How To: C15a Wire-3 restoration

[Jordan Baker]

Hi David. Yes there were extension poles that fit into the canopy frame. The AEDB design record mentions them.

[Bob Carriere]

On the assumption that your bows are all original could you share some dimension information. I have to build a set from scratch.

ID and OD would be nice as well as the height of the pipe for the bows.

what kinds/size of fasteners used..... carriage bolts... any wing nuts???

have you tried your repro canvass on it??? interested as I have the same repro from Stew. Can the sides be actually rolled leaving you with a canopy for shade.

Thanks

[Jordan Baker]

Bob I've posted some drawings of the canopy with dimensions. Were you needing the measurements of the three uprights? The wire-3 canopy frame was a lot more extensive then the regular canopy. As for how they are attached. Nothing more complicated then some 10-24 slotted machine screws and nuts and lock washers.

[Jordan Baker]

I decided to put on the canvas top the other day. This helps to free up space on a shelf and also will help keep the dust out of the back of the box. Plus it helps to make it look like things are moving along.

I ended up using the original wooden runners that were still with the box when I got it. For the most part they were in great shape. Even retaining a lot of really nice original paint. The one runner did suffer from some rot on both ends and bugs in one spot. I removed as much dry rot as I could and then decided to use some 2 part epoxy casting resin I had. The stuff is very hard wearing. I did some pours to fill in the voids from the original rot. I also made some simple molds from steel plate I had. I then poured the resin in and let it setup before removing the plates. I then used a belt sander to do some finishing touches and blending of the resin into the original wood. This was all then painted up.

When I went to install them, I had to jack up one side of the box and then inset them in from the sides. After getting both in, I realized that they come in a left and right pair and well let just say I got my straw foot and right foot mixed up. So jack up the box again and swap them around.

[Jordan Baker]

I managed to use the original footman loops that were on the box as well. I also picked up a supply of NOS ones from a dealer in the states thanks to Ebay. They matched my originals perfectly. Im using NOS woodscrews as the originals were too far gone. Its times like this that Im glad I pickup old jars of screws from people. Sometimes this older stuff comes in handy considering the slotted stuff is getting harder to find.

I also moved the WS19 into the truck. More right now just to get it out of the way. I still need to go through it and give it a good dusting and cleaning up. Plus I need to get some new shocks mounts for it.

Lastly I got the box to frame threaded rods I needed from a local shop. I figured I should do the usual POR15 and paint thing on them. So today I sandblasted them and POR'd them and then while the POR was still a bit tacky I spray painted on the final top coat. Ive done this a few times and it works really well. The paint seems to get bonded to the almost cured POR and makes it very tough.

[Jordan Baker]

Installed the tailgate today. Thankfully I left just enough room behind the rear of the truck and the rear shop wall that I can swing the tailgate open fully.

I also finished painting the wooden side boards. They received a few coats of POR15 to seal the wood, including inside the drilled holes. Then when I was screwing on the footman loops, I also applied POR to the screw threads. This should completely seal the wood around the screws.

[Jordan Baker]

Not too much to report over the past few weeks due to an overseas vacation. But the other day I started marking my engine rebuild/testing stand. Thanks to the drawings Phil Waterman put up on his site it has been an easy job of fabrication.