C8 progress in Texas - Page 18

Clive Skingle · #**511** 27-01-20, 09:56

Hi David, Been a bit slow in responding myself mate was a busy year 2019 glad to see your still going strong with the truck! In regards your question on the "Sand Channel "Dimensions I assume your refering too the Marston mat or PSP sheeting they used for Runways etc ? I managed to aquire 4 x 3mtr lenghts from a fellow CMP nut in Darwin so if you still need those dimesions I would be more than happy to mark up and post for you on this thread once Im home on RNR .

Lang · #**512** 27-01-20, 10:02

Clive

The sand tracks used for these vehicles were a special channel not airfield matting. It was concave not flat and much lighter.

The matting looks good and will do the job but it was not widely available until well after hostilities began. Too long and wide for easy handling anyhow.

Lang

Bob Carriere · #**513** 27-01-20, 17:52

I have seen numerous photos of the sand channels either in use or attached to the North African trucks.....BUT..... has anyone ever seen, recorded the dimensions, gauge, size of holes of the sand channels....?

The holes seem to be flared somewhat during the punching process and there are some after market punches designed to do just that.

I do have some airfield runway metal mats but they are very long and very heavy............ and form a much later time period.

Curious to see what is out there that would facilitate doing a repro of the sand channel.

Thanks

Clive Skingle · #**514** 29-01-20, 03:06

This is why I love this forum never stop learning. Thanks for the Pictures / Feedback Lang, Bob I agree would be easy enough to fabricate reproductions of these if we could get the dimesions right. Could possibly come close by scaling off photos but would be nice to be able to get exact measurments from some originals.

David DeWeese · #**515** 17-06-20, 04:56

Hi,

Got a surprise package in the mail last week from Australia containing several NOS rubber tail lights for my C8. I am truly amazed by the generosity of MLU members...thanks Tony!

The lights needed the wiring harness connectors, so here's what I made up:

A single element automotive light bulb has the exact size base as the rubber tail light connections. I broke the bulb, and cleaned out the brass base. A wire was soldered to the center contact of the bulb base, and another to the side of the base for a ground. A spark plug boot worked perfect for sealing the connection, and a piece of vintage-looking wiring loom gave it an original appearance..

I can now replace those hokey lights I made years ago for the real deal!

Thanks, David

Niels V · #**516** 17-06-20, 09:43

Very nice work, now I know how to fix mine thank you

Lang · #**517** 17-06-20, 10:59

Clive

From this photo I would put big dollars on the length being 6 feet. What do you reckon 12 -15 inches wide.

Lang

David DeWeese · #**518** 29-03-21, 04:06

Hi,

I have a friend who runs a water-jet cutting fabrication shop who humored me with my need for a pair of sand channels. I have been collecting photos and dimensions of these for a while, and after many revisions, these are what we gave a go on...

Mike Kelly · #**519** 29-03-21, 10:57

Looking good.

What became of the Morris CS8 you bought in Brisbane ? Is it still in Brisbane ? Thanks Mike

Bob Carriere · #**520** 29-03-21, 14:35

Looks the part....fantastic

Bob C

David DeWeese · #**521** 30-03-21, 04:28

Hi Mike,

Thanks! I think it was Dave Demorrow in Texas who bought that truck, and was trying to get it moved, back in the day...

Hi Bob,

Thanks! It took a while to get enough measurements to send to the shop to get made. There are apparently more than one style of these sand channels. I chose the ones from this factory photo to base mine on. The length is 72" and the holes are 1 3/8, or 35mm...

I asked my friend if he had a problem with giving me the CAD drawings on these, and he said no problem, so they will be available..

Thanks,David

Bob Carriere · #**522** 30-03-21, 16:26

Hi David

They do stand out real nice. And you are correct there are many styles that were originally made but yours look the part. Any idea of the gauge of the steel used???

Bob C.

David DeWeese · #**523** 01-04-21, 03:22

Hi Bob,

They are 14 gauge sheet metal. That's fairly light, but they are for show, plus one of the revisions made was to add metal to the edges and fold it over flat to add rigidity.

I will get the drawings with the end revisions in the next day or so, and post them.

Thanks, David

Bob Carriere · #**524** 02-04-21, 17:13

Currently using 14 gauge to rebuild/repair a 2B1 box........ bending has to bedone at a local fasbricator as I can't handle over 16 gauge.....
tis heavy and very solid.

Thank you......

David DeWeese · #**525** 12-04-21, 04:23

Hi,

Apparently, the drawings of the sand channels that were given to me were the initial drawings without the revisions we made to make what I ended up with. As me and my friend discussed the changes by phone, he wrote them down, but didn't include them in the PDF he sent me...

Here is what I have to date, with my amateurish attempts to include the revisions. If these are not readable, I will send the PDF to folks interested. If there is not enough information here to reproduce what I had made, I will measure my made channels, and post the information until there is..

Thanks, David

the reinforcements put on the lower edges, and across the tops were 3/4"x 3/16" hardware store steel strap. Bob, the gauge of the sheet metal is 16 gauge.

Bob Carriere · #**526** 12-04-21, 23:15

Thanks David

Please forward a PDF format to RAC1812(at)AOL>COM.........

Now I know what they mean when they say "a picture is worth a thousand words"....... this has to be made into a "sticky" by Hanno.

My initial questions.....

1. did you weld a one inch trip to the long edge or was it welded to the semi circular bent edge.....?

2. I may round off the Imperial measurements for simplicity.

3. I liked the additional reinforcement 1 inch wide metal straps added to the original channels.

4. Once I get the PDF I may consider adjusting the width to match my 10:50 tires size if necessary. I may make a short version for testing as my pan box brake can handle 16 gauge up to 40 inches.

Again thanks for sharing.

Bob C.

David DeWeese · #**527** 14-04-21, 04:13

Hi, Bob.

The channels were originally supposed to have a 1" rounded edge on the length as in some of the photos I had, but the sheet metal bender couldn't do it for some reason.
I told them to just leave the edges flat, bent 90 degrees down from the 35 degree bend, and I would do the finishing work. That extra sheet metal was 2" wide on each side. Not wanting to impose on my friend who had done me a big favor already, I took the pieces to a local bender. They took the 2" edge, and folded it back onto itself to make a 1" double-thickness edge along the channel's length. This made them way more rigid. I didn't have to weld anything on.

I keep looking at these drawings, and can't see how someone could reproduce these from what I have presented, so I am going to measure what I have here, and add to it..

The added 3/4 x 3/16" strap used were drilled, tapped and installed using 1/4-20 button-head allen screws, with the heads filled to look like rivets, (34 of them per channel)....my forearms looked like Popeye's after drilling and tapping 68 holes that day!

Thanks, David

Bob Carriere · #**528** 14-04-21, 20:01

Hi David

I asked my fabricator if he could do a one inch fold over like yours for the tail gate of my 2B1 box...... he can do a "folder over" of 3/4 in. and a second fold over of 3/4 which he can do but can not fold over the last 3/4 in. fold flat which I can do by hand........ I am also considering using a 3/4 in angle iron as the edge reinforcement for the tail gate.....just different ways to get to Rome.

As for the strap I will drill and rivet as I have the die for that size.

Do you know if the bigger holes were punched or drilled....? I may have to adjust the hole size to match his tooling....would hate to have to drill each hole individually although drilling is less likely to stretch and curve the flat stock.

I think I have enough info to do the channel BUT must finish the rebuild of the 2B1 box which is under way ........ the box is currently mounted on a rear section of frame then welded to a rotisserie......had to rebuild all four corner sides........... now coating everything in in POR 15, then Tie coat primer then 2 coats of OD green......both the tail gate and front board have to be done at a fabricator in 14 gauge which is beyond what I can handle in length and gauge.

rotisserie is dream when it comes to flipping the box over for welding and painting.

Found an 8 foot pan box brake for $4500 but can't afford the steel for the box and the brake so doing it the hard way one small section at a time. The POR and OD paint blew $500 very quickly ......

I estimate that rebuilding a 2B1 box from scratch ( I am repairing an old rusted box saving all the underpinning) would easily exceed $2500 to $3000 not including my labor. Steel is now so expensive.

Thanks again for the inspiration.

Bob C.

David DeWeese · #**529** 15-04-21, 03:26

Hi Bob,

The 1 3/8" holes were done with a water jet cutter. It is amazing the precision of one of these..

I called in another favor for someone to reverse-engineer the sand channels I had made, and he sent me another PDF tonight..

I apologize for jumping the gun on posting any incomplete info on these sand channels. I really like the ones that were made, and my main intention was to get some solid information out there for others to be able to replicate these. You guys have been more than generous, and a wealth of knowledge for me when I needed it, and I want to give back to the hobby...

The PDF is only one drawing, but I will send it to anyone interested..

Thanks, David

Bob Carriere · #**530** 15-04-21, 19:03

Hi David.

My RURAL does a lot of farm work, heavy stuff, and most is done by hand and some of his equipment is rather beat may have to search in town up.......

Thanks for the update.

Bob C