Restoring a Clark Airborne Bulldozer

[kw573]

Hi,

I have successfully removed spot-welded bracket using an air die-grinder with a round-nose bit. But the drill press would give better control if set up properly.

Going back several pages, you asked about dis-assembling the carby. A trick I learned via an outboard mechanic for removing bolts frozen into aluminum alloy is to apply insect spray (Mortein, etc.) in the same way as penetration spray. And not to use anything upon re-assembly. Seems to work for me.
Sam.

[17thAirborne]

Sam,
Thanks for the confirmation on the milling bit and drill press method. It does sound like the way to go. As for the carb, there's another trick to put into my near empty, but ever filling bag. Again, I appreciate your experience.

[17thAirborne]

Those of you with experience rebuilding fuel lines is it common to use steel or brass compression fittings? Does anyone know what the original fuel line fittings and the oil vent line fitting on the CA-1 were made of? I am assuming they were brass 1/4" fittings with steel 1/4" fuel line used for both. I wanted to order the fittings and some steel line to ebgin fabrication, but there are so many choises. One end of my carb has a steel line, but that went to a rubber hose and had the hose fitting on it, so I am sure it's aftermarket add on. I wanted to purchase a new male pipe 90 degree elbow for the back of the carb where the fuel line enters. This line will be 1/4" and run from the carb to the fuel sediment bowl into a 1/4" fitting (I think that is correct) and from the top of the sediment bowl I believe the line is 3/8" into the fuel tank. The sedimane bowl has a shut-off petcock on the aft end. Check the picture posted above.

[17thAirborne]

Going to have a generator bracket and air cleaner bracket made from the drawings Bill and Mike supplied. From the dimensions provided these are the dimensions I'm using. The only measurement I lack is the width of the gen bracket. I'm open to any late breaking comments on this. I am eyeballing the 3/8" dimensions??

[17thAirborne]

Just to get an idea of what the dash will look like when I get it refinished. My gauges and ignition switch arrived today. Not a finished product of course, but it does provide hope! I will probably shoot the bezel rings with the same OD that the dash gets painted in to get a good match. after masking of course. Obviously the large lock ring goes behing the panel, not in front, but since the hole is over sized the switch slips through the hole. I'll remedy that later.

[17thAirborne]

I suppose the time will come where the finsh on bolts, screws, fasteners and clamps will need to be addrerssed. Does anyone have any experience with the DYI cadmium plating systems such as: http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/zinc.htm

or any other recommended brand/company for that matter.

[17thAirborne]

How do you CA-1 Owners plan on Tagging your Clark?
Mine will be assigned to the 139th Airborne Engineer Company of the 17th Airborne Division.

Modified Digital Image

[17thAirborne]

Here is why I'm selecting this particular vehicle number. On 4 Feb there is an entry in the unit journal indicating the Clark Dozer from B Company, 139th AEB was damaged by a mine. In a later entry I found the name of the operator.Eventually that will be added to the vehicles paint work.

Excerpt from Unit Journal National Archives

[17thAirborne]

I finally got around to removing the manifold today. The PB Blaster that I sprayed on the nuts worked well. I gently torqued them off with no problem. I was prepared to use heat and worst case dremmel cut the nuts off and if needed replace the studs. Only 4 held the manifold off. As I removed tension on the aft nut I started to smell the distinct odor of antifreeze. That worried me. Before I could get it completely out the manifold came off due to the rust; see pics. When I removed the stud with the bolt the anti freeze came gushing out the hole.

I put the stud back in to evaluate and save the whales from being poisoned by so much toxic waste being vented into our environment . I was not aware that the stud holes penetrate all the way into the water jacket. Can anyone confirm that is acceptable convention? The block is not cracked and I see no damage.

For now I am cleaning things up. being careful not to get crud into the intake openings. I suspect I can blow those out through the spark hole one at a time by advancing the fly wheel until all are clean??

One barnacle and fungus growth successfully removed!



Details of the old repair job. I am lucky no crud has been sucked into the cylinder as far as I know. That would be catastrophic!

[17thAirborne]

Can anyone confirm which boss is the proper orifice for the oil pressure take-off?

Mike,
can you confirm if it is the red or blue one in the photo below? I am having a hard time figuring out which one it is. It looks like I have a threaded plug in the blue hole that would come out with an Allen wrench, but I am unsure. I suspect it is 1/4" line from the boss to the back of the oil pressure gauge.

[17thAirborne]

This was the only fuel fitting on my Clark. It was directly under the right bottom of the tank. It is obviously not original as the Clark used lines and not hoses for fuel delivery. It did get me thinking about the differences between the Clark factory TM and the military TM. The factory TM shows a 3/8: line going from the tank to the fuel sediment bowl. On the photo below it only shows the top of the fuel sediment bowl visible. I think after initial production, they modified the line and went directly from the tank into the fuel sediment bowl and then to the carby deleting the double 90 degree line. Thoughts?

Image of the fitting from the bottom of my fuel tank.


Image from the factory (early) TM showing double-90 degree line


Fuel sediment bowl mounted right at bottom of fuel tank. I think that is why they used the 45-degree angled needle valve so you could get your fingers on the valve to shut off fuel. I cannot find one made like that today. They are all in-line with the fuel line.

[17thAirborne]

I built the fuel line and the oil vent line. Until I get them dry fitted on the machine I will not know if I got my angles and dangles correct. I'll post progress when available along with the dimensions I used and relative angles. I'm eye-ballin' this from the photos in the TM so it ain't exact! There are multiple bends in the oil line and a few in the fuel line. I left the end fitting off of the fuel line because I do not want to cut it to length until I mount the fuel sediment bowl. Then I'll have an exact measurement and can cut and flare the end.

[17thAirborne]

Received my air cleaner bracket today. Will need to test fit before I call it good.

[17thAirborne]

Fabricated generator adjustment bracket ready for mounting. A close match, but not exact.

[17thAirborne]

Engine block manifold studs. Although they came with brass screws, they sill work fine. I doubt Clark used brass, but it will not rust!