MO's UMM, what have I done thread! front end dismantling

[AnthonyG]

Very interesting, I haven't seen one of these in the flesh since agricultural shows in the early 1990s when a local tractor dealer (Zetor and Ursus, a purveyor of prime tracto-shite) was trying to flog them.

 

Vaguely remember the sales pitch being "it's basically a Peugeot underneath" when that was a good thing implying a long life and durability!

 

P.S has it got Talbot dials, they look a bit Alpine/Horizonish?

[messerschmitt owner]

the dials are Pug 504/5 I think - €40 for a new km/h dash for one ...

 

it's imminent ...

[messerschmitt owner]

20 mins ...

[messerschmitt owner]

it's here!

 

So, where shall we begin ...

[panhard65]

Thats good then Brian was a bit worried about how big it would be on his trailer  but obviously got there ok.

[Noel Tidybeard]

jaldi jaldi

[messerschmitt owner]

it was quite wee on the trailer - it's probably shorter than a Fregate.

[messerschmitt owner]

This buying a vehicle sight unseen, knowing it's been off the road for a wee while!!? Is it a good idea or a bad one?

 

Well, I kind of thought what's the worst that can happen - I buy a rusty old heap with a shed load of problems.

 

So, I now have umm, well, an UMM on the driveway.

 

Brian had called me from Gloucester saying he was twentyfive minutes or so away and that the UMM had no steering - OMG I thought!!! What HAVE I DONE!!!!!!!!

 

Well, she arrived safely, and, just for Cavcraft, there is down and dirty Iveco action!

yes, I have safely only shown the arse end of an Iveco. No full frontal views!

 

IMG_1108 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

IMG_1110 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

it was a neat job of reversing in.

 

IMG_1113 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

IMG_1114 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

Once in, it was dropped off the trailer - remember, no brakes, and no steering!!!

 

No steering, you say, I wonder why that is?

 

IMG_1143 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

I wonder, is there something missing there? You bet, there is.

 

So, I had a friend on hand, he'd brought his trolley jack so we had a pair, but I had a farm jack from my time with land Rovers and we jacked up the UMM and turned the wheels by hand then wheeled it over roughly into position and then we stuck the farm jack under the bumper at the front and knocked it over so it moved about eight inches at a time. Five or six goes at this and a few at the back had it in its new home.

 

Bricked up the rear wheel and opened the bonnet.

 

IMG_1142 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

IMG_1119 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

shoved a crappy battery in with about 11 volts

 

IMG_1128 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

jumped it to the Merc and had it turning over on the ignition - but no joy on starting. I think we need a proper battery bolted in place but more later ...

[messerschmitt owner]

so, she's turning over, there's a lack of brakes and a lack of steering. We know why that is on both fronts - one easily solved, the other more problematic.

 

IMG_1122 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

in the back is the servo and master cylinder. I was told by previous owner that this is the m/c from Skattrd's one as the one in this was brand new and was swapped over. I guess the steering link went the same way. 

 

So, here's the interior!

 

IMG_1121 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

yes, I do think a dog has been living there. But nothing a good clean won't sort out.

 

IMG_1120 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

Yes, I have a posh one with carpets.

 

IMG_1123 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

the driver's seat is grotty too.

 

First job is to empty it out and clean this crap from it.

 

IMG_1124 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

the driver's view!

[messerschmitt owner]

so far, it's looking OK! I've found 7p inside plus two bic pens.

 

She has power and therefore some things works.

 

 

IMG_1135 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

interior light

 

Light stalk is not fitted! And the wires have been cut!  Why, when all you had to do was unplug it?

 

 

IMG_1136 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

The hazard lights switch is missing!

 

The heater fan works! That's a bonus.

 

On the dash, I have glow plug and ignition lights, she turns over and I think, with a decent battery has the potential to actually fire up.

 

Underneath, you say!

 

IMG_1144 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

IMG_1131 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

The chassis looks alright!

 

IMG_1133 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

what about the arches, you say!

 

Well, underneath the arches ... is like this!!!!

 

IMG_1156 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

IMG_1158 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

IMG_1134 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

These all need work - flat panels and 2mm thick steel so even I may be able to weld them and even if I don't they will be cheap to pay someone to do!

 

There is some history (with another of these taking it to 2011)

 

IMG_1155 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

The tyres are actually alright.

 

What do I need to do immediately?

 

Clean it.

 

Sort out starting, so it does, that's a trip to the scrappy for a battery!

 

I need to buy the following as a matter of urgency:

steering link

master cylinder (or repair kit)

switches - lights and wiper ones as both have obvious faults - as well as a hazard switch to replace the missing one.

couple of lights - broken lenses

foglamps - to replace the missing ones

rear window with seal

fuel cap (missing)

two mirrors (missing)

bonnet bump stops - (one missing)

 

I need to empty it and clean it.

remove the manky headlining and dump it in the bin

take off the side plastic body kit to check rust on the body and facilitate welding

scrape the lacquer off the front

[hairnet]

thats not so bad when you said 200 unseen and not moved a few years

 

ALL TEH HAPPYS???

[nigel bickle]

Ace.

 

You really scored there. That's going to be roadlegal for virtually no money.

 

I like that. A lot.

 

Congrats on an excellent buy

[skattrd]

M.O. If you have trouble sourcing any of the bits it may be worth trying one of the Umm groups on facebook, or give me a shout and I can ask on there for you.

 

What does the wife reckon?

[oldcars]

Looks a bargain to me, looking forward to seeing it on the road. 

 

Good bit of reversing from the truck driver, looks a narrow gate and a handy park VW depresson bus in the way.

[vulgalour]

Brilliant, looking forward to you getting cracking on this one.  Until they started appearing on here I had this feeling UMMs were fibreglass, they have that look about them.

[alf892]

Ace.

You really scored there. That's going to be roadlegal for virtually no money.

I like that. A lot.

Congrats on an excellent buy

 

Agree it's a deal........but reckon it will cost at least 3xvirtuallyno money before done. I can vouch for how units of virtually no money add up quite quickly to become Significant Sums.(capitals supplied by Mrs Alf)

 

Anyway....got it running yet?

[messerschmitt owner]

Agree it's a deal........but reckon it will cost at least 3xvirtuallyno money before done. I can vouch for how units of virtually no money add up quite quickly to become Significant Sums.(capitals supplied by Mrs Alf)

 

this!

[messerschmitt owner]

OK, before cooking dinner (stir fry with egg noodles, chicken sweet & sour sauce), I spent 20 mins outside.

 

Well, what did I do?

 

I removed the manky headliner and am now rather rusty ...

 

and I brushed down the rusty snowed on seats, and they're much fresher.

 

IMG_1161 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

the back looks tidier and I am having a bonfire shortly.

 

IMG_1165 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

spare wheel is where it should be.

 

IMG_1168 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

I think my motorhome body cleaning liquid is going to be used on this!

 

IMG_1167 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

and the inside will be painted.

 

IMG_1162 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

found a cubby hole forward of the offside rear wheel

 

UMM Alter II J803 HFE by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

IMG_1160 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

they all do that. Sir!

[messerschmitt owner]

What does the wife reckon?

amazingly, she hasn't held her head in her hands in despair at me!

 

It's already looking better for that interior clean out in the back! Front to go tomorrow - when I shall sneak the hoover out before I pull the carpets up!

[messerschmitt owner]

the first part of 'next to nothing' has been spent! £43.95 for a nice chunky 096 battery delivered to the door! Thought about taking my two dead batteries to the scrappies and sorting out a secondhand one but bought a useful size that fits other vehicles ...

 

I've been cleaning out the front and it's becoming much more pleasant too. Beyona proper hoover out, and a clean of the carpets and the dash, I think I'll get away lightly in there. 

 

Haven't got much time to play with it as I have to work and pay some bills but itching to be out and attacking it. Am going to pressure wash it underneath later and see how much floods in! And what state the chassis is in under the light coating of dirt. 

 

 

Costs so far

 

£200 - purchase price

£140 - delivery

£43.95 - battery

(£0.08) - found in passenger compartment so far - more to find I reckon!

 

You too could be as clean as this ... before

 

IMG_1124 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

 

and after five seconds with a baby wipe ...

 

IMG_1169 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

first go for the heater, and yes, that is a digital clock! Posh or what!!

 

IMG_1170 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

and here is what it looked like before!

 

IMG_1126 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

[messerschmitt owner]

my wife's friend asked her last night how I got away with buying the UMM because she thought SWMBO would have killed me for it - but my wife said to her

 

'It was because I asked to have it and it wasn't expensive'.

 

I'm going to try that more often, rather than them just turn up ...

[Lukas]

What year is it? I might have missed that, sorry. 

[messerschmitt owner]

1991 - and it's in much better condition than an equivalent Land Rover would have been.

[Lukas]

1991 makes it quite nice compared to the other offroaders on the market back then. But during the 1990s, they massively lost track. 

 

Just found out on wikipedia that the Alter II was a sportscar. Almost...

 

In 1992 six models came with BMW engines. 4 with the M21 2.4 Turbodiesel engine with 116PS, 1 with the M51 2.5 tds engine with 145PS and one with the M50 2.5 petrol engine with 192PS.

 

 

Imagine driving a Alter II25i with 192 hp. Scary. 

[messerschmitt owner]

I think the Alter is agricultural - designed for farmers and for daily use, they did not want all the luxuries.

 

And the UMM hasn't really changed since the 1960s.  I now want a Courniel or a Transcat to get the bug eye lights!

[UltraWomble]

I think you are quite brave. Well done.

[messerschmitt owner]

washage!

 

IMG_1177 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

IMG_1176 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

IMG_1175 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

IMG_1182 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

 

IMG_1183 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

[skattrd]

Hey MO, a former Umm dealer not far from you has popped up on the FB group, they say they have a few parts left .... you go first mate.

[messerschmitt owner]

Chris

I sent them a message about ten mins after they posted. Will call them tomorrow and see what they have. I'll report back.

[holbeck]

Maybe you guys should copy the FSO example and set up your own Dealership!