humber box

[champer 10]

Uncovered this from a friends garage, any ideas anybody. Supposedly a humber box.

[Rootes75 22]

Looks more Humber Snipe Utility than the Heavy, any photos of the from bodywork which would shed more light?

[Nick Johns 26]

It is not a Humber Box 4x4, ...it appears to be a military Humber Snipe 2 wheel drive chassis, with 900x13 tyres, there were military  Woody utility estate versions, but  this is not a military body, more likely its been rebodied post war with a longer and higher civilian coachbuilt 2 door body, the military Humber utilities were 4 door and used the steel bulhead and windscreen of the Snipe car as show in the photo below

 

Edited September 13, 2020 by Nick Johns

[champer 10]

Thanks for your replies, it has the roo bar high front bar like the heavy utility but its 4x2, the A pillar is more vertical the rear wheel arches  and the wiper motor is at the top of the screen, although the wheels look the same this has sand tyres and it looks slightly longer. I think your idea it has been re bodied sounds good Nick Johns it gives us a starting point. We will get the front wings etc out from inside it and it might shed more light on it. It does look good though!

[Rootes75 22]

Its a good looking project, very interesting!

[Runflat 14]

Almost certainly a post war body.  Does it have a front brush guard across the radiator?  If so, it's probably an 8cwt that's been converted.

Edit: Just re-read the earlier post saying that does have the brush guard, so it would be a 8cwt conversion.

Edited September 12, 2020 by Runflat

[Nick Johns 26]

11 hours ago, Runflat said:

Almost certainly a post war body.  Does it have a front brush guard across the radiator?  If so, it's probably an 8cwt that's been converted.

Edit: Just re-read the earlier post saying that does have the brush guard, so it would be a 8cwt conversion.

 not only the brush guard, the Rear wings on the garage find are from the 8cwt too,  agree its built on a Snipe 8cwt chassis, see pic in link below

https://encyclopedie-des-armes.com/index.php/unites-mobiles/vehicules-legers/929-lorry-8-cwt-4-x-2-ffw-humber

Edited September 13, 2020 by Nick Johns

[champer 10]

Excellent information, thank you. The next thing is to loosely construct the front panels to see what they look like, clear a bit more space around it and take some more pictures, it will probably be next weekend, i'll try and put them on next week.

[Rootes75 22]

Look forward to seeing pictures of the front end. Interesting project.

[champer 10]

I spent weeks trying to talk myself out of this, failed! Its now in my shed, be a month or so before I can start. It looks like Runflat and Rootes75 are correct in it being an 8cwt converted post war, it has the PTO on the gearbox. The engine is seized and the radiator is missing with the frame to mount the radiator. The rear of the garage leaked, its the only vehicle I have bought with extensive wet rot, so probably the rear bisector wheel cylinders will be shot. I would like to meet somebody that has one to take pictures and measurements to fabricate the missing metal work. I will be taking plenty of pictures, maybe an article in windscreen then get it out to the shows. The front is only propped on to take pictures  

[Runflat 14]

Have a chat with the Norfolk MVT group - one of their members has a Humber 8cwt they rebuilt from a post war woodie conversion a bit like yours:   https://www.nmvg.org/about

Nice project!!  And with a PTO an FFW version as well.

[champer 10]

Thanks for that, I have seen pictures in windscreen from Norfolk and its a lead I intend following, covid 19 allowing!

Even though its got the PTO I think I will keep it as a woody.

[johann morris 51]

That's a grand looking vehicle and a really nice project. My wife likes it a lot.

Jon

[champer 10]

So does mine, keeps me out from under her feet! at least that what she says. Will definately be out to shows in it, but it could take a while.

[rupert condick 10]

Hi

i cannot find the post on this site But it was for a humber restoration,

they found this number.

 

I found this out

 

maybe this helps, does  someone knows who it was.

regs

rupert

[champer 10]

Removed the cylinder head a couple of days ago, bores were rusty but not too bad, 2 pistons had holes in the side where a ring had broken and eaten its way out. Did a bit of number recovery from the heavily rusted and pitted chassis plate as per u-tube. Managed to just see the first 4 numbers of a 7 number code, it confirms it's a super snipe dated 1940, and matches a plate from the body which also gives me the contract number which was issued in 1940. Need to get my land rover finished then I can get stuck in. Anybody got a six cylinder side valve 4.1 litre Humber Pullman engine?  

[Richard Farrant 50]

56 minutes ago, champer said:

Removed the cylinder head a couple of days ago, bores were rusty but not too bad, 2 pistons had holes in the side where a ring had broken and eaten its way out. Did a bit of number recovery from the heavily rusted and pitted chassis plate as per u-tube. Managed to just see the first 4 numbers of a 7 number code, it confirms it's a super snipe dated 1940, and matches a plate from the body which also gives me the contract number which was issued in 1940. Need to get my land rover finished then I can get stuck in. Anybody got a six cylinder side valve 4.1 litre Humber Pullman engine?  

I have rebuilt some of those engines and the block is the same on on Commer and Humber  vehicles of the period, the flywheels and flywheel housings vary but they will swap over. I have had the blocks linered so you can go back to Standard bores if need be.

[champer 10]

Thanks for that information Richard, hopefully it won't be too much longer when I can get on it full time. I know there is at least one tooth missing from the ring gear at the starter position, probably where somebody had a big lever trying to turn the engine over. 

[Rootes75 22]

My advice is give Speedy Soares a call if you are after Rootes parts. They have found loads for my 42 Commer, they are in lockdown but are still trying to find me a starter ring for the 6-cylinder flat petrol engine.

Edited January 9 by Rootes75

[Bob Grundy 13]

There is a company or one man band in Devon who supplied me with a starter ring for a Armstrong Siddeley. For the life of me I cannot remember his name but he was very helpful.

[wally dugan 42]

HI BOB it may have been IAN WONACOT at classic spares always good for hard to find bits

[champer 10]

Thanks everybody, certainly gives me places to try. I do have a scrap engine with a flywheel and ring gear, beyond rescue though, it has 146 teeth, 3/8" thick and 13 3/16" i/d. Really looking forward to getting started .

[Alan MacDonald 1]

Does anyone have any idea how many Humber FWD's exist in Australia?

We have one that my father bought from the southern inland of Qld years ago. Unfortunately, my father died last year, so I can't ask him.

The story we were told was that it had been bought out to Australia as a vehicle for filming a movie set in the desert, possibly a Charles Chauvel film.

I don't have any serial numbers to hand. cheers.

 

Edited March 8 by Alan MacDonald

[rupert condick 10]

Hi Alan

that is an interesting vehicle,

do you have any better pictures? I am looking at refugee cargo chasing the history of our Austin Ambo, and other's, So any British Army stuff (WW2 Korea) that turns up over here,

I am a bit interested, Queensland being one of the places of interest.

 

regs

rupert

[rupert condick 10]

Hi Alan

did you get my message? as my screen when blank.

regs

Rupert