mkorst Posted November 29, 2009 Share Posted November 29, 2009 Boring? Not even a second! It's great to see what you guys do. For me personally it's been an insperation and some methods come in handy during my own restoration. Keep on posting, we love the pictures! Thanks! Micha. http://www.lucrum-socius.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 The water pump patterns are now complete and have had two coats of 'Bondaprime'. This is really an anti-rust primer but works very well on MDF as the first coat soaks in deeply and hardens the surface. This can then be rubbed back to a good surface and the second coat applied. A final polish with some wire wool and the patterns are ready for the foundry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenHawkins Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Really impressive progress. I hope to be able to make patterns like that one day. Such a lot of work is involved in each and every part. Glad the drawings were of use, just a shame they didn't all survive. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 Thanks Ben It is amazing what original drawings have survived, so many thanks to you for finding them. Tony phoned the Foundry this morning to see if the castings were ready - they promise for Tuesday morning. So pending their arrival, he pushed on with the Universal Coupling end covers. These were cut from 5/16" mild steel plate. We require two identical ones - to eventually to be split into 4 halves - so the two have been cut out machined back to back as far as possible. After drilling the four fixing holes and drilling and tapping a hole for the Oil Filler Plug, the two were bored out together for the final diameter to take the shaft. They then have to be set up on a 45degrees Angle Plate so that a "Vee" slot can be machined along the centre line. We have the original drawing of this item as this is the method originally specified. The "vee" goes deep enough to allow just 1/32" thickness of metal remaining along which line the discs are split into halves. One disc now finished and the other just to have the "Vee" machined into it. And finally the Oil Filler Plugs to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted December 5, 2009 Author Share Posted December 5, 2009 Everything seems to be coming along quite well, but lots and lots of little jobs to do. Steve has made the nut for the clutch thrust bearing, as per the original drawing (look at the date in the corner). Quite amazingly, he had the 1/4" grub screw in stock and even more amazingly was able to find it. We needed a couple of thrust races, but Tony did some rummaging around and found exactly the right ones in a box of NOS bearings he bought years ago for just a couple of quid. It will save us a few pounds in not having to buy some (sorry Chris). Over the years we have accumulated a vast stock of bits and pieces which would otherwise have ended up as scrap. If we only ever use just a tiny proportion of it all we will have had a good return on our investment. I notice that the number of hits on this thread jumped up overnight by about 160. If any of you want to ask questions or suggest a better way of doing things we would always be delighted to hear from you. Thanks Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 :bow::bow::bow: I watch and learn with each installment as your project advances. I could never dream of telling you how to do anything better since I have no idea how to do that kind of work in the first place. Looking forward to seeing and hearing the Dennis run and move when that day arrives in the not to distant future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 I watch this tread because its so interesting. Especially the expertise and effort it making parts. Well done... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil munga Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 I notice that the number of hits on this thread jumped up overnight by about 160. If any of you want to ask questions or suggest a better way of doing things we would always be delighted to hear from you. Maybe like me a lot of us cant go to sleep without checking what task you'll overcome next , I find this quite a magnificent build up right from the start ,such dedication and attention to detail so much so that I'll now take more notice of things like old trailers in hedgerows , the old bearings under the bench next to the steam cylinder , Don't think can suggest a better way of doing things as it looks that your already doing it the best way , sometimes its best to ask as someone might see a better way though , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 (edited) Your standard of workmanship, ingenuity, and "here's a part almost a hundred years old we happened to have on the shelf" are in distinct danger of making the restoration more interesting than the truck. I would suggest you redress the balance by posting some shots of similar trucks in action (as I'm sure you have a few more tucked away) so we can admire the truck as a whole rather than the very impressive parts you are coming up with one at a time. What about an outline of the truck as she stands today, highlighting parts to hand and parts still needed? I'm sure many of us on here would happily look out for some of the missing bits if we knew what to look for, and we could also spread the word even further than at present? We could also check up on any parts that may have been reported to you that you just don't have the time to get to. Any similar stuff in Scotland that needs researched / photographed? You've got me started thinking about a Dodge Light Repair Truck now, and all my WW2 Dodges aren't happy that my attention isn't on them. Edited December 7, 2009 by Gordon_M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisg Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Everything seems to be coming along quite well, but lots and lots of little jobs to do. Steve has made the nut for the clutch thrust bearing, as per the original drawing (look at the date in the corner). Quite amazingly, he had the 1/4" grub screw in stock and even more amazingly was able to find it. We needed a couple of thrust races, but Tony did some rummaging around and found exactly the right ones in a box of NOS bearings he bought years ago for just a couple of quid. It will save us a few pounds in not having to buy some (sorry Chris). Over the years we have accumulated a vast stock of bits and pieces which would otherwise have ended up as scrap. If we only ever use just a tiny proportion of it all we will have had a good return on our investment. I notice that the number of hits on this thread jumped up overnight by about 160. If any of you want to ask questions or suggest a better way of doing things we would always be delighted to hear from you. Thanks Tim :shocked::shocked: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 (edited) Thanks for your thoughts everyone. Dont be downhearted Chris. We still have three more trucks to restore and need plenty more bearings of all sorts. We will be in contact in due course. To keep the enthusiasm going, here is reminder of what we are aiming for: And this is what happens if you drive them too fast on a bumpy road: The same affect is acheived if you get hit by a German shell. Edited December 7, 2009 by Great War truck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 Something that you might be able to help us with is locating as original steering wheel. Here are a couple of pictures of it. It has a 5/8" square hole in the middle, five spokes and is 18" in diameter. It should look a bit like this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minesweeper Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 (edited) What about an outline of the truck as she stands today, highlighting parts to hand and parts still needed? I'm sure many of us on here would happily look out for some of the missing bits if we knew what to look for, and we could also spread the word even further than at present? A very kind offer, Gordon, and thank you very much for it! I think that we have most parts that we need apart from the few we have to make! Perhaps, though, I could just elaborate on Tim's comments about the Steering Wheel. I never gave Steering Wheels much thought until we were faced with finding one for this lorry - I think that we just assumed that a Steering Wheel was a Steering Wheel - a round thing with four spokes! But this lorry and I think other Dennis's had Steering Wheels with five spokes - and we have been scouring Autojumbles, and Beaulieu in particular, for a suitable one - but without success. Having reached this far, we cannot fit a steering wheel with four spokes - so we have decided that if we cannot find one, then we will have to make one. (Ships and ha'porth's of tar and all that) A Laser cut outline has already been made around which we thought that we could make one up - with the appropriate "dishing" in it to get it right. Not a straight forward job, as you will see from Tim's picture that it has "notches" all the way around the circumference for fingers. So a lot of work there, too. Many Steering wheels have splines to fit them on to the steering column, but this Dennis has a square hole in the centre to fit to the appropriate square on the column. There must be one somewhere tucked away in a garage or shed with perhaps the owner not realising what its origins are! I'll try to get some more pictures of our Dennis over the Christmas break so that they can be posted - we have to get it out of its shed shortly to drop the "diff" in - but it is so crowded in the shed, it really is almost impossible to get back far enough inside from it to see it properly and photograph it as a whole. Thank you again! Tony Edited December 7, 2009 by Marmite!! Quote tags added Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 The HMVF forum members are now on the hunt for any 18" five-spoke wheel with a 5/8" square hole then:coffee: That's just the sort of thing that might turn up out of your search area, and it shouldn't even be expensive to buy becuase it'll be no use at all for anything else I expect. Is the rim coated with rubber, plastic, whatever or it it all just one casting? It looks like some sort of rubber or bakelite coating (too early for ordinary 'plastic' surely?) is cracking off in one of the images. Gordon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minesweeper Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Yes it is coated with something - I am not quite sure what it is - but we took the opportunity of speaking to some people at Beaulieu who restore steering wheels as their job and they told us that they would be prepared to put a coat of something to look right on our finished replica. Nothing further done about it so far. Steve may have more precise knowledge of what the original coating was and no doubt he will pick this up when he looks at the Forum next time and comment appropriately! Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Bill Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 As Dad says, we never thought much about steering wheels until we realised that we didn't have one! The photographs are of the unrestored post-war subsidy lorry from which we borrowed the water pump to copy. The wheel is exactly what we are after and, as far as I can make out, consists of a cast aluminium hub and spokes with a steel tubular rim. The rim has finger indentations pushed into it and is then covered with what I believe to be celluloid. I have spoken to a steering wheel specialist and there appears to be no problem about recoating the rim with something which looks right. The problem, of course, is how to make the rim. It would take quite a lot of special tooling to bend the tube and indent it so I plan to cast the whole thing in solid aluminium, dress it by hand and then get the rim coated. We have a laser cut profile in 3mm steel which I will dish and then build up as a pattern with MDF again. After a little careful marking out, I think I can put the grips in by using my 'Dremel' with a sanding drum attached. Lots more hours! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormin Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Having a square hole in the centre means these original wheels have probably found far more uses on other machines or farm implements where a bit more leverage was required. Square drives are extremely common on old lathes / milling machines and probably even mangles, more so than the harder to cut splines. As for making a replica I wouldn't have thought it that expensive to get a suitable steel tube ring rolled to form a rim and then do the indents yourself. How about local heating with a torch then hammer a piece of round bar onto the heated area. The interesting area is how is the steel rim attached to the aluminium spokes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted December 7, 2009 Author Share Posted December 7, 2009 Here is another Dennis photo. As you can see the lorry has suffered some damage. Saying that, the radiator and gear change still look to be in good condition. The engine can be just made out as well. I am sure that Steve could get it running again in an afternoon, if he could only find the back end. This wartime black and white photograph has been colourised by the very talented Chris Foster and used here with his permission. Thanks Chris. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Bet the driver needed a change of underpants! :shake: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted December 7, 2009 Author Share Posted December 7, 2009 Tony has finished off the second universal coupling end cover: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Thats something else on that colourising. one would think it was originally a color photo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minesweeper Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 This chap is a real expert - you will find more of his work on the Great War Forum. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Thanks is amazing work and love seeing this on the WWII films - makes such an impact. - I first thought this was a studio/film picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Thanks is amazing work and love seeing this on the WWII films - makes such an impact. - I first thought this was a studio/film picture. Indeed, or I thought it was a re-enacter photo. Truly a talented man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 We have the first three castings back from the foundry. Here we have the impeller: and the cover: Everything here seems to be fine, just needs a clean up. Very pleased with it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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