Humber FV1600

[Les Freathy]

Here is a nice photo for you 1 tonners its one of the prototypes, almost the complete production model
Les

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

Hi Les, another great photo from your archive! An interesting note is that the classic Dinky Humber 1-Ton is in fact a model of one of the prototypes - I think this one - and one of the clues are the one-piece hatches on this prototype and also the toy.

The toy went on to have a longer career than the real thing - this prototype link shows that Dinky invested in the dies before anyone knew that the FV1600 project would be axed at the first batch.

Regards,
Tom
Portsmouth
UK

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

Front view

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

Originally posted by Richard Coutts-Smith
Just wondering how big the kids in the background will be when you take the "afters"
Cheerio
Rich.

Probably old enough to drive it!

I will let you know how I get on.

Regards,

Tom

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

Ha! Ha! - We have found the bonnet!

[JackM]

Originally posted by fv1620
Kerb weight with fuel, tools, spare wheel etc but less driver

Front 2,044lb 928kg
Rear 1,624lb 737kg
Total 3,669lb 1,664kg

Laden Gross Total 4,480lb 2,032kg

Interesting data - however I thought I had read some different figures and it has taken me this long to find them.

Wheels and Tracks #6 had an article on the Humber and its derivatives, together with a half page of technical data (Page 28), on the base model, FV 1601A (Truck 1 ton , 4x4 CT Cargo).

It states there that the Kerb weight was 8420 lbs (3819 kg) and the Gross weight was 11,477 lbs (5206 kg).

I've got a WC 55 which weighs in at around 5,500 lbs - making the Dodge much heavier than the Humber based on the figures quoted above. A look at both vehicles would tell you that can't be the case.

Pic below shows Herb van Dongen's beautifully restored red Humber (complete with observation bubble) at a show here in WA.


Jack

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

Hi Jack,
Great to see a photo of your friends red truck - I have been really astonished to see so many Humbers on this site. I know I have said this before - but here in the UK they are almost extinct - Clive & his friend seem to own most of them. I knew that a few had survived over in Australia but I am still surprised to see so many - more than in the UK - and good ones too.

How heavy are they? Well I reckon that they are pretty bloody heavy. I thought about 3,500kg empty, 5,200kg laden. But don't quote me.

Yes, a heavy truck, but more to these trucks than weight. If the 'competition' for the best load carrier involved driving through 6'6" of water at any stage then the Humber would win. And itf it did get stuck on some soft ground, a fair chance it would pull itself out. Sure, in most circumstances something simpler, cheaper and lighter would do (that's what the UK Govt. decided in 1956....) but when you really DO need to drive a ton of stuff along a river bed you will be glad you had a Humber. I also find it a lot more interesting from an engineering point of view - maybe cheap 'disposable' vehicles are more cost-effective but I have never seen another machine as 'infinitely servicable' in it's design & construction concepts, materials & quality. I also love the unconventional elements. OK - the back axle is weak but it is more interesting than a standard axle case on cart springs. 4 joints per axle in 1952 - that's really something.

I find the politics & story is interesting too - the concept, the scrapping, the limited use by specialist groups in service - and then the conversion of lots to Pigs in later years. I have always felt that this was conceived & specified by people who witnessed problems at D-Day of trucks driving out of landing craft in deep water only to be swamped - causing chaos and leaving everyone a sitting target fror the German guns. I have no evidence for this - but have heard the tales of D-Day and cant see any other explanation for the deep-fording obsession. This is a truck that will NOT get swamped!

Regards,
Tom
Portsmouth
UK

[JackM]

HOT Tom

There could well be something in what you say regarding the background to these truck's capabilities. I would agree that when these vehicles are roadworthy, they are a very impressive and useful machine.

Humbers (they are noted as Commers on the chassis data plate here) remain a rare vehicle in Oz but, because they were only in service for a short time and little used by their next owners, the B60 motors are in very good shape. You do need to be independently wealthy to run them though !


Jack

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

Originally posted by JackM
You do need to be independently wealthy to run them though !

Jack

Has anyone ever done an LPG conversion to a B60 engine? that's about half the price of regular petrol here in UK....(which is £1.03 per litre for 97 octane here - mostly tax - what's that in Oz Dollars? - How much is yours? OK - we do not need to drive quite so far on a cross-country trip as you guys do. I think Oztankboy said he did 9000 kms?

15 years back I used to run an Austin K9 as my regular commuter vehicle - not so bad as a Humber but still 9-12 MPG - I knew of this scrap yard that sold 'secondhand petrol' - they got complete cars in and just shredded them and loaded them on ships. The complete car would come in on wheels - then the claw-crane man would flip it onto its side - another guy would punch 2 holes in the tank with an ice-axe and if fuel would pour into an old oil drum. £5 would buy you 25 gallons of 'secondhand' fuel of varying quality - but it kept the old girl full up and allowed me to run around all over the place. Completely against all H&S Regs & probably the Tax people would not be happy either although already taxed once! Yard is now 'Luxury Riverside Appartments' in Central London.

I still think you have more in Oz than we do here - but you are right about mileage - this one has done 2,500 from new....

[Keith Webb]

That's A$ 2.404 at the moment.

The average pump price per litre is around A$1.30 something per litre. At the time of writing it was mid to high $1.30s with Diesel around $1.24 per litre.

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

Thanks Keith -
So Oztankboy Phil's epic trip across Australia would have cost $5,547.69 at UK prices.

At 9,000 kms or 5,592 miles , maybe the longest Humber 1-Ton trip ever? (either in or out of service)

Anyone done better?

If no one else has said so - well done, Oztankboy. That is Epic.

[baronvonwhitehead]

Hello there guy and tom
Its rob here the new and proud owner of of 02 bk 23
After her purchace from down south and a hell of a run back we have settled in togther with work having comenced.
Sofar,she has had a full service ,a n/s hub rebuild with all parts having been painted deep bronze green.
Also the rims hane been blasted and fitted with three new tyres.
Lots done and loads more to do(including rust!)
Does anybdy know where i can get a hub asembly as mine has a broken shaft?
keep on humbering.
cheers rob

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

Hi Rob -

Great to see you here. Your trip was pretty bloody Epic too! - 5,500 miles is amazing, but to pick up a 'rolling restoration' project 55 year-old vehicle - with a busted back axle - and drive it home 350 miles as your first ever trip takes balls. I still see tidy Willys Jeeps turning up at shows on the back of trailers.....sorry to all you guys who have a good reason to tow your Jeep behind your Toyota, but if you can't drive it to a show.....

I have some bits off this new one you can have. The roof is now off - you will see from the pics that the roof (maybe the whole thing?) was way beyond saving - so I have the 'A' brackets from each sode of the cab-back level with windows - missing on 02 BK 32 - and a couple of spare gun-mount balls for the roof - one of yours is broken.

Glad to hear about all the work you have done - sounds like she is getting better all the time. Nutty as it may sound looking at my new project - I would not have been able to do those jobs - this new truck is in a place where my kids can entertain themselves safely and I can keep an eye on them - right now I have about ZERO spare time without the kids......so 'serous' workshop jobs were out for a few years...but 'fun' stuff OK. Like Rich suggests in his e-mail - they boys will be able to help with the welding before this one is finished.

If I give up on this one, you can have my axle.....the rusty yellow/black one was sold on e-bay a few months back, I have been in touch with the buyer but lost contact - I will let you know if anything comes up.

Tom
Portsmouth
UK

[baronvonwhitehead]

Hello there guys and tom.
yes it sure was a hell of a trip home!two breakdowns and a few oh shit!moments trying to stop and all was well.
When she was back and safely parked up,the next door neighbour enquired as to whether i had joined the army while sian was clearing the rust from her hand bag.todaypent draining rust from the cooling system and replacing the bottom hose.tom will consist of a starter change plus choke cable fix.
Once both tanks are sorted i am planning to run her(once warm)on parafin for a spell.Any idea how thjey run on it?
Fair play tom that is a huge undetaking and i wish you luck although i am happy about the roof chop as i urgently require a n/s door panel(the top one that is rusty on mine)?
anyone out there know if 02 bk 23 has been in service anywhere in the world?
keep on humbering thanks rob

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

Hi Rob.

Have a look at the pictures on Page 4 of this thread - really very little of use. The roof is now off and what came off sits on the ground and wobbles like a jelly.

A few 'bits' but not really any complese usable repair sections. Any bits not rusted to nothing were bent, split and buckled whemn it was demolished by JCB but passenger side was worst, almost nothing left.

Great to hear about progress.

Clive may know about service?

Regards,
Tom

[Jai Mullis]

Greetings Everyone,
I've been monitoring this site/thread for awhile now and have really appreciated the contributions (especially the photos) everyone has made. I feel that it's my duty to add my vehicles to the list of FV1600s still in existance.

I've got three of these interesting old trucks, all nearly complete. My plans are to get one roadworthy asap, and do a full restoration on a second one with the third for parts.

I've done a fair bit of work on the first one. Trans repairs, brakes, interior, controls, etc. I'm making progress.

The photo is the first one I'm working on, only minor rust issues but a few mechanical problems (ie. tracta-joints). I was fortunate that one owner (deceased) had collected a stack of new parts (gaiters, igntion leads, etc.) still in original boxes.

Years of work ahead.
Regards, Jai

[Keith Webb]

Originally posted by Jai Mullis
Greetings Everyone,
I've been monitoring this site/thread for awhile now and have really appreciated the contributions (especially the photos) everyone has made. I feel that it's my duty to add my vehicles to the list of FV1600s still in existance.

I've got three of these interesting old trucks, all nearly complete. My plans are to get one roadworthy asap, and do a full restoration on a second one with the third for parts.

I've done a fair bit of work on the first one. Trans repairs, brakes, interior, controls, etc. I'm making progress.

The photo is the first one I'm working on, only minor rust issues but a few mechanical problems (ie. tracta-joints). I was fortunate that one owner (deceased) had collected a stack of new parts (gaiters, igntion leads, etc.) still in original boxes.

Years of work ahead.
Regards, Jai

Hi Jai

Can you please give us some more details, such as where you are located?

Sounds like you're in Aussie - better watch out, you'll make the Englishmen cry with the rust-free state of your Humbers!

Keith

[Jai Mullis]

Thanks Keith,
I've added to my profile. My vehicles seemed to have spent much of their existance in western NSW (relatively dry) but "minor" rust doesn't mean no rust. So a bit of amateur panelbeating will suffice. (I hope)
Regards, Jai

[Keith Webb]

Originally posted by Jai Mullis
Thanks Keith,
I've added to my profile. My vehicles seemed to have spent much of their existance in western NSW (relatively dry) but "minor" rust doesn't mean no rust. So a bit of amateur panelbeating will suffice. (I hope)
Regards, Jai

So you're neighbours with Tony Smith!

[Jai Mullis]

It appears that I am, although we've never met.
Jai

[Les Freathy]

Took this photo at Beltring last year nice finish with a coat of the beltring dust
Les

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

Hi, there is a Humber on Ebay.co.uk, ends this Sunday - Item No.260134602864 - quite rusty but good for spares or (if you are a bit MENTAL - like me - would build into some kind of ugly Humber 1-Ton off-road monster

(hey, all you guys in Oz - I know I have moaned about rust before, but one thing on the PLUS side in UK is that we do not need to MOT test these things - as long as the it runs, lights work and the tyres have tread and it looks O.K. from 20 feet it is 'road legal' subject to usual stuff about keeping everything working all the time as applies to all cars....of course I would NEVER run one that was not 100% but not needing a second opinion by law makes it a bit easier)

I would buy it but really not in a position to do so at the moment.
It is in Oxfordshire, UK

Regards,
Tom
Portsmouth
UK

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

Again

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

Interesting breakdown body conversion - mostly cut of straight at 45 degrees - this one is round

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

Engine all there - would probably run given a little oil.

[fv1620]

Anyone got any ideas?

I am losing oil from the transfer box breather & after a run of more than 5 miles the transfer box feels a lot hotter than the diff, but I don't know if that is normal.

The trouble started last year. The TF/box oil level was going down & was ending up in the diff. No external leakage at all. The TF/box breather was not blocked or damaged it seemed.

During the winter, I removed the TF/box. Although the main seal from the TF/box shaft to the diff looked good, I replaced it.

This year after it had a good run of 35 miles found I was losing oil through TF/box breather. I replaced the breather & in case the diff was pressurising removed the diff breather.

Still got oil leakage. So to get me to Kemble (65 miles) I put a breather pipe 18" long up from the breather hole. No external leakage but oil still getting blown out of the tube.

I drained the TF/box & found pieces of metal. Dismantled the box & found a mangled spacer washer (3.5in od, 3" id). I think I messed up as it was tight on reassembling the shaft.

I had what I believed to be an OK TF/box on another chassis & fitted that. After 5 miles no leaks but after 12 miles, leakage through the breather & diff feeling much hotter than the diff, just as before.

It is not stuck in 4WD. The oil is OEP220 as indicated in Servicing Schedule & stencilled on the side of it. It came from a sealed military drum of recent manufacture.

I was at show recently & saw a Humber GS. I asked if he had leakage problems, apparently not. But I could see the TF/box smothered in old oil & on checking the level found his TF/box was empty.

So any ideas please?

& why do these things have to happen mid-season

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

The Humber off eBay did not sell. The owner may scrap it at any time. He is willing to sell the whole thing for around £250 or break it for parts where it is - he would sell the axles for around £150 apparently.

It is now actually a runner - they got it started after a bit of fiddling.

The owner is a guy called Brum and his number is 079700 28866.
The truck is in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.

It would be a shame to see it all go for scrap with all the bits still on. I also have an e-mail contcat of his friend who listed it for him on eBay.

I get the impression he is a bit of a scrap dealer and all the prices are based on weighing in prices - so the Radiator will be more money than someting made of steel....you get the idea. The £250 figure is based on the estimated weigh-in price.
Regards,
Tom
Portsmouth
UK

[Les Freathy]

Morning guys, well it is here
Thought some of you Humberites might like to see this a radio shack up for grabs at the War and Piece show last month price £1600. It looks better than it really is the cab is reasonably sound but has the rust in all the usual places and the manifold was missing so i have no idea if it was a runner, that said it is certainly a restoration possibility one or two creases around the body. As i was on site on the Thursday i have no idea if it sold
cheers
Les

[fv1620]

Yes it did but it is not all that it seems. Looks like a FV1604, but

This has a winch, FV1604 did not
This has a single speed gen, FV1604 had 2-speed
Reg starts with 1, FV1604 were late in the run & start with 3
The engine no. does match my records for the 1... reg no. & confirms it to be a FV1601.
Unfortunately the chassis plate is missing.

So body would seem to a later addition.

Having said that I am pleased to see a Humber preserved even if it was a conversion to a breakdown truck or something as long as in the future nobody buys thinking it is a FV1604.

[Humber-One-Ton Tom]

Hi guys -
Les, thanks for the photo, I had heard about the truck and was interested in seeing a picture.

Is this the body that Brian Hewitt had for sale near folkestone a few years back or a different one?

I agree with Clive, any Humber saved in any form is good - and this one has the potential to be a much nicer vehicle than my truck 02 BK 09 will EVER be...but something should not be passed off as what it isn't so I hope the new owner was not under the impression that this WAS an FV1604.

Having said that, I would say well worth £1600 for a very restorable Humber camper van....

Clive - do you know the whole military reg and engine no. for this vehicle? - if so it would be worth posting here as this site seems to me to be the best collection of info on surviving Humbers anywhere in the world right now....so for the record it can only help to identify the correct identity for this truck.

Who knows, the new owner may become interested in the FV1604 and decide to remove the winch and fit all the correct components over time and build an 'honest replica' - and seeing just how rare original FV1604's are, I would say that any Humber wearing a Radio cabin is still a very interesting machine, wether it be a replica or just a campervan!

P.S. any interest or news on the wreck in Oxfordshire(se earlier posts)?

Regards,
Tom
Portsmouth, UK