Hi Guys:
Just to clear up the political pressure angle... not so: Gen Guy Simmonds was our post war CGS and he wisely saw that Canada's economic and industrial future were tied directly to Cousin Jonathan to the South. It made no sense for Canada to continue manufacturing hybrid vehicles of UK specification and North American production techniques (our beloved CMPs).
Thus the family of SMPs (Standardised Military Pattern) were born. At the time the decision was taken, it looked like the US were to standardise on the M135 by GM so Simond's staff had GM Canada produce the M135Cdn family (look underneath and its amazing how similar it is to a C60X!
). The light truck question was easy... the precursor to the M37 family was already in production in Canada in the form of the D3/4APT so Dodge got the M37Cdn contract. This left Ford Canada with production capability so the M38Cdn and M38A1Cdn both went to Ford Canada.
These vehicles were not mindless copies of the US originals... Canada was deeply involved in their design and especially in cold weather testing. Some differences between US and Canadian models: all weather cabs with metal roofs, cold starting kit including primer pumps, USMC style tiedowns on all vehs (all our stuff had to be air/sea transportable); larger engines in the case of the M37Cdn family; etc, etc.
Larger vehicles were purchased directly (the M39 family) with Canadian specified modifications as above or were custom built in Canada.
We did the same with artillery, building Canadian versions of the 105mm M101 (the C1 and C2) and the 155mm M114 (the C1- sometimes called the M114A1Cdn) to replace the much loved 25 pounder and 5.5 inch gun.
The benefits of having common supply and technical lines with our US allies cannot be ignored. The greatest loss when we stepped away from the CMPs, was the enormous commonality in parts from 8 Cwt to 60 Cwt. That and having the "gnarliest" looking military vehicles in the world!
Cheers!
Mike
