David, I am truly indebted! This is the information that I have put together as a result of your assistance:
1. There were at least two distinct batches of Chevrolet 2-Pounder Anti-tank Portees, and those listed as CGTs may also include some Portees. I have yet to establish whether there was indiscriminate mixing of Portee and CGT chassis on the Oshawa lines or whether there was a distinct series of chassis for both CGT and Portee bodies.
2. This seems to be one of 219 Chevrolet and Morris-Commercial Portees [C8/MG model if memory serves correctly] supplied to NZ by 1944, being survivors that were not converted to 17-pounder Anti-tank Tractors in the UK...the jury is still out whether any Chevs were converted to G/S trucks as were the C60L 6-pounder Portees. The MCC survivors that stayed in the UK were converted it seems by MCC in Birmingham in late 1943 to 17-pounder tractors, and airportable versions.
3. Contract V/4229 is a new one on me...it is the Ministry of Supply contract with, say, General Motors Limited or Lep Transport Limited to assemble the units in the UK whereas S/M 2028 is the M of S demand number relating to the order from Canada. Example: S/M 2019 covered a number of C60L/F60L trucks which were assembled in the UK, V/4288 being the Ford contract for Dagenham assembly, but this may have also covered C60L assembly. In the end a large number were issued in the Mid-east to the AIF and NZEF and then ended up after sale in Australia and NZ.
4. Yes, this Portee was most probably one of those sent to the Mid-east and then issued to the NZEF, being 'sold' in 1941 to the NZ Government by transfer of funds in London.
5. The 8440X2 code indicates CGT chassis, assembled in the UK, with the 'X2' being the GM of Canada export code that lasted from 1935 to 1958.
Doing a 'Hanno' here, the following threads might interest:
http://www.mapleleafup.org/forums/sh...ight=predictor
http://www.mapleleafup.org/forums/sh...ight=predictor