Wire 3 Chorehorse mount

[Jordan Baker]

Hi all

I'm hoping to find some more information on the elusive Chorehorse mount as used on the C15a FFW Wire3 trucks.

I've only got a few photos showing this mounting bracket. The cover I believe is on a hinge to allow it to lift up towards the cab door. However the cover is also removable.

In the second picture I have highlighted a couple items. The red arrow points towards what I believe is the Chorehorse flexible exhaust pipe. My thought is that the exhaust would be routed closer to the trucks exhaust vs exhausting directly under the cab floor.

As for the green arrow, well I'm not really too sure what it points to. Other then it appears to be a small box like cover. Could it be a cover for a terminal junction connecting the Chorehorse to the radio batteries via the charging board?

Lastly here is my Chorehorse simply sitting on the cab step. This is the orientation that I believe to be correct. It allows for easy access to the pull start, control panel and gas and oil reservoirs. Yes the fuel fill plug sits out from the edge of the step, however as in the first picture there is a fair bit of overhang of the cover as well.

[charlie fitton]

Great photos Jordan..can"t wait to see the next bit...

I'f you can pick a nice afternoon, we can wire that up to work.

f

[Jordan Baker]

Is this setup truly that elusive?

[Eric R.]

Just finding info on the wire 3 trucks is hard. Not much info even here. Only a few threads.

There is supposed to be a restored truck in the communications museum in Kingston that I have to make a trip to document. Maybe see if they have that type of cover on that truck?

good luck and if you find it document here please so all can see it!

[Barry Churcher]

Jordan, I think it is elusive. I have never seen reference to it before. The only Chore Horses that I have seen mounted have had the canvas covers. Thanks to another MLU member I have this photo of a C15TA with a Chore Horse on each front fender with the canvas. These would not be as easy to start as yours.
Barry

[Jordan Baker]

Wow. That's a neat layout Barry. Thanks for sharing.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Barry Churcher

Jordan, I think it is elusive. I have never seen reference to it before. The only Chore Horses that I have seen mounted have had the canvas covers. Thanks to another MLU member I have this photo of a C15TA with a Chore Horse on each front fender with the canvas. These would not be as easy to start as yours.
Barry

Wow, what a rig!!! It will make all us wireless types...excited. Wall to wall radios, with a High Power No.19 on the left, a Canadian 52 set on the right and a No.5 Switchboard to make it all work. No wonder it needed two chorehorse.

[Lynn Eades]

Jordan, Looking at your photo with the green arrow. Is that cover an air inlet?
The photo sort of looks like a mesh screen?

[Jordan Baker]

Lynn, I never even thought of that being an air inlet. Checking the Chorehorse layout and it would be in perfect alignment for an air inlet. All that it would need is a different inlet tube or a modified one. If it was an air filter I'm wondering if it would be similar to the one mounted onto the trucks engines generator?

[Lynn Eades]

Jordan, Would you expect they would have run it with the cover on?
Can you blow up the image for a better look?
Initially I was thinking it was a part of the cover, but a second look makes me think the cover is going over a chore horse mounted air cleaner?

[Jordan Baker]

The cover is fully removable but it also has a hinge along the top to allow the front to lift up. I would think the chorehorse could run either with or without the big cover.

That picture was as good as I could get the original.

Here is another picture. This one shows the actual metal cover removed and placed on the ground. The picture is taken from the book, Canada's Fighting Vehicles.

[charlie fitton]

I don't think you'd run it with the cover on - it would likely overheat.

As to the air intake option - not likely. The existing air filter is tucked nicely into the engine as it is, and it's an excellent filter.

The box could be for something ridiculous as the pull starter rope, and the frame around it stops the driver's foot from slipping away....

f

[Tim Bell]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

Wow, what a rig!!! It will make all us wireless types...excited. Wall to wall radios, with a High Power No.19 on the left, a Canadian 52 set on the right and a No.5 Switchboard to make it all work. No wonder it needed two chorehorse.

Looks suspiciously like a photo from the documentation I found a while back while hunting in the govt records for stuff on the White Scout Car - the full set has detailed pics inside the vehicle and a set of plans for all the mounts... plus modifications.

In regard to the item in question - I have a few unpublished pics of Canadian signals vehicles - I will take a look to see if any cover this subject.

Tim

[Jon Skagfeld]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

The cover is fully removable but it also has a hinge along the top to allow the front to lift up. I would think the chorehorse could run either with or without the big cover.

That picture was as good as I could get the original.

Here is another picture. This one shows the actual metal cover removed and placed on the ground. The picture is taken from the book, Canada's Fighting Vehicles.

When I owned a WIRE 3, I studied that picture intensely, trying to figure out how to fit the installation.

I huffed and puffed and tried to fit the chorehorse onto the running board step many times...to no avail. Either there was an excessive overhang or there was an impingement with the upper structure when the metal cover was in place. It would also seem that if the unit was successfully installed, that the co-driver would have some difficulty gaining access to the cab.

[Jordan Baker]

I do not believe the Chorehorse was fitted with the tubular frame around it. It appears as if the Cnd contract unit was fitted instead. My unit with the tubular frame fit just fine on the running board in the position I showed above in post #1.

I've got some pictures of the box that used on the Bedford FFW. I'll draw up some concept drawings as I've got a better possible idea on the whole setup.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Jordan, is your plan to make up your Chev as a full Wire-3? There is at least one wireless table kicking around out there that I've seen.

[Jordan Baker]

Yes that is the plan. Full wireless 3.

[Eric R.]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

Jordan, is your plan to make up your Chev as a full Wire-3? There is at least one wireless table kicking around out there that I've seen.

Are they reasonably available? I need one for my wire 3 too but if they are too rare I could try the fabrication route if someone had an original.

That along with the no 5 switch board are the two biggest things I don't have and that looks almost impossible to fabricate.

[Barry Churcher]

Originally Posted by Tim Bell

Looks suspiciously like a photo from the documentation I found a while back while hunting in the govt records for stuff on the White Scout Car -

Tim, that is indeed part of the information you kindly forwarded to me. I didn't mention your name as I wasn't sure you would appreciate it.
Thanks, Barry

[Tim Bell]

Originally Posted by Barry Churcher

Tim, that is indeed part of the information you kindly forwarded to me. I didn't mention your name as I wasn't sure you would appreciate it.
Thanks, Barry

Barry

Thanks - not worried on here.

Cheers

Tim

[charlie fitton]

I'll throw one more fly in the ointment...

I can't see the genny being run in that position. Vibration, noise, poison fumes going under the box, and the muffler/exhaust would be adjacent to the fuel tank.

So it was probably removed prior to hooking it up and charging the batteries.

[Grant Bowker]

Originally Posted by charlie fitton

I can't see the genny being run in that position. Vibration, noise, poison fumes going under the box, and the muffler/exhaust would be adjacent to the fuel tank.

All true, but the Wire 5 and HUW had the chorehorse(s) mounted in a cabinet in the bodywork that could be opened to the interior so I doubt that even with the door closed it would have been fully sealed. There were stencils warning that the doors had to be closed to run the generators so they clearly weren't always removed to operate and when operating they would still have been close to doors and windows for exhaust recycling. Workplace safety wasn't as high a priority 70 years ago, particularly in a war zone where a bullet would have been a much bigger worry than exhaust gas (although both can kill).

[Jordan Baker]

I believe that on the Wire3 the Chorehorse was hard mounted to the truck and that why it had the cover shown in the photos. I also believe as pointed to in my first post that you can make out the flexible exhaust hose running beside the fuel tank.

The following pictures are from a 8cwt wireless truck and clearly show the CH1-395-4 Canadian model chorehorse hard mounted to a bracket. They also show the flexible exhaust hose being run from the generator along the back wall of the cab and down to the frame with the muffler right beside the exhaust pipe for the truck.

Further more being hard mounted would mean the wiring could all be run to the C5 charging board and batteries. This would mean that the only setup would be starting the generator and changing some knobs on the charging board.

One other point I noticed in the wartime chorehorse manual is that it appears the CH1-395-4 Canadian model didn't come with any oil bath air filter. There is no mention of it in the text or the parts diagram. Whereas the CH1-395-5 British model specially mentions that it comes with one.

[Grant Bowker]

Jordan's photos above seem to show a fixed plate in place of the common sliding rear window with a small, permanent opening (for communication tube between cab and crew in the rear?). Also, if all cab roofs are punched with the same holes regardless of intended use, the support brackets for the chorehorse exhaust might explain some otherwise unused holes in the back of the cab.

[Jordan Baker]

Here is the inside of the cab for the 8cwt.

[Alex van de Wetering]

for communication tube between cab and crew in the rear?).

@Grant. Yes, the C8 has the canvas speaking tube fitted between cab and radio body as standard....and never had a rear window fitted in the rear wall.
I think my C8 has a hole in the curved corner of the rear wall which I think was done to clamp the exhuast hose.....but I don't see it on the Ford factory pics. If I remember correctly the only other holes in the rear wall on my truck are for the battery lead, top rifle clamps and the fire extinguisher.

I am with you Jordan; that hose does indeed look a lot like the exhaust pipe of the Chore horse. I think your second picture even shows a heat shield or at least an angle iron (along the lower edge of the gas tank, between the two brackets) to protect the gas tank and route the exhaust hose. I don't see any problems with it being run on the cab step.....and that means the wire guard would not make sense either (sheet metal cover basically does the same?). A C60X also has the exhaust muffler very close to the gas tank with a heat shield in between.

When looking at your first picture, I think the sheet metal cover around the chore horse extends about 4inch from the edge of the fender....hard to see, but it even looks like the originel fender is still there, but it was enlarged along two sides..
Also looks like something is fastened to that third hole in the side of the cab frame....just under the door. What are these holes for anyway....I think they can be seen on all cab13's????


Alex

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

I've only got a few photos showing this mounting bracket. The cover I believe is on a hinge to allow it to lift up towards the cab door. However the cover is also removable.

Do you think the cover is hinged? I agree it is removable but what looks like hinges may be reinforcing and ridges so the top of the cover acts as a step?

[charlie fitton]

Handle is on the fender side, so my guess would be that it lifts off. hinged open it would be in the way of the door.

the platform that the genny mounts on looks lower that the original step, and is lengthened to provide additional strength. that would imply that the cage could still be on it.

Agreed, the ridge could be to provide strength and a better grip for foot step.

[Alex van de Wetering]

Do you think the cover is hinged? I agree it is removable but what looks like hinges may be reinforcing and ridges so the top of the cover acts as a step?

Bruce, from what I have read on the HMVF forum, it's sister, the Bedford MWR, has a cover that hinges about 90 degrees and can than be removed. I presume the Wire3 uses the same method. Funny thing though is that the MWR has the chore horse on the right hand side fender....but it does indeed have ridges on the top of the cover so it can be used as a step.

Any manuals on operating the MWR floating around? They might give us a clue whether the Chore horse was used in situ or not.
Alex

[Jordan Baker]

Alex thanks for the clarification on the Bedford MWR cover. Yes I too believe that the wire3 cover was similar in concept to the British one. I still think that there is a hinge to allow the front portion of the cover to lift up and if needed the entire cover can pivot up 90 degrees and then lift off from the generator. In the first pictures I posted there is clearly a rib or rod along the length of the cover right at the top of the curve on the cover. In one picture you can see it doesn't go right to the edge. I think it is like a piano hinge. If it was just for strength it seems very undersized.

As for the cover rotating up to 90 degrees and then lifting off. I believe the raised up ridge that is just below the cab frame/floor is what allows for this. That would be an almost identical copy of the British cover.

A few have made mention of a cab step as the reasoning for the ribs. When I fitted my chorehorse on the step I tried to get into the cab pretending there was a cover/step ontop of the chorehorse. It was way to high to be practical. This is why I believe there is a foot step built into the cover/bracket. In my first pictures the green arrow points to a box or air filter. The open top "shelf" the that little box is in is what I believe to be the new cab step. It is at the same height as the original step. Place you right foot on it. Pull yourself up and put your left foot onto the cover then step into the cab.

Lowering the cab step was also mentioned. However I don't believe this was done nor needed. The chorehorse with out the cage fits fine on the cab step. It would have even more room if I had taken the cage base off from below the fuel tank. I still think the original cab step was left in place. I believe you can just make it out between the fender and the small mud flap in the pictures above.