How To: 1944 Chev HUW restoration

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

I had that issue even with the shift tower off. I had to jack up the rear cab frame as much as it would go to get the transmission in.

In theory it should work. My gap is 11-1/4" and the transmission without tha tower is 11". I think any angle at all due to the engine/transmission combo on the hoist will make it tight. The manual makes it sound so easy: disconnect everything, remove the transmission tower and push the truck out from under the engine. I have left myself the ability to lift the body if required; there are only two of the eight body bolts holding things together and they are finger tight.

The other thing that may change the angle is that the HUP series of engines sits lower in the front than in C-15As and bigger. Those have a cast spacer on the front engine mount absent in Heavy Utilities.

HUW/HUP cab floor and toe boards are different as well but that is another story. Let's just say it's irritating doing things twice once you realize there's a difference (and the better of the two that were straight and without rust holes were the wrong ones).

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Window test fitted to the rear door. It will need some tweaking and a rubber seal between the frame and the door.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

i finished up the repairs on the cab and front cowl and they got a coat of primer today.

i did find one odd thing perhaps another HUP/HUW owner can verify. On the cowl, passenger side floor there was a rough hole about an inch long and maybe 3/8" wide. Because it was rough and it somewhat matched another hole punched through the front just inboard of the headlamp socket I figured 'bubba' did it post war and I patched both holes. But when I looked at the underside of the hole through the cowl floor I saw that the sheet metal panel where it was was factory notched, perfectly rectangular. Bubba would not have done that even if he could reach it. So I think I patched a factory hole. But for what? Could it be the wire to the map lamp? I've attached a sketch of what might be if anyone can confirm or deny.

[Jordan Baker]

Map lamp wires would be on the cab frame under the windshield and not the nose.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

Map lamp wires would be on the cab frame under the windshield and not the nose.

So does the wire feed from the top end of the engine bay? If there was anything to my theory the wire to the map lamp would have to come up from the frame rail on the left side. If from the top it would have to sneak by the uprights for the engine cover and through the channel under the windshields.

I just had another look. At the very top of the triangular channel that goes from the floor to the channel under the windshield on the left side of the engine bay there is a half inch hole. It makes more sense the map lamp wire feeds through that. So what is my mystery hole?

[David Dunlop]

Hi Bruce.

There was a fairly well defined division of labour in the CMP cab; the Driver drove and the Co-Driver would navigate on his behalf. By 1944, if Map Lights were being fitted in the cab, it would seem more logical for them to have been positioned on the left side for the Co-Driver, like the Signal Buzzer in the WIRE-5 15-cwt.

Any new wiring showing up on the Driver’s side of the cab would likely be to assist in operation of the vehicle. Perhaps specific wiring to mount the suction cup style, glass windshield defroster assemblies for example.

I wonder if the AEDB Design Records shed any light on this mystery.

David

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Hi Bruce.

There was a fairly well defined division of labour in the CMP cab; the Driver drove and the Co-Driver would navigate on his behalf. By 1944, if Map Lights were being fitted in the cab, it would seem more logical for them to have been positioned on the left side for the Co-Driver, like the Signal Buzzer in the WIRE-5 15-cwt.

Any new wiring showing up on the Driver’s side of the cab would likely be to assist in operation of the vehicle. Perhaps specific wiring to mount the suction cup style, glass windshield defroster assemblies for example.

I wonder if the AEDB Design Records shed any light on this mystery.

David

Hi David. How these were used (except for bubba) is as interesting as the mechanicals themselves.

There is no question where the map light sits...I have the lamp and the holes. It sits on the channel frame just under the windshield smack in front of the co-driver on the left. The question is if the feed wire comes from the centre of the vehicle (what I'm calling the engine bay) along that windshield channel to the lamp (which I think is correct and there's a hole for it plus the wire is completely protected) vs. along the left frame rail and up through my mystery hole. There really is no other options and no need for anything else electrical in that location. Maybe my hole was bubba after all and he just got lucky with a notch on the underside. For now it stays plugged.

The only record I recall reading about HUWs many years ago was a list of things that broke and fell apart after one of those army torture test runs. It was quite a long list leading me to believe these trucks were somewhat fragile. No matter, I intent to baby her.