[Bob Carriere]

The current issue of the rectangular civilian instrument panel was a civilian style much like the first year it came out on trucks in 1940..... 1939 had the round gauges....... I would expect all of the original 38 or 39 Cairo modified LRDG to have been built with the round gauges....... round gauges may have been carried forward for the flat cowl conversion but would expect all 1942 factory 1533 to have the rectangular civilian style gauge cluster.

Lots of retro fitting and field modifications can be expected once the trucks saw action in North Africa......for example some of the factory rectangular folding windshields were removed, bumpers were dead weight...... at least half the waterfall grill was cut out...... and factory pictures do not show the huge water expansion tank on the driver's side.....spare(s) inside or outside the cargo box and I suspect machine gun mounts were field installed based on availability and ammo supply....... hard press to see two trucks similarly kitted side my each!!!!

In the various official messages reproduced on MLU of what they wanted never was it mentioned to have a 2 speed rear axle...... they made do with what they could get or scrounged from the battlefield.

That what makes them so interesting ......... the challenge is to make one that is plausible.

Cheers