HWade Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Well Its been a while since doing a blog on a full restoration this will added to as and when work commences on the restoration. Well Tony.H, and I headed off this morning to a sunny village in North Norfolk. On Arrival the truck was hiding in a shed where she was pulled outside and loaded onto Tony,s trailer. Once all strapped up and after a coffee and a shat we headed back to suffolk. The Chevrolet had not been started since 1953. I have to admit I expected the engine to be siezed. But once we arrived back with her and all unloaded. I had a little investigation to see if the engine was stuck, and to my amazement she was not. In fact the engine was very free. well after a few checks oil here and there and fitting a small remote fuel tank, fitting a battery and a new coil I gave her a turn well she burst into life and no nasty knocks infact a very quiet running engine. Even the clutch is free all gears seem ok. Well now i know the engine runs. I can concentrate on the strip down, its a total strip, right down to the axles. Heres a few pics more to follow as the restoration goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Looks like it might be fun to rat it! Get the beast going and leave it rusty. Looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
253cmg Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Well Its been a while since doing a blog on a full restoration this will added to as and when work commences on the restoration. Well Tony.H, and I headed off this morning to a sunny village in North Norfolk. On Arrival the truck was hiding in a shed where she was pulled outside and loaded onto Tony,s trailer. Once all strapped up and after a coffee and a shat we headed back to suffolk. The Chevrolet had not been started since 1953. I have to admit I expected the engine to be siezed. But once we arrived back with her and all unloaded. I had a little investigation to see if the engine was stuck, and to my amazement she was not. In fact the engine was very free. well after a few checks oil here and there and fitting a small remote fuel tank, fitting a battery and a new coil I gave her a turn well she burst into life and no nasty knocks infact a very quiet running engine. Even the clutch is free all gears seem ok. Well now i know the engine runs. I can concentrate on the strip down, its a total strip, right down to the axles. Heres a few pics more to follow as the restoration goes. Hi Howard that's a cracking looking truck, there was a nice one in Guernsey this year. Looking forward to seeing the finished article, Ps Are you always that regular after a coffee or was it because you were strapped up😀 Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWade Posted May 26, 2015 Author Share Posted May 26, 2015 Hello Kevin, I thought that would be right up your street, its a very straight truck, does need some tin work but all possible. Tony regards Rat rod this cant be done its in for a full restoration to look as it was demobbed from the military. The truck was nused on the farm for hauling sugar beet. Howard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels v Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Oh what a nice Chevy good luck with the restoration Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex van de Wetering Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 That's a nice truck Howard. Good to see you will be working on another Canadian vehicle. Looking forward to the first updates. Are those the body side panels laying flat on the back? Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWade Posted May 26, 2015 Author Share Posted May 26, 2015 Hello Alex Yes they are all the sides and tailgate, just got to get a new head board fabricated, this is missing, also need to see where the spare wheel is suppose to go, i think behind the cab. But are do some investigating. Howard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Hello Kevin, I thought that would be right up your street, its a very straight truck, does need some tin work but all possible. Tony regards Rat rod this cant be done its in for a full restoration to look as it was demobbed from the military. The truck was nused on the farm for hauling sugar beet. Howard Bloody hell! It's done it's time then. Knocks 8 bells out of the equipment doing that. She is one good looking truck though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex van de Wetering Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Yes they are all the sides and tailgate, just got to get a new head board fabricated, this is missing, also need to see where the spare wheel is suppose to go, i think behind the cab. Howard; good to hear you also have the sides and tailgate! It's hard to see in the pictures; but it looks a lot like a rare 3C1 QMG body. Someone in the past might have moved the body backwards a bit (and filled the space above the rear wheels to create a flat floor), but I think all 3C1 trucks left the factory with run flat tires and no spare wheel. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWade Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 (edited) Hello Alex that good news about the body, I had a closer look this morning and it would appear that the body has indeed been moved back. I would say that was done to make the unloading of sugar beet easier bearing in mind its not a tipper and it was all forked on and off those were the days!. I bolted the sides and tail gate on to show you how it was, shame the head board is missing but nothing that cant be fabricated. Part of the centre of the cargo bed floor is checkaplate I guess this is original. Do you have a pic of this body I would like to see how the inner arches went on the back. I can see the plates that were welded to the floor to fill in the space. These |I can cut out. There are two holes in the tailgate I think they are for footings to climb in the back of the truck, someone over the years welded in two bars, guess this was to stop cargo falling out. Ive looked for a build plate on the body but cant find one. Any ideas were the chassis number is located on the chassis. Also where could I buy a parts book. Thanks for your interest in the truck, she will be really nice vehicle when done. Howard Edited May 27, 2015 by HWade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
253cmg Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Hi Howard, Is that the correct fuel tank for the truck? The reason I ask is that access to the filler looks nigh on impossible with the body in the correct position, unless of course there is more space above the tank than the picture shows. As you say the tin work will require a bit of fettling Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 What an excellent find Howard and still with the body as well. It looks very original with early short neck fuel tanks. Have they got the cast plate on top with the change over key for the 2 gallon reserve?. I can't tell from your photos but it appears from the depth of glass that the screen is fixed if so this feature combined with the 12 cab opening bonnet would indicate a fields mod kit having been fitted (standard production 12 cabs had opening screens). Kits were produced for a limited period in early 1941 to fiels convert 11 cabs to opening bonnet with front vents but he screens were not changed. I broke a badly decayed C15A for spares for my standard production 12 cab C15A about 20 years ago that truck had the field mod kit fitted its the only one I have ever come across. Is the factory number plate still in place on the engine cover? they so often are missing any chance of some photos of the inside of the cab. The chequer plate rear floor is correct by the way, there were two designs on the early 11 and 12 cab truck either conventional lozenge or lozenge and dot, (you will notice that the pressings of either type are lower than modern equivalents), both Ford and Chevrolet used either or indeed both in a combination of cab floor, step and rear body as you probably know body components were manufactured by a number of different sub contractors. Very nice find I shall look forward to seeing the restoration blog, I have a quantity of take out parts for Chevrolet mainly engines, gearboxes and transfer cases either complete or in parts I also have some NoS instruments and switches for 11 and 12 cab Chevrolet hidden away somewhere but I think you're some way away from needing those yet:) Good luck regards Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 (edited) Howard; good to hear you also have the sides and tailgate! It's hard to see in the pictures; but it looks a lot like a rare 3C1 QMG body. Someone in the past might have moved the body backwards a bit (and filled the space above the rear wheels to create a flat floor), but I think all 3C1 trucks left the factory with run flat tires and no spare wheel. Alex Your right Alex it is a 3C1 body very rare indeed I know of only one more and that was in an unrestored state in Belgium. Pete Edited May 27, 2015 by Pete Ashby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Couple of promotional factory photos of a 3C1 body on a Ford 12 cab reproduced from 'Blue Print for Victory' by William Gregg Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Couple of scans from the October 1941 DND special pattern bodies part list that may be of interest Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWade Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 Hi Pete, and a big thankyou for all that information, the truck went through a full rebuild by the military in 1941, the front screen is fixed. The fuel tank does have a cast plate and also has the turn over switch, I am short of a fuel tank dont suppose you have one, I also need the large head lights The ones on it as pointed out by Adrian are early british Jeep headlights. I have managed to get a bit more done today. But will have to get back on my on going restoration. Heres a few more pics to be getting on with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 It's a lovely truck, almost makes me want to get back into wheeled vehicles, not sure my size 12's will fit in the footwell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWade Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 Adrian, even my size nines are tight. You were right about a bracket for the headboard, check out the scans pete put on the blog. Howard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 ...Do you have a pic of this body I would like to see how the inner arches went on the back... Howard, I don't know if you've seen this or indeed if it's of help (click on the photo to enlarge): http://wheelsandtracks.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/c30-cab11-uk.html Also, you may like this snap from my collection - sadly I can't read the WD numbers (they possibly start L4....). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWade Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 Hello Runflat, all the pictures help, I have the original toolbox I can now see where it goes. Thanks Howard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I may have an early tank I'll have a look in the morning for you. I did have a pair of NoS drum head lights in the cosmaline but I'm afraid my son beat you to them for his 12 cab C15A bowser. Glad the scans are of interest if you can find the frame number I may be able to find the contract number for you. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWade Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 Hi Pete, any idea where I can find the Number. Great stuff if you have a fuel tank, shame about the lights. Any idea on what the rear lights looked like. Howard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 On 11 and 12 cab Chevrolets the frame number was stamped not on the frame but on a zinc plate attached to the engine covers inside the cab. The rear lights should be 'rubber lights' the name is a give away they are rubber construction with red lenses the front side lights are the same units but with clear lenses mounted on the wings next to the head lights I'll see if I can find some pictures of my old 12 cab C15A which should make it clear. The side lights were available as NoS from Dirk Legwater I'll find a link for him. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 here we go Howard photos of my old 12 cab C15A showing NoS rubber lights in correct positions note I have added and extra light each side at the rear and used them for indicators. Front view Rear view Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Ashby Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Heres the link for Dirk Leekwater http://www.lwdparts.com/, I'd also recommend the maple leaf up forum that's were most of the worlds CMP guys hang out. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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