C8A HUM s/n 3844536691 1944

Shayne · #1 19-01-08, 03:20

Radiator.
The radiator looks solid and intact but it could use refurbishing inside and out. So two questions:
Is refurbishing an option? I have enquired about repairs with other vehicles and the cost usually has me purchasing a new one instead.
Which brings me to the second question. Are new radiators available for these for/from other applications?

Paint.
I would like to start painting those parts I've repaired. Is there any way to source the Khaki colour used during manufacture in 1944? There are some places the colour still exists on my truck but they are either not removable or too small to use for computer colour matching... paint shops don't seem to have people who know how to match colours without the aid of a 50,000 dollar machine.
I'm hoping someone has a paint code 'close enough'. I'm considering purchasing Tamiya's Khaki model product and painting a blank then having a paint shop colur match that.

chris vickery · #2 19-01-08, 03:49

Shayne, what you need to find is an old school rad shop- someone who has been rebuilding rads for years.
Any rad can be rebuilt, just a matter of finding a guy willing to take on the challenge. They will typicallly save the top and bottom tanks and fittings and the rest will be new. They will source a new header plate and core to match up. Usually, rads have2,3,4 or more cores. These are the layers of flat cooling tubes that are assembled together to form a core. The more cores (layers) that you have, the more cooling ability.
I had a Ford cmp rad built several years ago, it was expensive but it was bang on and was better than an OEM one. My rad shop upgraded the core by installing 3/4" tubes instead of the original 1/2" ones. They even had to do some custom fabricating to make the new header fit into the old tanks. Considering the work, I think I got it for around $300. Go price a rad for a new Chev or Ford pickup...

As far as paint, a whole other subject that has been beaten to death here on MLU. I suggest you do a search for cmp paint. all will be answered. Maybe Hanno can chime in here, he is usually the guru of searches...

Shayne · #3 19-01-08, 04:37

Thanks Chris.
I find it difficult to search here. IE I cannot search CMP, SCC2, No 3, etc. because they do not meet the minimum requirements.
I did search what I could and found lots of discussion on colours but nothing tangible I can use to order or mix the colours.

Jordan Baker · #4 19-01-08, 07:19

I would personally save up and get the original rad rebuilt. The one in my UC finaly gave out and blew hot steam down my left side while I was driving. That was last of clues I needed to get it fixed. I wouldn't waste my time looking for a modern replacment from another vehicle. You will end up with something that will still need to be changed in order for it to fit.

As Chris says find a place that can do the job and have the best job you can afford done. It cost me about $575 with tax to have it completly rebuilt. New core, top/bottom tanks taken apart and re constructed. Was that a lot of money, yes, however my piece of mind that it wont let me down is priceless. (i know those damn credit card commercials)

As for paint. Lots of threads on this forum about it. Get in touch with Mike Starmer. He has written/ published a number of books on the subject and the best part is that they come with paint chips in the back. I think his last book on NWE paint schemes was about $20-30. Once you have the book simply take the chip in and have them match it.

Shayne · #5 19-01-08, 08:13

Thank you. I did see, in my searches here, references to Starmer's books but was unaware of the chips. Perfect.
I wasn't thinking modern rad I, was thinking that the rad used in these was sourced from GM's inventory and that perhaps a stovebolt rad would be the same...

chris vickery · #6 19-01-08, 13:12

Shayne, I am not sure about the chev rads comparing a cmp one to a civvy one etc but I do know that a Ford cmp rad is its own beast, nothing other than an original is correct.

Grant Bowker · #7 19-01-08, 16:29

I am sure that the CMP radiator support is derived from the part used on the 1940 (and earlier?) civilian 1 ton trucks. That explains the circular cutout in the angled face at the front top. It was originally to allow clearance for the mounting bolt and wiring for headlights. The part numbers for the supports do differ, as you would expect since the CMP ones are cut offs from the civilian pattern. The cuts don't all seem identical so I wonder whether the CMP supports were originally stamped as civilian parts and individually cut off, all similar but not identical. The C15A parts list gives 3 numbers for the radiator support for different serial number ranges, without the note "when stock depleted use number...." so the differences were of some significance to matching the cab assembly.

As to the radiators, you could take the part number(s) from your CMP parts list and go into the Master Parts Lists at www.tocmp.com to see if you find a match to a civilian part (probably not before 1938 or after 1942 but stranger things have happened so you may want to check a wider date range). The C15A parts list has 5 different radiator cores, while the C60L parts book lists 6 different cores (the 5 for the C15A plus a special for the 6 pdr portee). The radiators do have the "when stock depleted use number...." note, except for the difference of whether there was a fitting of the overflow tank.

cletrac (RIP) · #8 19-01-08, 16:53

The rad cores are the same as some civvy Chev or GMC units but the mounts are different but interchangeable. The tanks seem to be the same too. It's fairly easy to sweat the mounts off one rad and solder them on another. If you get into the cab 12s the filler neck is different too.