C8 progress in Texas

[Bob Carriere]

Hi David

I never had the opportunity to examine closely a cargo box like yours....but I can tell you that the 2B1 box is simply flat stock bent in a pan/box brake. Everything is either 45 or 90 degree bends...... except the head board of the cargo box and the tail gate..... noting is any wider than 40 inches.... all the bits and pieces where the welded or bolted (depending on the model) to create a final assembly.

During the war period a number of small local/back yard shops were making subassemblies by the barrell full....(referred to by economist as cottage industry)... they would receive the raw material... which they would bend, fold, drill and partly assembled as sub components.

Even uniforms were created in subassemblies..... my grandmother would do pockets for pants or coats in OD cotton.... but her specialty was sowing braids..... she would get rolls of braids used by Lance corporal, corporal and sergeant.... she would cut them to size and sow them on a wollen felt backing..... by the thousand using an old home threadle type Singer machine.
For years into the fifties all our wool blankets were hemmed in Corporal stripes either Green or airforce blue....

Back to your box...... try making a mock up using light cardboard..... figure out where and how the bends have to be done..... a certain sequence is required to be able to reach into tight bends.....

I intend to repro my rusted 2B1....plans are to precut everything with the plasma cutter and have a local fabricator do the bends as the sheet metal is 12 gauge and 14 gauge...... then we will adjust with grinders and weld....

Rivets are rivets and maybe hard to duplicate with out actually riviting if both sides are visible..... but you could use aluminium and air powered hammers...make sure your friends are heavy enough to hold the bucking bar...

Bob

[David DeWeese]

Hi Bob,
The problem is in bending up the top area with the small curve, along with all the other bends, to make one complete body side. In fact, my sheetmetal guy can't make the top piece at all because of the tight roll and such small dimensions.
Maybe I need a new sheetmetal guy.... Plans courtesy of Mike Kelly.
Thanks, David

[gordon]

That top edge looks like you'd have to make it in three sections and join it, which would be no fun. If your sheetmetal guy could make it in two pieces, upright with round section, and flat side with turned edge, that would be less hassle to join?

I think you might have the wrong handle on making imitation rivets too, especially if they are just 1/4" I had the same problem with my K-38 trailer which is almost all rivetted construction.

I ended up making the trailer repairs in sections which were bolted together, then I just bought a small cheap air hammer and adapted hand tooling for rivet set and snap ( E-Bay, cheap ) to take the air hammer end.

After a bit of practice I was able to replace all of the bolts with original rivets.

Gordon

[David DeWeese]

Hi Gordon,
OK, will stick with real rivets on this project. Never done them before, but never too old to learn....
A local industrial supply business has all needed materials in stock, so will grab some and practice a while on some scrap pieces first.
Thanks, David

[Bob Carriere]

Hi David

I now appreciate the magnitude of your repro problem....... why the H&^%* would they design it like that in the first place...... I am sure it gives the whole side piece more ridgidity but short of a die stamping operation it's a night mare to replicate...... the top part could be done in three pieces and tig butt welded but what a night mare.....doomed to warp with heat.....

How un-original would it be to do a flat top bend like other boxes of the period.... sure glad my 2B1 is stupid simple...... and I might cheat by using one gauge lighter all around..... after all I don't intend to over load it.

Good luck with the rivets and don't forget to show us how you made out....

Bob C.

[Mike K]

David

It should be possible to make the sides in one piece without much trouble . I can email better pics if you need them. Make a up a die former out of a length of pipe and use a press.

QUITE OFTEN i CAME ACROSS A ROAD BLOCK, when building the 1a1 BODY... i WAS TOLD " NO WAY TO DO THAT " BUT YES, IT COULD BE DONE .... MOST OF THEM WERE TOO LAZY OR NOT INTERESTED IN FOLDING UP STUFF. i ENDED UP doing some myself and the complex stuff .. I found a great place at Morwell who were very good .

Mike

[Mike K]

Can somebody scan the duple bodied c8 pic , in greggs 8 cwt profile .. And post it on this thread

thanks