Humber FV1600

[fv1620]

If I read it correctly it looks like 16 BK 39 sold off in 1964 for £140. It must have been a good one because it sold for double what most of them were going for at the time.

Not seen it in recent years, so perhaps its not a survivor.

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Couple of Humber questions that I need some help with.
1/ Bottom Pic.
There are two hinged brackets that sit on the lower section of the storage rack (Part no. FV228911) that do not appear in the parts cat., drivers manual or mechanical manuals. They have had a strap riveted to them, now rotted off. The parts book mentions 2 straps 17 1/4in. long for this area. I have always assumed that this strap was used in conjunction with the mystery brackets to either hold down the canvas frame tubes, or for storage of the canvas cover itself. However, the length of the straps would appear to be too short, and the absence of the bracket in the parts book makes me wonder if this part has not been nicked from something else, and I am being led down the garden path. Does anyone know any better?

2/ The seat cushion shown in the parts book pic, (numbered 14,15) has a wooden base that sits over the locker lid, held in place at the rear end with two winged bolts. There are two flat staple brackets between the front and rear locker covers, are these used as a mounting device for the front end of the seat? Has anyone actually seen this setup? I did see the remains of a rotted out seat years ago, but I considered it was in too poor a state at the time to bother taking a photo of. Fool!

Any help gratefully received.
Rich.

[fv1620]

Richard greetings, I want to help but I'm having difficulty orientating myself to the lower picture, have you got a wider shot to show a bit more please? Bear in mind my GS has long since rotted away & having difficulty getting a feel to the problem.

Have I understood you correctly that you have a part marked FV228911 but it is not in the parts book or is it the hinged brackets that sit on FV228911?

I can't find FV228911 in the 1952 or 1960 editions nor in the copious amendments that were regularly issued for both. Although the 1952 edition is nothing like comprehensive & is not illustrated.

But I wonder whether the shortfall is that the trucks were originally designated CT & as economies were forced on the production certain unspecified features were done away with & they were then classed as GS.

Very early circuit diagrams show turn lights (of a type later used on the FV1609) as you know turn lights you see on Humbers are after service mods. So I wonder if the things you are having difficulty with are related to the CT to GS downgrade?

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Hi Clive,
You're right, I could have described the situation a little better. Hoop and part in question have just been stripped and painted, too sticky for a new pic, hopefully I have been able to enlarge the previous image.
This bracket is part hinge, and folds down 90 deg. (to the rear). There is another in the same location on the drivers side of the hoop). On disassembly, after posting yesterday, I realised that the webbing strap remains were doubled over when riveted, giving two ends. This would then make it possible to pass one end up and over the stowed sections, and back to a buckle on the other end.
So I think I know how it worked, but still do not know if the bracket is original, an Aussy mod, or something else. I do know that if you don't secure the stowed tubes they do tend to disappear on rough roads.....
My manual/catalogue images show a much simpler arrangement of the front hoop itself, as can be seen in the pic I used for the seat query.

On another note, 7 years ago you showed a copy of the Commer Manual, found my own copy last month! Few differences I noted, including the snorkel arrangement.
Regards
Rich.

[fv1620]

Afraid I can't come up with anything Rich. Just wondered if there was a Mod that would cover the area. Most of the EMER Mods relate to Pigs & the earlier GS Mods No.1 -31 were cancelled & destroyed. However after many years of searching I found just an index for these that escaped destruction. Unfortunately none of them cover what you are after, unless there was a E&MEI (AUS)?

Well done on the Commer manual, the imprint suggests to me there were only 250 printed. Where are the 248 copies?

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Thanks for looking Clive, I appreciate it as always.
There is precious little over here on the Humber in Aussy service, certainly never seen anything relating to official mods over here, apart from the step to protect the fuel tank neck maybe.
250 copies..... for a run of 158 Commers, I think there will be plenty to go around for sometime to come! Anyway, all the important people have a copy.....
Cheerio
Rich.

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

It appears that there are two different seat styles used in combination for the Humber tub, as can be seen in the drawing a couple of posts back. I have used owners privilege to fit
four matching seats bases, instead of two.
The seat covers are NOS, so the seat size is accurate, as is the shape (rectangle with tapered rear corners and no backrest. As the rotted original I saw years ago had a wood frame and what appeared to be the old style Dunlopillow cushion, with a rusted bracket at one end, I came up with the following.
According to the parts book each of the rear seats was held in place by two wingbolts, and as there are two captive nuts in just the right position, I have made a bracket to suit. The front seats are held in place with a bracket utilising the existing staple type fittings.
Information regarding the seating in the back of the Humber for the Australian Army is non-existent, so this will have to do in the meantime.