Bofors Road Trip
 

Just home last night. Drove 3872 km round trip to bring home the 40mm Bofors and spares...

Total Fuel Cost:
$607.81

Distance travelled:
3872 km
2406.06 miles

Fuel Amount:
595.4 litres
157.31 US gallons
130.97 Imperial gallons

Cost of Fuel (average)
$1.02 per litre
$3.86 per US gallon
$4.64 per Imperial gallon

Fuel Economy:
15.38 litres per 100 km
15.3 miles per US gallon
18.37 miles per Imperial gallon

Mileage Costs:
15.6976 ¢ents per km
25.26 ¢ents per mile

A huge thanks to Mike Calnan for all his help, information and hospitality.

Now to sort everything out and start the restoration process.


http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...orsTrip001.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...orsTrip175.jpg

OFE/C Bofors Restoration
 

Thought it would be good to start to chronical my restoration of an Otis Fenson Elevator QF 40-mm Bofors AA Canon.

I aquired it in pieces, here is as it was when loaded into my truck for the drive home:

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...orsTrip138.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...orsTrip139.jpg

Photos home in my Garage after unloading the truck, pieces of this gun are everywhere! Plus, it came with lots of spare.
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081607003.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081607004.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081607007.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081607009.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081607010.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081607015.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081607019.jpg

First task is to make it somewhat mobile so I don't have to hire a boom truck to remove it from the trailer. On go the axels and wheels and put the outriggers in their stowed position. A grueling job all by yourself :-)

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081607020.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081607021.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081607022.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081607023.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081607024.jpg

Progress as of 08.19.07

First full day of work done on the Bofors. Trying to get the carrage ready to be sandblasted. First came the vaccum...its amazing how may rats nests, hornets and gravel can be found in the hollow areas of the base...

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081907001.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081907002.jpg

This outrigger jack was the only one siezed. Took about an hour to get it working. the lock pin for this out rigger was siezed in its mounting hole. Took close to three hours to remove it.

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081907003.jpg

Here is the remains of the pin that was siezed. What a headache it was to remove.

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081907008.jpg

More photos of todays work, it mainly focused on the quick release axel mounts. After removeing them, I sandblasted the mounts, levers, locks and the bolts, primed them and re-installed. Now they work like new, nice and free, A huge difference when installing the axels.

Front Axel:
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081907006.jpg

Rear Axel:
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081907009.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081907010.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081907013.jpg

Almost ready for sandblasting...

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q.../081907015.jpg

It's gonna be Sweet
 

"Otis Fenson Elevator"?
Would that have been mfg'd in my home town of Hamilton ON?
I think I remember their plant on Burlington St.
Anyways congratulations on your new toy!

Looks great...
 

looking forward to some close up pics of that Spare Parts box and contents and the canvas tools roll! DRULE!!! Cheers Rob

Ripping Progress!
 

So, do I start looking forward to coming down for Gun Drill School next spring? Amazingly fast work, chum! :salute:

:cheers: Mike

Progress as of 08.20.07
 

Progress as of 08.20.07

Not a whole lot done. did manage to mount the rear travel rest for the barrel, and cleaned up the hardware for it.


http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0821.07008.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0821.07009.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0821.07003.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0821.07006.jpg

Below are photos of the mounting bolts for the barrel support, the grease fitting is attached. Does any one have a photo of the type of grease fitting attachement I need to use these? I have never seen this style before.

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0821.07001.jpg

Brad
You better work harder....at this rate I am not sure you will complete this project by the weekend.

Can you show the end of the grease fitting? If it has the little spring loaded ball in the bottom of a concave , then it is of the same design used on some of the Dana CV joints. The tool is a needle, almost like you would use to fill a soccer ball with air, but slightly larger. Amazing the pressure you can put into those over a standard zerk fitting.

The needle type grease tool is available almost anywhere...NAPA would have them, Cdn tire might.

Here's the grease gun...
 

you are looking for.

Thanks Rob,

I will have to keep a look out for one of those...

Photos of the tool box...I have lots of bits to sort out and pack away.

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...21.07003-1.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0821.07004.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0821.07005.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0821.07007.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...21.07008-1.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...21.07009-1.jpg

Tool Roll, all of the tools are out of it, but I think I have most of the tools for it...

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0821.07010.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0821.07011.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0821.07014.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0821.07026.jpg

Data plates...

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0821.07015.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0821.07016.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0821.07024.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0821.07023.jpg

Any one have tips on re-finishing these plates?

Thanks for those great pics...
 

of the spare's box and tool roll! That is what is so great about our Canadian Military Pattern hobby, the search for that hard to find part, keeps us looking on! Nice to see your tool spares almost complete as your tool roll, I have a long way to go. Would the spare parts box been fitted behind the the brakeman seat and above the spare barrell carrier on the LAAT or into side bins on the box?? Rob

08.23.07
 

Progress as of 08.23.07

Carriage sandblasted today...

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0823.07028.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0823.07029.jpg

Etch primed tonight...

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0823.07031.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0823.07033.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0823.07032.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0823.07034.jpg


Next will be the wheels and axels then paint!

Careful!
 

Brad, I note that the brass fittings have been sandblasted. I am sure that they will not be blasted again in its lifetime, but you should take extra care and wrap any remaining brass to prevent the overly powerful erosion caused by sandblasting. As well, the elevation arcs and other machined steel should be protected to prevent the introduction of gear "slop".

I hope I am preaching to the choir here...amazing progress.

On another note, how do you post two or more photos into a reply???

Dusting Only
 

Hi Rob,

Yes, brass bands were "dusted" only and will be polished. No point in painting them as it will only rub off. All other areas you mention were lightly dusted as well and or taped off to prevent damage.

I use Photobucket to hosts the photos and when I post the pic's I copy the image URL and paste it, space then paste another one, when composing a post, it looks like this...

IMG htp ://18.photobucket.com/albums/q243/Angelswithdirtyfaces1944/Sept222006031.jpg[/url] /IMG

IMG htp ://18.photobucket.com/albums/q243/Angelswithdirtyfaces1944/Sept222006031.jpg/IMG

You can post multiple photos this way but, you may notice there isn't a little paper clip image on the index page beside the message which usually indicates a photo is attached.

Tsk-tsk.... Brad, do you think you could work a little faster on this project? You're falling behind... :D :D :p

:thup:

You'll have to be carefull when you put on the final coat of paint!
(because the dust will only just be settling from the blasting)
:D
You don't waste time do you :salute:

I believe that you are putting this together faster than Otis Fenom did - and that was during a war!

Well a little word from down under.
I reckon you'll be shooting that off quicker than my wife can shoot her mouth off and she doesn't need sand blasting.
top job.
(just as well she doesn't get on mlu).
Colin. Australia.

.Experimental Carrier
.Saresen
.Ferret
.willy's jeep

Brad,

Real good work, a joy to look at!

Not only is the speed in this project astonishing, the thread also turned to a great source of detailed pictures in just two weeks.

Those Firestones seem to be in pretty good condition....(almost new actually), at least for display purposes. Are they real 40's tires, or are they recently produced by a different brand using the Firestone pattern?

Alex

Progress as of 08.30.07
 

Alex,

The tires are original WWII Canadian production Firestone 9.00-13 tires. I will take some photos of them for you. I lucked out and got 5 very decent tires. I don't think I will actually use them for towing, but will bring them out for displays and perhaps the odd Parade.

Lots of work since my last post, but mainly of small things, cleaning original bolts, more sandblasting and a whole Sunday afternoon removing the cradle/turntable to clean the 63 pounds of sand out of the 65 year old grease and ball bearing assy. Oh what fun.

A few more photos...

Royal Cypher of King George VI on the Barrel. Will look nice once its cleaned up.

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0826.07007.jpg

Ground spikes installed with mounting cups/springs...
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0830.07002.jpg

Various parts sandblasted and etched primed, awating Paint and assembly...
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0830.07003.jpg

Breech Casing just back from sandblasting, an amazing transformation from what it was...
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0830.07004.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0830.07005.jpg

PAINT! This is going to be the color...34087 OD. Strong evidence of this color applied to the gun and the carriage, Navy Grey as well !!! Original color seems to have been Brown on some parts of the gun, but not the breech casing. With the Armoured shields and Stiff-Key sights, OD works better for the Late 1944/1945 period.

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0830.07008.jpg

Gun Balancing Gear
 

Working on the Gun Balancing gear. Gunner has advised me to take these apart and clean everything out before assembly and paint. My question is, on the photo below, when I un-screw the nut all the way, how much tension is there on the spring? Do I need something to compress the compression plate before going any further...I like all my fingers just where they are :-)

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...830.07c002.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0830.07011.jpg

Success...

With a couple of guys to help this morning and a bit of head scratching we managed to remove the nuts holding the compressed springs without any fatalities :-)

Time to clean things up now and get it ready for paint...

Pic shows the three springs from one tube, spacers, rod and nut. There are three springs in each balance tube.

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...rs/0831.07.jpg

Crew...
 

Brad..
Your restorations are first class works of art..
If you are doing all this work by your self,you are a mirical worker...
Or do you have club members or crew helping with these restorations..??
What ever..your end products are things of beauty..
Well done..


:drunk: :remember :support

09.20.07 Update
 

A long time since an update and alot of progress made to the project. Alot of tedious work freeing up all the external and internal linkage, everything was siezed, but happy to report all is once again working as it should.

A snap below of the turn table bearing assembly...

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0912.07016.jpg

Photos as of tonight 09.20.07

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0920.07004.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0920.07001.jpg

Breech casing was painted tonight and mounted.

Beautiful work Brad...
 

did you recieve the copy of the Bofors breakdown manual I mailed you a couple of week ago? Looks great, Rob.

Rob,

Copy arrived and I think I have it half worn out already from going over and over it. A huge amount of information.

Any idea where one can source the fore sites?

Update 09.24.07

This morning the rest of the items that were part of the purchase arrived on a skid. Yippie!
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0924.07004.jpg

Although all Finnish proofed tools, they fill the holes that I am missing of the original Canadian Tools and make life so much easier in working on the Bofors. Some of the spares are wonderful to have as well. The original Canadian made tool chest I have is identical to the Finnish one, right down to the latches, an exact copy.

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0924.07007.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0924.07006.jpg

The correct cleaning rod for the Bofors...

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0924.07008.jpg

Some photos of the tools and spares inside the chests...

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0924.07010.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0924.07011.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0924.07012.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0924.07013.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0924.07014.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...0924.07015.jpg