1943 Chevrolet Cab 13 C60s Wrecker

[cordenj]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

John,

I am happy James and you decided to let some air out of the tyres of the truck to avoid trouble with "our" bridges.....otherwise the result could have been disastrous. I think our Dutch members will remember that two years ago a a transport with a C47 smashed against a bridge, because someone didn't properly measure the width......it was "game over" for the C47!


Alex

Evening Alex,
Yes it was a good call and we should thank Bram van Buuren for that advice
I remember seeing photos of the C47 incident, not the way to end up.

In UK we get used to having the height displayed on a sign when approaching any "low" bridge (around 5m). A good example of not assuming everything is the same across the EU...

[lynx42]

Originally Posted by cordenj

In UK we get used to having the height displayed on a sign when approaching any "low" bridge (around 5m). A good example of not assuming everything is the same across the EU...

Here in Australia. All low bridges on major thoroughfares have to have the minimum height measurement displayed, BUT don't believe all you see.

I found out the hard way. My 1916 Albion measures 2.95 high and we came to a bridge which had the 3.0 m clearance warning sign. I proceeded quietly under the bridge with Jill watching and I had a good 50mm clearance. Going out the other side there was a bad crunching sound as the hood bows bent back and the tilt tore in 5 places. I pulled up and noticed the sign on that exit side said 2.90 clearance, and they were unfortunately correct. Any way the local shire in charge of that bit of a mixup came good and paid for a new tilt and the repairs to the truck.. the sign now lists the clearance as 2.85m.

Regards Rick

[cordenj]

Well I expect this one of those questions with to which the answer is obvious....but here goes as its not to me!

The wrecker has a large winch under the body, I think the same as fitted to many if not all 4x4 models.
It also has twin winches behind the cab as part of the model specific breakdown gear.

So the question I have relates to to the controls on the cab floor.

I have these controls:
1. A standard handbrake to stop vehicle
2. A standard starter lever
3. The usual 4 speed and reverse gear lever
4. the longer lever that provides control top Hi/Low ratio_engage/dis-engage 4-wheel drive_engage drive to the underbody winch
5. The Breakdown specific lever to engage pto chain drive to twin winches behind cab

BUT I cant see how I can brake the main underbody winch. The general Chev truck manual (cab controls drawing from the manual attached) explains how the winch brake should be applied, and the manual photo shows a separate winch handbrake lever...which I don't seem to have.

Any ideas please on how I brake the main winch without the separate winch handbrake?

IMG_8605 (1024x768).jpg Chev_general controls_NOT Wrecker.png

[Grant Bowker]

You are right that the normal brake location for the chassis winch brake seems to be misssing. There seeems to be a line (fore and aft) on the floor about where the brake lever would mount, are there any signs that a previous owner either filled in the holes (mounting and for the control rod) or substituted a different oiece of floor plate? If it's not clear from the top of the plate, what can you see from the bottom? How much, if any, of the linkage for the winch brake remains to give indications of where things were originally. The C60S parts list seems to refer to 2 rods with a cross shaft between them to the winch brake.
Worst case, after confirming what's on other wreckers (The Canadian War Museum has one on display (ex-Nowegian?) but I haven't asked to look at that detail and there is at least one more in the Montreal area but the owner isn't much for internet although very helpful) you could make appropriate holes and mount a lever and any missing rods.
I have recently agreed to buy a C60L with winch but have not taken posession yet. Once I have the truck I could try to photgraph that control setup if it would help you.

[cordenj]

Originally Posted by Grant Bowker

You are right that the normal brake location for the chassis winch brake seems to be misssing. There seeems to be a line (fore and aft) on the floor about where the brake lever would mount, are there any signs that a previous owner either filled in the holes (mounting and for the control rod) or substituted a different oiece of floor plate? If it's not clear from the top of the plate, what can you see from the bottom? How much, if any, of the linkage for the winch brake remains to give indications of where things were originally. The C60S parts list seems to refer to 2 rods with a cross shaft between them to the winch brake.
Worst case, after confirming what's on other wreckers (The Canadian War Museum has one on display (ex-Nowegian?) but I haven't asked to look at that detail and there is at least one more in the Montreal area but the owner isn't much for internet although very helpful) you could make appropriate holes and mount a lever and any missing rods.
I have recently agreed to buy a C60L with winch but have not taken posession yet. Once I have the truck I could try to photgraph that control setup if it would help you.

Thanks Grant,
I've been to to barn to photograph the chassis winch. I'm pleased to say the winch is there together with the integral cast brake "drum"....but nothing else.
So ideally I need to see some photos of the correct brake band/linkage and handbrake lever to see what I'm actually missing. I imagine it is a smaller version of the main vehicle handbrake mechanism.

Here are a couple of photos of what is there:


Thanks

[Hendrik van Oorspronk]

Wil have a look if i can make some pictures this weekend.

Groetn

Hendrik

[cordenj]

Thanks Hendrik,

That will be very useful

[hrpearce]

HI John, you need to look under the Blitz and see what you have.
Starting at the winch is a brake drum and band fitted?
If so is a rod connected to it leading towards the cab?
Photograph what you have then others may be able to supply the missing bits.

[cordenj]

Thanks guys,
I'll take some more photos when next at the barn. The cab has had a major rebuild so wasn't sure if that control had been left off or whether it was meant to omitted from the Wrecker for some reason.

[Grant Bowker]

The CMP chassis winch is driven by a ring and pinion. Unlike a worm gear winch, these are not self locking and would pay out cable freely without a brake. I would be extremely surprised if someone sould tell me there were CMP winches installed without a brake.
It might be that when your cab had its rebuild, the floor from a GS (without winch although some GS did have a winch) might have been used. This fits with the data plate shown at the beginning showing as a GS but is only a guess on my part.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

John,

Nice find & buy. I remember looking over this vehicle quite a while ago - actually I think it had just been restored.

Here are many detail photos of your C60S Wrecker when it was on display during an event in Holland many years ago: http://www.wheelsofvictory.com/CMP%20wrecker.html

Regards,
Hanno

[cordenj]

Thanks Hanno,

I think that was in 2005 and the truck hasn't covered much more than 1000 miles in last 9 years