C8 progress in Texas

[Bob Carriere]

My apologies to the owner.... can't remember who owns it but probably UK area.

You can now see the two wing nuts headed bolts in an otherwise very smooth hood.

I call them wing nuts headed bolts because from what I have seen the wing nut part replaces the nut head..... so when you remove the wing nut the whole threaded bolt comes out. Maybe what I have seen is not original.

So what is it....? do you loose the wing nut when you remove them with the threaded portion remaining sticking out to impale your hand when servicing.... or those the wing nut bolt comes out as a complete unit....

Bob

PS......8.0032 CO1Q16619 Screw, Hood Centre Panel Thumb (2) (First Job)

[Keith Webb]

There are so few cab 11 around to compare..... maybe in sunny Australia.

Not many here Bob, they're a rare beast indeed.

[cliff]

Most of the factory photos from Service Publications show the wing nuts in each front corner like Bob's photo in the post above but I found a photo of a restored truck in my photo collection that had a clip type catch in the middle front which would match those holes.

Hope this helps

[Mike K]

The bonnet fixing devices were missing from the C8, just holes where they had been. Mike

[Alex van de Wetering]

My C8 bonnet came with two countersunk screws on each forward corner, probably because the wingsnuts were lost overtime (Screws also seem to be a different thread). No other holes in the bonnet apart from two holes each for securing the springs near the windscreen as Bob also pointed out.
David, just to be sure.....your picture doesn't happen to show the rear rather than the front of the bonnet.....holes in the bonnet being the ones for the spring fixing and the holes in the nose for securing the rubber strip??? just checking.

My apologies to the owner.... can't remember who owns it but probably UK area.

Bob, It looks like forum members Maurice' truck.

Hi,
Was going to weld up the extra holes in my hood until I noticed some type of fixture in that location on the early C15 in my last post.
Is this a latch, or?....

The pic you posted and the one Cliff posted show a truck that is now in Holland. It's now green by the way and the only one I have seen yet with that latch. I always assumed it was a post-war addition.

Alex

[David DeWeese]

Thanks for all the replies and information!
I guess the holes in the hood (bonnet) may have been made by some post-war owner, but what was the purpose of these two original counter-sunk holes in the front sheetmetal next to the holes in the hood?

Don't mean to bore y'all to death with a discussion on hood holes, but it beats the hell out of watching television!

As always, thank you guys for your imput. I couldn't have gotten this far without it!
David

[Lynn Eades]

Where are they in relation to the radiator filler?
Would it have a support bracket?

[Alex van de Wetering]

Here are two pics of my C8. You will see the same countersunk holes. Used to attach a rubber strip???

Alex

[Bob Carriere]

.... on the nose piece of my cab 11 are the same two countersunk holes...... but can't rememebr what they are for .....and on either side of those holes is the double canvass welting ...... and the welting is held in place by small metal tacks/nails.

Will need to go through some of my old pictures again.

Bob

[David DeWeese]

Hi,
Maybe these holes were for a latch or whatever that never made it into production on the cab 11's? Everyone with a cab 11 has these holes, but nothing is attached to them.
No period photos I can find show a centrally located latch on the hood, nor can I find photos of any fixtures screwed into those counter-sunk holes in the front sheetmetal..
I refinished my hood today, and left the holes in it with some 1/4-20 machine screws with square nuts to fill them. Better safe than sorry.
Thanks again for the great information!
David

[David DeWeese]

Hi,
Had a problem with the '41 Dodge truck radiator I had modified and installed to fit in the C8 a while back. The clearances all looked good until the front sheetmetal was aligned and bolted in tight.
Well, turns out there wasn't even enough room between the radiator core and the fan to install the fan belt.
To me, with the economy here so slow, this is a real show-stopper. I simply can't justify buying a new $500 radiator for a toy, plus then having to pay someone to modify it with a long custom made filler neck to fit a cab 11 Chev.
Had to keep the project going, so...

Looked around at my shop and found a couple of nice late '70's Jaguar XJ6 radiators up in the attic. I used to install lots of small block Chev V-8's in these cars back in the '90's using a locally made kit, and saved back a couple of good radiators.....
The radiator fits very well, with a 1 1/2" upper hose and a 1 3/4" lower hose that fits my 235 exactly.
Made some side mounts for it and a custom filler neck and...

disclaimer: no actual CMP parts were harmed in the installation of this radiator.
Thanks, David

[David DeWeese]

Refurbished the headlight hardware this weekend also.
Had only the bare original headlight buckets to work with. The headlight bezels and inner holders I used are from a '40-'42 1/2 ton Dodge WC military truck, and fit without any modifications.
Used hardware store copper plumbing fittings to replace the missing wiring connectors on the buckets, and 14 gauge, three-wire service cord for the wiring.
If I am offending anyone with my modifications from the original equipment, please let me know.
It's either this, or leaving it to sit and rust.....
Thanks, David

[The Bedford Boys]

Excellent work. I love seeing what people come up with to tackle a problem. You have made the best of what you have and as you say, it's better to have her on the road, than in a paddock, or in storage doing nothing. You can always swap out the parts with the genuine article if you happen to stumble across them.

Keep up the good work

[Bob Carriere]

Kudos on both the radiator and the headlights....... keep it running that's the spirit.

The wiring you did looks the part and is probably better and more dependable than the original arrangement.

The secret is making sure you do not chop off good parts in the process so that if you happen to stumble on the original parts you can always redo it..... but I doubt that would be necessary.

Cab 11 can be nasty to source parts for.......

Bob

[cletrac (RIP)]

Here's a factory photo of the thumb screws. In the spare parts list it says trucks before serial # ending with 4001 had the thumb screw type hood. My C8 with cab vents is serial # 2673 so it falls in that range. I think over 4001 was the hinged hood on the cab 12. The three cab 11 hoods I have (Who says cab 11 parts are hard to find?) have spring clips on the rear held on by those two back bolts so you slide the hood back towards the windshield then put the two thumbscrews in the front.

[gordon]

Far better to have it up and running as long as everything is reversible.

Even if you did find the correct bits at the right price it is easier to recondition them and just swap them onto a running vehicle I"m sure.

Gordon

still at work ( yawn )

[Ganmain Tony]

David, your thread is one of my favourites. Reading about how your overcoming every obstacle to getting her on the road is something everyone on this forum can learn from.

These things are meant to be driven and driving them is enjoying them. Believe me they are bloody good fun to drive.

Outstanding effort with the lights and Radiator . Did I mention your tenacity and commitment to the task is inspiring as well? No?

Your commitment to the task is inspiring as well

Full Marks from me

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi David - what you are doing is crisis management field modifications. This happened with these vehicles throughout their military service and whatever the military could source they used. Yours are just latter day contingencies using available materials. These modifications would make interesting reading on your accompanying story board.

Bob

[David DeWeese]

Thanks everyone for the kind words and encouragement!
I am aware that this project has unfortunately turned into a "resto-mod". That was certainly not my original intention.
I am very fortunate, however, to be a part of a forum whose members strive for historical accuracy on their own restorations, but also understand or at least tolerate those who take a different path in getting their trucks on the road again.

I probably would be tarred and feathered on any other MV forum...

Thanks again! David

[Phil Waterman]

Hi David

In no way should you feel your efforts are not a restoration. For they are most definitely are a restoration the CMP in spirit. For in looking at the history of the birth of CMP concept, they where very much making do with what parts could be found at hand.

I've got three CMPs and only one has any claim on being an "original" truck and it has collected its share of later replacement parts. The other two the best you can say about them is CMPs with locally supplied bodies.

Keep up the good work, just remember to tell people the 327 Corvette engine is not stock, but come to think of it the first Corvettes had engines not far descended from those used in Chevy CMPs.

Cheers Phil

[David DeWeese]

Wow, I coulda' had a V8!

Thanks, Phil! I hope I don't step on anyone's toes here. Posting this kind of stuff on a serious restoration forum is like walking through a mine field with clown shoes on...

Certainly don't want to get "voted off the island".

Thanks, David

[aj.lec]

Originally Posted by David DeWeese

Wow, I coulda' had a V8!

Thanks, Phil! I hope I don't step on anyone's toes here. Posting this kind of stuff on a serious restoration forum is like walking through a mine field with clown shoes on...

Certainly don't want to get "voted off the island".

Thanks, David

If you wanted a V8 you should have got a F8
As for the rest I think the other blokes have summed it up pretty well
You have done an excellent job. Great to see it up and about
About time I pulled my finger out

[Jim Price]

David,
You've done a beautiful job on your C8! Having restored an F8 I can fully appreciate the trials and tribulations you've experienced along the way!

Best regards,
Jim

[David DeWeese]

Thanks Andrew and Jim!
Had some free time to work out the storage lockers that go between the cab and rear body on the Duple-bodied C8.
I had no plans to go by, only one period photo of the truck, and very few photos of restored examples for reference. Add in the fact that all the lockers in the photos appeared different from each other and...
The Duple-bodied Morris had a locker arrangement with a pressed "X" pattern on one of the doors that appealed to me, so I decided to go that route.
Made the framework to mount the lockers over the fuel tanks out of angle iron and the sheetmetal was used from my first failed attempt at making a rear body, which I had stuffed back in a sea container here a year ago. Glad I kept it as the sheetmetal was all just about the right size for this project.
The pressed "X" pattern on the locker doors were donated from an old 5-gallon US fuel can I had laying around. Not exact, but I like it!

Thanks, David

p.s. Does anyone have any photos of the spare tire carrier I might use for reference?

[aj.lec]

p.s. Does anyone have any photos of the spare tire carrier I might use for reference?

Not good but the closest I have

[Bob Carriere]

Beautiful Dave........ particularly the grafting of the gerry can stamped X.... who would have though......

Glad to see you posting again....... makes for interesting read !!!!

Bob

[David DeWeese]

Thanks Andrew for the photos and Bob for the kind reply!
After some hard thought last night I decided to probably change the locker doors out for a single one that's more original looking....
Even though the photos I have show differences in the lockers, hinge and latch placement, the one thing they do have in common is they DO NOT have any "X" stamped doors on them,(photos).
Although my truck is modified mechanically, I have tried to make it look the part externally to the best of my limited ability. A modified drivetrain you can't see, an incorrect storage locker you can.
Anyway, what's a few more hours labor at this point to get it right.

Thanks, David

[gordon]

Doesn't the locker height block out any rear view though. Bearing in mind you are already driving on the 'wrong' side?

Could still use a pair of Dodge front door glass frames if you run across them - wont need them for years, but would rather have them on the shelf.

Give the '34 dump a pat from me.

Gordon

[David DeWeese]

Hi Gordon,
Yes, the locker shown in the center photo I posted does interfere with the rear window, but the other two versions won't.
I measured carefully before making the lockers to avoid that, so mine will be even with the bottom of the rear window opening. The locker also needs to be a certain height for the spare tire brackets mounted on the locker to work out,(photo).

I still have one window surround here for you and will be picking up another closed cab 1/2 ton in two months that I will be parting out, so I think you are covered when you need them....

The'34 Dodge says "hi".
Regards, David

[gordon]

no problem all round then -see what you mean about that height.

I'd offer to watch out for suitable bits round here for you, but only ever seen one cab in Scotland that wasn't a 13 cab, It was a Ford, but don't remember if it was 11 or 12.

Next big lottery win I'm offering on the '34.

G