Lend Lease Chev 1 1.5 ton
 

Hi restorers and fellow bruised, cut and bleeding vehicle owners.

Could anyone tell me whether a gearbox from a Studebaker truck would fit a 235hp Chev motor in the 1 1.5 ton range. If these two are compatible, it would make life very breezy. Of course life isn't so bring on the news.

Similarly, would a clutch kit for either vehicle be compatible?

I've searched the forum for specific headers on the 30cwt but can only really find LRDG references.

Any help greatly appreciated.

:cheers:

Chris

Gday
 

Long time between posts Chris...anyway welcome back!

Is this the sort of truck you are referring to?

Hi Tony,

Yes, it has been awhile b/w posts. You know the story, juggling restoration, family, hobbies, going to events, work :bang:!

I've actually saved that picture to my Chev file. Yes that is the one I have. Thanks for picking up on the thread.

I have a clutch that needs some attention (I've learned how to grind gears unfortunately) and looking for parts/kits/spares like everyone else I guess.

Any ideas?

:cheers:

Well actually..
 

Im slowly doing one myself - but I have nothing spare at this point in time...having said that if I find a clutch plate thats suitable Ill give you a hoy.

There are people on this forum who I'm sure have stuff you may be looking for though...

Have you got any pictures of your beast that you could post and perhaps some to illustrate your issues.

Here's the one I'm doing

clutch
 

Std chev ? try a v8 holden 1 tonner plate, it,s 1/4 " smaller but same spline, thrust brg is the same for both models.

Here is a before photo of the Chev on arrival (on a flatbed) in about August 2009 I think it was. Rescued her from a farm in Victoria. It was running with a 500ml squirt bottle with petrol in it, sitting on the roof, feeding into the Carter W1 carb.

Bob - that advice sounds like gold and will check it out thank you.

Tony good luck with yours. It looks like mine did to be sure.

Be great to see a dedicated thread to the 1 1.5 tonners.

Many thanks

Will it fit?
 

Hi Chris.
In answer to your question on whether a Stude gearbox will fit in your Chev, the answer is yes and no. These vehicles had a 216 engine in them originally so what engine are you referring to when you say 235? If a splash feed truck engine the 5 speed o'drive Clark g/box from a Stude US6 will bolt to the bell housing but the clutch shaft is very different. What you really need is the g/box from a GMC 6x6 or the clutch shaft and bearing retainer from one to convert the Stude box to that configuration. The rest of the g/box is the same for both GMC and Stude.
To cut it short, the GMC 6x6 box will bolt straight onto the original 216 or a 235 truck engine, everything fits. BUT, if installing this box on an engine to go in the truck in your picture you will have to cut away half of the engine mount cross member. The reason for that is because the 5 speed Clarck box is basically flat on the front whereas the original 4 speed Chev box steps back below the lower edge of the bell housing.
Another thing about the box out of the 6x6s is that they both use a 2 speed transfer case so the speedo drive is off that not the gearbox. There is no provision on the g/box to run a speedo.
If when you say 235 engine you are referring to a Blue Flame, it could be from a car with smaller clutch and bell housing.
I can supply an original NOS clutch plate should you want it.
David

Hello David,

Thanks for posting and sorry for not replying sooner. Your advice is excellent though I'm in a pickle re maintenance as no workshop facilities at home except basic tools. I need to get the clutch assembly out and see what size it is to perhaps get replacement parts from the US.

David, would you be able to measure the clutch plate for me in case I can repair my exisiting one using yours please? Can go from that point on.

Thanks in advance

Chris,

I think any Holden clutch plate from 60's to 80's will fit (I have put one in a Chev blitz with no problems). Don't know what bolt pattern is on the flywheel you have as even the 216 motor had a couple of different patterns which sends you insane trying to make one motor out of two and swap pressure plates around. The clutch plate,11 inch from memory, should fit any pressure plate. You don't need to hunt up a V8 clutch plate, if indeed they were different to the 6 cylinder as the Holden Red motor had more power than the Chev anyhow and could handle that engine with comfort. Dave M should know everything about this anyhow.

Lang

Gi'day Lang - thanks to you and again to everyone else. After my last jaunt in the truck this weekend, she's off the road and clutch out. :whinge

I'll try to locate Holden bits to start with (even the old Holden parts are getting hard to locate - well, in Adelaide anyway!)

So will post my discoveries and compare notes once out and back on the road.


:salute:

Thanks again

Hi All,

Thought I'd post a more recent pic of the Chev. She looks a little more military now than this shot with registration numbers but generally wont improve beyond this.

How's everyone elses projects going. Keen to see more Chev's on here :nono:

Cheers
Chris

Which clutch plate?
 

I somehow missed your request for clutch plate diameter info Chris. Lang is pretty close. It measures up at 10-3/4". The shaft is ten spline 1-1/8" diameter.

For the number of L/L Chev's that were around in this country there should be more in the hands of collectors/restorers. They're a great truck and served mightily in the post war years commonly beyond their rated capacity. I inadvertently caused mine to be loaded with seven tons of crushed rock down at the quarry one day and staggered home with it.

I sold mine in the UK at the end of the ANZAC-Normandy tour in 2009 and seeing the picture of your truck Chris sure plays at the heart strings. It looks good.

David

Hi David.

Thanks for the measurements. I hope to get stuck into the clutch in the next week or so in readiness for the Australia Day parade.

So it sounds like you took your Chev to the UK? That must be a story in itself with customs/shipping etc.

Yes the L/L Chev is as strong as an Ox and a pleasure to drive but it does demonstrate the chasm b/w modern and older vehicles. I take my hat off to the drivers that used Chev's on the Adelaide to Darwin run and in North Africa 1940-1942. Heat, time it takes from A to B and the frequent stops to check all is in order.

All part of the fun driving them knowing the difficulties expericened by war time drivers. :note:

Accelerator adjustment
 

Hi All,

Well, the latest update for the clutch. It turned out to be an adjustment problem where I over adjusted it and didn't need to come out at all :doh:

Many thanks to Aaron for picking that up!

Speaking of adjustments, another thing needing adjustment (does it never end :eek:) is the accelerator linkages. With my foot flat to the floor, the Carter W1 carby is only opening half way.

Looking for any ideas...

Oh and the Australia Parade was great. Hopefully get a pic of the Brazillian dancers with me to post soon.

You may have something bent somewhere Chris. Either the rod from the pedal cross shaft to the bell-crank on the side of the block or the one from the bell-crank up to the carby.

I never liked the original pedal and replaced it with a proper hinged pedal from a Stude which is a far better arrangement. It uses a link to the cut off stub of the original below the toe board. By doing this I could make the link whatever length suited me to get the pedal angle and travel as I wanted it. It was definitely more user friendly.

I did many thousands of miles in my Chev including the Back to the Track run in '95 and two of the subsequent spin offs in 2000 and 2005. The last trip was as part of the ANZAC tour from Istanbul to Normandy in 2009. When the trip finished my wife and I crossed over to England where we spent another six weeks including taking the Chev to the War and Peace Show. It was handed over to the new owner after the show. I do miss it now and then as it was part of my life for thirty years or so.

David

Hello David,

Thanks for the tip. I guess it makes sense that something is bent. I was hoping for an adjustment point like the clutch has that was easier than pulling things apart.

Still after 70 years or so, it probably needs to come apart and get a jolly good lube :thup2:

Cheers

If the clutch is the not working right, check the engine mounts
 

Hi All

Having been through the problem of clutch not disengaging on Chevy HUP, I would add two things to list to check.

Carefully degrease everything, clutch plate, flywheel and pressure plate, I had gunk on mine that cause problems after a rebuild.

But if the problem is intermittent, check for play in the engine mounts even a little bit of fore and aft movement of the engine can throw the clutch adjustment out the window.

If I remember correctly there was even a quick fix on civilian truck of the vintage of putting a turnbuckle connecting the engine to the frame in the fore aft direction to keep the engine from being thrust forward.

This engine mount issue would also affect or is it effect the throttle linkage?

Cheers Phil

Hi Phil,

Nice to hear from the US of A. Scary thought pulling the motor to ensure mounts are OK but again, make sense if loose, will throw the linkages out.

I think I'll go for taking the accelerator linkages out first and see how that fares.

The pessimism in me says if I get half more power on top of what's there now, I'll throw a valve or head gasket :fry:

I have the History Festival to drive in in march so will get stuck in after that.

Thanks all!

Next question and I'm hoping an easy one...

Can anyone post a colour picture of what the 216 motor would have looked like 1940/41?

My motor rocker cover and the sides were red when I got her but the oil filter housing and bracket was an orange colour and no colour to the sump or starter motor. Would the oil bath air filter be painted anything particular?

The engine bay is a dull olive green (not surprising after 70 years).

Thanks in advance

Chris

:coffee

Stovebolt
 

G'day Chris,

I have a 1940 Chev truck that was built by Holdens and was made with the colour plate of khaki. The cabin was made in Australia by Holdens before they were taken over by GMH. My truck is in the shed waiting restoration - its place in the queue was taken over by a Series 3 ex-army Fitted For Radio Land Rover.

I am not sure how original my truck's engine is I will take some photographs of the engine in the morning when the light is better.

Have you come across the excellent based USA site Stovebolt.com? It is a site especially for the restoration of old Chevrolet trucks. It has a gallery, Technical Tips section and a forum. http://www.stovebolt.com.

What are the wheel base dimensions of your truck by the way and the overall length and width of the tray? Was the 1.5 ton rating an Army rating or a civilian one? What is your truck's weight for registration or is it a club rego? Do you have a truck license to drive the vehicle? In Queensland it requires a Medium Rigid licence.

It is great to see the photographs of your truck, keep up the good work.

Kind Regards
Lionel

Photographs of Engine
 

G'day Chris,

I am not sure if my engine is original however it is a 216 engine. The previous owner put a tin cover that rests just over the top of the engine for some reason like a tent fly.

I took some photographs of the engine bay - the horn is not original as they were more like a long trumpet that were bolted to the manifold. Everything else is pretty stock standard. I also took some photographs of the truck's pivoting window - which I think some one asked me about a while ago.

I am not sure if the flash photographs give you a good idea of the colour of the motor. It was a farm truck for two generations on the same farm after it was sold by the army.

Let me know if you need any other shots.

Kind Regards
Lionel

More Photographs of Engine
 

G'day Chris,

Here are some more photographs.

Kind Regards
Lionel

Front Pivoting Windscreen
 

Hello Chris & whomever asked me to post up some photographs of the windscreen,

I had to wait until the windscreen got nice and dusty to cut down the reflections before I could take photographs of it. Well that is my excuse anyway. :)

Photograph 009 shows the top hinge points and also shows the quarter vent window which identifies the truck as a Holdens built cabin as opposed to the single pane of glass for the Lend Lease side windows.

Kind Regards
Lionel

Side Vent
 

G'day Chris,

The last photograph is the side vent that allows air to travel into the cabin near the driver and passenger's legs. This is the other sign of an Australian built cabin. I have a friend who has a fully civilian version of my truck which never saw service. His truck has been fitted with a Blue Flash 235 engine so it is not much use to you to take photographs of. My friend's truck has a fixed windscreen and the front mud guards travel further down to cover more of the wheels. My mud guards have been lifted and wire edged - given the bikini treatment. Not so much as the desert service vehicles which had their mud guards given the full Brazilian treatment.

Kind Regards
Lionel

Hi Lionel,

Many thanks for taking the time to take and post those pictures. The more you get to be with the truck, perhaps the more inclined you'll be to make a start on her :teach:

Only teasing. Mine is the only project I have at the mo.

Thanks for the tip to the Stovebolt, I'll check that out.

Our motors are about the same colour. I don't want a Ken Done colour scheme but something other than bare metal would be nice

Thanks again Lionel

Chris

Possible explanation for cover above valve cover
 

If the valve cover is the style with slits in the top, a prevoius owner may have wanted to reduce dust and eliminate water entry (unless fording deep water) through the slits. It would make even more sense if they were runnig withour hood/bonnet for extra cooling. This is only a guess.....

The Holden cab usually has a fixed windscreen, it's one of the identifying features along with quarter vent windows, the foot-well vent either side and the lack of top cowl vent.
Just goes to show the folly of making definitive statements. So many variations.
I don't remember seeing anything like the linkage for pushing out the windscreen on your truck Lionel. The American cab has a winder under the dash with a crank handle on top and pushes the windscreen out with a flexible stainless steel strip. It only opens six or eight inches or so.

David

A more recent pic loaded with troops at the Festival of History show March 2013

An older version
 

G'day David,


http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/024625. Mine was definitely a militarised version as can be seen by a slightly younger version of my truck. Same windscreen modification. The description says "Australian Army"

The details of the photograph from the Australian War Memorial collection appear below

P.S I found another photograph from the AWM of a Chevrolet with the same type of windscreen.


Kind Regards
Lionel

ID number 024625
Object type Black & white
Physical description Black & white
Collection Photograph

Description

WESTERN DESERT, EGYPT. 1942-07-22. AUSTRALIAN ARMY CANTEEN SERVICE MOBILE CANTEEN. THESE 3-TON TRUCKS STACKED WITH GOODS PLY UP AND DOWN THE REAR OF THE BATTLE AREA SUPPLYING THE WANTS OF THOSE WHO HAVE MONEY. NOTE THE NAME "GLORIA" ON THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK. THIS IDEA OF INSCRIBING A GIRL'S NAME ON A 3 TON TRUCK IS, IN A WAY, A DOUBTFUL COMPLIMENT TO HER MEMORY, BUT IS A WIDESPREAD PRACTICE AMONG BRITISH TROOPS IN EGYPT.

Accessed 12th September.
Permalink: http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/024625

Photograph Two Crashed Chevrolet
ID number 059816
Photographer Halmarick, Colin Thomas
Object type Black & white
Physical description Black & white
Collection Photograph

Description

PORT MORESBY, NEW GUINEA. 1943-11-11. A TRUCK OF HEADQUARTERS, NEW GUINEA FORCE WHICH WAS WRECKED IN A COLLISION WITH A JEEP.

Accessed 12th September.
Permalink: http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/059816

Hello Grant,

Thank you for the tip. I will take the cover off and see what is underneath it.

It was a farm vehicle too with such things as the under seat petrol tank replaced by a side mounted under the tray rectangular fuel tank - with the farm name on it. A wind up spare tyre holder underneath the tray which uses two gears one which has a handle on it.

So how old the modification is could be anyone's guess.

Kind Regards
Lionel