Puff the snow blower finally touches down at my place

From: Gordon.W.I. McMillan (gwim2@student.open.ac.uk)
Date: Sun Jun 24 2001 - 10:30:28 PDT


Finally took delivery of the Marmon-Herrington Ford this weekend. It was
supposed to be here by Christmas but the seller didn't say which year
right enough........ there's some 'as found' photos on;
http://www.gwim2.free-online.co.uk/mhf.htm

It's a solid '42 SnoGo unit with the extra low reduction box, bought by
Uncle Sam and transferred to British ownership, first the RAF and then one
of the government ministries. It took me most of the weekend to stick the
blower unit on and add up the missing bits to see what's what. Biggest
initial problem is the Ford V8 engine, which needs to be taken out and
shot somewhere quiet as it's cracked externally and internally by the look
of it, fortunately the four spare engines should be here next week and
there's at least one low-hours unit with them.

Missing ;

half the the short shaft that runs from the front axle pillow block to the
blower drive,
the lower braces that hold the blower head square, (they'll have to get
made along with the two mounting brackets for the blower head end,)
one control handle on the hydraulics inside the cab,

Needing work;

All three hydraulic cylinders on the blower gear have rusted rams,
including one expensive-looking shuttle-ram unit.
Six hydraulic hoses feeding the blower gear.
The V8 driving engine.

Good news;

All the dents are out of it already, all the sheet metal is virtually as
new, having spent it's entire life indoors and with low hours on
everything.
The IHC industrial engine at the back looks new, the blower gear has been
off the truck for 30 years so the blower drive engine probably hasn't
done that much work. Most of the stickers on it are still legible.

I did wonder why the JCB that was tugging it around was finding it hard
work, until I found out that the all-up weight is 13,200lbs or about six
tons - and it's smaller that a Chevrolet 1.5 ton.

Anybody got any bits ? The Ford stuff looks straightforward enough, and
all the Marmon-Herrington stuff is present and correct - most of the bits
that are missing are Klauer / SnoGo if anyone has any info on bits.
Unusually for a WW2 truck all three companies are still in business so
I'll be checking out Klauer in case a manual can still be obtained.

Gordon



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