The Turtle prototype thing lives!! It's fixed!!!

[Chris_Dresbach]

This is basically a follow up to this thread:
http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...rototype-thing...
Today Jim and I finished the restoration on my mystery prototype thing. Yesterday I went ti SI and got the Yoke and U joint to work with, and took off the steering brackets. Today we put it back together! We were able to use the one existing welded yoke, and the original U joint. Just put new caps and grease in the old U joint and it was good to go. We really didn't want to weld a brand new NOS yoke, so Jim torched and ground off the stud that remained from the old missing yoke. After that, we bolted the new yoke on so it is now able to be taken apart if I ever have to. (It's a little big to fit in a pickup truck bed in one piece) After that, I bolted the U bolts to the new yoke and put it all back together on the cart. It was now time to test it. I pulled it out of its parking spot and it rolled perfecctly, it steered even better with the new yoke. The steering itn't the greatest, but it works great. (It can't do tight turns) The cart is now basically complete. All it needs is a matt the would have gone over the cargo holder, but that can wait. #EX-63 lives on.

The rebuilt steering bracket.


It sits up straight now.

Turning isn't prefect. This is actually its maximum turning ability. (Turning outward)

New steering.

The one question does still remain: "What exactly is it?" I plan on trying to find that answer soon. All that's really known about it is that it was indeed built by Studebaker. My guess for the year is 1963 because on the well there is a very faded number that barely reads: "EX-63". I did take some measurements of it too. It is almost exactly 1 yard high by 1 yard wide, and 2 yards long not counting the handles. It's almost exactly the same size as the Studebaker turtle.
But for now, I'm just happy it rolls!!!

[Ron Dame]

I think there is a second question for those of us looking at pictures only: What ARE those wheels? They look like Fred or Barney made 'em!

This is basically a follow up to this thread:
http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...rototype-thing...
Today Jim and I finished the restoration on my mystery prototype thing. Yesterday I went ti SI and got the Yoke and U joint to work with, and took off the steering brackets. Today we put it back together! We were able to use the one existing welded yoke, and the original U joint. Just put new caps and grease in the old U joint and it was good to go. We really didn't want to weld a brand new NOS yoke, so Jim torched and ground off the stud that remained from the old missing yoke. After that, we bolted the new yoke on so it is now able to be taken apart if I ever have to. (It's a little big to fit in a pickup truck bed in one piece) After that, I bolted the U bolts to the new yoke and put it all back together on the cart. It was now time to test it. I pulled it out of its parking spot and it rolled perfecctly, it steered even better with the new yoke. The steering itn't the greatest, but it works great. (It can't do tight turns) The cart is now basically complete. All it needs is a matt the would have gone over the cargo holder, but that can wait. #EX-63 lives on.

The rebuilt steering bracket.


It sits up straight now.

Turning isn't prefect. This is actually its maximum turning ability. (Turning outward)

New steering.

The one question does still remain: "What exactly is it?" I plan on trying to find that answer soon. All that's really known about it is that it was indeed built by Studebaker. My guess for the year is 1963 because on the well there is a very faded number that barely reads: "EX-63". I did take some measurements of it too. It is almost exactly 1 yard high by 1 yard wide, and 2 yards long not counting the handles. It's almost exactly the same size as the Studebaker turtle.
But for now, I'm just happy it rolls!!!

[Chris_Dresbach]

I think there is a second question for those of us looking at pictures only: What ARE those wheels? They look like Fred or Barney made 'em!

Well, ya see this was the flintstones shopping cart...
No.

They are actually foam wheels. I found that the rims are metal and they have a metal banding under the foam. The "tires" are made of some kind of foam simiular to packing peanuts.

[Chris_Dresbach]

Those tires make a lot of noise and flap a lot while rolling.

[Welcome]

Chris, keep up the good work!!!!

[Chris_Dresbach]

Chris, keep up the good work!!!!

Thanks!

[Milaca]

Time to update the 'History Detectives' with a new photo. Very odd but interesting piece of machinery there, Chris. I'm puzzled as to why the U-joint and yokes are parallel to the axles rather than perpendicular to them.... anyway, looks like it's ready to transport suitcases at the airport.

[DEEPNHOCK]

What is weird to me is the raw design engineering of it.
It 'looks' to me like the payload is supposed to go in the two 'buckets' the wheels mount to.
The overreach bar that goes all the way back seems to be just a push bar, as there is nothing connected to the back set of wheels.
If you put anything on top, the back would just lay in the rear section and bind up the articulation.
Deinitely 'looks' like a push me-pull me type of rig.
This way, the pusher, and puller would always be in alignment.
Just thinkin' out loud...
(If you think out loud in a vacuum, can you hear it?)
Jeff

[8E45E]

They are actually foam wheels. I found that the rims are metal and they have a metal banding under the foam. The "tires" are made of some kind of foam simiular to packing peanuts.

The text in the Defence Department ad stated the Turtle was to be "air droppable with a 500 pound payload, tread through water, etc". Of course, much of the impact would have to be absorbed by the tires. I wonder if they were starting to experiment with these foam cores as a form of cushioning upon impact as well as provide some means of floatation in water.

Craig

[Chris_Dresbach]

What is weird to me is the raw design engineering of it.
It 'looks' to me like the payload is supposed to go in the two 'buckets' the wheels mount to.
The overreach bar that goes all the way back seems to be just a push bar, as there is nothing connected to the back set of wheels.
If you put anything on top, the back would just lay in the rear section and bind up the articulation.
Deinitely 'looks' like a push me-pull me type of rig.
This way, the pusher, and puller would always be in alignment.
Just thinkin' out loud...
(If you think out loud in a vacuum, can you hear it?)
Jeff

You are basically right. This cart is a push or pull unit. In the picture, you can see it has the "pulling" end facing the camera. What looks like an extension to the cargo hold on the back is actually another set of handle bars made to be pushed. The pushing end is flat accross, simular to a shopping cart just a lot bigger. It does seem strange that they made the cargo hold on top instead of in the baskets. If you look close, you will see that the cargo thing is only clammed to one of the baskets. This allows it to steer simular to a large tractor that pivots in the middle.

[Chris_Dresbach]

The text in the Defence Department ad stated the Turtle was to be "air droppable with a 500 pound payload, tread through water, etc". Of course, much of the impact would have to be absorbed by the tires. I wonder if they were starting to experiment with these foam cores as a form of cushioning upon impact as well as provide some means of floatation in water.

Craig

You may be on to something again Craig. The tires have a massive amount of cushion in them. They also seem to not be bother by water. When I first got it, I was trrified to leave it outside even under a tarp because I thought the tires would rot. They didn't. If anything, they repel water and work pretty well in it. Am I ever going to push it into a lake? NO! But I figure it could. The tires seem light enought that they would float.
Craig, KEEP THINKING!

[Chris_Dresbach]

Time to update the 'History Detectives' with a new photo. Very odd but interesting piece of machinery there, Chris. I'm puzzled as to why the U-joint and yokes are parallel to the axles rather than perpendicular to them.... anyway, looks like it's ready to transport suitcases at the airport.

Your turn. I email them twice and never even got a reply. The yoke and U joint are like that because all they do is steer. I guess that was just the easiest way to bolt them on. Next May if you come back down to SB, it will defionately be at the swap meet on display. I will let you drive... Er, push it and see what ya think.

[Lothar]

Chris
You're doing great work! I am becoming more persuaded toward the "Turtle" theory of this prototype's purpose.

Now, regarding this question:

(If you think out loud in a vacuum, can you hear it?)
Jeff

No, because in a vacuum your eardrums would explode!

[Chris_Dresbach]

Chris
You're doing great work! I am becoming more persuaded toward the "Turtle" theory of this prototype's purpose.

Thanks! It sure would be cool to find proof or just prove it actually is a "Turtle" cart. If I can do that, I would concider loaning it to the SNM.