M52a1
 

Hi all! my next project is my M52A1 prime mover with a Mack engine. A fare amount of cancer but nothing I can't handle so I'll keep the pics coming as I go.
Colin.

The cab's fairly ordinary!

A bit of a start.

Shame we weren't closer in location. There is a nice one not far from here available for the price of scrap. There have not been any takers on the project locally. To look at it it seems to be huge and ungainly.....like a child only a mother could love.

Good luck with the project.

Thanks Rob! I just can't believe how cheap these trucks are over there. There is not too many over here and the ones with the Mack engine are quite rare but it's a great project and hopefully should only take me a couple of months to complete. I would love to see some pics of your local one.
Colin.

Some people tell me I'm stubborn for not wanting to be beaten by tin worms, but I admire your will to get that cab fixed up. It may not have many compund curves but it still looks like you have a job ahead of you. Congratulations.

Colin, I am sure that your exceptional skills will have this truck looking very smart in no time at all. :salute: I will enjoy following your posts on her.
She looks like the weevils have been in the flour draw for some time. :D
Have you decided what follows?

Little bit done today but it's time to get the kids from school :whinge. It's actually not too bad to do and pretty easy to get at. Next project are the Vickers Light Tanks as they've been waiting long enough. :)

It certainly is so much easier when you can turn things over for access

End of the day again!

some of the bends must be done in sequence or you wont get the material into the machines. You need a folder and a press brake to do these and of course think ahead before you press the button.

Always good when they fit. :)
Colin.

The top of the dash was fairly well gone so I decided to remove it all and make a complete new part.

I also had to replace a top section of the pillar that holds the windscreen on. That was really bad

After careful consideration I decided to cut up a CJ5 jeep bonnet as the shape was similar,(sort of)

A lot of hammering to get the shape I wanted.

I'm relatively happy the way it turned out and that was the worse part of this cab. I'm glad it's not a bus :)

Cab
 

Coming along nicely Colin. I always enjoy this sort of work on soft skin vehicles. A bit more challenging than cutting out flat steel plate when doing armoured vehicle repairs.

Colin,

you are a modest man with some very nice tools and a good degree of talent on hand. You make what others would struggle a life time to achieve look like a walk in the park.

Nice work, grand job :thup2:

R

Neville, it is a lot more challenging than doing flat plate steel and just so easy to blow a hole with the welder. All good practice though.
Thankyou Craig! I think I have a lot more determination than talent. I got a little bit more done this afternoon.
I had to remake one of the heater channels that go under the dash.

Quite a simple part to make when you get into it. These days I really only use a 5"grinder and I do go through a lot of 1mm cutting discs and 40grit flap discs.

The front is now welded in place and just needs some tidying up and a lick of body filler before painting. I got a few dings and dents to fix. :)
Colin.

The back is a bit too far gone for a patch up, so again I've made a very crude and unattractive pair of press die's!

Of course if the panel never had the pressings then I would have repaired it and the rusted area is right on the press

Rather than make another set which I probably won't use again, I cut the first one down and welded it back at the correct shorter length I needed.
It has stretched a bit here and there but I think I can fix that problem.
Colin.

So you made the matching dies and showed the finished product, but where is the middle step, pressing out the ribs?

pressing
 

See 24 pic 5

You beat me to it Bob. And 25- pic 1.
Colin.

I had to form the bottom of the panel so I got a piece of 300x12mm plate and cut the shape of the bottom of the panel. It's not perfect but close enough.

I clamped the panel where I thought it was correct and slowly peened the sheet over the edge until I achieved a right angle the entire length which strengthened the bottom considerably.