I'm not sure I'd go so far as to equate the DAY of introduction of the heavier chassis items with the 44 pattern Aust cab. Same year, perhaps, but the two are not related in any of the Aust production reports and paperwork I have. Indeed, there is no reference to the heavier chassis fittings (what you term a 'late model' chassis) or any chassis differences at all in the Aust production info: they were all treated the same by the Aust assembler/manufacturer as far as I can see.
Rather than a break in production, perhaps the 'break' is in deliveries to Australia?
Incidentally, another climatic change to the cab construction was the deletion of the sliding rear window from all Aust cab production: this was another Australian change to the CDN design driven by an early requirement to increase the air flow through the cab, ie greater ventilation.
Mike C
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