Project PHOENIX

[Tony Smith]

Bob, I hope your Pain dries up quickly and the Joy begins to flow.

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

Bob, I hope your Pain dries up quickly and the Joy begins to flow.

Oh yes, there's plenty of that commodity... but LMAO for the time being.

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi all - look what is coming home tomorrow. Sorry about the quality of the image but have had a secrecy white-out. Tee Hee.

Bob

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Bob Moseley

Hi all - look what is coming home tomorrow. Sorry about the quality of the image but have had a secrecy white-out. Tee Hee.

Bob

Is the white-out secrecy something to do with the fact some poor carrier owner is looking at his vandalised carrier, scratching his head and saying "Now where do you think my running gear could have gone? I could have sworn it was all there last time I looked in the shed."

Either that or it is applique snow to make the Canadians feel better.

Or perhaps Colin over-refreshed himself on a hot day and it now has the back end of a Lada Niva.

[colin jones]

Well I'm shocked, I thought you were going to paint it green. Also when did you break into my workshop without me knowing and paint it white.
(there better not be any white paint on my floor)
Colin.

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi all - what a day we had. Phoenix has come to life after so long in planning and dreaming. My good mate Paul and I arrived in our truck this morning to take delivery of the untested Phoenix project. Fired up the truck and started driving only to find that being in 4WD the front axles were fighting the rear sprockets. OK, disconnect the front differential and bingo, drove well. Then Murphy decided to step in and gave us serious fuel delivery problems. Not to be tharted we utilised a plastic container filled with petrol and fed fuel straight into the carby. After a terrifying ordeal I got Phoenix onto our truck. Colin said he missed out on the best photograph, that being the look of sheer terror on my face as I am trying to manouever Phoenix onto the back of our truck. Phoenix will now live on top of the truck for the final rebuild, painting and carby rebuild.

I cannot begin to say how much I owe to Colin for taking on and completing this project, suffice to say I couldn't have done it without him. I am so proud of his work that I am posting a couple of images of the completed work prior to the Corowa debut and never mind the teaser images I previously posted. I now have just under two weeks to get Phoenix to a presentable and driveable condition.

Bob

[gordon]

A big round of applause to all concerned for getting it this far.

I just hope that you don't stop at the concrete block, and consider putting a real bed on it.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Bob, what an amazing creation.... you go get that done so we can see it rolling!

Excellent work, both of you - probably the most "original" project ever seen in this field!

[NORTH-SHORE(CANADA)]

Hi Bob,
it's alive nice job

[zemsi]

... wow, amazing good looking, brilliant job Hope to get a run in Corowa

I'm sure, your Blitz and Keefy's wonderful restoration (better known as A Blitz for Swiss Chris ) will be the shooting stars on the YOTB2 DVD!!

cu very soon
Chris

[Keith Webb]

Y'know Bob, it may just be one of the stars of the show!

Can't wait to shoot it in action from all perspectives.

And BIG thumbs up to Colin too - simply outstanding work.

[Bob Carriere]

........ congrats is just not enough.....

This should be leaked to the media/press, GM of Canada, Military Magazines, U tube. Discovery channel, etc. for the Corowa show offical launching.

....and include copy of the original photos of the time.


Outstanding job......

Bob

PS...will probably raise the value of every rusted CMP still for sale.....

[lynx42]

Bob and Colin,
KVE Inc. salute you both. Phoenix will undoubtedly be a star of the show.
Well done those men.
Rick

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Bob Moseley

Hi all - what a day we had.... Fired up the truck and started driving only to find that being in 4WD the front axles were fighting the rear sprockets. OK, disconnect the front differential and bingo, drove well. Then Murphy decided to step in...
Bob

Why has that happened? Didn't you work out the gearing and tooth count before the project started? Are those 12.00-20 tyres on the front? Time to harness the computing power of the brains trust's calculators!

Mucho Kudos to Colin for his exemplary skills, and to yourself for the concept. You both would have been a credit to the Department of Munitions and Supply!

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

Why has that happened? Didn't you work out the gearing and tooth count before the project started? Are those 12.00-20 tyres on the front? Time to harness the computing power of the brains trust's calculators!

Mucho Kudos to Colin for his exemplary skills, and to yourself for the concept. You both would have been a credit to the Department of Munitions and Supply!

∑=(12.00/ˆ¶º˙∫X28µ√)*ç¢44…¨©=

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi all - thanks for your comments, these are exciting times. At the moment I am covered in paint dust getting rid of the old paint. I also received the National Archives file today and it is the file for this truck. Big thanks again to Ian Fawbert for locating it. Learnt three things out of the file, firstly, they should have been 42 tooth sprockets and not 43 as we counted, secondly the track tensioning was by way of a cam plate employed at the rear of the adjuster plate and thirdly track steering was incorporated by way of a three way hydraulic valve operated by a lever by the driver. I have images of these but need to scan them in. Too busy at the moment though.

Tony, we knew the problems about the oversize tyres and that the differentials needed to be rebuilt with different ratios. Too much work and where do I get 10.50x20 directional tyres from. It actually drove well with just the rear drive.

Gordon, I have a hybrid body from the truck and will use that. No money or time to muck around with a concrete block.

OK, back to the sanding.

Bob

[Snowy]

This is a terriffic project, kudos to you both. My suggestion for the 'concrete block' is to make a block-sized box from expanded polystyrene foam sheets, spray it with a coat of varnish, then a layer of stucco... voila! ...a "one ton concrete block" that you can amaze your friends with by lifting it off the back one-handed
Additionally, make a secret hinged lid in it and it could double as a super-sized esky

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

MAAAAGNIFICENT Bob.
Whats the steering like as is?
Rich

[colin morley]

Congratulations Bob and Ada. Will be great to catch up at Corowa and have painted the plintle hook ready for Corowa. regards Colin and Joy

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Bob Moseley

Tony, we knew the problems about the oversize tyres and that the differentials needed to be rebuilt with different ratios. Too much work and where do I get 10.50x20 directional tyres from. It actually drove well with just the rear drive.

Bob

Not at all suggesting you were wrong to fit 12.00's, as they are certainly easier to source, but we could have calculated the rear sprocket size to suit and give you traction all round instead of bind up in the T/Case. So you have 43 sprockets, what diff ratios F & R? 7.16:1?

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Snowy

My suggestion for the 'concrete block' is to make a block-sized box from expanded polystyrene foam sheets, spray it with a coat of varnish, then a layer of stucco... voila! ...a "one ton concrete block" that you can amaze your friends with by lifting it off the back one-handed


Additionally, make a secret hinged lid in it and it could double as a ......

Grand Unveiling celebration cake with a Go-Go Dancer appearing from within!

[Keith Orpin]

Bob,
I've been following this project, since it first appeared here. May I say, I am very impressed with what you and your freind, Colin have created. Restoring any CMP can and does present all sorts of challenges, but to undertake this project, based on a couple of photo's and a few sketches, in a reletively short timescale, is a credit to you both !. I would imagine that she will steel any show you attend.
you derserve it
Keith

[Snowy]

A block that size would have enough room for an esky and a go-go dancer

Having spent many, many hours investigating and calculating Weasel track geometry involving track pitch, sprocket tooth contact PCDs and whatnot, my five cents worth is, a full track-laying vehicle is not quite the same problem as a half-track laying vehicle.

To start with the correct calculations for a halftrack tyre versus halftrack sprocket, the circumference of the tyre must be known (obviously) but the sprocket diameter must be taken not at the PCD of the tooth / grouser contact point but at the outer (road) surface of the track face. That's because that amount of road distance passes around the sprocket every revolution, which of course must be ratioed to the tyre cirumference via diff or other gearing. I don't know what this distance is for carrier track but I would estimate 1/2 to 1 inch increase in radius perhaps, from the contact point to the road surface point. But I'm sure you guys already knew this

Steve.

[Paul Singleton]

WOW! Great job. To get an idea of the ratio problem you could mark the front tire and a rear sprocket with some paint and count how many revolutions the rear sprocket turns in relation to one rotation of the front tire. You may be able to change tire size on the front to improve the gearing. I am looking forward to more pictures.

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi all - we had all these answers when we obtained the design drawing. Refer to my post 16 October 2008. As already stated the problems were 10.50x20 tyres, rebuilding the diffs with different ratios and now discovering we were one sprocket tooth out. She drives and steers well in 2WD so we'll go with what we have at the moment. Oversize esky and a Go Go dancer sounds like a plan. Need to make a telephone call to Jiff's girlfriend, see attached. We'll see what time permits us to do.

Bob

[Col Tigwell]

I bet in the dark would appear all warm and cuddly, her figure kind of reminds me of an ACCO.

Sorry Phonix

Regards

Col

[colin jones]

Hello all, you know beauty is only a light switch away.

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi all - 2320hrs Saturday 7 March. Still have two days before our anticipated departure to Corowa. Here is where I am at. One more on the next post.

Bob

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Last image.

[Keith Webb]

Just remember there are 48 hours in a day if you have someone helping you!

Looking forward to seeing the fruit of your toils.