Chevrolet CMP C15 cab 11 body 2A1

[Bob Carriere]

Hi Jacek

Based on my observations the earlier cab11 had the upper half of the mudguard made of steel and the bottom half made of rubber.

Later on, with the shortage of rubber, that part was replaced with a canvass portion, double tickness and had a steel insert plate inside the canvass to weight it down while driving.

Bob C

[Jacek Nitkiewicz]

My rear mudguard are same as on this drawing, I marked where reinforcements are located.

[Bob Carriere]

Sorry Jacek

I was referring to the 2B1 steel box....... I do not have rouned fenders like yours mine are squared but I do have a mudguard underneath that is part steel part rubber.

I see from you drawing that the very bottom of your fender does have a mud flap......

In the wooden box it would make sense that they would have re-inforcements at that location...... but is it original or added later??? only someone with a similar wooden box would be able to compare.

Bob C

[cletrac (RIP)]

I looked through all my pictures and can't find any sign of reinforcement there. I'd say they were added on later.

[Jacek Nitkiewicz]

There is no chance to see it on photos as they were welded inside the mudguard. Reinforcements in these parts is smart idea only welding should be done all around not just on the ends. Also these reinforcements are too well done for later addition, shaped to mudguard shape , all four have holes exactly in same place. French mechanics are good but why whould they bother?

[Jacek Nitkiewicz]

Part number on towing ring. I've sandblasted next rim, it turned out to be Canadian. Kelsey dated 1943.

[Bob Carriere]

You will have to scrap or throw away those rims...... you can not have 1943 rims on a 1940 truck......

By the way, as anybody ever seen a KH rim stamped 1940 or even 1939...? I have seen 42, 43, 44 and 1945...... what about the early ones..? was GM making their own???

Just kidding Jacek...... if you hold a half of the rim and hit it with a hammer and it rings like a bell.... it is good and not cracked.

Good news is I found some "Thumb screws" at Lowe's in Canada ...... at about 0.99 cents each..... which is better than having to buy a minimum of 100 at Spaenaur.

Bob C

[Bob Carriere]

...this came on my 1940 C15a

Tends to support that GM made their own until......when did it get transferred to Kelsey Hayes...?

[Jacek Nitkiewicz]

This rim is another clue that vehicle was in military service durring whole war and was not the one left behind in 1940. I have 4 more rims to sandblast, we will see what others will show us.

[Jacek Nitkiewicz]

Another busy Saturday. I hope to put it back together one day. It is a bit depressing to take apart such beauty.

[Jacek Nitkiewicz]

I think left side is original and right was reinforced later. What is your opinion?

[Bob Carriere]

Hi Janek

You have discovered the weakness of the cab 11 design. when you make new wood structure plan for some steel sheet metal reinforcements in that corner joint..... if you reinforce from behind when building it almost all can be hidden by using steel plates behind the roof boards.

I beleive Alex did some fancy trick when he redid his C8......

I hope you are taking thousands of digital photos during the dis-assembly you will find them useful when you are putting back together again.

Cheers

[David DeWeese]

Jacek,

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...857#post168857

Post # 398 shows what I did with the roof wood on my 11 cab C8.

Thanks, David

[Bob Carriere]

.... reminds me of what I have to do with out having to search for it/

Bob C

[Jacek Nitkiewicz]

Thanks David, what kind of wood did You use ?

[David DeWeese]

Jacek,

The wood I used was picked from scraps around my shop, and the type of wood is unknown to me. I remember the reason for not buying all new wood for the roof was that the dimensions of the original wood were not available at my local lumber yard......

Thanks, David

[cletrac (RIP)]

In a place like that where you need the strength, oak would be the only way to go.

[Jacek Nitkiewicz]

I was also considering oak or beech.

[Bob Carriere]

White oak or white ash would be ideal but should be bone dry.

Some good wood can be salvaged from old skids however the header board is quite long with the full width of the cab.

I was lucky enough to score a full set ready made from Brian Ashbury, Mine were rotted to small pieces. I will make a new one working from Brian's original and build in as many hidden steel reinforcement as possible.

I have some 20 years old ash boards in the barn and Grant tells me he has a planer....hihihi.

Will be sealing the wood with two coats of POR 15 thinned down to soak in the wood and literaly turn it it into plastic.

Pictures and measurements will follow.

Cheers

[Jacek Nitkiewicz]

Any idea what for are these holders located inside upper part of doors?

[Bob Carriere]

They are little devices shapped like a top hat....... the original curtains will snap into these holders. These little hat holders are still available from Mac Auto in the USA but the curtains are very hard to find...

Check with Dirk / LWD site in Holland he may still have some NOS.

Good luck

[Jacek Nitkiewicz]

What for were these square tubes in top of outer layer of the door?
Soft isulation was to decrease ratling noise from metal sheet banging on door inside frame?

[Bob Carriere]

Hi Jacek

The square tubes were meant for a steel rod that held the side curtains/canvas/windows. The canvass curtains would have a pocket for the approx. 10 mm rod would fit to keep the curtain verticaly rigid when the doors were open.

Curtains were not very effective in the rain/wind/snow. They will usually be seen on factory pictures or vehicles in parade. Early military training maneouvres rarely shows the curtain in use. They made getting in to and out of the cab more difficult and the design of rthe curtains greatly reduced visibility for the driver. In front line battle situations they were very conveniently lost....along with the engine cover, sometimes even the doors and the wooden toe board inside the cargo box would disappear.

They are made of a soft white zinc based pot metal that will melt very easily and also break easily.

Replacements are available from Mac Auto in Niaguara Falls NY USA. There were a common item on early 1930/35 Ford cars.

Cheers

[Bob Carriere]

Never seen that before....... but it could be a rare military map showing secret location of buried treasures......

On my cab 11 the door skin had one metal pan head screw installed from the outside thereby holding the door skin tight against the inner flat panel.

Anything is possible.....

Bob C

PS your doors are in pretty good shape..... I had to replace/fabricate the bottom 8 inches on mydoors which ahd just rusted away.

[Jacek Nitkiewicz]

Next set of questions after few working days in the workshop.
- on the front part of the wooden roof frame there are round cutouts , something was there long time ago any idea what?
- We managed to separate windshield frame from tube support frame , it was isolated with some kind of sticky bituminous stuff. I never seen something like it, what it is ? Any modern equivalent ?
- what are these things for in seats ?
- is it possible to buy anywhere a locking mechanism for the seat ? Passenger seat in my Cheavy is missing it.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Jacek Nitkiewicz

- what are these things for in seats ?

Jacek,

I think these are for fastening the canvas set bases - see attached picture for the canvas straps they have on the front (and rear) with "lift the dot" fasteners.

HTH,
Hanno


Click link to source

[Alex van de Wetering]

Jacek,

The parts manual (C8) does mention "weatherstrip, windshield frame support to roof angle". C01Q 811169 / 1798724, which I think is what you show on your picture.....although I think someone might have replaced the weatherstrip with some black sealant or glue to keep the water out of the cab??

I have to check the remains of the wood support of my roof to see if there is any trace of those large holes on mine, but I can't remember I have seen these. I can't find any reference in the manual for any big washers or something.

One of my seats it also missing that locking mechanism, so can't help you with that. However if anyone has two to spare....

Alex

[Alex van de Wetering]

I beleive Alex did some fancy trick when he redid his C8......

I did lots of fancy tricks , but in this case it was indeed one of Davids fancy tricks that was the solution for the woodwork!

Alex

[Bob Carriere]

Hi Jacek

I am currently working on the wooden frame for my top so I will take pictures and should be able to post them tomorrow.

- on the front part of the wooden roof frame there are round cutouts , something was there long time ago any idea what?

The roof sheet metal is held to the wood by a series of flat head wood screws about every 4 inches......the first set of screws goes in the smaller holes. Then you have a metal molding that wraps around and over those screws and they have oval holes in the roof sheet metal....so a separate set of screws goes through the molding... through the oval holes into the wood.

I will have exact measurements of the wood and pictures. I plan on using metal strips reinforcement......using David's idea.... to give extra strenght to the corner overlapping joint which is a very weak design

- We managed to separate windshield frame from tube support frame , it was isolated with some kind of sticky bituminous stuff. I never seen something like it, what it is ? Any modern equivalent ?

All that tar gunk was added later in a vain attempt to keep water out. If most of your driving will be for pleasure when the weather is good don't worry about it. In fact, no matter what you do to seal your windshield IT WILL LEAK so accept the 1940 design. That funny angle iron that bolts to the wood can be improved with some modern caulking but go easy on the gunk in case you have to take it apart later.
I have now installed and removed my windshield frame about 5 times trying to align everything.

- what are these things for in seats ?

..... well that was answered.... it holds the seat spring cushion in place..... the metal tabs that goes over the pin are still sold today by people making boat covers.

- is it possible to buy anywhere a locking mechanism for the seat ? Passenger seat in my Cheavy is missing it........

Nope... not off the shelf. You will need to search around for parts from another truck...... temporarily you could use 4x4 in. square wooden spacers held to the floor with lag bolts and the seat pan pipes can be held on the wood with screws...... make sure you have the seat at the right position for your body size.

Hang in there for more info and pictures tomorrow and hand drawn sketches.

Weather is awful here going from snow and high winds to freezing rain during
the night with +4C and rain Sunday back to minus 14C by Monday night. We may have power outages to deal with which may delay my posting.

Cheers

[David Dunlop]

Just a thought, but with two passenger seats missing adjusting mechanisms, are they supposed to be there? Makes sense to have an adjustable drivers seat, but would it be necessary for the passenger?

David