Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 92.djvu/137

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

�FOR PRACTICAL

���Making an Automobile Serve as a Wrecker

IT is almost a necessity for every garage to have a road repair automobile, and one with a lifting crane is most desirable. The one illustrated was built from an old dis- carded pleasure car, having a 40-horsepower engine and a three-speed sliding gear with a leather cone clutch. Generally an old car is best for the purpose, providing it is me- chanically good.

The rear mud-guards and body of this car were removed, leaving only the front seat and gas tank. On the rear of the chassis there was erected a 5- in. angle-iron station- ary derrick. This was swivei search-iigw

��hole was attached to the upper end of the angle-iron with rivets. To the eyelet was hung a hoisting block and tackle, the lower member being equipped with a 3-in. forged steel hook. This is for the purpose of raising the axles and frame of the broken automobile sufficiently to quickly assemble new parts. Back of the automobile seat is fitted a 2-in. oak platform 4 ft. 5 in. long and having a width the same as the original body. On top of this platform are built 8-in. compartments with reinforced iron corner braces for holding

��V-»" steel bolt

���Top view

Details of the framework for a crane to be attached to the rear end of a chassis frame and workbench to make a wrecking truck

��reinforced and the derrick was held to the chassis frame with ^ ;^-in. plates. A forged steel eyelet having a 2-in. inside diameter

��three 5 gal. cans. Back of these are a workbench and bin for miscellaneous tools. Holes are drilled in the chassis frame for secur- ing a heavy 6-in. vise, which is a very necessary

tool for a road repair bench.

Attached to the extreme end of the chassis

frame is a 3^ by 1 J^ clamp through which is

��121

�� �