Military? Chevy Panel Van in NZ query

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

David,

You may remember that 3 years ago I contacted you about my '45 Panel Van and you had me send a photo of it and the ID plate. Well, I'm now well into the restoration. The vehicle is completely dismantled and I'm checking all parts to see what I need to order from America. Some parts I've already overhauled using locally found componentry.

Since talking to you then, I've found out more information. There are two 1947 Panel Vans in New Zealand for instance. One is in daily usage as a plumber's vehicle and the other was made into a hotrod with a V8 motor, but the man is putting it back to original. I have helped him with parts. He was in the NZ Army in the 50's and remembered them well. He claims the Army bought 21 of these in 1947.

Locally in our little town, one of the two bread bakeries purchased two 1945 cab and chassis from the local GM dealer and had a local body builder make the backs up according to GM specifications. The son of the baker is still alive and described his father's two Chevs, identical to mine - colour and all ! It does appear from all my research that GM got very few cab and chassis as early as 1945. The family is searching their photo albums for a shot of these vehicles.
I am prepared to sign write the company name and an unsliced loaf of bread on both sides of the rear because of the local connection.

It appears that Oshawa dismantled the cab and chassis, and sent them out to NZ, where GMNZ assembled them in Wellington.

Mine is obviously a military version and I suspect that they were sent from Oshawa in late '44, but by the time they arrived and were assembled war was close to being over in Europe. I reckon the military turned them down and GMNZ sent them out to the civilian sector. I am trying hard to find a '41 car version instrument panel as they look much better. I intend chroming everything.

One thing you can possibly answer for me please. I recently saw three pick ups in a collection of 30 plus vehicles in a paddock. They all had their fuel tanks under the seat. Mine is a large square box type, up under the floorboards and the man with the ex hot rod '47 said his is the same. Is this a military thing or a Panel Van thing ???

The other question is what is the difference between a military and civilian accelerator pedal ?? One of the US Parts Companies says their pedal rubbers are not for military accelerators ! Mine is a metal type with holes in it.

I believe that it's a 1945 Model, the interim before the 1946 truncated year models but without checking cannot be positive.

[Tony Smith]

You may remember that 3 years ago I contacted you about my '45 Panel Van and you had me send a photo of it

Aah yes, remember it well!

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Thanks! Can anyone answer the fuel tank and pedal queries please? I can guess that the pedal was metal with holes in it for military boots...rubber pedals wear and can cause the foot to slip if the driver has wet, muddy clodhoppers. Potentially nasty!

[gordon]

It's the same situation as my early Dodges, which were much the same configuration.

Civilian trucks tended to have long thin tanks down the side of the chassis, and these tanks were also used on the 'militarised civilian' trucks like my WC 36 Carryalls.

However, in military use all those tanks got wrecked very quickly, so they tended to be replaced with the rear-mounted tanks out of the 4 x 4 trucks. You wouldn't normally put a tank under the back of a 4 x 2 truck because that's where most of them slung the spare wheels, but on military trucks the spares couldn't be mounted underneath because they were normally also fitted with rear bumperettes which completely obstructed the underslung spare wheel.

Still with me? good. My two WC36 chassis were made only 83 apart, and both were fitted with the longitudinal tanks, but both had the rear chassis drilled to take the small crossbrace which supported the leading edge of the rear-mounted tank. One had the cross brace on it - obviously unused, and the other had the holes but no brace.

I have no details on the Chevrolet, but suspect it is much the same. Surviving military versions would be rare, so your correspondant might want to keep all the bits he takes off, all traces of the original markings, etc, etc. he should also check out the STOVEBOLT Forum for info on this age of Chev.

Gordon