Hanno, that car [the Chevrolet] was very probably assembled in Southampton's Canadian Mechanization Depot in late summer of 1940. This makes it unique as there is just one 1939 Model civilian car extant now that was assembled by General Motors Limited, Southampton, and one truck that is now a 1941-2 lookalike LRDG truck. The serial number first allocated was a "CMD XXXX" when built and I have photos of several similar cars that were destroyed in the Luftwaffe bombing of 30 November 1940.
The Ford car might have been one of those assembled in Aldershot by the small team in April 1940 or could have been assembled in Dagenham. I know Ford CMPs were assembled in Southampton but I have no evidence of any Ford sedans. I have just noticed that I have some documentary evidence from the Canadian Archives on these cars, or similar ones! "On 20 November 1939, Colonel Loggie on behalf of [Ford of Canada's Stan] Ellis [who was in the UK on behalf of the DND before sailing back to Canada and then back to England in April 1940] wrote to Colonel N.O. Carr in Ottawa referring to cable no. 667 when the D.N.D. were requested to supply 26 Ford fordor [4-door] sedans. A list of vehicles in General Motors London stock had been checked over and only a minor portion were suitable for Army use: some of these must have been Southampton-assembled cars. Therefore it was advantageous to standardise on Ford supplies with alterations. There is evidence that only one new Chevrolet car was purchased in this country for the British Army, and if it was a Southampton-assembled car, it was unique. The vehicles had to be equipped with imitation leather trimming, rubber mats, heavy jack, new anti-gas paint, strap across back of front seat for map board, and 9.00 x 13 R.F. tyres if available, otherwise 6.50 x 16 with spare, though a spare was not required with R.F. tyres. Production cars to military order were equipped with 6.00 x 16-inch tyres, the same as Chevrolet and Chrysler light sedans". I think that it was these 26 cars that were part of those assembled in Aldershot, and one of them is the Canadian Mechanization HQ car that is outside the CMD in Dr Gregg's book: Ford of Canada 1940 Standard or De Luxe Model 01A 4 x 2 Fordor sedan 114wheelbase military CODE LC424-C-PASS-1* registration in the Canadian series CM 4202083. This from the RCOC history:
"...In addition, the Canadian 1st Division had landed with only 130 converted passenger cars and 30-40 one-ton trucks, all of civilian pattern. These were followed by about 100 staff cars [probably all Fords] in March and April that were assembled by an officer and six other ranks of the R.C.O.C. in Aldershot".
The 1940 right hand drive Ford Model cars assembled at Dagenham were either 01A Standard or 01A Deluxe fordors BUT it now seems that there were some l.h.d. cars as well being diverted FRENCH orders. The 1941 cars assembled at the new CMD in Slough were Models 11A Special, 11A Deluxe and 11A Super Deluxe fordors. NOTE that neither of these orders had the "E" prefix added to show that they were assembled in Dagenham Plant, which was not the case with other diverted French orders and other early Canadian truck and Wagon orders.
1940 Model engine numbers were prefixed:
01A Passenger 1A1 l.h.d. and 1A2F r.h.d.
09A Mercury Passenger 1D1 and 1D2F
The Chevrolet cars were 4 x 2 114 Wheelbase Model 1219 Master 85 Saloon Military Code LC-425-C-Pass and 4 x 2 114 Wheelbase and Model 1019 Special De Luxe Saloon with Trunk. Some of the cars were civilian-pattern diverted to the Government, and others were specific military orders with drab olive paint, etc. An example of the War Department Census number on a 1940 Chevrolet is CM 195371.
1940 MODEL CHEVROLETS:
4X2 114W.B. MODEL 1219 MASTER/MAITRESSE 85 SALOON WITH TRUNK MILITARY CODE LC-425-C-PASS
SERIALS RAN 0121900001+[OSHAWA] RHD & LHD
AND 0121980001+[REGINA] LHD ONLY?
4X2 114 W.B. MODEL 1019 SPECIAL DE LUXE SALOON WITH TRUNK MILITARY
CODE LC-425-C-PASS
SERIALS RAN 0101900001+[OSHAWA] RHD & LHD
AND 0101980001+[REGINA ] LHD ONLY?
1941 MODELS
4X2 116W.B. MODEL 1219 MASTER/MAITRESSE DELUXE 4-DOOR SALOON WITH TRUNK
SERIALS RAN 1121900001+[OSHAWA] RHD & LHD AND 11219800001+[REGINA] LHD ONLY?
4X2 114 W.B. MODEL 1019 SPECIAL DE LUXE SALOON WITH TRUNK
SERIALS RAN 1101900001+[OSHAWA] RHD & LHD
AND 0101980001+[REGINA ] LHD ONLY?
1942 MODELS
4X2 116 W.B. MODEL 1503 MASTER/MAITRESSE DELUXE 4-DOOR SALOON
SERIALS RAN 2121900001+ [OSHAWA ONLY]
4X2 MODEL 1312 1/2 TON PASSENGER SUBURBAN
SERIALS RAN 2131200001+ [OSHAWA ONLY]
NOTE THAT MILITARY PASSENGER CAR PRODUCTION ENDED JUNE 1942, AND ALL 1943 MODELS WERE LEFT-OVER 1942 STOCK [983 CANADIAN CARS OF ALL MAKES SOLD IN 1943] ALSO I HAVE SERIOUS DOUBTS THAT ANY REGINA CARS WERE ACQUIRED BY THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT EXCEPT FOR PERHAPS LOCAL [WESTERN CANADA] USE.
That all said I now have in front of me a RCAF 2-door 1941 Model Chevrolet, so the Government acquired ex-dealer stocks as well as the car in the photo has a civilian style paint job.