Finally a CMP of my own

[John Winfield]

After many years of looking, I've finally found a truck for myself.

It's a 1943 F15A. I don't actually have it in my possession yet, but I'm trying to get a head start. Its in pretty good shape except for an unfortunate incident with a tree branch that has resulted in a significant dent in the roof. The roof is also suffering from what I expect is typical rust issues. Fortunately, since the dent is over the driver, the hatch seems to have escaped unscathed.

I'm wondering if anyone out there has a spare roof they'd be willing to part with, the closer to Niagara Falls the better. Even if one is not available, I'm wondering what one would likely cost, so I can decide whether to just patch up what I've got while I keep looking, or if I get it professionally repaired.

One more question, the truck comes with both 16 and 20 inch rims. I know the 16's are the right ones, but I really like the look of the 20 inch tires. What are the pros and cons of running 20's instead of 16's? I'm planning on NDT tires, whichever size I decide on.

John

[Bob Carriere]

Sorry to hear you got bitten by the CMP bug.

If your top is like all others or at least 99% of them.... you have rust just above the angle iron...probably some serious perforation...... this is a design flaw. The bottom half of your rear wall may have the same rust issue. CMP were not design to last rust free for 75 years.

Finding a good roof and rear wall without that rust is the holy grail!!!!

The rear wall is easier to repair if you totally reskin with possibly newly bent angle iron as the original maybe severely pitted.

Doing the top half of the roof is more complex. The difficult part is being able to do a precise butt joint between the existing sheet metal and the new skin strip.....both side of the weld will be quite visible so a lot of care and grinding is usually required.

I am at the contemplation stage for my roof...first I am lucky to have one.... and it is bumpy and rusty. I will be cutting the bottom 8 or 9 inches...about midway through the rear window and wrapping a new skin around to each side pillar ( which is partly wood on the cab 11) By cutting through the middle of the window opening I am saving about 24+ inches of delicate welding. Now a good body man probably can do it in 15 minutes but I am not a good body man.

I am gradually building a jig around the existing roof so that when I cut I can get the new section welded on with some semblance of accuracy. Most of the bumps are partially worked out and I still have a bunch of bolt holes that need filling.

If any one knows of a good roof MLU is the place to find it.

How about some pictures of your Ford....... and the rust areas!!!!

On the rim/tire size..... I believe Harry Moon from BC ran 20 inchers for a while on a C15a..... should slightly improve top speed.....may tax the brakes a bit more....... and NDT are notorious on wet roads particularly with high inflation pressure and with the stiffer sidewall of the 11:00x20 tires....but the 20 do fill in the fender wells nicely and looks matcho!!!!

Keep us posted of your trials and tribulations.

Bob C

[Jordan Baker]

Welcome.

There are a few of us who are in and or near Ft Erie who are restoring CMP's. Mostly Chevy CMP's but still CMP's

As Bob says a solid roof is hard to find these days and some body work will be needed. I rebuilt my roof, it was a lot of work but I enjoyed doing it and learned a whole lot about working with thin metal.

[John Winfield]

Thanks for the input. I figured they'd be hard to find, but even one with similar rust but no large dent would be a head start. Body work is beyond my skill set, so I'd be taking it to somebody to do the work. Fortunately, I don't think it needs to come out as perfect as it might for another vehicle. I don't mind the idea of imperfect panels for a truck like this.

Not many pictures, since I don't actually have the truck yet, and it was difficult to get a good picture where it is now. I've attached a few, one of the front, one of the base of the roof showing rust, and one at the base of the back also showing the rust. Hopefully be getting the truck here sometime in March.

John

[Bob Carriere]

Rust in all the usual places.

Nice looking and looks fairly complete.

You might want to take more pictures of the damaged area and canvass a few body shop for a quote. Looks like a heavy dent in the roof area but that would be easier to push it out while still attached to the truck. Both the back wall and the roof section can be removed and bring along to a body shop. I would ask for a full reskin for the back wall..... it will be cleaner and straighter ad probably take less time and$$$..... the top will be more delicate work.

don't panic.....wait until you have it in your backyard....try looking around for a good top you might be lucky. I am sure you will need a few odds and ends as you go along and could do all your searches at the same time.

Remember that skills can be acquired...... too dum not to know that you can't do it something can be an asset....don't limit yourself.....with a CMP you will be doing things you never wold have though you could....... and you will get a good collection of stories and skinned knuckles.

Talk to Jordan in your area and many others..... ask how they did it and go for it. Think of how you will replace the point/condenser....... look at electronic ignition as a more permanent system.

Do you have facilities to work on it...... lying on your back ( get a good comfortable creeper) admiring the intricacies and contemplating your next move. PA will become your best friend.

CMP and OD green is a chronic disease....embrace it.

Good luck

Cheers

[John Winfield]

Well I finally got the truck licensed and in my name, just in time to put it away for the winter. It took longer than I had hoped, but then doesn't it always?

Many thanks to Gordon Yeo for the roof, and Brian Asbury for a bunch of other parts. Also, this forum, without which I probably never would have found the chassis number. I also got all the brakes and wheel seals using the numbers listed here. Plus all the info needed to do the wiring.

The mechanic said the U-joints could use replacing, but that can wait for spring.

John

[Phil Waterman]

Hi John

Hope you have as much fun with your CMP as I've had with mine. Does look like you are starting with a good one. As you probably found from reading of MLU is these are amazingly tough long lived military vehicles yet are really straightforward to work on and maintain.

If yours is drivable, consider doing all the work necessary to make it safe and reliable, then do a driving restoration, where you start driving it and enjoy it, while you take on the body work chunk at a time.

If you know how to weld or have ever wanted learn, CMPs are much easier to do body work on than modern cars because of the thickness of the steel.

Enjoy exploring your new CMP, and keep us posted on your progress.

Cheers Phil

PS CMPs make nice roadster while you work on the cab roof.