Motto's Chev

[motto]

Preparing the Chev for the ANZAC Tour. Summer 2008/2009.
With the intention of selling the truck in Europe after taking it on the tour and on to Beltring, I made every effort to ensure that it would be as good as it could be. This included body work, mechanical work, upholstery, painting and the construction of living accommodation in the back with no significant modification to the tray body. This would not have been possible without the generous assistance of a wizard body repairer friend named Simon Allen and my friend of forty plus years Keith Newsome AKA Dunny Brush Head or Short Fat and Ugly. The work was frantic and right up to the last minute.
David

[motto]

Accommodation consisted of a 4' wide double bed with inner spring mattress, head and foot lockers and secure under bed stowage, chests of draws, including wash stand and in the forward right hand corner a porta loo.
David

[motto]

1/ On a tilt-tray in my drive. This was for transport to the set of 'The Pacific' that was being filmed at a location southwest of Melbourne. Summer 2007/2008. The sharp eyed among you may notice that the rear wheels are 6 stud instead of the standard 10 on these trucks. The reason for that is because the hubs and drums are from a late model GMC CCKW. These hubs have demountable drums, the L/L Chev to my knowledge never were. To get at the brakes on the Chev the axles and hubs must be removed. With this mod only the wheels and drums need be removed. The GMC hubs and drums fit straight on, the Hyat barrel roller wheel bearings are the same part number. The only tricky bit is the axles. The GMC has a larger diameter drive flange but none of the CCKW axles are the right length. American Chev 4x4 1 1/2 Ton (Yankee Joe to you Aussies) axles must be used.
2/ A L/L Chev on the set that had been modified to break in the middle at the push of a button.
David

[motto]

The Chev as it was positioned for one of the scenes in 'The Pacific'. This view shows part of the set that was constructed to represent the airfield captured from the Japanese by the US Marines on Pelelieu.
David

[jim sewell]

Dave
That was a very good restoration , very neat tidy truck.
Do you miss it .
Regards
Jim S.

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Since returning from the European trip last year I've been a bit too busy to miss the Chev all that much Jim but now and then I would get a twinge. It's worse now as I seek out pictures for this thread and the memories keep coming back. If there is enough interest out there for me to keep this thread going, you and your truck will rate a mention also. Watch this space.
Give our regards to Sandy.
Dave

[motto]

Replica Japanese 'No Go' tank. (Just kidding). Three of these were built for the filming. The story from the action vehicle people was that the tracks alone cost $120,000. The links were cast off an original from the AWM.
The tanks were powered by Ford Falcon engines and gearboxes driving at first through Jaguar differentials using the inboard disc brakes for steering. This was not successful and Marmon Herrington light tank transmissions were procured and installed. These did work but problems were encountered because of the lack of offset final drives. This meant that even with the transmissions mounted as far forward in the hull as possible the short little jack shafts between the transmission and stub axle were running at an extreme angle.
David