MLU FORUM  

Go Back   MLU FORUM > MILITARY VEHICLES > The Restoration Forum

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-05-20, 22:02
Paul Edwards Paul Edwards is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Hampshire, Great Britain
Posts: 123
Default Battery box for C15A No.12 Cab Chevrolet

Hi Guys,

Does anyone have an original battery tray/box picture for my no 12 cab please, mine appears to be a bubba mod and I'd like to fabricate a period looking box?

Cheers,
Paul
__________________
1942 Ford GPW
1942 Harley WLA
1943 Willys MB
1940 BSA M20
1940 Morris Commercial CDSW Light Recovery
1942 CMP Chevrolet no. 12 cab
1944 Bedford MWD
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-05-20, 22:24
Alex van de Wetering Alex van de Wetering is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Hoofddorp, The Netherlands
Posts: 2,670
Default

Paul,

Phil Waterman has some good pictures and plans of the box on his website;

https://www.canadianmilitarypattern....tery%20Box.htm

Alex
__________________
Chevrolet C8 cab 11 FFW
BSA Folding Bicycle
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-05-20, 11:47
Paul Edwards Paul Edwards is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Hampshire, Great Britain
Posts: 123
Default

Thanks you Alex, that link is a master piece!

Cheers,

Paul
__________________
1942 Ford GPW
1942 Harley WLA
1943 Willys MB
1940 BSA M20
1940 Morris Commercial CDSW Light Recovery
1942 CMP Chevrolet no. 12 cab
1944 Bedford MWD
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 04-05-20, 13:01
Phil Waterman Phil Waterman is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Temple, New Hampshire, USA
Posts: 3,927
Default If you can't read the dimensions

Hi Paul

If you can't read the dimensions just give a shout. The one thing I think is missing is the thickness of the steel, which is thin. I'll try an get a gage today.

It will probably take making two boxes to get one you like.

Thanks Alex for posting the link.

Cheers Phil
__________________
Phil Waterman
`41 C60L Pattern 12
`42 C60S Radio Pattern 13
`45 HUP
http://canadianmilitarypattern.com/
New e-mail Philip@canadianmilitarypattern.com
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 04-05-20, 14:58
Paul Edwards Paul Edwards is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Hampshire, Great Britain
Posts: 123
Default

Hi Phil,

The thickness reads as 18 gage (gauge) on your drawing.

Would there be much call for these boxes, has anyone every priced up mass fabrication.

Cheers Paul
__________________
1942 Ford GPW
1942 Harley WLA
1943 Willys MB
1940 BSA M20
1940 Morris Commercial CDSW Light Recovery
1942 CMP Chevrolet no. 12 cab
1944 Bedford MWD
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 04-05-20, 17:21
David Herbert David Herbert is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland - previously Suffolk
Posts: 547
Default

I believe that sheet metal and wire gauges differ between USA and UK. I have no idea about Canada but I would assume that they use the US standards. In the UK we have gone totally metric now and the nearest (very near) to UK 18 gauge is 1.2mm. I find it easy to remember that UK 16gauge is pretty much 1.6mm and 1/16" which is nice and easy to remember. A bit of research with Mr Google might confuse this further !

David
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 04-05-20, 18:05
Bob Carriere Bob Carriere is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Hammond, Ontario
Posts: 5,191
Default Metal thickness varies......

When attempting to get the same thickness as the original actually measured sheet metal for a cab 11 we found a lot of sizes no longer were being made. For example the rear cab wall is about 19 gauge.....local fabricator stocks standard 18 gauge.....but when you take the 18 gauge home again it is not exactly right because most if not all suppliers/manufacturers are producing under the metric system..... I still buy 18 gauge since that is the language the old metal fabricator sues everyday.

A bit like buying a wooden 2x4 inches which turns out to be 1 1/2 by 3 1/2 but I still refer to a sheet of plywood at a 4 feet by 8 feet even though ithas a metric size sticker which I can never remember.

For CMP measurements I prefer the old inch/foot measurements and anything close to 1/16 to 1/8 is accurate enough...... 2B1 cargo boxes I have all have different width and lenght but all within 1/8 to 1/4 in variance.

For smaller items like a battery box using the metric scale and marking cut off and bends using a sticking knife or carbide pointer is much better than using a 1/8 wide magic marker.

Grant and I reproduced 3 battery boxes for installation behind the running board/driver's side. We had and original to copy the design concept. We sued similar gauge steel BUT worked backwards from the size #34 battery case that we intended to use in 12 volts. We copied the spot welds and bends but did not incorporate grooves in the bottom plate. We were fortunate to get Grant Dad to do copies of the original large brass knobs fasteners. In all it took us 2 days at two guys to produce 3 boxes that are very accurate....even forged our own theaded rods for the cover stays. Under the cover the battery is held in place with a iron angle perimeter frame then the cover fits over the whole assembly. The bottom tray was heavily coated with POR 15 to minimize corrosion and we found at Summit battery felt pads saturated with baking soda..... they fit under the battery and serve as a vibration pad and will neutralize any small acid spill.

To produce them commercially on a small scale, we estimated it would be near $100 each for parts, paint and minimum time to break even...maybe cheaper at $80 if we got really good at it by repitition...... it is our opinion that at that price they would not roll off the shelves.
Besides 3 was fun and we have a spare......highly repetitive work would become tedious I am afraid.

Cheers
__________________
Bob Carriere....B.T.B
C15a Cab 11
Hammond, Ontario
Canada
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 04-05-20, 19:58
Phil Waterman Phil Waterman is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Temple, New Hampshire, USA
Posts: 3,927
Default Agree on 18 gage

Hi Paul

I would strongly suggest making up a template box out of cardboard to figure the bending sequence and to be sure the battery you plan to use will actually fit.

My Pat 12 battery box was missing the hold down bracket. It is very hard to get the battery in and out because the case is tight fit. My solution was to put a length of seatbelt webbing under and around the battery as a grab strap.

Also because of past experience with battery terminals hitting the top of metal battery boxes, I've covered the top of the + battery terminals with a rubber sheeting.

Cheers Phil
__________________
Phil Waterman
`41 C60L Pattern 12
`42 C60S Radio Pattern 13
`45 HUP
http://canadianmilitarypattern.com/
New e-mail Philip@canadianmilitarypattern.com
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-05-20, 23:36
Paul Edwards Paul Edwards is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Hampshire, Great Britain
Posts: 123
Default

Thanks gents, good advice.
Cheers,

Paul
__________________
1942 Ford GPW
1942 Harley WLA
1943 Willys MB
1940 BSA M20
1940 Morris Commercial CDSW Light Recovery
1942 CMP Chevrolet no. 12 cab
1944 Bedford MWD
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 14-07-21, 10:36
Paul Edwards Paul Edwards is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Hampshire, Great Britain
Posts: 123
Default

Thank you Phil your drawings worked out a treat. As you advised I made a cardboard template first to make sure everything was working out, I added 10mm to the height and 10mm to the length to give my modern battery a little wriggle room. 18 gauge is fine but I incorporated a safety edge to the top of the box and lid which gives the box some rigidity. I've omitted the battery locating bar but instead added a couple of bolts with nuts to look the part.

The latches and hinges are off the internet, thank you China and I've used blind screw rivets (that are meant for brief case handles) as fasteners.

What a shame I have to paint it now.

Thank you all for your advice.

Regards,


Paul
Attached Thumbnails
IMG_1905.jpg   IMG_1906.jpg  
__________________
1942 Ford GPW
1942 Harley WLA
1943 Willys MB
1940 BSA M20
1940 Morris Commercial CDSW Light Recovery
1942 CMP Chevrolet no. 12 cab
1944 Bedford MWD

Last edited by Paul Edwards; 14-07-21 at 10:46.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 14-07-21, 10:51
Paul Edwards Paul Edwards is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Hampshire, Great Britain
Posts: 123
Default

Credit to Phil Watermans original photographs.
Attached Thumbnails
Battery Box 008.jpg   Battery Box 009.jpg   Battery Box 010.jpg   Battery Box 011.jpg   Battery Box 012.jpg  

__________________
1942 Ford GPW
1942 Harley WLA
1943 Willys MB
1940 BSA M20
1940 Morris Commercial CDSW Light Recovery
1942 CMP Chevrolet no. 12 cab
1944 Bedford MWD
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Heads Up: Cab 12 Chevrolet C15A Hanno Spoelstra For Sale Or Wanted 4 15-06-18 00:51
C15A Battery hookups Eric R. The Softskin Forum 10 28-04-15 21:31
For Sale: Chevrolet C15A Erik Jostad For Sale Or Wanted 0 02-10-13 21:56
1940 Chevrolet Battery + box Dimensions Lionelgee The Restoration Forum 10 05-10-09 19:20
Chevrolet C15A radio van Hanno Spoelstra The Softskin Forum 7 04-01-05 07:42


All times are GMT +2. The time now is 01:39.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © Maple Leaf Up, 2003-2016