How To: C15a Wire-3 restoration

[Jordan Baker]

Thanks Bob. It’s gett there. For fuel and vacuum lines I simply copied the ones that were on the original wartime engine. However I went to test fit the throttle linkage and I ran into a snag. The lines are directly in the path of the horizontal rod from the linkage. So back to the drawing board for some tweaking.

Today I was off to visit a friend and see a new project he recently picked up. I was able to borrow a number of the splash guards and an inner radiator shroud.

[Grant Bowker]

Interesting, it looks as if either the shroud was redesigned at some point or trimmed for easier remove/re-install. Also, I've see several of the smaller frame mounted lower splash shield but never the longer one with the cutout. I wonder why one was more common than the other? Or, why one was removed more often...

[David Dunlop]

Jordan.

What is the build date for your C15A? My old WIRE-5 was a June 1944 product with ring hatch, military instrument panel and surge tank mounted under the front left side, rather than the cowl.

The left upper side splash guard was a quick release design. Roughly halfway up the front edge was a punched ‘key hole’. This fitted over a swivel latch (virtually the same latch as used on the stowage bins on the rear body side stowage bins of the FAT) which was mounted, I think, on the side of the radiator shroud. There should be a small triangular hole pattern on the shroud where the circular base plate of the latch was secured.

I believe this minor change to accommodate the latch style splash guard means all rad shroud items from earlier production vehicles will interchange with the later version but you will not be able to fit the upper left side splash guard. The two lower ones inboard of the chassis stayed relatively unchanged. This left upper splash guard was a really tough bird to track down in the 1980’s. Probably a result of a very short production life and the postwar habit for all these plates to get tossed during maintenance because they were deemed a pain in the ass to have to deal with when doing routine engine maintenance. Somebody is bound to have one somewhere you can pattern though.

David

By the way. You are doing great work!

[Jordan Baker]

David the build date is October 1944.

Yes my radiator mount had the swivel latch you mention. I’ll have to dig it out and put it back on. I forgot about it until you mentioned it. I suspect that the unknown metal part mounts on the upper right side of the radiator mount. The one mounting hole and the bump out match up to that spot. I’ll get a picture tomorrow.

As for the long splash guard. From the picture I can see why this part was tossed. You can’t access the master cylinder adjustment from below.

As for the engine. Yesterday’s issues have been resolved. I went back over and looked at the engine drawings I had from the CMA-01 Major Assemblies manual. The fuel and vacuum lines went under the water pump and then went up to the level of the hookup on the carburetor. However they took a slight bend just before where the throttle rod comes out. So I copied all this and voila everything fits.

[Jordan Baker]

I did manage to get the throttle rod to fit today. I cut out the middle of the mounting section and added two spacers to fit behind the mount. I also had to lower the holes on the bracket just a touch. However this bracket had been previously “fixed” by myself before and I put the holes too high. It’s very tight but everything does move freely. I do plan on adding a small piece to join both sides of the bracket so that neither side can pivot off of the mounting bolts. I just need to cut it to conture around the thermostat housing.

[Jordan Baker]

Today I had the brief honour of having the CMP Saviour himself down for a visit to hand deliver a much needed part.

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[Phil Waterman]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

Today I had the brief honour of having the CMP Saviour himself down for a visit to hand deliver a much needed part.

Hi Jordan

I was wondering who the next Marvel Movie hero was going to be? CMP MAN. Just think of the possibilities, faster than a speeding C15, able to leap small buildings like F60S, well you get the idea.

Cheers Phil