Wireless Van C15 Australian

[Rod Salter]

Some Progress
I've had the dirt in the shed for quite a while, waiting for some rain to settle it a little
I brought the dirt into the shed by taking the bobcat way down the back, walk back and take the trailer down there, then loading four bobcat buckets onto the rear of my trailer, drive the bobcat back with a bucket full, tip that into the area, walk back, bring the trailer back and then shovelling it off.
I'm not sure how many trips or how many days
Levelled some of the dirt with the bobcat and finish off with the shovel and a rake
An hour in the mornings and perhaps a couple of hours in the late afternoon

It has been so hot and so dry

Finally a little rain over the weekend
Not really enough to settle the dirt properly, but enough to grow weeds

Anyway I'm tired of waiting

Today 8th November 2023, Cooler and cloudy most of the day
I laid onto the dirt some pieces of carpet so I won't be crawling in dirt and hopefully save dropped parts from vanishing
This afternoon, I started fitting the sheeting to the roof
Eight sheets, almost half one side
Only took about three hours
That was the easy part, because I could walk on a wide plank on the top of the garden sheds

Now, Nine more sheets to go, (on that side) only I will be on the planks onto trestles
not so much fun

The other side will be all ladders that my wonky leg does not like climbing up and down
Doing this by myself means up and down for each end of the sheets
I'm using a ladder on top of a set of steep portable steps at the apex

Then getting the 10 foot 6 inch long sheets up there will be a battle in itself
(I'm not sure if I even have enough sheeting either)

Then I expect I will crawl along a ladder flat on the roof to a plank lengthwise, to screw the centre to the middle batten
I am not looking forward to that!
Nor the ridge capping

I did want to screw the centre as I went but that would have meant another long ladder and ups and downs

Did I mention I tore the tendons in my right wrist back on the 15th of August, not getting much better yet. If only I could let it rest and heal

[Keith Webb]

Hi Rod, been a while since I looked through MLU, great to see your work collecting and working on the Sigvans, one of my favourites.

[Rod Salter]

Yea, I have a roof

[Rod Salter]

Cosy, Walls, Storages, Bench with a vice
Ford in the ford half

[Rod Salter]

After a lot of other things that seem to be "had to be done",
I have managed to get the Signals truck pieces in the shed,
at least out of the rain, while other things take prority again
Got some rims on, is it a "roller' now

Four more Blitz trucks have come to the collection as well as a Studebaker

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Rod Salter

After a lot of other things that seem to be "had to be done",
I have managed to get the Signals truck pieces in the shed,
at least out of the rain, while other things take prority again
Got some rims on, is it a "roller' now

Four more Blitz trucks have come to the collection as well as a Studebaker

Wish some of that blue sky would appear around here, it's been raining for about a week !

Your collection is growing by the day ! Four more CMPs and a Stude US6. Any more radios ?

[Rod Salter]

30/03/25 cooler weather
A few days ago I actually got that last piston into the block!
See the posts of the engine here

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=34289

Then I looked at the head, expecting the valves on no 2 to be effected by the water. I was able to clean the inlet valves and their seats, and lap them in.
BUT [ there is that but again] No 6 exhaust valve and seat is beyond repair.
The exhaust valve seats are very hard and I cannot do anything with them using my tools, so "off with the head" to have the exhausts done.

Today I managed to get a nose cone attached to the cab section of the wireless van, then dragged the wireless van up to the cab floor section
Temporarily placed the rear door posts and metal work on to admire how it looks.

Oh and another wirelass van wreck [2wd]has been dragged into the collection

[Mike K]

The exhaust valve seats are very hard and I cannot do anything with them using my tools, so "off with the head" to have the exhausts done

Hi Rod

I'm a little confused with this. As far as I can recall, the standard 216 was not fitted wirh hardened exhaust seats or inserts but maybe my memory is failing again.

Sounds like you are taking the head to a engine machinist to have hard inserts fitted.

Looking at the block surface, it has some corrosion around the coolant ports . There is a chance that some coolant will leak. It might be worthwhile to have the block surface machined , any engine rebuilder can do the job for you.

The stovebolt forum is a good place for vintage Chevrolet owners.Have a look at the 'Tech Tips' page https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads.../forum_summary

[Rod Salter]

Hi Mike,
Possibly this is a car engine, as it has the extended soldered sump
This block is the one I got at a clearing sale with 5 of 30thou oversize pistons in it.
I'm just trying to piece together any engine to get the van moving eventually

My motivation is to put "LOTS" of radios in it
The WS19 [Has 40ch UHF in for the B set] with HP amp, WS38ATV, WS88ATV, full AR8/AT5 Base station, a PRC, Dad's Eddystone All World 6 Receiver, BC221 Frequency meter, I've got a Coast watcher C6940 with the marine frequency, and the 3BZ to go with it. Adler Typewriter [fully restored, easy to pull to pieces, then reassemble it many times to have no parts left over] a 22APT switch, the correct Gen Set, and any other related stuff I can cram in there and still look like may all be workable. And maybe lots of aerials/connections on the outside
I've got one deactivated rifle

I can't decide to fit the winch or the Auxiliary generator kit

I need a spray can of "That Radio Smell" air-freshener

Keeping the dream alive

[Rod Salter]

In the week before Easter,
I got A nose bolted on [the holes don't exactly line up]
Fitted some random doors [latches are rusted solid]
Made up the interior wall with those two sections from the different walls
Attached the roof.
Parts from at least four different trucks
All sitting in place now so I can get the rear wireless box into place to weld it, hopefully this week
It is beginning to look like a wireless van

[Rod Salter]

I did get the pieces of sub rail chassis that I cut from the other van welded into place, after dragging together with endless chains.
I must have walked around from side to side about 30 times, getting down underneath to lie on my back and measure that all things were equal, straight and square.
I welded the floor inside together.
Good or bad, I have wire brushed and rust treated the overlapping surfaces before welding.
I have had to rent the oxy/acetylene to be able to beat this thick metal into shape.
It is not like a modern vehicle where you can smooth the tin with your thumbs.
I also removed the door latches and made them work again [that was easy to say]
Next week to join the sides

[Rod Salter]

It is coming together.
It is twisted and stretched.
But getting it 'stitched'
I'll have to 'imagineering' what metal is missing
next onto the right side

[Rod Salter]

This side has been side swiped, and from the way the pieces are, I think the swipe happened before the van was chopped off the original truck.
There is also a large dint and rip in the roof on the left which could only happen on a complete truck
You might say it has been 'in the wars'.

After removing the window trims [which took some heating and beating, to straighten them]
I used these blocks and a length of box section, with a large persuader and huge G clamp to pull it straight enough.

I have unpicked the 'caneite' brackets from the old almost rusted away wall and am using the upside-down tin off the rear cab/door latch pieces from cab2.
The pieces are just large enough to make the section from the top of the window to the van roof line.

PS the site won't let me rotate the photos, in future I will keep the camera level.


Next week onto rebuilding the window frame and the top section up to the gutter

There is a huge hole where the storage boxes should be, I can only 'imagineer' it back together

[Mike K]

It's coming along.

After you have done the staightening and welding and the van body is back together in one piece. Are you planning to have the body abrasive blasted ? The blasting process can warp thin panels so maybe that's not a ideal rust removal method in your case. I see that caneite is still available which is a nice bonus for your project- but of course now it is mede in metric dimensions.

[Rod Salter]

The window frame is straightened and put back in place and I did get the right side rebuilt up to the box gutter line, weeks ago

I have cut the jiggered bent front edge from the roof and took it to a metal-fabricator to duplicate the pressed ridges
I also ordered some lengths of angle to be made

Meanwhile, I decided the edge that holds the caneite and the cupboard doors is too far damaged to use
I drilled the spot welds, removed the rusty angle and ordered a new piece to be made

[Rod Salter]

You may remember that the roof of the van had been crushed by a chain during transport at some time
Just why any transport would dog down a chain like that is beyond me

I attempted to straighten the left side some time ago, not very successfully

I have now attacked the right side and got it as close as I can

The left side damage is directly behind a frame work and practically inaccessible
luckily the right is slightly away from the frame

There is daylight showing through near there, which will have to welded to make it water tight

I have rented the oxy/acetylene and maybe able to have another attempt at the left side
And I still have the big rip in the roof to look at