C8 progress in Texas

[David DeWeese]

Hi,
I've been dreading the repair of the right fender as it was badly damaged on the front. The fender had been hit so hard that even the heavy bracket that holds it, and the headlight, was badly twisted.
After beating the fender back into rough shape, a test fit confirmed even more damage to the main angle iron frame that the entire cab is built off of.
I opted to cheat a little,(a lot), and weld washers to the edge of the fender that would line up with the mounting holes on the bent framework.
Pulled all of the front cab sheetmetal out to test fit them and see if any more alignment issues came up before painting them. Luckily, the front piece with the air ducts cover the washers that were welded on, and all looks good to proceed....
Have a question about the holes in the hood. What goes in these holes? Don't remember taking anything off the hood, but you can still faintly see an outline where something had been...
Thanks, David

[Bob Carriere]

I tried looking at the other pictures of the hood but can't figure out where you took that close up....... can you zoom back a bit......

The countersunk holes are probably more original.....

Anyways flash a few more pics with arrows so I can figure them out....

You were lucky to get away with those washers being hidden.... I can 't believe the arches have been bent so much because you have managed to instal the rest of the sheet metal.... maybe has someting to do with the curvature of the fender once you got all the kinks out....

Otherwise looking good....... very good in fact.

Boob

[gordon]

What are you going to use for a back body David? I think the original back body might have been the same / similar to the T212 D8A Dodge body, but I suppose the chances of finding either are about the same down Texas way.

Didn't someone draw up plans for the original body type ? I'm sure both the D8A's in Australia and Scotland have new built back bodies on them.

Gordon

( off to the garage to start checking TD 20 wiring - the panel van says say hello to the font seats and fenders ... 8~)

[David DeWeese]

Hi Bob and Gordon,
Bob, the problem may very well be the fender, or a combination of it and the arch on that side. The metal on the fender surely must be stretched from the accident, and my beating it back out with a 5lb hammer. Problem I have now is that it looks good from all angles installed, so.....
Those holes are in the front/center of the hood and the nose piece. Sorry for the extreme close-up.

Gordon, I am going to try for a British Duple type rear body on the C8. Mike Kelly has very nice plans he drew up available for the Canadian type body,(thanks, Mike), but the Duple body is my favorite. Need some rough measurements for it to get started...
On a Dodge note, this is what I did to my poor neglected cabover last weekend. Didn't want it to rust any further while it waits it's turn after the C8, so a brush-applied Rustoleum paint job was in order. Looks good from 20 feet....
Thanks, David

[gordon]

I think the original body type would look good, but it is your truck so whatever you feel comfortable with making I suppose.

That's a '41 - 47 cabover I see, but is it just different axles, or have you put the cab on a different frame. You could have found a box body and a clamshell spare mount for it and turned it into this;

[David DeWeese]

Hi Gordon,
Yes, the Dodge is sitting on a 1992 Chevrolet 1.5 ton P30 delivery van chassis now. I installed a new fuel injected 350 crate motor and a rebuilt automatic overdrive trans in it last year for my neighbor's kid who was a handyman.
Well, he got drunk and wrecked it, then went to jail and I ended up with the van for near nothing. Chassis works perfect under the narrow COE fenders, plus it is already set up for a COE configuration.
Will be able to stop on modern disc brakes ang go as fast as one wants with this combination. Must still remember though that with the cabover-engine design, you will always be the first at the scene of an accident!
Thanks, David

[Phil Waterman]

Looking at the photo and my truck I thing that the holes are for the hood hinge pin brackets. See if they look like they are similar location to those in my picture. Though the Pattern 12 has four rivets wonder if the Pat 11s just had rivets two on each side.

I had a similar problem with the front fender and the cab frame on my Pattern 12. Only real fix was some kind soul from the North Country found me replacement parts which I am now in the process of installing.