How To: 1944 Chev HUW restoration

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

I began the front end today. It will require general straightening, a few patches and a number of captive nuts need to be replaced (while I can reach behind to do it). A few are going to cause trouble and as a last resort I may weld the holes shut then re-tap.

Also, some ugliness inside the outer windshield posts. I figured they would be full of rust and sand and they were. Getting rid of the rust and new skin should fix things up.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Silence doesn't mean no progress (well, sometimes it does). We had a very hot summer that made working on the HUW ***painful*** and the wife does demand her share of me.

Anyway, I went through with a clipboard determining every nut and bolt I required (which Facca Fasteners more than ably provided) and have been tinkering away. What I thought was a few days to clean up and re-tap all the holes in the cab turned into two weeks. Every single hole is a captive nut and every single one was broken or cut off. Even though it doesn't look like much I'm happy to say every single captive nut has been replaced and is now able to accept the seats, filler panels and front cowl.

Not in the pic but completed is the brush guard. I had a 15cwt one but it had to be adjusted to fit the smaller HUW.

Plans before the snow flies is to prime and paint (at least the engine compartment) ready for the engine back from the shop, and to use all that new hardware to bolt on all the pretties.

[David Dunlop]

Good progress overall, Bruce.


David

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

It is inevitable that any post war CMP Chev owner who ever removed the original 216 engine cut the cab crossmember located roughly between the transmission and bell housing. It isn't necessary, but it simplifies the engine removal and replacement because you don't have to remove the transmission shift tower. So just lazy.

My HUW suffered this fate together with some other nips and cuts to the floor for who know what but, thanks to a donor piece of channel from another Chev and some creative welding, the damage has been undone.

New piece fitted, clamped and then welded in place. I only hope all those post war users weren't right after all and the transmission really does fit under the cross member. MBC2 says it does... It also restored the obviously necessary starter lever that is attached to that crossmember.

[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.

[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.