Steve has stripped down and reconditioned the Diamond T steering box. We have also made progress with the pedestal design after discovering the existence of another Heil tank.
Category: Restoration (Page 1 of 4)
We always knew that the body preparation on this restoration project was going to require a more specialised, talented approach. And that is exactly what we have got with Auckland based panel beaters, Rowan Glass and Nick Saunderson.
The pedal assembly has been stripped down and reconditioned, and the rear springs painted. After a ten week pause, work is under way again on reassembling the chassis.
The reassembly of the truck has finally begun with Steve piecing together the front end. Work has also started on the enamel ‘Tour With Texaco’ lettering on the trunk.
For 18 months, I searched extensively for information on the Heil pedestal design. The answer to this mystery came by way of a special friendship and a single black & white photo.
There is a long list of parts from the Diamond T truck and Heil tank that need to be either rebuilt or made from scratch. I have selected three for this post – two new creations and one rebuild.
Moving one step closer to getting the ’38 Texaco tanker painted, the cab and Heil tank have been blasted and epoxy primed. Diamond T rubber parts have been manufactured, and Steve is currently painting suspension and brake components.
Continuing with the chassis restoration, the next step was to affix the fish plates to the chassis rails. Replicating the original construction would involve hot riveting the two steel surfaces together.
The stylish dash instruments from the Diamond T Texaco tanker have been fully repaired and restored, and have undergone a dramatic transformation. In addition, I have looked back at the history of the manufacturer of these stunning gauges, Stewart-Warner Corporation, being another chapter in the Texaco tanker’s story.
The modified, Heil built roof on the Diamond T cab has now been removed, and repairs have continued on the 614 cab body.
