Now comes the next part. I will return next weekend with a rather suprising find.
Through a friend I got told of (and visited) a local gentlman who has
3 1942-1943 Chev C15A cab 13 CMP's in his shed, in working condition and as original to still be driveable, with rifle racks, rear vision mirrors intact etc. 2 are original motor 6V and one has been dieseled and is 12V.
"Don't Worry" he says, "I have the original motor and parts over there under a tarp." Priceless.
Along with two complete 2J1 bodies. That is complete to the tyre racks, toolboxes, mud flaps and seats. He then apologised that the wood was rotting but shouldn't be hard to fix.
He took the bodies off and left them under an awning off his shed when he converted them to flat deck trays, funny the things you keep on a farm.
He bought these in the late 60's from Otago and ran them on his farm up to a few years back when they were put into the shed.
Then he apologised again and said that he had had a fourth one on his old farm up to last year when he gave it away to someone who had pestered him about it. He said "Should have kept it, you could have had it or free. Now where did I put that beer so I can cry in it.
These trucks are so mint that all of the seats and springs are fine, the rear sliding windows are good. The only thing is the top hatch was removed and plated over, but that is not a biggy.
I have seen more rust in a 10 year old Jap Rice Burner than these three trucks have together.
Pictures and further plate details will be forthcoming after next Saturday when I visit him with the obligatory beers for a session of "Blokes in the Shed" looking at trucks. All of the trucks have their plates.
We have started to talk about sorting one of these fine machines and a body to be restored, my wife is really excited as well about this prospect so things are looking up al around.
Oh, anybody want dimensions etc for the bodies give me a yell, I will be getting as many pics as possible next weekend.
So between that, working in a major Mass Casulaty Accident scenario with our Fire Brigade helping the Ambos do some training (Chopping up rice burners is a great tension release) as well as attending two nasty accidents overnight, my weekend has been fairly normal. NOT.
A shed with three running CMP's in it, and it wasn't a dream.