C8 progress in Texas

[Bob Carriere]

Consider painting you wood with heavy oil base paint including dripping paint in all bolt holes..... so they will be sealed and cannot soak up humidity/water.

Nice job so far.....

Boob

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally Posted by David DeWeese

Hi,
Hotter than Hell here in Texas, but in spite of it actually made good visual progress on the truck this weekend. Only advantage to the heat is my paint dries very fast!
Pulled the truck out of it's corner of the shop for the first time in months. It's actually starting to look like a vehicle again instead of just a very interesting pile of parts.
Cut and prepared new wood strips for the floor plates and primed, painted and installed the floor plates for good. Had to trim the large floor plate to accomodate the new SM420 transmission, but removed much less material than I had expected.
One thing I am noticing is as I install more cab components, the room for the driver is going away fast! Also installed glass in the windshield frame, but can't install the frame for good as roof components have to be put on the outer windshield frame first. Next weekend for that...
Thanks, David

Nice work,as usual Dave..
And you are right on the 11 Cab..
They were designed to be driven by pygmies..but Boobee Carrier is 6'3" or so and size 12 clod hoppers and he manages..not well but these were designed in the late 30's when men were average 5'7"-5'9"..
but they improved a little on the 12 Cab and the 13 Cab is better and fine for Boobee to drive..
So keep your little boots for the 11 Cab or give it to the missus to drive..
I'm sure she would be a hit at Safeways,..
Alex

[David DeWeese]

Thanks Bob and Alex,
Bob, I soaked the boards with several coats of Thompson's Water Seal before final installation on your suggestion, so hopefully that will do the trick. Thanks!
Still blistering hot here, so progress was slow. Add to it the folks who want to come out on the weekends and B.S. for hours and the progress gets even slower...
Got out my engine cover pieces to straighten and weld all the cracks. Was a real battle as they turned out to be very bent. All looked to be in reasonable condition until I tried to test assemble them off the vehicle... Still very glad to have all of them, though!
Installed my data plate and newly-acquired shift pattern plate,(thanks, Dirk!), to see if the holes all lined up and noticed another pair of holes below the shift plate. Does anyone know what was held by these holes?
Also had a question about the access hole on the left engine cover. What was this supposed to access?
Dug around and came up with all the hardware to complete the vaccuum wipers for the C8 courtesy of a cab 13 windshield assembly that came with the truck. Don't really care if the wiper motors work or not as they sucked when brand new, plus it will give me something to do later on after the C8 is on the road and finished.
Thanks, David

[Bob Carriere]

I believe the engine access was meant to reach the block water jacket drain valve...... in your picture you have a screwed cap in there.... it should be replaced with a radiator drain petcock.... so the block could be drained when water pump is serviced or head removed to totally drain the block and also if it got very cold and you had NO antifreeze..... for you in Texas...... doubt if it is worth the trouble to drain the block just to install a proper drain petcock.

Keep ondoing what you do best!!!!!

Bob C.

[David DeWeese]

Thanks, Bob.
Spent the weekend painting and fitting more cab items in the C8.
Added about three inches to the rear of the transmission cover to accomodate the later model four speed. Also had to notch the cover to give clearance for the larger top cover casting on the SM420 trans. This couldn't be avoided as if I raised the cover up for clearance it throws off the measurement of all the other sheetmetal pieces that attach to the cover.
Made up a bezel to use with a rubber draft pad for the new shifter opening also.
Had to re-use my original cast brackets from the busted C8 transmission to get the proper spacing for the park brake lever to fit the cover also. While cleaning the park brake lever I noticed it was painted black with a red spring and a chrome release handle and rod, with no evidence I could find of any military paint. Decided to go back with that, but it does kind of look overdone...
Had a battery box made up using plans I got from this forum. The latches aren't 100% correct, but they're the best I could find.
Thanks, David

[jaap de wit]

david you are doing a gread job man.
keep up the good work.
cheers jaap

[David DeWeese]

Thanks, Jaap.
May I say that you are doing an absolutely wonderful job on your C15 restoration. Your truck is very lucky to have been purchased by you...
Repaired the large hole in the upper nose panel of the C8 that had been cut out to gain access to a radiator cap.
Also stripped the paint from the front Chevrolet emblem and found it was made of copper with a thin plating of brass on the outside. Thought this was interesting, so just polished it and sprayed a couple of coats of satin clear to keep it from tarnishing. Know this isn't correct for a wartime paint job, but the little truck has so many interesting features like this that I would like some to stand out. Can always paint over them later if I want....
Prepped the headlight buckets and found the outer rings were missing the sheetmetal screw tabs on the bottom that secures them to the buckets. Dug around and found a couple of Dodge 1/2 ton WC military headlight rings that are identical replacements for the original CMP rings, but they are not chromed.
Straightened and painted the left fender, which was badly damaged at the lower edge. Installed it to find that the heavy cast bracket that holds the fender at the bottom was very bent also. Hopefully nothing but a little creative shimming will be needed...
Thanks, David

[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.

[jaap de wit]

hi david about the hood, there are 2 groups of 2 holes on the window side of the hood for the hinge strips. these are bend strips that hook under the window/ dash part of the big arge.
on the other side there are 2 holes to close the hood with wingnuts. (to the nose panel)
the 2 countersunk holes will fit 2 rubber hood bumpers I think.
keep u the good work david.
cheers jaap

[David DeWeese]

Thanks Phil and Jaap for the help!
I think now that maybe someone had drilled and installed a hood ornament or the like in those front holes at some point. Will weld them up.
Looking at the hood today I noticed an interesting feature about the clips that hold it in the rear next to the windshield. They are actually springs that raise the hood up a little in the front when the front bolts are removed. That way you can get hold of it without having to pry it up. Was getting annoyed with the hood not staying closed until I realised that's what it is supposed to do!
And Bob, it's the fender that is the real problem with the alignment, as you said. Looked good from the front, side and top, but if you look at it from the back foreward, it still has a weird slope downward on the damaged part that I hadn't noticed yesterday. Will take the washers back off and keep on beatin'!
Thanks again, David

[David DeWeese]

Hi,
Can anyone show me what the original gas pedal for a cab 11 should look like? Made an M-series Jeep pedal fit and work OK, but still may interfere with the clutch and brake operation.
Any help appreciated!
Thanks, David
p.s. Are the clutch and brake pedals supposed to have rubber pads on them?

[Ganmain Tony]

G'day David,

Just going over this amazing thread of your's. I think youve managed to override just about every bastard obstacle you could run into restoring one of these trucks. Very very well done!

My two cents and limited knowledge of Chev's, there are no rubbers for the brake or Clutch pedal so you wont have to expend any time there.

That accelerator pedal youve fitted is very similar to the one in a 13 Cab 2WD Chev. I know its not original but you can always change it at a later date if you come across the right one.

Great stuff, great info, great effort!!

[Bob Carriere]

Hi David

No such thing on a typical cab 11/12....... all they had was a round button about 1 3/4 inch diameter..... in fact there is little room for anything else.

That does not mean that a cab 13 cannot be installed if it makes it easier to drive....... and that can be a serious safety consideration. I have a cab 12 that has the foot well widened by about 4 inches by addition of a steel plate that extends the area into the wheel well...... without interfering with the tire....... strange thing is I had not noticed until about a year after I brought it home......certainly a practical modification.

I know for a fact that I cannot drive mine with safety boots (size11).... there simply is not enough room.... I have to use track shoes or may revert to an older pair of pointed dress black shoes like civilian motor pool drivers would have used in Canada.

Hey if the pedal (shoe) fits use it.....

Bob

[aj.lec]

Great progress
Originally as stated by Bob just a round button
Bob can you post a picture of the foot well mods ?
Sounds like a good idea .I have similar problem with boots

[David DeWeese]

Thank you Tony for the kind words and encouragement! The C8 has a lot of modifications, and not as original as I would like. I'm just trying to maintain some momentum on the project and not get too bogged down on the little things...
Thanks also to Bob and Andrew for the great information and photo!
Well, tore out the gas pedal and linkage I had made today. Makes sense that a button was used instead of a pedal.
As you can see, the linkage hole was badly worn, so I made a threaded sleeve with a pressed-in brass fitting that screwed into the existing hole nicely. Got a freeze plug and brazed a nut to the back side for the button.
Looks a lot more original...
Thanks again for all the help!
David

[Jim Price]

Very nicely done, David!

Regards,
Jim

[Bob Carriere]

...I admire your creativity...... a freeze plug...... actually looks good....

Bob

[David DeWeese]

Thanks Jim and Bob,
Bob, any creativity here is actually driven by desperation or lack of money, and a pile of junk I have retained over the last 30 years.....
My motto is never throw anything away, you will eventually need it!, (finding it again when you actually do need it is another matter).
Got that right fender ironed out, along with the front sheetmetal, and painted and installed them today.
Are the 1/4 inch machine screws correct for the front sheetmetal?
Thanks, David

[Bob Carriere]

Hi David

What size nuts, bolts, screw head is like saying you finally discoverd the exact shade of OD green used on January 14th 1940 on a cab 11...... whi si rigth and who is wrong.

Most cab 11 have had the nose removed many times by backyard mechanics and most of the fasteners have been changed.

You rounded 1/4 in. screw heads are not far from original.....but again "Waht is original..?" around here we those old type fasteners were refrred to as "stove bolts" ...common and cheap.....certainly would have met the production standards at the time.

I have included two picture of my truck at theearly stage of disassembly....notice the mix of 6 sided 1/4 bolts and round screw head.... the only difference is they mostly used washers to spread the stress on the sheet metal.

I personnaly believe that they were all originally assemble using the slightly rounded ..."domed"... 1/4 inch screw heads as usually found on the inside panels that were not subject to as many disassembly..... the domed head was a counter sunk 1/4 screw and used a counter sunk washer which we refer to as upholstery washer today. The domed head screws are still available today (even in SS) and so are the washers in chrome, plain steel and stainless.

But as I said yours look the part particulally when you are consistent and they are all the same.

If you have trouble getting the paint to stick to the screw head try the acidic bluing compound for rifles..... leaves the head dark blue/black and will help paint stick better.

I wish my truck was progressing as fast as yours.

[Phil Waterman]

My Pat 12 had a mixture of pan head and hex head screws for engine compartment and sheet metal. Last time I looked for the screws large pan head slotted head I got them through Fastenal http://www.fastenal.com/web/home.ex I'll try and find the part number. Long and the short of it was bags of 100 cost what hardware store charges for 20-30.

Cheers Phil

[David DeWeese]

Thanks Bob and Phil for the info!
Not trying to become a "bolt Nazi" on this truck,(my brother and his GPW Jeep can take that honor), just want to come close to original when choosing new fasteners.
Got the grille and guard repaired, painted and back on this weekend. The guard kept warping when tightened to the bumper, but I won in the end after several hours. Was there supposed to be wood blocks between the bumper and the inner guard brace?
Repaired the front liscense plate holder also.
It's about time to get it wired and running before I put any more stuff on.
Thanks, David

[Bob Carriere]

Hi David.....

You need some steel tube spacers on those bumper bracket bolt to keep them tight without distorting the upright. We made ours of suitable thick wall tubing cut to proper size. Original I have seen are made of rolled steel.... and typically rusted.

You are doing super job.......

I had my rolling chassis for a spin in the back field today and tried to climb a large 12 foot pile of wood chips...... at least 45 degree angle. Just using the fast idle, from a dead stop, in low gear got me to the top without even spinning..... chickened out trying to reach the flat top... and backdown..... it felt like I was going to turn over backwards....but what a rush..... next time will use a video.

Bob

[Alex van de Wetering]

Repaired the front liscense plate holder also.

So, that's what it is! My C8 has the remains of one as well and I couldn't figure out what it was.

Excellent work again David....the cab looks nice and straight.

Alex

[Phil Waterman]

Originally Posted by Bob Carriere

Hi David.....

You need some steel tube spacers on those bumper bracket bolt to keep them tight without distorting the upright. We made ours of suitable thick wall tubing cut to proper size. Original I have seen are made of rolled steel.... and typically rusted.

You are doing super job.......


Bob

To repeat Bobs works you are doing a supper job.

The bumper brush guard spacers seem to be one of those things that did not change from 11, 12, 13 Pattern. Being of the same design from my 1941 to 1945 picture below is of my HUP bumper and spacers but is the same being just lengths of pipe with and ID just large enough for the bolts and length so that they provide a solid block straight across the edges of the bumper.



Cheers Phil