How To: C15a Wire-3 restoration

[Jordan Baker]

Today I pulled out some NOS parts to use for securing the box to the chassis. The wood blocks were used to fit between frame so that it didn’t crush down when tightening the U bolt nuts. The one wood block had to have a part cut off to clear a bolt.

[Jordan Baker]

Well she went on her first drive today in a long time. Everything went very very well. Works and sounds great. Shifts beautifully and stops on a dime. A huge thanks to all who have lent a hand or helped out with endless requests and questions. There is still a pile to do but it’s getting there. Lastly thanks to my lovely wife, Vicki Baker for letting me disappear into the garage for hours at a time. Love you.

A short video of its drive.

https://youtu.be/L4r_AhlDeGQ

[Jordan Baker]

Before the truck drove out I had to have the Otter pulled from the shop. Thankfully one of my friends happened to be going by in his backhoe. We made quick work of it. I can’t wait for the Otter to be able to do the same and drive out of the shop.

Lastly Vicki came home from work and happily took a few more pictures for me. Then she wanted to climb up into the cab for a picture.

[David Dunlop]

Hi Jordan.

Quite another milestone. Congratulations!

A few posts back you commented about sorting out the Signal Buzzer wiring feed. My suspicion is the feed from the buzzer in the cab to the box is very probably the same on your WIRE-3 as the WIRE-5.

The wire would drop down from the buzzer to the Cab Roof Seam and turn to the rear to follow the seam until it arrives at a hole in the seam that allows it to pass through to the lower wall. Small cable clips hold it in place. On my WIRE-5, these clips were all painted. You should be able to spot the small holes where the clips were secured.

The wire dropped down to the lower wall/floor seam in a fairly straight line and disappears through a hole in the floor, the same size as the one in the Cab Roof Seam. This takes it out of the cab floor close to the Left Frame Rail of the vehicle. It then follows the Left Frame Rail, but I can not remember if that is along the top edge, or close to the top of the outer side. Clip holes should identify the route for you in that area.

At the leading edge of the WIRE-5 box, about 12 to 18 inches in from the left side of the box, another hole in the floor allowed the wire to be fed into a conduit assembly built into the front wall of the Wireless Box, behind the plywood wall. Your WIRE-3 is an open box inside so once the wire arrives in that area in your vehicle, you may have to rely on the small clip holes to guesstimate where it went. If the WIRE-3 box was set up for Wireless Operator seated centre front and a Cypher Clerk to the rear and left of the operator, odds are the buzzer switch was situated to the left side of the WIRE-3 box somewhere easily accessible for either the operator or clerk to use it.

Hope that helps.

David

[Brian Gough]

Jordan,

Congratulations. Well done. What a great day for you. This has been a long time coming.

Your truck looks good and sounds good.

OK, now back to work - the Otter is waiting.


Brian

[David Dunlop]

One other point I just remembered on the buzzer wiring, Jordan.

Where it turned to the frame rail from the cab, that curve had a fair bit of play in it. I think that was to allow for any flex of the cab in relationship to the frame at that point. At the box end, the frame and box are a solid, fixed fit, so the curve of the buzzer wire was not as relaxed.

I do not recall ever seeing any trace of rubber grommets in these particular wire holes, but it could make sense. Perhaps test fit a piece of the shielded wire in the holes and see if it leaves enough wiggle room to fit a grommet.

David

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Excellent, great milestone you have passed there!

Just the last couple of 100 yards to be finished of your marathon. And then it's on to the next. I'm sure the Otter will be done as nicely as this one!