TA Body Tub Timber Construction Pictures

[Mick bibby]

Hi Bob been advised to resize the piccys but can’t I don’t have a computer, anyway hope this makes sense.
I noticed that you are trying to build your body without the body frames that bolt to the chassis, you could do with getting your chassis on some builders trestles at a nice height and loosely bolting your frames on as square as possible
I noticed your rear ply panel doesn’t look right.
My rear ply panel is 39” wide at the top, measure down 3 1/2 “ that’s were the inner curves start for the inner wheel arch bottom of the ply is 32 3/4 wide , the are notched either side at the bottom 1. 1/2”. Up and 2. 1/2 along.
The ash top piece is just over 1” thick and 2 3/4”
It is rebated on the lower bottom outside to take the ply 9mm , the rebate is 1” by the depth of the ply
Picture 11 the piece in your hand is for the side screen/ window box that is fixed level with the bottom of the ply and level with the bottom notch so sits inside 2 1/2 “ it should be about 1/2” from the top
The other piece with the clamp ,mounts on the piece you are holding and fills in the side to inner wing section this can be fitted properly when the inner wings are in place , just one more thing the rear body metal frame section the one with the labs facing inward should end up flush with the narrow section of the ply 32 3/4”
Good luck

[Steve Simmons]

Hi Mick, if you're on a mobile device, they all have a way to resize as well. If you have trouble finding it, you can email them to me and I'll resize them for you.

[Mick bibby]

Hi I have sent a couple to Bob via email I think!1 .if I send them from my phone via direct email I can resize them no problem but can’t seem to upload to the site.I would prepare them on the site so others can benefit .I shall send them to you tomorrow 30th oct ,sorry but not great with stuff like this
Best regards Mick

[Steve Simmons]

No problem! Usually your gallery app has an option in the menu to resize an image. I'm happy to resize and send them back though.

[Rob Reilly]

Many thanks for the measurements, Mick.
The back board plywood panel I have from Frame Up measures 39-3/4" across the top.
The side curves begin at 3-5/8" below the top edge.
The width lower down is 32-11/16".
The notches at the bottom are 1-5/8" high and 2-1/2" width.
Thickness is 31/64" or 12.3 mm.
I'm now thinking it is a TC back board.

I have decided to make my own top back rail, using what's left of my old rail as a pattern to measure and copy.
The corner fillets from Hutson were also wrong, so I'm doing the same with copying the old corner fillets.

[Rob Reilly]

I guess I reached the limit on file size or number of attachments.

20231025_114931.jpg (70.65 KiB) Viewed 24810 times

20231025_114925.jpg (59.93 KiB) Viewed 24810 times

[Mick bibby]

Hi Bob you may already have these I shall post more

[Mick bibby]

One critical thing to note given by Hutsons
Don’t know why the pictures are on there sides !
I think the chamfer detail is to give clearance for the batteries

[Rob Reilly]

Many thanks for all those pictures, Mick.
I think I have enough to get going with.
It is clear that I have to make a new top back rail out of 2" x 4" oak, new corner fillets out of 1" x 3" oak, and a new tank back board out of 9mm Baltic Birch plywood.
As I happen to live on White Oak Avenue, there is no shortage of oak around here.
I will have to drive to Illinois to get the plywood.
Rob

[Ray White]

You are probably aware that Oak is more acidic than, say, Ash ...and is more likely to cause corrosion should it come into contact with steel panels but I thought it might be worth mentioning just in case.

Perhaps a protective coat of epoxy primer could be used or you may have other ideas.

Good work. Thanks for posting your progress.

Ray.

[Steve Simmons]

I've had very good luck coating wood floorboards with POR15. It soaks into the grain and is pretty much permanent, chemical resistant and hard as a rock. It might work well for body timbers as well.

[Ray White]

I've had very good luck coating wood floorboards with POR15. It soaks into the grain and is pretty much permanent, chemical resistant and hard as a rock. It might work well for body timbers as well.

That's a good idea! Which particular POR15 product have you used?

[Steve Simmons]

I used regular gloss black POR15. It soaks into the wood grain and dries rock hard (but is still flexible), preserving the wood and making it impervious to water, oil, brake fluid or anything else you can throw at it, including a hammer. If the wood is not new and has oil or any other contaminants on it, don't use POR. It requires a clean surface that even sanding the plywood probably won't give you.

On the left is a single coat, on the right is two coats. This shows how much the first coat soaks in. They also sell a clear one if you like the natural look but I haven't tried it.

[Ray White]

Thanks Steve. I shall be getting some for my floor boards. As you can imagine, our roads are pretty disgusting in Winter and the POR 15 should hold up well.

[Steve Simmons]

Mine have held up extremely well so I'll be curious to see how yours hold up in harsher conditions.

[Rob Reilly]

I drove to Owl Hardwoods in Oak Lawn IL to get my 9mm plywood, and discovered they also carried Ash timber, so I got a piece of 1.1" x 3.3" x 60" white ash to make the top back rail and corner fillets. So I think I'm all set to go this winter.

[Rob Reilly]

Hi Mick,
Can you confirm the height of the back board?
I have 23-7/16" or 595 mm but I just want to be sure before I start cutting my new board.

[Mick bibby]

Hi Bob sorry for the delay it was my birthday yesterday !
My back board is 23’’. . the top rail make the remaining height making its total height of 24. 1/2 ‘’ or 623mm
I will always try to put info on the forum so others can benefit from my limited experience but if you need something urgent it’s best to email.
Don’t forget when I asked Hutton’s could I just buy certain items off them in stead of buying a full body they said some parts may fit the old body but some parts have been made to improve the existing design
Good luck

[Rob Reilly]

Thanks Mick.
The major difference between the TA and TC back board is the thickness. TA is 9mm and TC is 12mm.
There wasn't much left of my old back board, but I was able to confirm this.
Then there are some variances on other dimensions.

I think I'm ready to start cutting wood.
Any last minute corrections or other comments welcome.

20231118_134654.jpg (30.69 KiB) Viewed 24480 times

[Mick bibby]

Hi Bob looks good ,it’s what I have fitted so should be ok with that