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1938 Fargo FG3-59

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2 years 6 months ago #226109 by DanB80
Replied by DanB80 on topic 1938 Fargo FG3-59
Guards and engine bay panels off and cables/wires/starter disconnected getting ready remove the cab.


Dan B
1942 F60L Blitz (IH engine transplant) forestry truck
1938 Fargo FG3-59 project for road use
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2 years 6 months ago #226110 by DanB80
Replied by DanB80 on topic 1938 Fargo FG3-59
Anyone know what the material is on the cab at the top corners of the windscreen? I initially thought they were repairs but it looks like some sort of lead material with some cracks in it. Did they use lead or something else in these areas in production?

Dan B
1942 F60L Blitz (IH engine transplant) forestry truck
1938 Fargo FG3-59 project for road use

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2 years 6 months ago #226112 by cobbadog
Replied by cobbadog on topic 1938 Fargo FG3-59
Back in them days lead wiping was very common place for filling joints exactly where yours are, where the turret joins the pillars. If the lead has cracked then look closely for weak spot welds as the panels must be moving. This will require to be sorted otherwise it will come back.

Cheers Cobba & Cobbarette
Coopernook, The Centre of our Universe
Working on more play time.
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2 years 6 months ago #226116 by Morris
Replied by Morris on topic 1938 Fargo FG3-59
DanB80, what Cobbadog said about the lead wiping. You will have to get it off (with a grinding disc?) and weld it. You may not be able to see any holes but the parts must have flexed in relation to one-another to crack the lead. If the panels to not meet you will have to put in patches of steel. Measure the cab diagonally to check that it is square before welding or doors, windscreen, etc. may not fit correctly.

Is there any real need to remove the cab? Is it necessary or is it just so you can say you did as the Americans say "a frame-off restoration"? It will only flex the corners more.

I have my shoulder to the wheel,
my nose to the grindstone,
I've put my best foot forward,
I've put my back into it,
I'm gritting my teeth,

Now I find I can't do any work in this position!
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2 years 6 months ago #226118 by Lang
Replied by Lang on topic 1938 Fargo FG3-59
As Cobba says the lead was used to "dress" the body seams because they did not have the presses to do complete units or deliberately joined sections of bodywork to simplify production. The lead is only filler like modern bog and does not have any structural value. As mentioned, if it is cracked there is movement in the covered steel joint.

If you look at many truck cabs from the WW2 era you will see the civilian style vehicles nearly all have smooth joints, particularly where the roof meets the top of the windscreen, faired with lead wiping. The same cabs on military vehicles have the joint exposed to save material. My 1941 Holden body Chevrolet sedan has lots of lead from production fairing welded joints on several places. Lead was still being used up until the 70's for quality smash repairs while they were still sorting out the formulae's for epoxy bog. Lead can be worked and sanded just as good as epoxy but takes skill to apply and build up with the torch and lead stick.

Lang
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2 years 6 months ago #226119 by DanB80
Replied by DanB80 on topic 1938 Fargo FG3-59
Thanks gents, learning heaps here. Here's a close up of the worst of the cracking.

And the reason I'm planning to remove the cab is there's a fair bit of work required to the floor, mounting points, rear window surround and lower couple of inches of the back panel. The section near the forward mounts has cracked right through and fully separated.




Don't think I could do this with it installed and not sure if I'll have a go myself as I'm a bit of a hack with a welder.

Dan B
1942 F60L Blitz (IH engine transplant) forestry truck
1938 Fargo FG3-59 project for road use
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2 years 6 months ago - 2 years 6 months ago #226120 by Lang
Replied by Lang on topic 1938 Fargo FG3-59
This is a lovely short video of lead wiping.



Just to show how skilled it is this "expert" is demonstrating how an amateur would do it. No heat control, no flow control with lead running all over the place.
Last edit: 2 years 6 months ago by Lang.
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2 years 6 months ago #226132 by Southbound
Replied by Southbound on topic 1938 Fargo FG3-59
I've done a fair bit of lead filling on my C1 as it has a wooden frame and some repairs can't be welded. I find it quicker to fill holes compared with body filler and it's metal not plastic so much longer lasting.

I'd rather have tools that I don't need, than not have the tools I do need.
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2 years 6 months ago #226133 by Zuffen
Replied by Zuffen on topic 1938 Fargo FG3-59
To remove the lead it's safer to melt it out than grind it.

Lead dust isn't the best thing for you.
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2 years 6 months ago #226140 by JOHN.K.
Replied by JOHN.K. on topic 1938 Fargo FG3-59
They also used lead sprayguns that made the process much quicker......back in HQ days ,GMH at Acacia Ridge had a section that repaired rust holes in new bodies,as at times there were hundreds of bodies backed up in the yard........The lead sprayguns used a bar of lead .
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