Jump to content

1942 Commer Q2 30cwt Restoration.


Rootes75

Recommended Posts

Hi Rootes75,

Here is a photo of the windscreen I have, the frame is made of brass and joins are halfway up the sides as you said yours was. Send me a Private Message with your email address and I will send you a sketch of the relevant dimensions. No rubber seal with it but you can buy sealing strip by the length and bond the ends together.

Rootes windscreen.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, I have a new plan. Out of interest I cleaned up all the areas of the frame that were rusting away and underneath all the flaking rust there was actually better areas than I thought.

I am going to have a go at fabricating new sections to weld in those specific areas, essentially grafting into just a couple of areas.

Its definately worth a go.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thats what I am thinking, its definately worth a shot.

On the last truck I restored there was an awful lot of fabrication and welding required, just this is much more delicate and will have to be done with the glass still in place.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1942 Commer Q2 Restoration

A day off work, the rubbing down, de-greasing and wire brushing of the chassis complete so we spent the day giving the Commer a good coat of primer. It always gives a good feeling getting some paint on!

Edited by Rootes75
  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Progress has been a slow over the last month, we had Beaulieu, then Westonzoyland warag, then the West Somerset Railway 1940's event and then this weekend Tankfest! So with no weekends free I have just spent the odd evening finishing off the chassis. 

The chassis and running gear are all fully primed now, so its onto the cab. Plenty of rubbing down has been done already but there is still a lot to go. Also there is plenty of welding required, the front wings need new patches, the bonnet has major rot all alongside the passenger side, the rear cab central mounting is shot and the passenger door needs re-skinning.

51495720543_342ecda83d.jpg

Some assistance from my youngest, he is actually quite keen on rubbing down. He wants to learn how to spray so I am going to let him have a go priming some of the smaller parts, steps/bonnet sides etc when we get round to it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Rootes75 said:

Some assistance from my youngest, he is actually quite keen on rubbing down. He wants to learn how to spray so I am going to let him have a go priming some of the smaller parts, steps/bonnet sides etc when we get round to it.

I wish my kids had a bit more interest, the extra help would be handy😬

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 weeks later...

Bought a new welder, a good brand and gasless as my previous model. Tried it out last weekend and the weld quality was really good, very minimal burn through and the weld was very consistant.

I managed to fabricate and weld in repairs to the passenger door skin and allowed it time to be fettled and then when cooled off a quick skim of filler over it.

Next thing on the list or should I say plan is to build a permanent roof to the shelter that the lorry is under. I have drawn up a sectional roof and had it punched and folded at work. I have designed it basically as a big mechano set so that it can be put together without having too much to lift into place etc, it can be assembled in situ over the lorry. Now the weather down here in Somerset seems to have turned wet I think its needed more than ever! I will post some picks when its together.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Finally, we have had a large move around in the yard and we have purchased a portable garage for storage. As a result the Commer is now inside the workshop and we can really get a move on with the restoration. Being sheeted outside has really not helped us.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

46 minutes ago, 67burwood said:

A few pictures please and details of the garage.  

We were in such a rush to move the vehicles round and then put the garage up that I got home that afternoon to realise I hadnt taken any photos!?!

I will pop down in the day and take some pics, we put our biggest car in the garage and it is dwarfed in there!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

With the Commer now inside the access is much better and all our tools can be left out etc so the time down the yard is much better spent. 

This photo shows some more rot that we have just found whilst stripping out the cab trim. Its a shot of the Passenger door frame, this is the inside and as can be seen needs some fabrication/welding. Of  note, the outside including the gutter is in very good condition.

51743767436_2421a5492a.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have had a lot of issues with our welders but I have gone back to a Clarke Migmate gasless and the results are a lot better. The lower sections at the back of the cab needed particularly a lot of attention, the inner skin and the outer section were completely rotted, this was all hidden when the body was in place.

This photo shows the fabricated section welded into place with a quick grind over prior to any fettling back.

51744007218_1a620fda55.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

We had to have a move around of our shed at the weekend to fit in one of our cars so with the nice weather we had the lorry out in the yard to work on.

All of the welding on the cab is now finished, in the end we have had to work on both front wings, re-skinned the passenger door, rebuilt both of the door apertures and rebuilt the rear cab mounting. The rear wings still need work and the bonnet is in quite a state but the main cab is now complete and we are in the process of filling and rubbing down.

51920453719_ae103cf8ba.jpg

Also, after so long with her standing we were really pleased that only after a few turns with the fuel pumped up she fired and ran quite nicely so moving her about was easy. the chassis and running gear is all primed ready for top coats, the paint is now on order. We will brush paint all this but he cab will be etch primed and sprayed.

51920228898_b26bf7e4cb.jpg

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, I have one issue when running the engine on the Commer and that is that the carb does not have an air cleaner fitted and this then becomes difficult to keep her running well cause as soon as you open the throttle she sucks in loads of unrestricted air.

I have a few manuals for the larger 3 tonner and that has the same engine but they have an air cleaner fitted to the carb so I was wondering about trying to fit the same to mine to aid her smooth running.

51937659753_f6189b6877.jpg

The ac cleaner I have seen before but its Item 9 in the diagram that is essential in offsetting the cleaner as the carb is actually quite close to the bulkhead.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Rootes75 said:

So, I have one issue when running the engine on the Commer and that is that the carb does not have an air cleaner fitted and this then becomes difficult to keep her running well cause as soon as you open the throttle she sucks in loads of unrestricted air.

I have a few manuals for the larger 3 tonner and that has the same engine but they have an air cleaner fitted to the carb so I was wondering about trying to fit the same to mine to aid her smooth running.

51937659753_f6189b6877.jpg

The ac cleaner I have seen before but its Item 9 in the diagram that is essential in offsetting the cleaner as the carb is actually quite close to the bulkhead.

Sounds more like a tuning problem or air leak. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, 67burwood said:

Sounds more like a tuning problem or air leak. 

Could well be,  the engine should respond without the filter in place,  have you put a vacuum gauge on and run some tests ?  

It will be able to show up induction leaks, valve problems and ignition timing issues as well well worth doing if you haven't already coupled one up. 

Pete 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

She ticks over very smooth, and the engine sounds lovely on low revs. But when you put your foot down quite hard you can hear the carb suck. 

We spent a long time setting tje timing and getting the carb set right so that she starts, stays running and ticks over smoothly.

I have a petrol engined 1950 Commer too, she is a very smooth runner. She has the oil bath air cleaner fitted to the carb. Just to see what happens we ran her and took the air cleaner off. The same thing happened, runs smooth on tickover but give her some throttle and you can hear the carb sucking and she doesnt run well.

The main point that I have been wondering is that I have a book for the 15cwt and it has an air cleaner, I have a book for the 3 tonner and that has an air cleaner, I dont have a book for the 30cwt so cant check but my Commer came with an open carb, I wonder why that is and wonder should it have one as the others in the range?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...