Early Plastic Cab Atkinsons

That red one with the dog trailer still lives in Charters Towers (North QLD).

Oldfulla

G'day a very interesting topic
I have a 1974 single drive with a 671 gm
Model No T3046 GM
Chassis No 27932
It has evidently had a new engine fitted at some time as the current engine number does not correspond with the engine number on the chassis plate.
I took this truck to the SA HCVC run in the Barossa last year towing our fridge van. There was a lot of banging coming from under the cab on the drivers side. When I got home I had a closer look and found what I've heard is a common fault in that the front tilt cab mount had broken the fibreglass floor where its bolted on. The mount is in such an awkward spot the only way to fix it properly was to take the cab off. The cab was removed and all the fibreglass breaks cracks and chips etc were repaired by our local fibreglass man. The joins where the two halves were joined down the middle had lots of air bubbles from original which were also repaired.
Just as an aside, there has been mention about half sleeper, sleeper with two tool boxes or one toolbox. We had to repair ours and we noted that it looks like the half cab sleeper was built in the mould and the toolbox was added later. I also think that it depended on the engine as well. The 671 gm has the exhaust out the left hand side with the air cleaner on the right hand side. I have seen a Cummins with the exhaust on the right and the air cleaner on the left.
The tool box looks like it has been made separately and then is added to the cabin according to the new owners requirements or which engine was fitted.
I have decided that with the cab off it needs a new paint job. So out with the engine and sandblast the chassis. We had to completely rub down the cab now we have repaired it. We took four colour schemes off. We hope to get it painted and back together soon.
Keep the interesting stories coming
Robert

Failure of the cab mounts was common on the plastic Atkinsons, possibly because the mount was too rigid. Also check front springs, most have a wrapper leaf arrangement added.

The reason the cab mount failed is poor design. Where the mount bolts to the cab the fibreglass is reinforced with one and a quarter inch ply sandwich and with a thin plate as a washer inside the cab, over time the bolts pull into the thin plate which causes the bolts to become loose and then flog out the bolt holes in the fibreglass. The other problem is that the ply sandwich is not big enough as the bolt holes are about 10 mm from the edge. We cut out the rotted ply and replaced it with extra fibreglass and I will put a 3 mm plate inside the cabin and extend the bottom mount plate and add an extra bolt.
I need to find where to get a new air operated windscreen wiper motor.
robert

G'day Rob,
Car Torque, 74 North Terrace, Kent Town Adelaide might be worth a call. 08) 8362 7667

I've been in there to see about replacing an air wiper with an electric one, and they seem to know what to do.

Acar said he saw you in the Renmark caravan park. I looked for you at Chowilla, but no luck. Catch up one day. Cheers Geoff

Thanks Geoff, I have contacted Car Torque but haven't been able to catch the right person re wiper motors yet.
There was a huge crowd at Chowilla
and I was visiting various boats, sorry we missed each other. Looks like there was a good number of trucks on your run. When the Atkinson is back together we will come over for a run.

My cab mounts are worn and need replacing, has anyone modified them to have a bit softer ride?
Regards
Robert

...g'day all .. me again! : : if the Mk 2's were built up from the floor at Clayton, with usually a mostly American driveline (save for the venerable Gardner), spider rims etc,etc and our locally produced fibreglass cab.....at what point did these jiggers stop being a Pommy lorry ???...

...and when precisely did International Harvester decide to jump in?...

InFective
Gudday M8

RE : Pommy lorry
Always was n always will B
More like a slug try n to move jist like a Crummins

we bought a Big A in 1975 cos they B runnin the yanky gear
other than front axle, power steerin
we had something 2 compare it wiff way back wen
bran new Atlinson n White Road commander wiff identical build other than no power steering on D white..
the White could run rings around the big A performance wise n probly 1/2t lighter
B like compare n a Grannys ol couch n a race seat
LOL
cya

...are you sure that the two GM's were rated at the same HP Swish?...the Atkinson may have had smaller squirters ol' mate??.....

LaTective
Gudday M8

RE: Atkinson / White

Boff Trucks were 318hp n jakes - RTO9513 - 5.29 twin screw - Hendrickson

dun tell anybody eye ever evr sed thiz (jist Btween U n me)
with screemers they put out the HP but @ times U get one th@ dun put in
a Good screemer either makes revs

---

or looses revs n don't hang around
but occasionally U get one th@ wont get up n go
The big A twaz like th@ where the White screeemed on n into it

Did hear th@ there twaz an option of having the timing 1 tooth out .....
so U had a choice of economy or get up n go Not sure wot we had

Now eye sed it so Shhhhhhhhhhh

LOL
cya