Thanks for those open - cab pictures Les, they will be really useful. My new truck (02 BK 09) is not just rusty - it has been demolished by a JCB so the roof is really beyond any repair - but with this gone the rest of the machine has a fighting chance.

I love deep fording shots of these trucks. This is what they do best. Imagine how it will look in this much water with the screen folded and the tilt off.

Regards,
Tom
Portsmouth
UK

Re: Humber in Service
 

He took the photo because it just looked so cool. These are just the BEST looking trucks. Great photo.

Tom
Portsmouth
UK

Clive - great to see any shot from Pounds yard - this is just down the road from me, I can see the yard the other side of the harbour from the end of my road. Not much old stuff now and the yard is closing soon to be redeveloped.

Tom
Portsmouth
UK

Re: Broken Hill (Aus.) Humber
 

Hi Richard - no he does not like them does he! Still, good on Doug, he did what was necessary to save it from scrap. See my pics a few posts back to see what we fix here in the UK (o2 BK 32) and the yellow one to see what a scrapper REALLY looks like...or maybe Clive's one a few pages back. It would have been criminal if this one had been cut up.

Like Doug says, the B60 is reliable, but I think people like to tinker. My lated (02 BK 09) has had a large ammount of random parts unbolted - the gearbox top, one spark plug (!!), half the fan bolts, the gearbox UJ, the instruments and switches (hanging on their cables) ETC. ETC. before being abandoned to the elements for 25 years and then demolished with a digger.

But why the 'workhorse' obsession? who really uses a 55 year old truck for work? I found them surprisingly practical - used 02 BK 32 for runs to the dump quite a lot - a lot more practical that a 40 foot monster....but again there is the misunderstanding - it was never designed as a Ford Transit competitor was it? Still, thanks Doug for saving the truck and still an iteresting site.

Regards,
Tom
Portsmouth
UK

Hi all
First read Dougs story on the Humber some time ago, which is obviously why I always assumed they were so heavy ( 4 ton was mentioned I beleive) and why I asked the question a few posts back. Nice to find out that they are somewhat lighter and easier to drag one home. Amazing how a story like that is encouraging!!
Cheerio
Rich.

Hi Richard -
I agree with everything that you are saying, and you would think that with a website name llike 'Doug's Heavy Metal' he would like the fact that they are heavy.

It's a funny old world and we all like different stuff, and Doug clearly knows what he's talking about on most stuff - and it is true that in some circumstances a Humber would get stuck where a lighter vehicle would not - a Citroen 2CV or an Austin Seven will go places where an Alvis Stalwart will not go but it would be wrong to draw the conclusion that the Stalwart is not as capable a machine as these two undoubted masterpieces of design.

Also, if you tried to use Stalwarts as delivery vans they would seem like more trouble than they are worth - but this is what has effectively happened to the Humber ever since the CT vehicle project was axed in '56 and they were re-classified GS. In concept OI would say that the Humber is closer to the Stalwart than to a Bedford RL (a magnificent load carrier....) but I would also say in answer to Doug's points that a Humber is also a more practical proposition for running around in for fun - to the shops, to work, to the pub - sure it is not the fastest vehicle ever but it is certainly quick enough and on any run I always need to stop to let my friend's WC52 Dodge Weapons carrier catch up. So how fast does this thing NEED to be?

I can see that someone taking the engine to bits did not help, along with perished tyres - but I dragged mine oout of a shed where it had sat for 25 years, registered it, painted it, got the lights to work and the brakes to work (a bit) and drove it 170 miles home....

Found another in the draw, as Jethro would say (only the Brits will get the jist of that) another post army recovery version

Humber FV1601A
 

Phil, Missed out on the Humber at Bellfields Auction. (Thank heavens) and was straight away offered this one up in Tamworth within minuites of the hammer knock-down. Went to Tamworth and snapped it up for a lot less money than Alan paid. It had a funny knock in the engine, so it was even cheaper. Turned out that the tyre compressor was engaged and we didn't know thats that all the knocking was.

id plate reads as follows.
Truck COMMER 4x4 CT 1601A
Chasis No. 6310063
Engine No. 13677

Mileage is 22562 miles and I recon that correct as it seems to be pretty good.
I need a few bits though, Hood bows, winch fairleads, gaiters for all 4 driveshafts etc. WHU?
Regards Rick

Another photo.

Unit sign.

Rear photo.

A fair bit of rust on the right hand side might be a problem though. The step just about fell off. And there's a lot above the door.

Arriving from Tamworth. 25pdr is 1940 G J Weir from Scotland.

Rust
 

Hi Rick
I can just here all the UK Humber owners...
"RUST! You call that rust, my Humber was soooo rusty that....."
Reminds me, any future auctions I will be standing beside you to intercept any offers of hidden treasures.
Cheers
Richard

Re: Rust
 

Hello Australia!

Richard, I know that has been a running theme but you can understand how appealing some of your solid, surface rusted 'wrecks' look to us over here where they all just become soggy and rotten.

Rick, you do have my sympathy - it looks like a nice truck and great to see the unit markings coming through too. But I can see that you will have to do a bit more than wire brushing and painting to that one. I was begining to wonder if it would be worth anyone selling welders and sheet steel out there....

Happy days welding, grinder sparks, arc-eye - all well worth it.

Regards,
Tom
Portsmouth
UK

Trip to the dump in 02 BK 32
 

Here are some pictures of 02 BK 32 looking better on a trip to the dump with some garden rubbish. This is the truck that is an orange / black tow truck a few posts back, then green & red primer with a rusty roof a bit more recently.

Regards,

Tom
Portsmouth
UK

Pics 02 BK 32
 

again

Pics 02 BK 32
 

another

Pics 02 BK 32
 

and another

Pics 02 BK 32
 

Driving home

New truck - wreck - 02BK09
 

Here we are - while I am at it - here is my new truck - 02BK09 - I have just sold 02BK32 and because I miss it and because I must be a bit nuts and because I think that they are all worth trying to save in one form or another....have taken this one on. I am completely committed (or maybe should be...) to getting this thing working again. It will not be a 'restoration' but it will be a functioning and recognisable One Ton - and because it will be a bit of an ugly beast I will be able to do some serious off-road driving - more than I would do in a tidy, straight truck. So maybe I will be able to show the Toyota and Landrover crowd what these things are good at - play 'follow-my-leader' through 6 foot of water. I did say that the roof was beyond saving....

Regards,
Tom (the loony)
Portsmouth
UK

02BJK09 wreck
 

another pic

02BK09 wreck
 

and another

another

more

and more

And again.

Just a note - the hatches off this one have gone with 02BK32 as she had hinges removed years ago and these hatches were better off with that truck than this one.

Regards,

Tom
Portsmouth
UK

Tom...
Trying to think of someting positive about your latest project ...... Ummmmmm .........Nice steering wheel????
All the best
Rich.

Good bits on new project
 

Thanks Rich,

in fact there are some redeeming features to my latest wreck:-
- Front wings are good.....(OK, that's about it in real terms, but...)
- Freedom to do what I want so I can hack the roof off etc. etc.
- Freedom to really play around with that wonderful old B60 - some people play with stationary engines just for fun - it is a privelige to get to grips with one of RR's finest. My last one ran OK so I didn't really fiddle too much but this one has had No.1 spark plug out for quarter of a century....I can do what I like with this engine. It will run, too, even if only on 5 with the con-rod removed, it will pull that beast out of the mud. Do you get 'Scrapheap challenge' on Australian TV? Sometimes the rough stuff is more fun than doing a tidy job.
- When this drives again and looks 'OK' (let's be realistic...) it will be quite a sense of achievement
- When I take it into a quarry it will not matter if I break it.

So all in all, I can have more fun with this machine than if I found a dry-stored example with 50 miles on the clock...currently the engine is full to the filler cap & bores with diesel.

Regards,
Tom
Portsmouth
UK

Challenge
 

Tom
Never heard of Srapheap Challenge, but I can guess the idea. At least you will have some good "before" photos for the end of the project. Just wondering how big the kids in the background will be when you take the "afters"
Cheerio
Rich.