Andre Gibeault's C15TA Restoration

[Barry Churcher]

Dirk Leegwater, Brian Gough and I went on a little road trip to La Belle Province to check out Andre Gibeault's C15TA. As you can see in the photos he is doing an amazing job. For the life of me I can't find a before photo where it was laying at the Chicken Ranch. Brian rescued it from a hunting camp owned by GM executives. My theory, which Brian doesn't share, is that this truck was sporterized by the factory for the hunting camp. There were no armoured windshield flaps and there was a custom rear step made using
original hardware. There are other differences also and everything was too well done to be just a bunch of hunters bubbaizing it. The crappy photographer, or camera or flourescent lights don't show the colour properly. It's actually brown.

Cheers,
Barry

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[Jordan Baker]

Great photos. Would love to see more. Just wondering what he is using for the period looking battery cases under the radio?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Attached goes a picture Brian sent to me many years ago for my C15TA survivors web page.

Great to see it has come a long way from that delapitated wreck you and Brian showed me at the Chicken Ranch, will check if I have any pics.

Brian, you should do a search & resue story on this C15TA one day, I'm sure the MLU members would be interested to read about it.

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[Private_collector]

That is just about the best looking WWII vehicle I have seen so far.

It must be rare as proverbial!

[peter simundson]

...Brian went into a rage when I said Andre had bought a C15TA from him.

Insisted it wasn't so!

Therefore.....

Peter S

[maple_leaf_eh]

In 2007-ish, Andre showed me the chassis on a twin-axle flat trailer. It looked just different enough to not be what I guessed. He smiled and corrected me.

For anyone who has not had the pleasure of a visit, Andre has no time for the internet. He believes in face to face deals, and was extremely generous with his time. I sent him a list of parts for my M38A1, which he was able to fill. And, as I was about to leave (in the most famous of Quebec customs), offered me 'just one more thing'. Saying goodbye means finding you coat, and talking. Finding you boots, and talking. Hand on the doorknob, and talking. Then there is the whole outside at the car conversation.

Andre does not do all the work himself. Instead, he has a local mechanic cum handyman, who does most of the work. If they need to replace brake lines, Andre buys a big upright bin full of blank brake lines, like any small town garage would have, and whatever tools are needed to do the job correctly. They will deviate from the original equipment for such modern conveniences as electric fuel pumps on the the diesels, but otherwise he is a stickler for accuracy.

[Sean Dunnage]

Any chance of more shots of the interior and how the radio is mounted and set up.

Thanks
Sean

[Barry Churcher]

Sean, I am sure you know how it is when in your mind you have taken a gazillion shots of exactly what you need until you get home. Then it's the old "why didn't I take more" scenario. The first shot is the headphones mounted by the left door. The second shows the cable going across the roof.

Barry

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This is the radio mount .
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[Ian Johns]

I found these from my last visit to Andre's.

These are from my first visit

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[kevinT]

I have recently purchased the Mirror Models 1/35th scale kit of the CMP C15TA and these restoration photos will be a great help with interior detailing. Thank you.
However can anyone help me out with any census numbers? I am looking to place the model in NWE between 1944 - 45 so any advice as to census number to specific regiment along with the correct colour of the Canadian divisional marking would be most useful.
Any advice or help appreciated.

cheers

Kevin

[Ian Johns]

Had a great visit with Andre yesterday. Only wish he was closer.

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