Humber FV1600

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Richard F
The badging of export only trucks as Commers may be why it is not mentioned in either of the books I have on this series. Think Australia was the only country they were exported to anyway.

Mike
is it not always the way that when you finally find something to buy, others come out of the woodwork.....Must have not dropped enough hints here over the last few years!
Mind you, 32 years on the Humber may not be in unmolested condition anymore. I will be happy to get just one home.
Rich.

[lynx42]

Yes Rich,
Mine is a Commer as well. Someone mentioned it about 18 months ago on MLU but I don't remember who.
Nice to see one without a lot of rust. Mine has a fair bit but not beyond repair. Only 22,000 miles on the clock as well.
Need a set of hood bows, if anyone knows of any.
Thanks Rick.

BTW. MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL.

[S LATHERON (RIP)]

seasons greetings.
I guess the frozen brake could be a combination of things.
1]Older Brake fluid absorb water and expands, looses its viscosity and ability to operate the system properly and causes corrosion inside wheel cylinders in time
2] have you checked the adjustment on the master cylinder. If the push rod that pushes the MASTER piston forwards has stuck in the on position, fluid is trapped in all the wheel cylinders. Locking all the brakes in the on position.
3] The answer to the above may be in the linkage, Or a weak or worn return spring at the master cylinder or seized pivots in linkage due to limited use.
4] I know other owners of vintage vehicles that reset the brake shoes so that they have to travel further inside the drums before making contact with the drum face. Although it means the shoes have further to travel on the first stroke of the brake pedal but this gives better working clearances and less risk of shoes sticking to the drums while parked up for storage.Also as the brake pressure is released the shoes are less likely to bind and cause heat build up
5]As little as a lack of a clean breather hole in the top of the brake master Cylinder resevoir can be fatal.
I had a similar experience with a 1958 military Ex RN land rover station wagon. Drove round a long curve at 50 mph only to find traffic stopped ahead of me. I jumped on brakes and took TO LONG to stop! Finally stopped only when my heart was in my mouth, approx 6 inches off trunk of car in front. On investigation after a rather nervous and slow drive into a side road. i found a hard layer of mud set on top of the vent hole that lets air into the header tank of the brake system. As you apply the brakes the fluid is forced into the pipes, however if air cannot enter to replace the fluid used then there is no way the brakes will work properley as the lack of air causes a vacuum inside the system reducing effieciency. A bristle from a wire brush restores ventilation in seconds.
I hope that you are able to collect your new "Commer" soon and give it the use and TLC it deserves.
PS, In 1974 i joined a chrysler car dealer ship to sell the commercial vehicle range in the north east of the UK, Commer, carrier [Bantam] then the Dodge range of trucks. Humbers were cars only in uk then.
Regards Stephen
F60S LAAT 1944

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Hi Stephen,
Ahhh Land Rover Brakes, that would be one of those oxymorons. Got used to the SII only having brakes on the second push.....
In this case the brake fluid looked like runny brown custard, with large amounts of crud in the cylinders.
The single hydraulic piston sits in a vertical position which helps contamination and crud cement it in place.
Although all four cylinder pistons went from frozen closed, to jammed open with a desperate kick, we were unable to move a single piston hydraulically in the workshop next day. That and the aching thigh muscles showed how heavy my emergency braking had been.
Interesting too is the design that sees the single piston in a "blind" cylinder. Can't knock out through the other end, near impossible to pull out unless the cylinder is in good working condition.
The handbrake system runs a cable to each of these wheel cylinders, but as it actuates the same piston, was also out of action.
thanks for the comments
Rich

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Richard Coutts-Smith

The single hydraulic piston sits in a vertical position which helps contamination and crud cement it in place.

Interesting too is the design that sees the single piston in a "blind" cylinder. Can't knock out through the other end, near impossible to pull out unless the cylider is in good working condition.

Rich,

These are the same wheel cylinders as a Ferret. They are alloy and hence why corrosion can take place, especially if the gasket between backplate and cylinder is not in place or damaged, then water can easily enter. as with all brake systems, if neglected and not checked they can suffer. Once you have the cylinders off the vehicles, clean up the bore that is visible then drop them in a pot of boiling water, for a few minutes, take out, holding it with a leather glove and thump the open end down on a block of wood. This usually frees them, might take several goes at heating and thumping. You could also rig an airline on the pipe connection, but stuff a rag in the open end to save injury.

[lynx42]

This is great info. I've got the same problem, no brakes. So I'm learning without doing anything. I'll look at mine in a month or so.

A funny little aside,
When I went to look at mine before buying it, I was told that it ran like a swiss watch. As smooth as anything. Well.. we started it and it had a bad, bad knock. This knock increased with the increase in engine revs. The owner couldn't beleive it, he said the usual, "Never heard that before" I took that a a sales pitch. Anyway I negotiated down quite a bit as it sounded like a full engine rebuild was needed.
I had the Humber/Commer backloaded to my place on a tiltbed tray truck. After it was unloaded I started it and there was no sign of any knock. It ran as sweet as anything. This was a worry as an intermittant knock is worse than a constant knock.

With the engine at idle I checked out the other controls and all but the brakes worked ok. Then I engaged the tyre pump compressor and low and behold there was that knock again. the tyre pump clattering away. Faster with more revs and slower without. Just like up on that NSW farm.

So who was a luck boy then??

Still the brakes and gaiters are next.
Regards Rick

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Richard F.
Wondered about those special gaskets between the cylinder and backplate, disintegrated when the cylinder was removed, any idea what they were made of originally?
We tried a hot air gun to heat and expand the cylinder, but with little effect, had not thought of boiliing water, but sounds like it will be worthwhile.... of course having the hand brake cable attached the whole time is a little restricting. Did find that part of the trick is to keep the piston perfectly straight in the bore, once it gets cockeyed it jams, and the further it is out, the harder it is to keep true.
Anymore tips??

Rick.
Bob Moseley has some pics of the cylinder if you want to see what you are in for.
Have you tried Rus. Altman at Stawell for hood bows? He has a couple of Humbers amongst all his Champ bits. Could be a good spot to start for the gaiters, I assume yours are hanging of in bits like mine. He does make the ones for Champs, but these are smaller, and you need twice as many. The Bandiana Humber, that Russell did up has, gaiters made out of canvas, this maybe because:
You can put them on without removing the entire wheel station, or
As a museum peice will not move much, or
Impossible to get the proper ones.

Just thinking, ripstop canvas with a velcro seam???? Easy to put on/replace and I would imagine a lot cheaper...
Or would these be the same as Ferret gaiters?
Just remember that we need two sets!
Woner if your Humber was the one that Mike Kelly mentioned...
Rich.