C60 cwt Signals CZMk IV

[Bob Carriere]

Hi Gord.

When you have a chance have a look under at the wiring loom....... as it goes from the underdash to the frame....driver's side...... check to see if the wiring loom has a metallic woven cover instead of the cloth covered wiring.

We have found the metallic wiring to be either late production ....or possibly as an attempt to shield parasetic charges...... none of the trucks we have seen who had metallic looms had the multitude of ground straps on body parts....

Comments anyone on the metallic looms...... even seen on C15a potential radio trucks..?

Bob

[Bob Carriere]

From other pictures I have seen the inner rear wheel protruding rectangular fenders are solidly mounted which would fit the 5J7....

One heck of a "gin" palace ............... big enough to have dance floor!!!

You could covert the POW cans to G&T........gin and tonic !!!!

Bob

[cletrac (RIP)]

My C8 trucks have a woven metal shield on the wires from the ignition switch to the coil plus all the grounding straps.

[Gordon Yeo]

Clive

Thank you for the confirmation on the van body designation and description. Hopefully you can shed some light on what equipment would be installed in the van body and its designated use as a signals van.

The wheel wells have been permanently fixed in manufacture of the body. It makes one wonder how many of these types of trucks have survived the ravages of 70 years, does any one know of other examples in preservation, or the wilds?

Bob

I'll check the wiring harness for metal braid, this truck is a late 1943 production. The interior floor dimensions of the van body is about 7' X 11' so there is definitely room for gin and tonic bash. I doubt that the truck would ever make it up to one of your famous BBQ get togethers. You'll have to come here when the truck is restored and we can toast it.

Plan A, at this point, is to restore the vehicle to new driving condition. I have stripped out the generators and assessed the ravages of time on the body panels. It will be an interesting project that may take some patience and time. What it should be when complete is a unique vehicle. The odometer reads 6494 miles which, if original, would make one think the springs and axles should be in good condition. The frame and underside of the van body do not show much sign of corrosion, at less that 100 miles per year traveled it may not have been subjected to road salt and winter conditions.

Gordon

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Gordon

I'm looking forward to following the progress of you work.

One comment on the insulation paper check to be sure it is not HIGHLY FLAMMABLE, some of the paper insulation used on trucks of this period burns easily though it may not burn with an open flame it will smolder and catch fire later.

I mention this because discovered by accident when working on my S56 Shelter box that the paper insulation would catch fire and burn. Fortunately I discovered it out side the box when a welding spark landed on a chunk of discarded insulation. I saw it happen stepped on it to put it out but after wards I watched for a little while and it started to burn again. After that I stripped it out of the box bagged it and disposed all of it.

Cheers Phil

[Yeo.NT]

Today I am posting pictures on behalf of my computer Illiterate father. This week removal of interior walls and flammable insulation. The next step is to try and remove one of the corroded panels and see how big of a horror story this will be.

[David Dunlop]

When you get a chance to inspect the wire harness, if you notice what appears to be a cloth loom covering, take a close look at it. I used to own a Chev 15-cwt Wireless, built in June 1944, which turned out to have been a vehicle that had served overseas and ended up coming back to Canada after the war for whatever reason. When I bought the truck, I noticed the left headlamp had a distinct yellowish look to it, whereas the right side was a bright white. The markings on it were the typical xx-xxx CFR Number and the round orange circle with the black capital P in it.

After sitting in the back yard for the first winter, I was shocked in the spring to notice a white star and segmented circle appearing through the paint on the drivers side roof and overseas TAC and Formation signs on the front cowl.

Then, when stripping the wiring out of it, the first thing I noticed was all the wire clad loom and grounding straps connecting everything, everywhere. When I got to the headlight assemblies, more pieces of the overseas puzzle came together. The driver's side headlamp was a newer assembly than the left side. It had a cloth loom and was the only such piece of wiring harness on the entire vehicle. I thought that was really odd considering the intent of the wiring loom was to reduce electrical noise as much as possible. When I took this headlamp assembly out of the vehicle, I discovered that underneath the cloth loom, was a full wire loom covering.

The Chev Master Parts List shows a series of wiring components replacing one another over time. I think that early war production used two unique wiring harnesses: a standard cloth system for all vehicles not carrying wireless equipment and a second wire loom system to be used in all vehicles equipped with wireless. It may have become easier at some point to produce just one, universal wiring harness capable of being installed in any vehicle.

Good luck with the project.

David