Spent past cupla days ginning around with the cabin lockdown, as can be seen, ended up using a coupla tow balls and receivers, as suggested here. Needs a bit of fine tuning, either a light tap with a club or shake the cabin a bit so it settles square, no biggie. Removed the poly cushions I made, have to put them back in the lathe and take about the thickness of a couple of washers off them, either that or put a couple of packing washers under the tow ball mounts, six of one, half a dozen of the other. Bent up a bit of 3mm metal for the receivers to sit on, another plate to go inside the cabin, thereby using the rear of the actual cabin as a "sandwich".
Now its in the right position, tomorrow I'll just drill out the mounting holes and remount it with 1/2" hi-tensile bolts.
Got a few ideas on how to install a locking handle lever with a long piece of rod to actuate the tow ball lockers. Springs are way too heavy, so will scrounge around and locate some lighter ones.
Got someone in mind to attack the rust in the cabin, really only sitting on the chassis at the four corners, made up a gantry in the shed, gets it up high enough to then lift off.
Thinking maybe of installing a 12volt boat winch back in the chassis, run a sheave block up a bit of a mast just behind the cabin and anchoring it onto that eye bolt shown in one of the snaps. Had originally intended standing a bit of channel iron upright on the near side rear of the cabin, run both the inlet and exhaust up there, or maybe just the inlet, let the exhaust point down towards the ground. Thoughts??
Cheers, Dave







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Have you thought about a linear actuator?

They came in a variety of lengths and capacities.

Dave, I saw a butter box ACCO once that had a tilt cab. It also had a foreign power steering unit I think maybe Volvo, that had two universals one each end, the bottom one at floor level, it was a clunky looking arrangement that occupied too much of the floor space for me, it had air of hydrogen brakes so the pedals were shoved over to make it workable, I didn't see it tilted but was told it tiled easily and gave good access. Being a butter box it isn't hard to make access better.

You do great work.

Zuffen, I actually had a look at a linear actuator, at first I thought they wouldn't be heavy duty enough, or if they were available in 12volt. And then somebody mentioned that they were used quite often in robotics and material handling. I had access to the 12volt boat winch, so cost wise, thought that was the way I'd go. Always appreciate others thoughts and ideas, Cheers, Dave

Hi Dave, I would avoid running intake and exhaust up the same orifice because it would in time heat the nice cool air that engines love.
The winch idea is great so look about at whats available. I mounted an 8 tonne 24v winch on Lorry to drag up misbehaving toys when they wont drive up under their own steam. I mounted it in the middle of the tray and right up against the coaming rail. Made a simple mounting bracket up and it is strong enough to do its job and yes I have had to use it a few times now.

Thanks Cobba,
Yep, want to avoid running both inlet and exhaust too close together, so to keep it simple and avoid complicated plumbing, easier to run the inlet up the rear of the cab on the off side and face the exhaust down under the chassis and exit either just in front or just behind the drive axle..

Popular exiit point for exhaust on new trucks is in front of front drive axle. It doesnt seem all that long ago they made that illegal and we all had to go to stack exhaust. In reallity it was a bloody long time ago.

Cab mount looks great, however chassis twist needs to be accommodated, maybe fix the towballs in a rubber doughnut or other type of engine mount. Or go to 3 point system with just one on a cross member. Original exhaust was always out the side and intake under the bonnet.
Electric winch sounds simpler than a hydraulic ram set up.

Towballs are sitting on polyurethane risers, about one and a half inches tall, may not be able to see them for the grey primer. Have another look and you may just be able to make out the yellow colour of the bushing. Also has the slightly softer red poly mounts beside them which take most of the cab shock. Dave

Bloke over in the UK sent me this poster, Dated 30 Dec 1960, so goes a hell of a long way to identifying mine
Dave