1949 Dennis F1 Fire Truck Restoration

Been flat out doing other things lately, so not much progress on Dennis. But I did remove the firewall to clean it up ready for painting it, and to have a look at the timber frame behind it.

Now a question for Beaver, who I know will see this post [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

On Dennis, the cowl panel forward of the windscreen and behind the bonnet is made of sheet aluminium. It is the only panel on the truck that is aluminium, all other panels being steel. The body of this truck was made by the NSWFB workshops, so it is probably a fair assumption that although the bodies varied in style, this cowl panel would no doubt have been standardised in manufacture.



Beaver, do the NSWFB F1's have a steel or aluminium cowl panel here? I believe that the Dennis F1 trucks would have been shipped to Australia as a running chassis with a firewall, front guards, bonnet and front radiator surround. The dash panel and steering wheel were part of the firewall, but the rest of the cab would have been NSWFB-made. Am I correct?

If the NSWFB F1's had a steel cowl panel, then it is possible that at some stage my cowl panel has been replaced. Just seems out of place to be aluminium.

I am also missing the driver's side front window, so have to decide at some stage whether to convert both to fixed glass windows, or try to get a single window frame made up. If a new frame is made up, it would make the original one look crappy, so may force me into having to make two up. And they are probably very expensive doodads, with the hinge and catches and all. Does anybody have any idea of costs?

If I change to fixed glass, I will repair the cut-outs in the body for the hinges and catches, so the window rubber will sit and seal better.

Hi Bugly

The cowl panel on your F1 looks exactly the same as my previous F1. The body on my F1 was built by Dennis in England and all panels, including the cowl, were aluminium. The cowl was made in two parts. The join is covered by a strip of half round aluminium.

Regards
Ian

G'day Bugly - I've just joined and have been following your progress. Terrific to see - I'm restoring a '33 Dennis 250 - broken studs and all - so I've got an idea what you're going through. Cheers! Warren.

Hi Bugly

The cowl panel on your F1 looks exactly the same as my previous F1. The body on my F1 was built by Dennis in England and all panels, including the cowl, were aluminium. The cowl was made in two parts. The join is covered by a strip of half round aluminium.

Regards
Ian

Thanks Ian. This is exactly what Dennis has, although the cowl is the only aluminium panel on the truck. There seems to be a marked difference in the construction of the timber frame in the cab to the construction of the timber frame on the rest of the vehicle, so perhaps this fire truck came out from England as a

chack your email bugly

chack your email bugly

Thanks Aussiehooker, I'll give you a bell tomorrow morning (Saturday) [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Now a question for Beaver, who I know will see this post [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

On Dennis, the cowl panel forward of the windscreen and behind the bonnet is made of sheet aluminium. It is the only panel on the truck that is aluminium, all other panels being steel. The body of this truck was made by the NSWFB workshops, so it is probably a fair assumption that although the bodies varied in style, this cowl panel would no doubt have been standardised in manufacture.


Beaver, do the NSWFB F1's have a steel or aluminium cowl panel here? I believe that the Dennis F1 trucks would have been shipped to Australia as a running chassis with a firewall, front guards, bonnet and front radiator surround. The dash panel and steering wheel were part of the firewall, but the rest of the cab would have been NSWFB-made. Am I correct?

If the NSWFB F1's had a steel cowl panel, then it is possible that at some stage my cowl panel has been replaced. Just seems out of place to be aluminium.

Bugly

I haven't had a chance to check out our F1, which is a cabless body, but I think Ianb is on the mark with the all aluminium body on his. This would have been standard production by Dennis, in later years many of them in UK weren't even painted.

I am also missing the driver's side front window, so have to decide at some stage whether to convert both to fixed glass windows, or try to get a single window frame made up.

Aussiehooker has offered to have a look at Dennis's front windscreen for me to see how difficult it would be to make a matching half. Thanks mate! [smiley=thumbsup.gif] Spent a bit of time today making up a crate for the windscreen to send to NSW, and made it big enough to send two halves back.





Now I've just got to find a freight company who will freight it for me. That'll be tomorrows task.

looks good lou nice and solid crate

looks good lou nice and solid crate

PM sent to you, Aussiehooker!