Cab 13 C-15A Forklift Engine ID

[RichCam]

Hello,
I've attached some pictures of a Cab13 C-15A forklift with 24" tires. Unfortunately, the owner of this rig has passed away and his estate sold. This rig is probably bound for the scrap yard in the spring. I have the opportunity to salvage what I can from it. I'm trying to identify the casting numbers on the engine block but I can't see them. There is an engine mount blocking my vision and my digital camera isn't picking up the GM XXXXXX casting #. The area where the serial number should be is smooth. It looks exactly like the pictures from pages 1,2 & 3 of the C15A-04 Chevrolet Spare Parts List booklet except that it has been modified for 12V verses 6V. It has the 1.8391 oil filter, hand activated starting motor, carburetor, distributor, 4 blade fan, etc. The only thing that appears to be different is that there are frost plugs visible on the RS of the block. Does anyone have any idea when Chev would have started to install frost plugs in the 216?

[Bob Carriere]

From the only picture showing the engine it certainly looks like the valve cover of a 216...... Have you checked to see if it has the side valve cover that reaches over and above the spark plugs.....

Things to salvage fast and easy...... axles shafts...... gear clusters from each axle..... nose, windshield, doors. fenders???......the one fuel tank and its brackets.

With more time and effort..... check the radiator even if you can only salvage the top and bottom tank of the rad..... see if the original throttle linkage is still there.....pull the engine and tranny and T case if present

Both egg cups ( steering ends ) of the front axle can be just unbolted or take the whole front and rear axle......

Much depends on whether they will let you leave behind a mast of steel that cannot be roller around for scrapping....... heck even the fabricated wheels can be used as spare tires on other yard trucks. We always try to leave at least two tires that will hold air on the many parts trucks we have..... it greatly facilitates moving them to a rest/parking area and makes it easy to bring them back to the barn if we need to use air powered tools or hot wrenches...... then back to the field for storage. I use an old Massey F tractor using the 3 point hitch as the tow truck of choice...

Good luck

[Gordon Yeo]

Bob has given a list of things that should be saved. I see that the fork lift truck body steel is in very good condition, probably from many years of inside storage. Although the back of the cab has been cut out I would suggest that the upper cab might be a good thing to try and save. The edges over the doors and the lead edge over the windshield appear in good condition and could be useful to some one.

Definitely salvage the sheet metal!

[Robin Craig]

I'm sure advances and approaches smeared with cunning and guile can be made to secure it before it gets scrapped.

Frankly I would recover it as one complete lump and decide at home what you want, at least it would be a useful yard runner and the parts can if desired be removed in the warmth of summer or spring when you have the big blue wrench handy to assist if needed.

R

[RichCam]

Hi Guys,
Great comments and suggestions. Next week, it is supposed to warm up a bit. Jim and I are going to take a tarp, generator, heater, spare battery, gas and some ether and see if we can get it started. It ran up until January 2012 so once we get it warmed up and new gas in it, I'm hoping that it will fire. If the lift, brakes and engine are good - I'll test it around the yard - I might just run it down the road (10km) to our shop. I'll have an escort, flashing yellow light and slow moving vehicle sign.
I'll take this vehicle and a Chev FAT frame and chassis - with winch - from the property. Remaining there is a Chev FAT that has been heavily converted into a skidder, along with a Chev C-15A - stripped down and modified Cab 12 - that are also available. I can't save them all. Let me know if any of you are there are interested in them - they will eventually be going to the scrap yard.

[maple_leaf_eh]

I just did a quick search for the market price of scrap steel. The one place that posted a price list put several categories of "steel" averaging $160/metric ton. That also means no tires, batteries or fluids. Sad, but true that is what the CMP is worth as a commodity.

I'd politely offer the estate three of the new plastic $100 bills to tow it out of the yard.

[Bob Carriere]

Don't forget the scrappy has to load it in Huntsville and truck it to the yard to get $160 a ton....that implies that he can't pay more than $80 per ton if wants to recover his fuel costs and time..... most scrappies will build up a stash and wait for better prices maybe next Spring.

Bob

[RichCam]

Hi guys,

I will forward your feedback to the owner of the vehicles. We have roughly 2ft of snow here now so nothing much is going to happen until the spring.