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Tortron's 48 Commer


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#1 tortron

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Posted 23 July 2011 - 08:53 PM

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#2 tortron

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Posted 24 July 2011 - 01:34 PM

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Sideboards and visor on

#3 tortron

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Posted 03 August 2011 - 08:22 PM

Throttle stuck open the other day. Pedal stuck to the floor.

Wasn't really a problem however, due to a max speed of 80kph and having enough toe on my boot to flick it back up

Inspection shows that the linkage mount (pretty interesting mess of springs and brass rod under there) had torn its welds from the firewall. 60 odd years of work hardening will do that.
All my diagrams show it mounts up with two bolts. My one is missing the holes, i assume this is because the diagrams are referring to the heavier model, which may need extra beefing up due to the 4L flathead under there.

Tacked a few welds back onto it after work today and have everything working better than when i got it. The previous owner mentioned that setting the idle was a bit of a chore (i.e. set it fast for around town and low for open road) This seems to have sorted that, as due to the split there was alot of flex in the linkage.

I would also like to have a play with the carb. Its not quite as petrol tight as i would like (previous owner made some gaskets up for it, fixing the major leak. But i think i can do better). Also the bistarter control has been removed. Probably due to this idle problem.

For those not in the know, The bistarter is as my owners manual states a carb within the carb. In the cab i have two pull out knobs, one for the choke and one to control the bistarter throttle. So i can control and set the mix and idle from inside.
Not designed for use as cruise control, but probably useful when feeding out hay or what have you. Not to mention not having to have your foot slightly on the gas in the mornings

#4 tortron

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Posted 05 August 2011 - 07:27 PM

Today i broke my truck

Would have driven it home, if only petrol stations sold anything even remotely useful.

Fan pully fell off and went through the radiator (not the first time this has happened to me, or this truck)
No big deal, it happened to the previous owner, he just bogged it up with kneed it (system is in no way pressurized) I would have done the same

I would like to braize it up, but may just kneed it up again - the only part redammaged is the bodge repair anyways

Will need to have a look at the grub screw which holds the fan/waterpump pully on

edit:

Inspection shows both the grub screws retaining the pully have worked loose. They dont seem so show any signs of thread lock, so i imagine that was the problem.
Tasks for today
- Plug up the hole
-Clean up all related parts
- Top up water pump greaser while im there
-Repaint pully and fan
- Reinstall all parts - with a good deal of threadlock this time
- Antifreeze and refill coolant
- provide you with more boring updates/buy a notebook so i can continue with the detailed history of this truck for future owners

#5 tortron

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Posted 15 August 2011 - 03:58 PM



Short drive today

#6 tortron

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Posted 22 August 2011 - 01:02 PM

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had these kicking around, makes it look even slower. May adjust them to look angry :lol:

Latest issues
horrible noise coming from the fan belt. Fanbelt is new, found it to be a wee water leak dripping onto the pulley, tightened the hose clamp and gave the waterpump gland nut a quarter turn.
Carb is still dribbling, needs a going over. Found a new one/fully rebuilt one in the UK for about $180nz. Considering taking the hit on that just to have a known good spare, although just about anything could be made to fit.
Pancake airfilter is a terrible fit, i would like an oilbath filter to go back on. have a spare from my minor that would fit, but would like something a bit closer

List of stuff to do
Make new tappet cover cork gasket
Make new carb gaskets
Replace clutch oiler flex line - may as well do the inch of fuel line while im there. Have old grey and black flecked stuff to go in.
Adjust or repair passengers door so it locks (i feel its a case of something not being put back the right way, probably upside down. There is broken glass in the bottom of the door, so it probably happened when that was replaced)
Make a better drivers floor - The floor is wood, i think i can do a better job than what is there and use less pieces
Find something to act as a catch can for the intake petrol overflow (manifold has a drain at the lowest point, prevents flooding caused by excess pressure i guess). From factory it has a copper line draining down next to the passenger side wheel. I would rather catch this, if only to see if any is being spat out
Eliminate some rattles. The front numberplate is louder than the engine. Which is a pretty good rattle to care about as far as concerning rattles in old cars go

Nothing major really, i should really pop the sump off and change the oil, would be nice to add an external oil filter - i am pretty sure there are some points on the engine where the lines would just bolt in

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#7 tortron

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Posted 31 August 2011 - 09:50 PM

Work done

-Fuel pump to block gasket weeping, made and replaced
-Fibre washers on banjo bolt to fuel pump seen to be weeping, replaced
-Fuel line to pump, noticed some black bits, rust from the tank probably. Cleared out what i could with some thin wire. Fuel filter is noticbly blacker than when i first got the truck, my 'heavy' use must be shaking up all this gunk (not to mention running dry the other day, still had an inch and a half in the tank). I keep a spare filter in my roadside repair kit, along with wire, plastic fuel line, washers and hose clips in any case.
Ideally i will flush the system at some point.
- Copies of all gaskets replaced have been made, noted and put aside for future reference - its very nice having a clean sample to work from before you pull the thing apart


Latest issues
- drivers side seat splitting, would like to recover soon, would be nice to tidy up the interior and fill in the gaps as it were to a few bits of interior trim, namely the headliner.
- taped the passenger side guard lamp lens with my engine cover
Its a bodged in plastic beehive lens, old and brittle, put a hole in it
went though my parts today and picked out a b series commer lens which is a close enough match to the original, however im missing the lens bezel (b series ones are shorter chrome dealies, and dont clear the bulb) Will be on the lookout for a guard lamp to match, for now i will throw whatever lenses i have in my box of morrie spares on it. Potentially i could make up something to fit the b series lens.
- water pump gasket is weeping ever so slightly (leaks are expected on this pump, its just how they are built


Otherwise things are fantastic
Drive her every day without issue
haul junk (got my stolen bike back, loaded on with a forklift, me on one fork holding the bike on the other)
Went through all my spare parts, sorted and labeled what i could for future reference. Nice to know just what i have tucked away, will be returning a few small bits back to original

#8 tortron

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Posted 15 September 2011 - 04:53 PM

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#9 tortron

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Posted 16 September 2011 - 10:33 AM

Jumped in the truck this morning and attempted to start, turned over the first time and tried to catch.
turned over a second time and the truck lurched slightly forward, so i killed power thinking somehow the gear had selected itself

Then i notice a chap by my drivers door asking if i was ok, look in the mirror and here's his car nose deep under my deck
By now hes panicking a bit, having seen the sight of me :lol: and the possibility of repairs to a vintage vehicle

anyways, no damage to me, his bonnet slid under the two wooden deck rails that protude over my numberplate
him - one of those impossible to pop out dents on the front lip of his bonnet

keep on truckin

#10 tortron

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Posted 23 September 2011 - 03:32 PM

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With much thanks to the singlecAmer spammer im starting to get everything "correct"

Seems accurate (or as accurate as the previous one), just required shortening of the mounting bracket and different connectors

#11 tortron

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Posted 04 October 2011 - 04:40 PM

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Well Tits, not sure what could have caused that

Options

I have 1 very good spare
1 slighly damaged spare (chipped where i believe it would be a weak point and result in the above)
get a shorter fan belt and simply not use a water pump, shes all go for thermosyphon

Cast Iron unit, so im wondering who would be brave enough in the Hamilton area to stitch it back together for me

#12 tortron

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Posted 01 November 2011 - 10:09 AM

Trupdate time (truck update, yea i think i like it)


This is the air filter that came with the truck. Not really fitting is it (in looks, and actual fittment). No mention of when or why this was fitted by Mark in any of the history. Im guessing the original oil bath one was lost when he sold it (and then bought it back about 5 years later, the ownership was never actually changed, so he was the "owner" all that time too)
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Horrible fit all round, plus its not a race car


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This is more like it, oil bath filter from a Chevy. Fits like a glove and looks spot on to the original.

The thought did cross my mind to gut the oil filter and adapt a modern paper element to fit, However i just topped it up with 30wt oil and will use as is

#13 tortron

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Posted 01 November 2011 - 05:39 PM

Two updates today, wow

So my two sidelights dont match. The passengers side had been replaced with a bodged together unit, which i then broke.
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I picked this unit up, with stuffed chrome and no lens
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Its a little larger than the drivers side, but it will pass unless you have a good look

Sanded it all back to steel, used a B15 Commer lens and bezel to fit inside the unit bezel.
Fitted a new bulb holder (to suit the origin type bulb used even) and gave it a lick of paint (will need another, this killrust green is pretty close to what i have on there, and the truck will end up with a new coat at some point)
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I enjoy these little projects, makes me feel better about having a minor in complete bits in the shed :lol:

#14 tortron

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Posted 17 November 2011 - 04:22 PM

Made a sweet key chain
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Picked the skulls up from a place on route 66


Stripped down the carb and sprayed cleaner all over it
used some rtv copper gasket goo in a few places
Re-tapped a couple of threads - and threw it back together

Much nicer starting and running, i figure the jets were at least partially blocked, along with air leaks etc


Roof spot light has torn the roof skin through vibrations. will need to weld it back up and install some kind of reenforcing

#15 tortron

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Posted 11 December 2011 - 11:03 AM

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Picked up this tool chest from a retired builder many months ago. Spare tyre kept working loose, so that prompted me to take it off and fit this (truck actually drives much nicer without the tyre creaking around there)
Half an hour or so with a ruler, drill, and some imperial hardware and shes bolted down and ready.

Lockable, tho not too sure on how waterproof it is, im sure i can improve if it should leak.
Makes a great seat, and you could fit a few people inside if you were that way inclined :lol:

#16 tortron

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Posted 12 December 2011 - 08:40 PM

Bolted this on today
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Thats right, its a truck, i bolt everything to it

seat is pretty tired - it even has bora
ducttape and this make it a little nicer. left loose on bottom squabs, as i need to take these out often to get to the gas tank and storage

#17 tortron

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Posted 21 December 2011 - 01:24 PM

WOF today

Reasons vehicle failed inspection

SR - Remedy corrosion left B pillar (personally i would have let this pass, it just looks bad because i picked at it. will do today)
- hit with flap disk, reveled to my horror, perfectly fine metal, painted
OT - Remedy fuel leaks - drips from manifold drain, probably wants the float reset

and then a bunch of steering issues
SS- Steering box bolt loose - would seem that someone switched the bolts around (ends of the bolts were marked for the split pin) and then simply realigned the marks, not checking they were tight - tightened and new splitpins used
SS- Driveshaft universals worn (will pack full of grease and see how it goes)
SS- Movement in draglink ends to comply to manufactures specs
SS- Movement in front wheels to comply to manufacture specs
These seem fine after tightening the steeringbox, replacing a missing washer, and loading up with fresh grease


notes: perishing in all tyres and trans mounting
axle seals leaking - not affecting brakes
(both of which im aware of)

So not too bad, can probably knock all of that out today depending on how those universals look (seemed ok last time i greased them, but may have since shat themselves, if so i will probably have to wait till after new years to get replacements)

#18 tortron

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Posted 06 January 2012 - 01:37 PM

Had this for ages, i have a thing for britool tools
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Nasty, even full of hay, fresh off the farm from hammering tractors

Painted it a lovely green, seems a close match to my steering column and other bits
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Shouldn't ever need them with Commer being the hallmark of reliability
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AF at the back, Whitworth in front. No metric to be seen


Depression in the lid looked perfect for a logo
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Throw in a couple of screwdrivers and a hammer and you can rebuild the entire truck with these

#19 tortron

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Posted 13 January 2012 - 06:02 PM

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new loom a steal at $25 including postage

nice to have a spare

#20 tortron

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Posted 14 January 2012 - 03:37 PM

Christ im goodlooking, so i had to increase the carrying capacity of my truck
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Also, note the chuckle worthy graffiti on the midboards
"lion on the road" and "COMMER POWER!!!"




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