Dewald chain drive truck

[Cel]

I thought I'd post this while waiting for an update on the Thornycroft test drive. We finally picked up our new restoration project, a Dewald KL truck. It has been modified with tyres in 1941 and is in quite good condition. Here are a few pictures, will post more next week.

Regards

Marcel

 

[john1950]

That is quite a truck

[andypugh]

What year is it? It is rather nice. Was it originally on solid tyres? 

[Cel]

I don't know the exact year, but should be about 1920-25. It was originally on wooden wheels with solids, there is one other survivor known, at the Fondation Berliet in Lyon. It is really in a very good condition.

Edited May 1, 2018 by Cel

[Cel]

 This is how it stood in January, as a result of a flooding of the Seine river.

[Citroman]

Nice one Marcel, Is it an militairy vehicle? Seen the protection bar in front of the grille and the tow hooks on the chassis?

[Great War truck]

Well i am glad you got it home to dry out. That unloved "United" truck was also recovered from a flood. It did look better before it had been restored but there we go.  

[Cel]

Dewald supplied trucks to the french government during the war, but also in the years after they had substantial contracts for military use and from building contractors. As the article in CU says, they must have been prisoner of their own concept and when the time came to modernize they missed the boat. Charles Dewald is considered as the inventor of the hydraulic tipper. If you look up his name in google patents you'll find a patent of a hydraulic ram, US 1.237.309, where oil is supplied through hollow journals. This is obviously done in order to avoid the use of a hose, which back then could not withstand the high pressure. The hydraulic system of my truck has disappeared but you can steel see the holes where the ram was fitted and the pto on the gearbox.

Marcel

[Redherring]

Impressive unit.  How did it survive the ravages of time...

[Cel]

Nothing has been done to the Dewald yet. It sits in our shed in a strategically positioned way as it is in my view during breakfast (when I'm home). There is a tag on the engine that says it has been modified for the use with a wood gasser by Michel Coasnès. I found an old note of this company that says 'spare parts of my own fabrication adaptable to Dewald and all types of Laffly trucks'

I am guessing that this company also did the modification of the rear wheels (and probably the fronts). The truck will be restored mechanically only, and for now we will leave the tyres. 

Regards, Marcel

[Citroman]

Here a Dewald army truck on gas.

 

[alsfarms]

Nice unit for sure.  Did the flooding get into the engine, trans. and the rear end?

Al

[Cel]

The water got into the sump, we drained it off when we got it home. The engine is loose but will need complete dismantling before we will attempt to start it again. Transmission was just above the water level, and as it is a chain drive the diff is integrated into the gearbox so no rear end issues.

Marcel 

[David Alfred Jack]

There is a ww1 Dewald truck chassis on wooden wheels in South Africa 

[Cel]

That would make the 3rd one known in existence, any chance you can post a picture here? I have found some documentation, it looks like these trucks have been used for quite a long time after production came to a stop in about 1932-34. Not many Dewald trucks were in military service, despite their efforts. 

[Great War truck]

On 7/16/2022 at 2:01 PM, David Alfred Jack said:

There is a ww1 Dewald truck chassis on wooden wheels in South Africa 

Whereabouts in South Africa? Sandstone?

[mammoth]

Engine looks similar to Continental, or at least to standard USA practise of the early '20's