HUP project started at last

[Jonathan Moore]

Hi,
I am new to the forum, so Hello to all and thanks for letting me join.

This is my first CMP which i bought through milweb, its been discussed on this forum before, back in july 2010, under the heading of "new CMP Owner". The Consensous of opinion, seemed to be that it started life as a HUP and at some stage was lengthened. The wheel base at present is 120". My intention is to return it to a HUP, if that is how it started life, so any Help would be gratefully appreciated. It is a major operation as, apart from the chassis, there is little left of the original vehical and what is left has been badly restored using wood where the steel has rotted away. Anyway to start with ive attached some pictures from the last post in 2010 and one of as it is today and yes the camera can lie but i love it just the same.

Your opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks

Jonathan

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

My opinion is that you would be OK if you have access to and are handy with sheet metal (at less than full shop rates) and providing the frame can be made safe. These bodies are all angle and sheet metal but to build a body from scratch would be a lot of work. I has been done though. You'd have to consider new made doors (with a pressed star on pattern on the inside if you are a purist) and cast hinges for them as well. The other big missing piece is the sliding roof hatch that is complicated and has a batch of cast parts. The rear body has bench seats and expanded metal bins that wouldn't be too hard to make. In the end you'd have once of the nicest CMP's out there.

What's the body you have on there now? Is is a Brit. wireless Body? Is there anything left on the inside? There might be other desirable options...

[Jonathan Moore]

Hello Bruce and thanks for the reply. I know its a lot of work but i am confident that i can tackle it. The hardest part, to start with, is obtaining information, dimensions and detailed photos that are good enough for me to scale from if the actual dimensions are not available. I have already collected many photos from the net that show how the body was constructed, although all of these are from past renovations and not original factory pictures they give enough information but of course, lack dimensions. Its going to be interesting.

The back is apparently off of a Austin K9 and has been stripped out and reequipped as living space. I dont know how much it weighs but judging by the weight of the back door, quite a bit and it dosnt appear to be doing the rear springs any good. As i say its going to be interesting, so any help, how ever little, will be appreciated and if anyones got any front seats and bases for sale then let me know.

Jonathan

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Jonathan,

Welcome to this forum and the wonderful world of CMPs! You have taken on quite a challenge if you want to rebuild your truck back to C8A HUP configuration, but anything can be done of course. I would advise to start collecting information and parts and in the meantime use the CMP as-is.

There is a spare C8A frame available here on MLU, maybe it's an idea to buy that and start building the body, and then transfer the mechanicals onto it once you finished the bodywork?

Anyway, here's the link to the earlier thread on this truck on MLU plus the for sale thread for the other members to see what you got.

Regards,
Hanno

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Moore

Hello Bruce and thanks for the reply. I know its a lot of work but i am confident that i can tackle it. The hardest part, to start with, is obtaining information, dimensions and detailed photos that are good enough for me to scale from if the actual dimensions are not available. I have already collected many photos from the net that show how the body was constructed, although all of these are from past renovations and not original factory pictures they give enough information but of course, lack dimensions. Its going to be interesting.

The back is apparently off of a Austin K9 and has been stripped out and reequipped as living space. I dont know how much it weighs but judging by the weight of the back door, quite a bit and it dosnt appear to be doing the rear springs any good. As i say its going to be interesting, so any help, how ever little, will be appreciated and if anyones got any front seats and bases for sale then let me know.

Jonathan

I have a HUW in the garage so accurate body dimensions and details are available (though it might cost you sourcing out a part or two in the UK in exchange...fair warning!!)

Also a spare sliding roof hatch with a big dent in it. No idea whether it's worth shipping from Canada.

[Alex van de Wetering]

Jonathan,

Congrats on the purchase. Indeed your truck has been discussed a number of times on this forum. Even though it's a mix and match I quite like the look, but than again from what I have heard the conversion is pretty rough (?). Anyway, converting it back to a HUP might not be easy, but I agree it is a worthwile project. (a lot of the restored HUPs you see nowadays have partially scratchbuilt bodies as a lot of them were cut into Pickups in post-war life)

The HUW chassis Hanno mentions should be an excellent start for your project. It is now at forum member Maurice' yard near Maastricht, Holland. We'd have to contact him to ask if it is still available. With "Arnhem" coming up in a few weeks, maybe you can combine it with a chassis pickup?

You will find on the forum that member Kostas and also the Hammond crew are currently restoring Heavy Utilities. Apart from Bruces offer, there might be some parts available in the UK and Canada from other forum members.

Alex

[Jonathan Moore]

What a response! Thanks to everyone.
The best part of my Vehicle is the chassis which i intend to keep and reuse. My original idea had been to use the vehicle, as it is, while i renovate my Steyr but i dont consider it safe and just thats my opinion. It has now jumped the que and will be in the workshop next. Any offers of spares would be gratefully appreciated although shipping from Canada could be expensive but if theres stuff on offer i may try. The engine appears to be ok and after rebuilding the carb it now starts first time and it drives, which is a bonus. Iam all geared up and ready to start and when i get home from Military Oddesey in Kent and first off i will be removing the back body and start reworking the chassis. Ill let you know how it goes.

Jonathan

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Jon.
You project sounds like something that Bruce Parker and our Founder,Geof Winnington-Ball a.k.a. "JIF",for all you new members that never had the opportunity of knowing or meeting our founder..
Jif and Bruce grew up together as I understand it...and when they were lads,would love playing army....
Jif would always be the officer and Bruce the lowly grunt...and they did some great restoration projects and recovery projects together in the early years..long before MLU or the internet was even a gleam in someones eye..\
With Bruce rolling around in the mud and the grease,and Jif giving him instructions and direction,not a speck of dirt anywhere on him, while sucking on a long neck,they were life long friends..so Bruce is a good mentor for you..
Jif passed away long before his time should have been but he had built this MLU website and left a legacy that we all use daily.

It is only a suggestion but maybe we should all write a piece about our time with Jif and our memories of him..send them all to one person to edit and put together and put it on this forum in a special place so that newbies are required to read it before being signed up.. so the new members could have some historical background on MLU>.
Just a thought but I remember JIF in many ways..
Any comments..??

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Alex Blair

It is only a suggestion but maybe we should all write a piece about our time with Jif and our memories of him..send them all to one person to edit and put together and put it on this forum in a special place so that newbies are required to read it before being signed up.. so the new members could have some historical background on MLU>.
Just a thought but I remember JIF in many ways..
Any comments..??

Alex,

Great idea! Please start posting your memories in the thread Rest In Peace, Geoff Winnington-Ball. Once there is sufficient material, I can edit the web page found at http://www.mapleleafup.net/about.html

Thanks in advance,
Hanno

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Moore

The best part of my Vehicle is the chassis which i intend to keep and reuse.

Jonathan,

Since you have a lot of rebuilding to do anyway but have a full cab plus chassis, what about rebuilding it as a C8AX? See C8AX production for more info. That version of the Chevrolet C8A has a full cab plus a rear body which is easier to replicate (IIRC plans are available) than the Heavy Utility body. Plus you will have something different as there are hardly - if any - C8AX's in W.Europe.

Just a thought

Hanno

[Jonathan Moore]

Hello Alex and thanks for the reply.

I personally would write down your memories and publish them on the forum. Once someone dies these memories will be lost forever. Any information no matter how trivial it may seem at the time, will be of value to others in the future.

Are there any books that you would recommend on CMPs in general?

Jonathan

[Jonathan Moore]

Hi Hanno,

As i said in my first post "the camera does lie". The cab is a fabrication in the loosest sense of the word. The top section of the rear panel looks like it comes from a 1980's Daihatsu 4x4, the bottom section is just sheet steel and the two have been welded and filled together, very badly. The roof section, well... i could go on but theres little point. It just looks better from the outside than it does on the in or, in real life. So i havnt got a cab as such, just the front lower section and a lot of work. The easy way, if thats the right phrase, would be a C8AX but if i am going to do the project then i might as well reconstruct it to its original specification.

And to tell the truth i am looking forward to the challenge.

Jonathan

[Markwin Serlui]

Congratulations on your buy Jonathan!
Hope you have sime GOOD times with it

[Jonathan Moore]

Hi All,

Well after some considerable time i am ready to start rebuilding my CMP HUP. I had a couple of other projects to finish first, a VW Kubelwagen and a DKWSB200 motor bike, both of which are now complete. So its on with the HUP.

Just to recap. I bought the vehicle some months ago, the chassis had been lengthened by about 18" and a radio body welded to the back. I put some pictures on this site and the consensus of opinion was that originally the vehicle had been a HUP. I ve removed the radio body and the old girl is now in the dry. The first job was to remove the fabricated back to the cab and see what was left of the original body work. Ive attached some pictures, one of which is the pillar behind the front doors, it shows signs of having a set of hinges attached. This is apparent on both sides of the body.

My next job is to shorten the chassis but more importantly, i need to start planning to build the floor structure. Ive collected lots of pictures from the net so i know what it looks like but what i really need, are dimensions, from strut to strut, corner radii and anything else. So if there is anyone who has this information or can tell me where i can get it i would be very grateful.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Jonathan Moore]

I thought after i had posted it that i had better put a picture of the floor structure so that you all know what i am talking about. Thanks in advance and ill try and keep you all posted as i go along.

Reagrds,

Jonathan

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Jonathan

If you need more pictures or higher resolution for more detail let me know and I'll post them.

Cheers Phil

[Jonathan Moore]

Phil,

Thanks for the reply. If you have got any high resolution pictures of the base structure or any other aspects of the vehicle then they would be more than welcome. If you want me to pay for the postage etc then just let me know.

Regards and thanks,

Jonathan

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Jonathan

Do you have high speed internet if so I'll just post them on a new page in my web site and send the link?

Probably have 50 or so picture all 2048x1536 pixels file size each 1.5MB
so only really help on high speed.

Cheers Phil

[Jonathan Moore]

Phil,

Give it a go please. In theory we have a high speed link but this is the UK.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Phil Waterman]

Hi

I'll set up a page and start uploading the pictures, once it is up I post the URL.

Cheers Phil

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Jonathan

Uploaded all 150 photos related to the HUP Body from my recent overhaul, as I said these are all size as taken. So if your connection and the server cooperate hit the link then go get a cup of coffee, while it loads.

http://canadianmilitarypattern.com/H...Y%20PHOTOS.htm

Hope that some them are of use.

Also as a general note I'm working on a rework of my web site to make it easier to find things one major improvement will be adding a search feature to the site. I'll let people know when the modifications are up and working. For now http://canadianmilitarypattern.com/ is still in the old format.

Cheers Phil

[Jonathan Moore]

Phil,

What can i say apart from thanks. I had to sit in the cupboard under the stairs and plug directly into the net as the wireless connection was rubbish but i got there in the end. I know from experience that those pictures will be a major source of information and i am so grateful to you for sharing them with me.

Regards and thanks,

Jonathan

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Jonathan

Glad the photos will be of help and I'm very glad to help. Just consider it sort of paying it forward for all the people who helped me with information on my HUP when I got so many years ago.

I've got something like 4000 HUP photo from my overhaul project, so if you have questions about something not covered in those pictures let me know and I'll go looking for another shot.

Good luck with the project.

Cheers Phil

[Peter Hommes]

That is a great amount of work to build from nothing a complete HUP body. Ever considered to make a HUW body (as radio man I always think in radios) or was it originally a HUP.

Peter
http://www.milmarket.org

[Jonathan Moore]

Hello Peter,

From the previous conversations on this site, the chassis, the fact that it had hindges on the back side of the door pillar and whats left of the floor configuration it started life as a HUP. Its only my theory but i think it was then converted to a breakdown truck and then eventually had the back lengthened and radio body added. I had thought about the easy route but No, if it started life as a HUP then that is what its going to be. I know its a lot of work but worth it in the end or ill end up in a straight jacket. The hardest part is gathering all the info, its out there but getting it, thats what takes the time.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Peter Hommes]

what for information are you looking for i may be able to help out. I have access to at least 4 HUP's and one HUW.

Peter
http://www.milmarket.org

[Jonathan Moore]

Hi Peter,

Well, to start with thanks for the offer and i mean a big thanks. Ive attached a couple of drawings if anyone can fill in the dimensions i would be very greatful. The drawing are not to scale and i hope that you can understand them. If anyone out there has any drawings of doors anything else they would all be welcome.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Jonathan Moore]

Hi All,

The weather here in the UK has been snowy and generally rubbish so ive been using it as an excuse to hibernate down the workshop and avoid doing all the jobs that i should be doing. Well ive been motoring along. The chassis that had been lengthened by 18" has been cut and rejoined, the front drive shaft has been shortened and a new drive shaft, that goes between the gearbox and the transfer box has been constructed.

The roof of the cab had been fabricated from bits of steel box section and wood, so that had to go. Actually when i measured it the cab was 3" wider at the top than it was at the bottom. When i removed the floor panels the reason was obvious, all the cross struts under the cab floor had been removed and of course there was no longer the rear bulkhead to keep it all square. I have cut out what remained of the strange shaped cross strut at the rear of the cab, fabricated a new one and welded it in. A new bulk head has been fabricated and that too is now in place.

My thoughts now have turned to the windscreen outer frame, this again had been replaced but was far from the original in both design and size. So here is one of many questions. The outer windscreen frame is a seperate unit from the rest of the front bulk head. The fabricated outer frame that i removed, was bolted in place via the two top door hinge bolts. There is no evidence that one had ever been welded on to the top of the bulkhead on either of the sides or the middle. So is this frame ment to be a seperate unit? Ive attached a picture of the rectangular holes that the outer sections go into.

Could i ask someone to check a dimension for me if thats possible. I need to know what the dimension is from the cab floor to the top of the pillar behind the drivers door, to where the roof would sit. I dont know if mine has been messed with and i would hate to finish things and find out that the roof was 1" lower than it should be. Has anyone got details of the windscreen opening bosses, the ones that are attached to the outer frame two on the middle pillar and one on each outer post. And
Lastly if anyone could add some dimensions to my sketch i would be really gratefull.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Jonathan Moore]

Hi,

Sorry i didnt realise that there was a limit on the number of pictures per post, so here are the others.

Regards,

Jonathan

[hrpearce]

Yes the windscreen frame does bolt in with the door hinges and two small bolts in the centre.