Next project...A Wood Ben Hur

Bill_Wolf · Post by **Bill_Wolf** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 5:57 am

Now that the Steel Ben Hur is done I am working on my Wood Ben Hur.

This is the way I bought it.

This is the way it looks today.

A test fit of the wood sides.

Needs to be done in 2 weeks for the Weare Rally

KEVINABR · Post by **KEVINABR** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 5:13 pm

that looks a nice thorough job and love the wood work

Bill_Wolf · Post by **Bill_Wolf** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 5:36 pm

I should have updated the post....

This is what it looked like at the end of July....

armydriver · Post by **armydriver** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:20 pm

Wow, that is beautiful. Great jopb.

halifaxgroup · Post by **halifaxgroup** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 9:07 pm

Could you post a few pictures of the blackout light switch on your metal Ben Hur? No rush. Your work looks really nice. Inspired by your 55 gallon motor oil drums I am going to paint some old ZEP windshield washer drums OD as well. Thanks in advance. Paul

Bill_Wolf · Post by **Bill_Wolf** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 9:16 pm

I can not take credit for the drum....

That is Dr. "Michelangelo" Duece's work....

And I am sorry to say that in all my resto pictures I have no pictures of the B/O light switch on my Steel trailer and she is put away for the winter. It is the same switch as the wood body it is just mounted differently.

Bill

halifaxgroup · Post by **halifaxgroup** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 11:09 am

I have the wiring harness w/switch and inter-vehicle cable, but as you write the switch is mounted differently on the metal trailer, but the TM's do not show where it goes or how it is attached. I am not starting the trailer until the late spring so no rush. I am knee deep in finishing my WC62 for a while.

Again, really nice work! Paul

timpage · Post by **timpage** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 10:58 pm

So how common were the wooden Ben Hur trailers? Versus the metal ones?

dr deuce · Post by **dr deuce** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 6:25 pm

Dr. "Michelangelo" Duece got 4 more 55 gallons in a pallet today. Took the deuce to work to get them. They forked them right in. How to get them out....

They will be ready for Weare 2007! I have a stencil made for "MOTOR OIL SAE 30" and another one for the smaller barrels "GREASE LONG FIBRE"

They do add a lot along with all the other accutrements such as ammo boxes, web gear, sand bags, and radios to name a few.

KEVINABR · Post by **KEVINABR** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 3:20 am

well done a lovely job, i have a wooden ben hur one day i ,ll strip her back and do what you have done but i have to restore my M7 right now

Colin Britton · Post by **Colin Britton** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 5:25 pm

Nice job on the trailer, looks great, kind of a shame to cover up all your hard work of stripping, scraping and sanding the trailer frame and axel assembly with all that wood. The trailer even looked good in skeleton form. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder.....
And being an army medic I cant help but admire the beautiful Dodge WC 54 Ambulance in the background.
One day I maybe able to get one, but they are alittle expensive for a soldiers salary. (even with jump pay)
But to the owner, nice WC 54. I'm jealous....

Bill_Wolf · Post by **Bill_Wolf** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 7:17 pm

Colin Britton wrote: And being an army medic I cant help but admire the beautiful Dodge WC 54 Ambulance in the background.
One day I maybe able to get one, but they are alittle expensive for a soldiers salary. (even with jump pay)
But to the owner, nice WC 54. I'm jealous....

Aw...shucks Doc.....

You're just sayin' that to butter up the webmaster...As that would be my WC 54.

I saved her from the boneyard.

My plans are to make the Wood Ben Hur into a med trailer to carry around the WWII impression med stuff I have by towing it behind the WC.

Just need to make a wood side rack set for this one and then buy a trailer tarpaulin and put a Geneva cross on it. This spring I hope.

Bill

Capt Lee P · Post by **Capt Lee P** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 3:20 pm

Hi

My wooden Ben Hur Trailer came with the electrical plug in cable held to the frame via plastic tie straps. What is the correct routing of the electrical cord from the lunettee eye back to the rear lights?

halifaxgroup · Post by **halifaxgroup** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:54 am

Some comments and advice needed regarding my metal body Ben Hur. The manual clearly shows that the four marble reflectors utilized are the type with large reflectors with two attaching points. However, I have an original marble reflector on a metal Ben Hur that has four attaching points as well as the smaller marbles. It looks like it has been on the trailer since its manufacture. Same worn out Olive Drab paint, same type of wear and rust, etc. Anyone else have evidence that these were used as well as the ones shown in the manual? Thanks Paul

abn CCKW · Post by **abn CCKW** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 12:14 pm

With all the hard work in taking that Ben Hur back to the bare frame <which I agree looks Outstanding just like that >Then putting all new solid wood back on with all its hardware she's good to go for another 50 plus years !!! Kind of a shame to cover it up with the racks and canvas...... ah well thats what the completed look is , WELL DONE!!!
Whats your opinion of what a Ben Hur should be Wood or Metal since you have both .

Bill_Wolf · Post by **Bill_Wolf** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 12:31 pm

ABN,

I personally like the wood better. I think it looks more WWII authentic.

I have worked on the trailer a little more since the last post. I have built tarpaulin sides for it (need to paint them OD) and have made it into a medical unit trailer with all my LHD medical stuff loaded inside. It will be towed behind the Ambulance.

Here are a couple of pictures of it from our Weare Rally that occurred last week.

abn CCKW · Post by **abn CCKW** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 1:02 pm

She Look's Awesome . Glad you were able to get all that done in time for the rallie . I agree with you I like the look of the wooden Ben Hurs

Capt Lee P · Post by **Capt Lee P** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:51 pm

Again, great job!

In case you missed my question on the lead picture site: does the wooden trailers have rear reflectors?

I just got the metal brackets for the tail lights and my "Dutch" Ben Hur has reflectors mounted in the location of where the tail lights should be.

Thanks, Lee

Bill_Wolf · Post by **Bill_Wolf** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:06 pm

It is supposed to have reflectors.

The previous ones were mounted on the fenders (you can still see the holes). I know that is not right so I have been watching and waiting to find pics of the correct placement.

Adries trailer on the main site is the closest representation I have seen so far.

If you have additional information or pictures please post or PM me.

Bill

Cat Man · Post by **Cat Man** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:45 pm

Weasel,

She looks great. Two questions.

Did you butt the edges of the side and front/ back boards together and just bolt then into the corners? Or did you go whole hog and have the boards tongue and grooved on edge like the originals?

I have the lumber for mine all cut and seasoned. Don't know it I want to do the edges or not? I've considered dowling them and / or just glueing and clamping the sides and ends.

Did you use carriage bolts? Or were you able to find a source for the correct "Step Bolts" like the originals? I'm about to give up and use the smaller head carriage bolts.

Any advice would help my project.

Thanks

Cat Man

The GMC CCKW

Next project...A Wood Ben Hur

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