Looking for advice and suggestions

[Pedro Bedard]

Hey all!
I'm very new to this game and was thinking of making this CMP my first foray into the world of military vehicle re-building. However, after talking to a friend who's very experienced in it, I will pass on this one.
Apparently, since the Dog House is missing it will be very difficult to find a new one.
That plus the problem of removing the snow-blower on the front and the Budda engine on the back, makes this a project that is too big for a first-timer to tackle.
Still looking for a vehicle to work on, hopefully this one works out better for me;
http://winnipeg.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...AdIdZ200830944
Pedro

[Ryan]

Pedro, even if you think it will be too hard for you as a first timer buy it anyway if you can.
It may have many parts on it that will come in handy for you in the future with another purchase.
Just remember this. " They don't make them anymore". So get them while you can. Especially if it's within your budget and local to you.

Just don't get by your other half when your bringing it through the gates!

ryan

[Pedro Bedard]

I'm asking you fellas who are more experience and wiser in these matters for some advice.
Here are some photos of a CMP C15a that I'm hoping to buy;
(that thing on the front is a snowblower, you can see the wires that held it on and adjusted the height/alignment of the blower. This will all be removed)



The fellow wants $1900.00 canadian for it. It runs and moves but probably needs an overhaul.
Now, my budget isn't large by any means so sweat equity is going to be my biggest contribution to this project. My wife and I own a small hobby/surplus store and I'm hoping to use this vehicle to bring gear and such to airsoft/paintball/milsim games and events around the city.
My eventual plan is to clean her up, sandblast and paint her, toss the old box and build a "troop carrier" type of box on the back with a tarp on top eventually.
So, I ask, is this doable within a reasonable amount of time and for a reasonable amount of money?
I thank you all for the input.
Pedro

[lynx42]

Pedro,
Thats a pretty good looking truck. One hell of a good start for a rookie. A lot of us have started with a lot less. You'll find that MLU'ers will be more than helpfull with your restoration.
Good Luck with it and keep us posted on your progress.
Rick

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

That has to be one of the straightest, cleanest, non-mucked with CMP's I've seen in a long while. While the pictures don't reveal a lot about the remainder, if what's not visible is half as good as the rest it's well worth the asking price. It is missing the correct box (probably a wireless body given the square patch behind the driver) and tire carrier but they all are. Some might even suggest getting the box first and finding the truck second to put under it.

As to the restoration, sweat equity will get you only so far and you will need tires, paint, bearings, seals, brake lines/linings/cylinders/drum turning, U-joints, wiring, hardware, etc., etc. Depending on how lucky you are and how original you wish to be, the restoration might range from $5,000 to $10,000. I figure if that's spread over three to four years, the annual expenditure is well within what other hobbies cost, but at the end you've got something truly magnificent.

Looking closer, the body appears to be the cut-off remains of an aluminum 2K1 Wireless body.

[Pedro Bedard]

Bruce and Rick,
Thanks very much for the encouragement. I'll be giving the guy a call this week and giving him a deposit for the truck.
The box is indeed what's left of a wireless box. The fellow who came out to help me has restored three of these, including a very nice command post and he said it was a crying shame what they did to it but what can you do?
The bottom is still in one piece (and in the box we found both window frames) but there is a lot of junk back there (counterweight for the snow-blower) that will be tossed away.
It's a big project but I think I can do it. I'm a dab hand with a welder and there isn't much to be fixed on it. Though the loss of the bumper is kind of a bummer. Have to figure out how to replace that right off.
Ah well, baby steps huh?
Pedro

[Mike K]

We all are green with jealosy . That's a very neat starting truck Pedro.. much better than most of us have to contend with. Not many old CMP's are left out there in that shape .
Mike

[Ganmain Tony]

Pedro - you are laughing, old son!!

Youre off to a great head start - no denying you have some elbow grease ahead of you and that is your biggest obstacle - not to mention the time to do a resto in this busy world of ours.

Not sure what sort of plan youve set yourself - but my suggestion is set out a week at a time to actually work on the truck and have parts, pipes, seals, gaskets, oils, fluids, tools, space in the shed ready to go for your bimonthly weekly assault.

If your good with a welder that again is a massive plus in your corner.

& if you dont take lots of progress photo's and post them on MLU we will be very upset! A resto can help improve your computer skills as well.

Very best of luck & willpower to see it through.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Pedro Bedard

Hey all!
I'm very new to this game and was thinking of making this CMP my first foray into the world of military vehicle re-building. However, after talking to a friend who's very experienced in it, I will pass on this one.
Apparently, since the Dog House is missing it will be very difficult to find a new one.
That plus the problem of removing the snow-blower on the front and the Budda engine on the back, makes this a project that is too big for a first-timer to tackle.
Still looking for a vehicle to work on, hopefully this one works out better for me;
http://winnipeg.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...AdIdZ200830944
Pedro

Hi Pedro,

Welcome to this forum and what a great find! As the others have said: go for it, restorations projects in this condition and at this price do not come any better - anywhere in the world. Keep us posted on progress!

Regards,
Hanno

PS: I have merged your earlier posting into this thread so we have it all in one place.

Ad ID 200830944
Military 4X4 Army truck / with snow blower
Date Listed 24-Apr-10
Price $1,900.00
Address 123 Valley View Dr, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Selling 1944 millitay truck with Wisconsin V4 snowblower, works excellent and add a battery to the truck you could probably dive it home. This Moose is a brute and worked well prior to putting it away

[Pedro Bedard]

Well she's all mine!
I offered the fellow $1500.00 and he said yes.
It will stay put for a few weeks until the ground get's dry enough to get a flatbed towtruck or my buddy's truck and flatbed trailer (triple axle, should handle the weight of this beast no problem).
And then I tow it to my aunt's farm and get it into the machine shed for some serious work!
This is a HUGE enterprise for me, I look forward to learning some new skills and using some old ones.
Now, does anyone have plans for a wooden Type 2A1 body? That's probably the only think I will be able to make for it that will look good and be multi functional.
Pedro (who's very excited about this!)

[Grant Bowker]

Originally Posted by Pedro Bedard

Now, does anyone have plans for a wooden Type 2A1 body?

I don't have plans for the 2A1 body (or the later ones, except what's in the AEDB Design record and that really isn't enough to build a body from) but would like to suggest that you consider a slightly newer pattern body. I don't remember seeing photos of the 2A1 body with a cab 13. I am sure I have seen photos of the 2B1 body on a Cab13 and of course the later bodies too. You said something that makes me think you aren't afraid of metal fabrication so you shouldn't be scared of the 2B1 or later bodies unless the problem lies in getting panels bent as opposed to welding channel/angle for the frame of the 2A1. Keep your eyes open, we recently came across a 2C1 in the Ottawa area. Too far to ship but proof they still appear sometimes.

[Pedro Bedard]

Originally Posted by Grant Bowker

I don't have plans for the 2A1 body (or the later ones, except what's in the AEDB Design record and that really isn't enough to build a body from) but would like to suggest that you consider a slightly newer pattern body. I don't remember seeing photos of the 2A1 body with a cab 13. I am sure I have seen photos of the 2B1 body on a Cab13 and of course the later bodies too. You said something that makes me think you aren't afraid of metal fabrication so you shouldn't be scared of the 2B1 or later bodies unless the problem lies in getting panels bent as opposed to welding channel/angle for the frame of the 2A1. Keep your eyes open, we recently came across a 2C1 in the Ottawa area. Too far to ship but proof they still appear sometimes.

So, plans exist for a 2B1 then? You're right I'm not afraid of metal fabrication (did it for years) and I sideline as a Blacksmith as well so it's not new to me.
Plans though are what I would need to get started on the box (first things first, a general cleaning and engine servicing)

[Grant Bowker]

Sorry if I misled you. I don't know of plans with enough detail to build any of the Canadian boxes from scratch. Sketches with overall dimensions are in the AEDB Records but they aren't really enough to use for fabrication. Bob Carriere has been measuring some 2B1 relics that he has with a view to using them as partial donors or patterns for reproduction. He's likely to share his sketches if asked. If you can find a body to measure, even if it's beaten up, it sounds like you may be able to take enough measurements to replace missing or damaged parts. Some of the Manitoba and Saskatchewan members of the group may be able to let you measure original boxes or have leads to boxes that may be available.
The front bumper was a standard stuctural channel so can be easily replicated, particularly if you can measure the hole layout from an original.

[cletrac (RIP)]

I made a 2A1 for my 1940 cab 11 C15 but they weren't used with the cab 12 or 13 trucks. The 2B1 was used on the cab 13s in 1942 but that was it. Your truck has the round gauges so it's a 1944 or 1945 model and would have used the all metal 2C1 or the wood and metal 2H1.

[Dennis Gelean (RIP)]

Recoup some of your money by selling the snow blower.
should be worth a grand try Ebay
My snow plow was 3X that worked like a always breaking