with a hard cab post war. He then sourced an excellent condition Open Cab and converted it back to how it would have been when it was built. He also sourced an original wartime fuel tank and replaced the incorrect one, which you can see in the photo on Blog Spot 167. Hope this helps make things a bit clearer. Ahhhh yes, good spot. I'll adjust accordingly, and replace 167 with a different truck when I next come across one I don't have recorded. Cheers Vulture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shopnut Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 Truck looks great, glad it went to a good home and having its restoration completed, was a very sad day when Clive drove her away, or I should say Howard done the driving, not sure who had the longest face that day, me for seeing the truck going or Clive paying the balance! The fuel tank I removed, which was a tank made up by the previous owner, I think, ended up on another Shopvan in the Kettering area, he had changed the cargo body for a van body and needed a fuel tank, I understand this truck has also been sold on now. I still think a Shopvan looks better with a closed cab, but that's my opinion. Hope one day again I can own a CCKW, probably the best truck of its day. Shopnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeRoi Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Hi Clive Great pics of the restoration and she looks good in real life But when are you comming back to fill in the tyre marks on our lawn in front of the tower? best regards Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 TOO OLD:shocked:.........I was old when Methuselah was a lad and I'd have another one like a shot and don't forget it's all your fault I sold the 352:n00b: It made the guys day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonP Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Clive, Who's paint did you use? I like the colour. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M5Clive Posted June 16, 2013 Author Share Posted June 16, 2013 Clive, Who's paint did you use? I like the colour. Jon Its a batch that we had made up here in Suffolk by a paint company based upon a 'swatch' I gave them to use as a guide. I will agree that it is a good colour, but I haven't been especially impressed with its durability.................(with the risk of taking this thread off on a whole new tangent!) Having said that, I'm sure I could provide you with some if you were interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Looks great, Clive!! :tup:: High on my list too, a GMC... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 ?......I have a bit of a reputation for taking a month of Sunday's to get around to doing things....... I know that hymn sheet - "And on the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth days, he procrastinated" :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonP Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Its a batch that we had made up here in Suffolk by a paint company based upon a 'swatch' I gave them to use as a guide. I will agree that it is a good colour, but I haven't been especially impressed with its durability.................(with the risk of taking this thread off on a whole new tangent!) Having said that, I'm sure I could provide you with some if you were interested. Thanks Clive - be interested on the durability comment, even in a new thread. PM sent. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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