C60 Service/Employment History Tracing
 

Hi All,

As a rabid Signals collector I usually only lurk on this board but I now find I need assistance. Of course it's with a Sigs vehicle.

The Canadian Military Communications Museum is now refurbishing a C60 Command High Power that was recently 're-discovered' in a poor condition from being displayed outdoors. We are seeking to establish if at all possible what unit(s) the vehicle may have served with during the Second World War and even after that if at all possible. As this is a new area for those of us involved we're looking for assistance with any known details or suggestions on where we'd go look or otherwise go about finding answers.

What we know:
WD (as found painted): CL423707 (see pic)
no evidence of tac or formation signs

From the data plates (see pic)

On Plate 1
Chasis: C-60448-M
Cab: 13
Chassis Serial: 2844335554
Engine Serial: PR3868621
Order No: LV 327
Date of MFG: Dec 21-42

On Plate 2
Vehicle Model: C-60448-M-GS-9

On Plate 3 (pretty standard I would think)
Spare Parts List: 197
Maintenance Manual: MB-C1

So, if anyone can help us trace the path of this vehicle from factory to now I'd love to hear from you.

If CL423707 painted on the door is original then it saw service overseas. A home front unit would be something like 42-Z-****

Invasion star
 

It also has the Invasion regognition star on the door that looks original..what a beauty machine..an excellent restoration project..

Grant Bowker has the manuals you need for the project..both parts ..maintenance and the Field service updates..all for your vehicle..can be located here..

http://www.dana-nield.com/d32/Defaul....com/d32/blair

But the site was off line when I checked ..so Grant...get the lead out and fix your sight up..you have manuals customers..

Google the site and you will find your manuals here..as soon as Grant gets it up and working again..

Military Manuals by Mr. Manual > Home ( DNN 3.2.0 )
Military Manuals by Mr. Manual is committed to protecting your privacy and developing technology that gives you the most powerful and safe online experience ...
http://www.dana-nield.com/d32/blair/..../Default.aspx - Cached - Similar -

:remember

Here is the manuals you need from my personal files..

#1A:300+ pages No.197 Chevrolet Spare Parts List..1940-1942 For CMP Vehicles..8 hwt.4x2,15 hwt.4x2,15 hwt.4x4, 30 hwt.4x4,3 ton 4x4,F.A. Gun Tractor 4x4... Aug 1942



#3: 300+ pages MB-C2 Maintenance Manual, for GM CMP vehicles. 15 cwt 4x2, 15 cwt. 4x4, 30 cwt 4x4, 3 ton 4x4 HU 4x4, F.A.T. 4x4. Sept. 1943

#3A 300+ pages GM Service Bulletins Updates for MB-C2(May-November 1943).. ***These bulletins were issued to the field maintenance shops for upgrades to the CMP vehicles.. Many procedures in the bulletins and additions did not make the maintenance manuals.


Use the MB-C2 rather than the MB -C1..It is an up dated MB-C1 with all the early stuff in it from the MB-C1 plus the latest up to September '43 ..the service bulletins fill in the blanks of all the stuff that didn;t make the maintenance manuals..
:remember:remember:remember :support :support

The vehicle class L in the registration is for Lorry, and the vehicle configuration of GS is for General Service, so as it left the factory, this vehicle was configured as a common or garden load carrying truck, it did not have a radio house body fitted or any other specialist body. That has been installed at some later date, possibly much later.

Command hi power
 

Joe,
Looking through my photo album of past vehicles that were on display at our past Winnipeg air shows,one of our members had your exact truck in restored condition and is now I believe part of the vehicle collection in C.F.B. Shilo at the museum.Your museum director should be able to get ahold of whoever is in charge of the vehicle collection in Shilo for photo's of the interior. What shape is your truck inside.Has it been gutted or are the tables and equipment still there?
Derk.

Previously restored
 

My understanding is that no vehicles were returned from Europe after the war. I'm sure that the CL number and star, and possibly the re-body are the result of a previous, not too long ago, restoration. It would be interesting to look carefully, maybe lightly sand down the doors, to look for the original census number. Being a late '42 vehicle, the number would be the later type of xx-xxxx ( the first pair of numbers relating to the owning unit not the year) probably with an L above. The past owner would presumably know its more recent history.

This page out of Gregg's Blueprint for Victory states that 15000 of the best vehicles were returned to Canada.

Thanks all for your posts so far. A few responses:

- The inside of the cabin looks to be in good shape. I've attached a pic. It also has it's generator and the 53 set. The cab is another matter, it looks like the windows were left open and the weather did it's thing. Again, see attached pic.

- I understand the vehicle came from a CFB Petawawa display or compound. How it got there, I can't really say. Perhaps from Shilo but I'd have to check with them to see if they still had theirs. The pics I have show it on a vehicle pallet load system type sled.

- The website mentioned for the manuals, both links, don't work for me. Hopefully it comes up!! I'd love to have the manuals.

I take it then that without the census number (and perhaps even then) the vehicle can't really be traced to a unit? I will see if the light sanding idea leads anywhere. Any other info or suggestions on where to turn?

Manuals for sale web site
 

You are right that the manuals site has been down. Dana Nield has been kind enough to let me have space based on his web site to list the manuals (as well as doing the dog work to maintain the site). All of his site got hacked about two weeks ago and as a result I've been down too. If you (or anyone else) want to PM me I can give you more information about the manuals. I think that Dana's sites should be back up shortly, possibly at a slightly changed address. If the link changes I'll ask Sunray to update the links page on MLU

Back up lists..
 

Grant
I still have the back up lists of manuals and am sending them on for you to service..I CC 'd you on Doug Lavois for Carrier manuals and I'll check ,but didn't get an email from Joe but posted on this tread the manuals he needs..
Come by the house for coffee ..or whiskey..or even a Coors ,if you are so inclined.
I have that new Skink manual you can drool over,but not on..
Alex
(When ever I don't hear from you for a while ,I picture you taken captive by Bob and Rob and chained to an old CMP axle housing at the barn..on hard rations..slaving in the sand blasting booth..)

Potential Rotter..
 

Joe..
I see that you are a local Ottawa lad..so am I and so is Grant..the manual king..
I posted the manuals you need..Here they are again..


Here is the manuals you need from my personal files..

#1A:300+ pages No.197 Chevrolet Spare Parts List..1940-1942 For CMP Vehicles..8 hwt.4x2,15 hwt.4x2,15 hwt.4x4, 30 hwt.4x4,3 ton 4x4,F.A. Gun Tractor 4x4... Aug 1942



#3: 300+ pages MB-C2 Maintenance Manual, for GM CMP vehicles. 15 cwt 4x2, 15 cwt. 4x4, 30 cwt 4x4, 3 ton 4x4 HU 4x4, F.A.T. 4x4. Sept. 1943

#3A 300+ pages GM Service Bulletins Updates for MB-C2(May-November 1943).. ***These bulletins were issued to the field maintenance shops for upgrades to the CMP vehicles.. Many procedures in the bulletins and additions did not make the maintenance manuals.


Use the MB-C2 rather than the MB -C1..It is an up dated MB-C1 with all the early stuff in it from the MB-C1 plus the latest up to September '43 ..the service bulletins fill in the blanks of all the stuff that Didn't make the maintenance manuals..
This is serious sh*t...you have the potential to be inducted to the ROTters(Rusty Old Truckers)..
And with all the benefits we have them coming to Ottawa for our meetings at Gracies Bar and grill from far and wide..
We are due for a pre Christmas gather up soon..Give Grant a PM thru MLU and he can have your manuals ready for you when we meet at Gracies..
Would love to meet you and make sure you are up to our standards of Beer drinkin' lie tellin' and good time promotion..
Welcome aboard.
Click on Grants name in this thread and you can send him a personal message.
Alex
:remember :support :drunk:

Joe C,
Firstly, congrats on what looks like a very nice resto project (albeit rebodied)
Try lightly sanding the panels above the headlamps, markings have been found there on other trucks over the years. You may want to start looking for an early steering wheel for her as she is fitted with the later wooden version.
Keep us all up to date with plenty of pictures
Keith

Thanks for all the info and camaraderie. I will gladly take the Ottawa et al gang up on a pre-Christmas drink. I have PM'd Grant and will contact him directly when I get back in Canada.

Hang in..
 

Joe
hang in ..
We'll get together and the times will always be here on MLU..Keep looking for Gracies Call..
Hisself(Jif) and the beautiful Queen Sally have been known to make the sojourn more than once so it is a great time to meet lots of the MLU crowd..
Now that Jif is running a Jeep four by ,a little snow won't stop him..although Trontonians tend to squeal when they get more than 2-3 CMs.//Our fearless leader has been known to venture off in 5 CM's and who knows with the four by....
:remember :drunk: :salute: :support