Hi all, long time caller, first time listener. I've found various threads on the H.A.M.B. pretty useful over the years, but up til now haven't had any real need to request the help of the brain trust. Until yesterday. I've been hunting for one of these vintage Uhaul rooftop boxes (or Car Top Carrier as Uhaul called them) for a few years now. I finally found one, and it's everything I hoped it would be: Except, broken. One of the corner pieces is cracked in half and bent badly. The four corners are all symmetrical, so I have two that could be used as patterns once the rivets are drilled out and the pieces removed. Originally these were die cast as one piece it looks like, but I'd be happy to do them in 2 or 3 pieces and weld/epoxy them together. I'm not going for concours perfection, just "good enough" from 10' away, and no aluminum HVAC tape, which is what's on there now. It seems like a pretty complex piece to sand cast, but I've done exactly zero sand casting before. I was hoping someone around here may have some input on the best way to go about it.
I guess it doesn't even need to be aluminum p I thought I peaked in elementary school. I was wrong. This is it, my penultimate achievement.
form from aluminum sheet. 3003 .060 or .090. hammer on a bag to get close. Or make a wood buck since you need two, or just replace them all so they look the same. you'll find threads on forming metal bucks here. Fun project
Current best idea is to cut off the mostly good ball corners and then just form a flat sheet to make the quarter round flat section, and rivet it all together.
I saw a guy on youtube restoring an old uhaul box truck. He had similar damage on the corners. Said he ordered new replacement parts straight from uhaul. Might be worth looking into for yours.
Last I knew Uhaul doesn't sell anything. They scrap it when junk. Just like is stamped on yours. The only way you bought it is someone stole it.
Uhaul doesn't sell much, but they do sell stuff from time to time. Where do you think the old trucks and trailers come from? They're not stolen, they were bought from Uhaul. I've got a Uhaul appliance dolly, bought it directly from a Uhaul dealer, reason sold, it had a bad wheel. Paid $25 IIRC, as is. Most of the truck and trailer sales go through the main office, although I have seen some trucks at dealers with for sale signs on them, pretty well stripped of their Uhaul decals though.
@Okie Pete Thats who I was talking about too. Found these w a 5 minute google search. May be worth looking into a little further for the OP.
Yeah, I bought it from a kinda shifty guy who said he was helping clear out his neighbor's property who used to be a uhaul dealer and found it. Idk, I don't really care, you think Uhaul has a strike team to recover antiquated equipment 30 years after it was last used?
U-Haul ordered many 1979 F350 cab/chassis for moving trucks. Oddly enough, they specified the 330 HD truck engine. Many have turned up in private hands.
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