Aussie WW2 staff cars
 

Afternoon, folks,

While the Australian military made extensive use of Chev sedans as staff cars, (my own included), did they also use other Holden-bodied GM types in that role? The more I look in the AWM registers, the less I see, and while I see reference to the odd Buick possibly used by the top brass, I can't see whether Oldsmobile or Pontiac sedans were also used by the military. I cant put my hand on Norm Darwin's book, which I recall has a chart of GMH''s wartime car production.and use, so I thought I'd ask the MLU brains trust. Thank you!

Cheets,
Matt

Impressed
 

Might have been some 'impressed' sedans of various makes in use early on, 1938 to 40 models

Olds
 

Oldsmobile ?

Thanks Mike,

I'd hoped that there was a military connection for the 1940 Pontiac, as I've just picked this one up.

My wife asked me how long I'd had my 1940 Chev sedan project, and she was bemused when she realised I'd had it for five years, and done very little with it. She suggested I get a loan, buy a runner, enjoy it now, and have it paid off in five years. So I did! No Chevs available when I looked around, and I'm pretty happy with the very similar Pontiac. And as a bonus, only 480 Silver Arrow sedans were built in 1940, so it's pretty unusual.

So, failing a military connection, or as one esteemed chap suggested, doing it up as a squadron leader's private vehicle, I'll have to bring it to Corowa and park outside!

Cheers,
Matt

Nice
 

Nice car. It may have been purchased new by a doctor or wealthy landholder, somebody who qualified under the essential user permit scheme. If it has Victorian heritage , the AOMC can do a engine nr. search but its a rather expensive fee for the limited info they give you .. rego nr. and engine changes , thats it. Sadly, all of the owners details were destroyed.

staff car
 

Western Command Staff Car Holden body

I reckon the Australian DMV book lists all the staff car types used by the Armed forces?

See Keith’s repro here: http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=31596 (no, I’m not on commission :) )

Well I had a rush of blood to the head and finished up with two 1940 Chevrolets to take to Alice Springs. Management just rolled her eyes.

Wow, that's a great makeover! Now you just need to get that trailer sorted to sleep in.

Hanno

I can't drive two. What about a visit to Australia (if you have had the jab by then) in July and help me get the two to Darwin?

Looks like I can keep the black one black. Have found a few photos of them black with senior officers on board. Attached is an American one but mine will be Australian marked (with Holden body of course)

Lang

PS Is that a rolled up camouflage net over the general's car in the parade photo?

more
 

A few more

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More pics..............

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Thanks Mike

A few 1942 models in there. I am sure they are mechanically identical and even much of the body the same only a bit more modern looking in the front and no running boards.

Lang

Hello Lang,

That sounds like an exciting trip, and what a great offer! You were saying 3,000km to the start and another 3,000km home from Darwin. Plus another 1,500km for the tour itself? That makes for an epic trip.

Let's play it by ear to see how and when we get "back to normal" (or rather: adjust to the new reality). For what it's worth, currently in Holland we are locked up at night like we were during WW2 and supplies of jabs are lagging behind the schedule ...

Cheers,
Hanno

PS: I've started reading up on the trip here: https://www.backtothetrack2021.com

Yes Hanno, I doubt your ability to travel in the 6 months remaining before the start. We will send pictures!


Lang

Picked up the first Chev and blew the turbo intercooler hose off the Nissan Navara for the second time in 10 days. Limped into Ipswich and had the incorrect hose clip replaced with the proper one. Thankfully it only took 10 minutes. With 200hp and 600nm of torque this little ute is really outstanding for towing - didn't know it had the Chev on the back.

It is surprising how big a bang it makes when you blow a turbo hose off. I did it and my first thought was a tire blown but then realised that nothing had happened to the handling but I didn't have any power. They go much better with the hose back in place !

Nice Chevy too !

David

Yes David a big bang!

Please do! I'd better start to plan for the next event...

Got the second one home today.

Absolutely fantastic, well done Lang!

Of course, my 1940 Pontiac came after I sat on my 1940 Chev for the last five years, and my wife suggested I buy a runner rather than depending upon my almost-nonexistent mechanical skills! I did so, being very happy with the Pontiac, but disappointed that it doesn't have military history.

So Lang, I hope you don't mind if I vicariously live out my staff car dreams through your posts!

Cheers,
Matt

Thanks Matt

I think you are going well with the Pontiac. I would not be too precious about the staff car history. The only thing that makes them special is the colour (and as I found out the black ones were used by the military though whether impressed, borrowed or on strength I have no idea).

I was trying to get some history from GM and GMH sites and from what I can see the black one has a normal non-military set of codes on the data plates. This does not mean it was never used by the military but leans toward initial civilian ownership whether impressed later or not.

The green one has a government delivery code but this could be for any department including the services so no proof there. I don't really want to be trawling through the AWM records searching for it. It looks to have a sand colour as the base coat on the firewall but GMH had a similar colour on offer for general sale.

Whatever, I am going to choose the best of them, mix and match (not motors) to get the best and sell the other one. If the black one wins it will stay black and if the green one wins it will probably have its American markings removed and receive Australian citizenship.

lang

Aust Staff Cars
 

An interesting but in some ways complicated subject, for which I can provide no comprehensive answers due to the lack of surviving detailed records. So in alphabetical order from the surviving records I have had access to, makes of 'Cars, SS' and 'Cars DS' used across all three services:

Alvis, Austin, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, De Soto, Dodge, Fiat, Ford, Hillman, Hudson, Morris, Nash, Oldsmobile, Opel, Packard, Plymouth, Pontiac, Renault, Rolls Royce, Studebaker, Triumph, Vauxhall, Willys.


The dominant types were Ford (965 minimum not including MC & CMP 6-seaters) and Chev (2,082 minimum not including MC & CMP six-seaters). Total includes several left hand drive Buick, Chev and Ford sedans purchased in the Middle East after the losses in Greece.


There were also several makes for which there has been no registration information located, but which appear in holdings and disposals lists: Bantam, Citroen, Peogot, Reo and Wolseley.



In addition, there was an unknown number of sedan cars supplied to the USASOS and USN which were in use by US Forces on Australian roads. Many of these were returned for credit to the RLL account and disposed of by the CDC. These included Austin, Morris, Standard, Chev, De Soto, Hudson, Nash, Plymouth, Pontiac, Studebaker.



Mike

There you go Matt.

From Mike's info you can definitely take your Pontiac to a military show because it certainly was owned by the Army. Impressed by the Army, Impressed by US Army, loaned to the army, carried an Army officer or was seen by an Army officer during the war.

As I said, unlike others, I am not precious about the history of a particular vehicle. We have all seen vehicles at shows with photos and "recorded" history. General Macarthur has 476 personal cars that he drove every day. Patten, Montgomery and numerous other generals had vast personal fleets which can be seen at any show in USA or Europe.

The fact you have saved an original type from the period is a credit to you in this day of chopped, lowered and re-engined historic vehicles. The heavier truck people have no trouble because the hotrodders are not too interested but light trucks and cars are becoming precious.

Matt, just to put everything in one place here is your stuff on Chevs from 6 years ago.
http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=23897

Lang

Raaf
 

The RAAF seem to have preferred Dodge staff cars , late VMVC member Neil Wain restored a ex RAAF 41 Dodge sedan

CAIRNS, QLD. 1943-08-26. DRIVERS OF THE WOMEN'S NATIONAL EMERGENCY LEGION, POLISHING THEIR VEHICLES BEFORE STARTING THEIR SHIFT, WORKING FOR THE UNITED STATES FORCES IN THIS AREA. LEFT TO RIGHT:- DRIVER (DVR) N. ERSKINE; DVR D. DUPAIN; DVR T. LAWSON; DVR S. MIDGEY; DVR H. ARMSTRONG.


Darwin, NT. c. 1944. An informal group standing beside their motor vehicle, RAAF 202505, waiting to greet Lady Wakehurst on her arrival for a visit to a RAAF Medical Receiving Station. Left to right: Air Commodore A. M. Charlesworth AFC, Air Officer Commanding North-West Area; 501129 Matron C. J. McRae of Glen Innes, NSW, Principal Nursing Officer; Wing Commander V. E. Knight, Principal Medical Officer; 251203 Wing Commander R. W. D. Fisher of Elwood, Vic, Commanding Officer of the station.

Hello Mike.

In your first photo, Post #27, the cars all seem to have a long triangular ‘badge’ at the front right edge of the bonnet. Any idea what that might be?

David

Just found out the colour of my "military" Chev is Sand Drift. Very close to Light Stone military but a standard production colour offering.

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=23897


As mentioned in the old thread above many vehicles had their civilian colours painted over green straight off the production line. As my vehicle has a 253 production number (government order - not necessary Army) I am going with this story. In fact you can see my car 19th back from the front in this factory photo.

David

That photo with the markings seems to show Australian girls working for the Americans. Possibly Plymouths issued to the Americans. Several MP photos are to be found but I understand they had quite a large number of these Australian built vehicles in general service within Australia like the one below it with General Kenney.

Lang

Here is a closeup of the badge - unfortunately the censor has scrubbed it out!