1940 Chev C15, Cab 11 restoration in Holland

[jaap de wit]

Now the back door was ready to get the new sheet metal fitted. near my house I have a blacksmith who cut the sheets for me to size. then it was to me to bend it around the metal strips on the door, this took some time to do it right. I make the windows in later because I don't know how the windowframes look like. I covered the frontside of the body to and made the small window hole in it outherwise I can't get to it when the body is on the truck, this window I do have. I also put in some sheet metal for the rear fenders in place whitch fit inside the original ones,this way it is easier to remove dirt from the wheel artches.
now it is time for some paint and to put it onto the truck.
cheers jaap

[Ganmain Tony]

Looks great Jaap,

How are you attaching the sheet metal to the timber?? Any close up photo's?

Any idea what they originally used ??

Just curious. Really look forward to your updates on this thread. It is a terriffic looking truck.

[jaap de wit]

thanks tony
I attach the sheet metal with gluw to the wood frame and use big head nails on the corners when I have beaten the metal around the corners then when all the metal is on the bodyframe I put metal strips on the front and back corners of the body (see the circels in the picture) these are screwed on.
originally they only nailed the metal on, I found many old nails in the wood and some screws. I will make some pictures as I get to it.
cheers jaap

[jaap de wit]

after I have painted the front of the radiobody, I had to do this first because I can't do it when it sits on the truck. it is now the time to put the body on the truck now it is still lightweight it only took 3 man to lift it. the body was attached to the frame of the truck at 6 points. now the body is on the truck I started with the back panels to fit on. first I placed the lower part on to draw a line for the door opening and the hatch for the generator compartment. then cut them out and glued the panel back in place.
when this was dry I started bending the corners at the door and hammering the metal in place this took some time to do it right, the same go's for the hatch opening. now it was time to do the same with the upper part of the back body. I have used big head nail to attach the metal around the corners, when the side panels go on they fall over these nails so they can't come out.
see you next time when I do the sides.
cheers jaap

[Alex van de Wetering]

Jaap, I can hardly wait for "Arnhem", next year

Have you thought about the interior of the body? Camper van....or period interior?

Alex

[jaap de wit]

thanks alex, I am long off to do the inside but I am planning to do both a old interior that look old and when I need to sleep in it I turnup with something to sleep on that is stored out of site, I have to think this true. but first I want to make the body ready so I can try to get a registration first and then make the details on the body (so I can drive to when I want) like the vents, the ladder on the back, the antenna's storing brackets, ect.
so I did the inside wheel arches they needed some repair and where fitted inplace. now these where in there it is time to close up the sides off the body by making the next panel only this one needs the arch for the wheel so I cut it a inch bigger so I can bend it around the arche.
oke thats it for now I need some b..r ugh now
cheers jaap

[jaap de wit]

oke I have cut the side metal and it go's on right now.
on the corner this sheet fits over the nails of the front and the back sides so they stay in place. I nailed the side through both sheets and these are coverd with metal strips so these nails stay in as well. I will show pictures of them later. The back door that I gave a new skin is fitted now and needed some adjusting to fit nicely. In the back rightside there is or has to be a panel with louvers to vent the generator compartment so I started to make the one for the back. this took so time to get it right to fit and look good.
this metal shaping is time consumming and hard work and get you drinking b.. ugh.
cheers jaap