2009 at the Hammond Barn

[Gunner]

Rob:

Finally able to find some MLU time for me-self!!!

Congrats on the acquisition... you may now style yourself; "HUP Bookender": the prototype and one of the last ones made! Wow!

With Brian holding the lifelong title of "HUP Meister", perhaps we should call you, "Unter HUP Meister, or perhaps "Stafs Feld HUP Meister".

Looking forward to seeing the wee beasties side by each!

from sunny Kenya!

Mike

[RHClarke]

We all know that...but what I meant was that Bob enjoyed the company of visitors this weekend past. Bob may post some info on this later.

On Sunday I pretty much had the barn to myself. The next step in the HUP restoration process was the refurbishing and fitting of the headlight pots (or pans if you wish). The original pots for my HUP were in sad shape, but there now seems to be plenty of spare HUP parts around, so I cleaned up and painted a pair of replacements.

Clockwise from top left - replacement pot (prior to clean up and painting), finished opening, end result and clips installed:


While the freshly painted pots dried in the warm breeze (which kept Phil's bugs down to a minimum), I opened the gasket kit for the pots, which I got via Grant. I think he ordered the kits from Jim Carters. The gaskets fit perfectly and the kit included new fast nuts/clips and odd metal screws that had a weird slot pattern. Bob stopped by and we put the roto-tiller onto the tractor - part of his "honey-do" list. After that task, he inspected my work and indicated that the screws were "secure" screws that required a special bit. I found some normal screws in the barn and fitted both pots to the nose.

The trouble with the fuel pump sight glass continued. I test fit a non sight glass fuel pump to the block and it did not want to fit properly. Can't say why...even if it fit there would still be interference from the linkage arm. So, I took the arm into the shop for some grinding, but came to the realization that I had to shift the whole mechanism to the right about 1/8th inch (the lugs are quite "delicate" and did not offer too much room for filing). Next weekend, I'll cut off the existing mounting lugs and weld them so that I get the necessary clearance.

To finish the morning off with a small victory, I found two hold downs and mounted them to the nose.



I like the results and remain encouraged about the spring roll out...

[cmperry4]

- and I was calling those things headlight baskets. I got all the new bits for mine, found one of them dinged, however the heck that would have happened. Cleaning up and reinstalling them is one of my next jobs when I get back at it. Got a fence to build, though.

[RHClarke]

Originally Posted by Gunner

Rob: Congrats on the acquisition... you may now style yourself; "HUP Bookender": the prototype and one of the last ones made! Wow! With Brian holding the lifelong title of "HUP Meister", perhaps we should call you, "Unter HUP Meister, or perhaps "Stafs Feld HUP Meister".
Looking forward to seeing the wee beasties side by each! Mike

Gunner,

Good to hear from you. I suspect you have been prowling the local area for rusted steel hulks (and, one might presume, doing the MTAP thing). When is your RTU in Canada?

I bought the prototype for the express purpose of having two restored (eventually) "bookend" HUPs. One pre-production prototype and one of the last girls from the one of the last production runs.

The long term plan includes acquisition and restoration of a 42, 43, and 44 HUP. Shhhh! Don't tell the wife! But if you do, we will serve goat for your dinner in your honour...

[RHClarke]

While conducting the "pre-firing" checks, I noted with chagrin that a leak had developed on the front of the engine block. I pulled the rad (again) and spotted the trouble. The water pump was weeping at the lower right side bolt. I pulled the water pump (again) and the stain on the block confirmed that there was a problem.



It seems that there was a leak between the water pump housing and backing plate - the rust on the block started below the pump housing, and so I removed the backing plate (again). I think I will go with a thicker gasket between both the housing, backing plate and the block. I will also check flatness and the torque specs.

Anyone have a similar problem, and if you used some, did leak sealer work?

[Phil Waterman]

Yup had the same problem on the `1953 216 engine that is in my C60L Pattern 12 and also had similar problem with both the 235 and the 261 on first assembly.

My problem I think came from assembling engines with gasket coated with silicon gasket cement. One case was not being quick enough get it assembled and bolted down and or old gasket cement. The other was not really having the cement and all the parts above 60 degrees. On the 261 when I pulled it apart you could see areas where the cement just had not bonded.

Fortunately in all three cases the problems showed up during the test stand running not after the engines were in the truck with the radiator in the way.

Now I clean the surfaces with a buffing pad on the air grinder (not sanding disk) degrease with brake cleaner coat the gaskets assemble tight evenly then leave alone for 24 - 48 hours. I've never had good luck using the silicone gasket stuff on something I have to run right away. For field repairs I use Peratex non-hardening.

[Bob Carriere]

....Rob did you have any sealer like plumber cement on that bolt thread that went into the block.... maybe the pump is fine and it is just a bolt leaking....

On a lighter note...... I used the rolling C15a frame to actually pull a M101a trailer since the tractor was tied up with a rototiller on the back.....

worked nice....but..... it seems that the pintle / ring sizes have changed over the years..... the trailer ring was a very tight fit on the CMP pintle and had a bithc of a time removing it..... unfortunetaly was alone so have no pictures.

Over the weekend will need to do photos and measure the difference between CMP trailer rings and M101a circa 1953 trailer ring....

Was this a pure coincidence or have others expereinced the same thing..?

Bob C.

[Grant Bowker]

Bob, was the truck/trailer combination on uneven ground? CMP trailers had lunette eyes that were able to swivel to allow for rough ground (and fixed, except for slop in the spring mounts, tow hooks). The US standard was the other way around, fixed lunette and swiveling hook. Just for fun, did you measure the ID of the CMP tow eyes compared to the US standard to see how different the fit is? I know that when I towed the red frame around with my 10,000 pound rated hook the fit was quite loose. The CMP hook has always struck me as oversized for its rated load.

Normally people think of the problems of having both able to swivel (the whole hitch can end up upside down) but with a reasonably close fit between hook and eye to reduce slop in the hookup, uneven ground can cause binding. To avoid this most modern pintle setups (at laeast the light weight ones) have some built in slop and as a result, some people criticize them for being a rough tow.

[Mike Timoshyk]

Rob....I have a couple of Double Sheave jobs on my rig....no leaks so far...

Myke in Ford country

Oh ya....and I got some spare chain....

[RHClarke]

Originally Posted by Bob Carriere

...Rob did you have any sealer like plumber cement on that bolt thread that went into the block.... maybe the pump is fine and it is just a bolt leaking...Bob C.

Bob, There may have been some silicone on the end of the bolt, but nothing else was added. I suspect you are correct given the rust stain location. I will cut new gaskets and put the goo to the block and gaskets and I will add some of the recommended plumber's dope...

[Bob Carriere]

... we run a tap in the thread and similarly a die with the bolt before we goop them up..... or use new bolts.... and lock washers.....

Lots of proper gasket material around in the barn......

Bob C.