Humber FV1600

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Ryan, you have been casting your net widely.
Did see this, but am assuming that Tim will have more copies available when I finally get a Humber.
Rich

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

This is on ebay.co.uk right now - Item number: 350043964384 -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=350043964384

Seems to be some kind of press release or brief news article on the prototype Humber truck for the USA, dated April 1951 - also includes a photo of what looks to be an FV1604 radio truck with the body chopped, sitting in a scrapyard in the 1960s or 1970s. The item is in USA but they will ship anywhere -
The picture below has most of the info anyway, but I would love to know where the photo was taken and when.
I was tempted, but I reckon I might be able to buy a missing piece for my old truck for the same price...

[Phil Waterman]

In the picture just posted, reading the caption it mentions secondary suspension, wonder what is secondary suspensions?

Could it be springs in the seat cushions or something more exotic?

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

This pic has been kicking around Epay for a while, as for the secondary suspension, perhaps the resiliantly mounted diff assemblies? Or perhaps the air in the tyres, so that would add up to quadruple suspension? (Certainly more more than a CMP, last time I checked mine did'nt have any at all)
Rich.

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

Interesting! - I had missed this entirely when I skim-read the text so did not pick up on it.
Funny you mention tyres....
I was intrigued so I went straight to an interesting book I have...Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Regulations, Wheeled Vehicles N252, Technical Handbook - Technical Description, Issue 3, 31 May 1966, Distribution - class 131 code 2 - Truck, 1 Ton, GS Cargo, 4x4, Humber MK1, etc. etc.
This describes every component of the vehicle in great detail down to type of iron used for castings etc.
Regarding secondary suspension:
The shock received by the road wheel is partially absorbed by the tyre but the greater part of the shock is absorbed by the torsional resilience of the torsion bar. Since, however, the torsion bar is not a perfect spring, it does not absorb the full shock and a certain upward movement of the chassis fram is caused at this point. (which means you do actually notice the bump !)When the shock is of such magnitude that the upper link meets the bump buffer, the action of the compressed buffer expanding in the steel cup progressively increases the resistance and absorbs part of the shock
So it is really the rubber cones in cups - (more than just bump-stops), but the tyres are stated as a factor too. This is not the same on all vehicles - recently changed the bump-stops on my Jeep Cherokee and they were hard blocks with no 'cup' - stop the axle smashing into the chassis but no more than that...
Re. the shock absorbers, the manual states that these are dual action (unlike lever-arm shocks) because the 'torsion bars do not have inherent damping effect of leaf springs'.
A lot of this stuff would be taken for granted on a more modern vehicle but on a truck from 1950 all this was a big deal, and very different to the cart springs still widely in use then and still used on Landrovers up to the '80s!
Regards,
Tom
Portsmouth, UK

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

Hi - I hope this is OK, but I heard via the other forum that after a clear-out, Clive had a radiator and gearbox available very reasonably priced only about 35 miles from me. I even saw a picture, so I am hopping with excitement. My truck (02BK09) has no Rad at all and is missing the whole top plate/selector mechanism from the gearbox - it has been open for ages so probably shot anyway! - so these would get me closer to rolling under my own steam.
I messaged via the site but not sure if it got through or not -
I know that these may be sold already, but there was a possibility that if nobody wanted them the scrapman would get them!!
So I thought I would post on here.

Hi Clive, if these bits are still available I would jump in my car right now!

I sometimes don't read this forum for a few weeks at a time...so if anyone else is in touch with Clive please let him know that someone wants the stuff if it is still available. I can live with someone else having it but missing it to scrap would keep me awake at night (heck, I'm awake now - it's past midnight! I'm off to bed.)
Regards,
Tom
Portsmouth, UK
07879 422701
023 92372 722
tom1087@hotmail.com

[da bomb]

I have a spare humber chassis complete with most of the drivetrain/running gear, except the engine, which is FUBAR! i have a G.S. truck radiator complete and in very very good condition if you are interested.
Please P.M. me if you still require one, or if you have any other bits and bobs you need.

I am holding on to alot of the mechanical stuff like the box, as a spare for my Pig, although i am led to believe that they are slightly different ratio.