restoration Simca Marmon SUMB V8 No. 17310

[g0ozs]

Dear All

 

I bought another SUMB as a donor for the missing rear body parts on my other project SUMB - it turns out to be in much better condition so I am now going to work on No. 17310 first. I went up to East Keale in Lincolnshire a week ago Friday with Phil from Taylor Commercials at Haughley (a pleasure to work with!) and retrieved it home to get the roof off so it will go in my barn (8 foot clearance vs 8 foot 10 inches high to the top of the hoops). The defects found so far on this one are:

 

 

 

• Poor idling (vendor thought one cylinder not firing and supplied spare set of plugs)
  
• Brake fluid reservoir empty (I expect normal leaking wheel cylinder seals that I saw on every SUMB I worked on so far)
  
• Indicator switch replaced with a modern toggle and 2 or 4 lamps not flashing (front right and rear left I think) and dashboard indicator mimic lights not working
  
• Brake lights not working (I suspect the microswitch on the end of the air assisted slave cylinder is U/S same as my first SUMB) and will likely replace it with a pedal switch
  
• One original French and one UK headlight so dipping wrong way
  
• Bottom edge of one door rotten with rust
  
• RH edge U-channel of the load bed rusted through for much of the length
  
• Missing LH headlamp retaining ring
  
• One flat battery (7V on headlamp load after 24H charge)
  
• Michelin ZXL tyres have sidewall cracking (as ever - I only buy Continentals or Uniroyals now)
  
• Fitted with 2 off 065 batteries one in each box rather than 2 x 038 batteries in each box - non standard cabling as a result needs reverting to original
  
• Both front windscreens cracked (I have spares)
  
• Steering wheel play seems excessive (I know where there is a spare steering gear box)
  
• Brake pipes look corroded (I'll probably let the MoT garage take care of that before presenting it for test!)
  

 

 

On the plus side the engine starts and runs better than my old first V8 SUMB on a good day as long as I keep the hand throttle above idle, there is a good roof, the back door added by the gunbus conversion is mechanically sound, the electrical wiring harness is intact, the cab is largely rust free (I think because of earlier repairs by the vendor) and the V5 information matches the vehicle.

 

In other words nothing that a bit of welding, new brake pipes, a piece of steel channel, a new set of brake seals and redirection of the parts stockpiled for No 18595 wont cure

 

I plan to equip this one as a motor caravan to simplify future MoT (it is was imported by "The Army Farm" and registered 1972 which is consistent with the end of the SUMB production run whereas most or the Gunbus Company ones with KASxxx registrations are registered as 1959 which was the first prototype - from my research the truth is in between with most of the 10,000 or so military SUMBs made between 1962 and 1970). It was originally registered as agricultural and lived on a Lincolnshire farm, so MoT will be a new experience for it.

 

My daughter insists we get it ready for Beltring next year rather than sleep in the 12x12 tent again (it leaked in the storm night this year)! I already have most of the bits needed in store (hob/sink unit, chemical toilet, water tank) and can build the table, seats and beds, but will need to get side windows added to the tilt to complete the DVLA check list for a DIY motor home conversion at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/412160/Registering_a_DIY_Caravan.pdf . Does anyone in Suffolk or nearby do that kind of work currently ?

 

I attach a couple of photos from the e-Bay listing as a "before" record of the vehicle condition. I plan on keeping the back door but adding a skin to keep the weather out. The fixed steps have been removed as they will be a nuisance on road (and make the truck too long to fit in the barn!) - I have a much lighter aluminium set in stock

 

 

I have now got the hoops off (after drilling out a few bolts added by the gunbus conversion that were completely solid) and just have to sort the battery so I can drive it onto the flatbed and off into the barn before getting Taylors back to shift it.

 

Iain

Edited October 6, 2015 by g0ozs
Add "on the plus side"

[fesm_ndt]

Congrats, as it does look fairly tidy :-D

[Enigma]

Amazing how many manufacturers of MV's there are/were and how the more or less design the same vehicle even thoug they may be quite different.

Edited October 11, 2015 by Enigma

[g0ozs]

I think the SUMB owes more inspiration to the Unimog than anything else - it was designed in 1959 and produced until the early 1970s so rather later than the first Unimogs or the Humber 1 Ton or Austin K9.

 

In some ways it is very conservative (sharing the V8 4.2l flathead 110hp engine, Bendix drum brakes and much of its electrical system with older vehicles in French service at the time). In other ways it is quite advanced - noticeably portal axles, coil springs all round, floating cab mounted on rubber shock mounts, and an easily reconfigured completely flat rear body without wheel arches and fitted with quick change seats and attachments for cargo or containerised communications payloads.

 

When compared with the British contemporaries I think only the Humber 1 ton really has a similar specification and the SUMB outlasted the Humber, the Austin K9, US M37 and indeed the later CUCV or Landrover 101 in service so it was a reasonably good design on a par with the Unimog 404.

 

They are the right size for my use as a "self propelled tent" and I like them. After 50 years or so they do have standard faults - particularly around the fuel system and brakes, and the bottom edges of the double skinned cab and doors are prone to rust through from the inside. But the steel and wood structure lasts better than steel and aluminium and I have not seen chassis corrosion on any of the three I own or have owned. 17310 already has an electric fuel pump fitted so I think the idling issue may be due to mixture or plugs. The brake seals are easily replaced - they seem to be the same size as more readily obtained M35 Reo ones.

 

Iain

[g0ozs]

Sorry for lack of progress reporting! We got the vehicle moved from my back garden to the barn today (no doubt to the relief of the neighbours!) so it is now dry stored and I can work on it in the evenings. Three more things to add to the defect list:

 

 

 

1. Parking brake (cable operated shoes and drum operating on back of transfer box) not effective on flat bed recovery vehicle when tipped - suspect needs cable adjusting or worn shoes replaced
   
2. Idle Mixture wrong - even when starting it feels like I should push the choke 1/2 inch inside the dashboard ! I suspect this may be linked to there being an electric fuel pump fitted - possibly getting too much fuel at low revs ? I think I shall be soon referring to the Zenith Carburettor info I dug out for someone else on HMVF - I have a French colleague at work so if I get it translated I will post the results here for the benefit of others
   
3. Exhaust manifolds look very rusty. I see used and NOS Ford V8 ones on E-Bay but I don't know enough to be sure they will fit the French V8 block - does anyone know a company in the UK that can make them to match a removed part as a pattern ? Somewhere in East Anglia preferably !
   

 

 

What is a bit odd is that the electric pump is 12V - how it gets a supply in the 24V SUMB I have yet to discover - I suspect it may be connected (literally and logically) to an observation that the 0 to 12V battery of the pair goes flat overnight I need to look inside the modified main switch box on the dashboard soon - I just disconnected the batteries for now.

 

I have a welder lined up to fix the rust and will borrow the doors and windows from the other SUMB No. 18595 in order to get this one working. I also got back some of the tyres and brake parts for that one today so am better placed to progress with 17310. Next time I am at the barn with a flash camera I will do some photos.

 

Iain

[g0ozs]

Now up for sale - please see post in "for sale" thread

[g0ozs]

Now on its way to a new home in Devon (along with the other one, for spares). The buyer contacted me as a result of posting on HMVF so I will make a donation ...