LRDG Chevrolet 1533X2 Aero-screens

[Charlie Down]

Hi Grant,
Thanks for your help with this.
I've compared the 1533X2 and CMP motors and have reached the conclusion that they are the same fixture. The problem, I believe, is the lighting which seems to have caused a bit of an optical illusion, with the shadows on the 1533X2 causing the rear box on the motor to appear fixed a 45 degrees instead of square. That's not to say the confusion hasn't being added to by me having a bit of a thick moment!
Any more photos may help and looking forward to any help with the dimensions.

[Charlie Down]

Here's a drawing of the Aero-screen fitted to the wooden Dash Board surround on a 1533X2, produced by overlaying a photograph to get the right proportions.
The screen works out at about 380mm/14" wide and with the hinges 430mm/16". It's about 240mm/9 1/2" high.
I'm fairly happy with the proportions, but can anyone confirm the dimensions, as I think they are too small, but I don't have anything to measure against. Anyone have any idea about glass thickness too?

[Bob Carriere]

At the very least "safety glass" with a plastic membrane like a regular windshield. PPG USA do make heavy safely glass in 1/2 in. for jewelry stores.....not to be considered bullet proof but rather smash and grab proof and fully glued in place with some form of polyurethane black goo!!

The complicated parts would be the two brass support pieces....sculpted in wax, plaster molded, they could be poured in brass or even aluminum....then hand finished. Could be made LH or RH version to account for the curve of the dash.

Cheers

[Mike K]

My old drawing .. have to check the dimensions for accuracy. This drawing is provisional only ... needs to be verified

http://www.oocities.org/vk3cz/CS8page.html

The best method is to buy 3/4 tube and solder the lower channel section onto the tube , brass would be a good material , easy to solder . Looking at the original pics, the lower section, it appears to be a one piece steel shape , which is nigh on impossible to replicate unless you have a big press.

[Charlie Down]

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the drawing, I should be able to scale the length of the brackets now I know they were 1" wide. The same with the glass height. I presume the glass channel is about 3/8", 9.5mm wide.
My drawing was 2", 50mm out on the width and 1/4", 6.5mm out in height for the frame, I thought it was a bit small.
I'll redo my drawing later and post here with bracket details.
Nice to find out the origins and details of the aero-screen for the 1533X2. I believe they were originally fitted (nicked) to the Chevrolet WA trucks, and re-used for the Chevrolet 1533X2 which would explain why the canvas covers often look really ragged. That would also explain why only about a third of the 1533X2's had aero-screens, sometimes only for the driver. Also in your article you posted a link to it says that in late 1940 Morris CS4 production stopped fitting aero-screens and instead fitted a full windscreen and side doors. Could this also be another factor in fitting them to the Chevrolet WA's and later the 1533X2's? It was a bit later than the first operational use of the WA's though, but could mean spares were readily available maybe....

Next is the original windscreen!

[Andrew H.]

I am interested in the tightening/locking mechanism. Do you have drawings for that?

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

I am interested in the tightening/locking mechanism. Do you have drawings for that?

I have one of the locking brackets , I will sketch it for you.

Charlie, the CS8 cab change seems to be something of a mystery , as far as I know the only examples of these later full cab CS8 trucks are to be found surviving in Australia . A cast brass tag ON THE CAB states : contract nr. V4154 1941. I cannot see how the Morris cab change is related to Chevy LRDG trucks as we are discussing a totally different scenario. I believe those Chevy setups were ad hoc in nature but we can't be certain of anything .The people involved have all passed on.