Chevrolet based Swedish Armoured Cars

Stellan Bojerud (RIP) · #1 08-07-04, 15:25

In 1930 trials were carried out with a very simple type of AC. This type of "Armoured Car" was in fact a building-kit of armour plates (made by Bofors) that coluld be built on standard 2,5 ton trucks.

In 1931 this AC was designed Pansarbil m/31 Armoured car M/1931.

This picture shows a Cheverolet M/1931 serving with 4th Cav Regt 1933.

Stellan Bojerud (RIP) · #2 08-07-04, 15:27

The same car in 1938.

The steel plate wheels were made by Overman in Sundbyberg 7 km N Stockholm.

Stellan Bojerud (RIP) · #3 08-07-04, 15:49

There were 32 "building-kits" M/1931. When a truck was worn out the armour plates were transferred to another truck.

In 1942-43 the ACs were rearmed with 20 mm AA-guns.

This car is beleived to be built on a 1940 Chevrolet chassis. Nr 804 served in 1st Cav Regt in Stockholm.

David_Hayward (RIP) · #4 08-07-04, 18:07

GM Nørdiska, Stockholm would have assembled and supplied the chassis. I am selling a 1938 GM Nordiska booklet celebrating their 10 years of production.

Stellan Bojerud (RIP) · #5 09-07-04, 11:08

Interesting, David.

I finally found my papers regarding the M/31 ACs. On 6 July 1931 the R Sw A Ordnance Dept bought four 2-ton Chevrolet mod 1931 from AB Hans Osterman in Stockholm for 4.126 SEK/piece.

In March 1940 another three Chevrolet (mod 1940?) were bought followed by two in May and three in June 1940.

In 1943 two of the 1931 Chevrolets were replaced by another two 1940 model Chevrolets.

Greetings,

Stellan

Armour Sqn of 4th Cav Regt, N Sweden 1940. First AC is a Volvo (LV-81 mod 1936), the second a Chevrolet mod 1931.

David_Hayward (RIP) · #6 09-07-04, 12:47

I found the Swedish armoured Chevrolets very interesting indeed! I have also found evidnce that Lilpop Rau u Loewenstein of Warsaw, Poland, sold some Chevrolet truck chassis to the Polish Army, and they were bodied as troop carriers and also with armoured bodies. They were used of course in the early days of the war. There is evidence that GM South African - supplied chassis were armour bodied and used in East Africa. Then there are the Spanish Civil War trucks!

I wonder whether the Netherlands Army used armoured Chevrolet or GMC chassis from 1935? That year saw the first series deliveries of military trucks through General Motors Continental SA, Antwerp and the Rotterdam sales office, sourced from the USA.

Stellan Bojerud (RIP) · #7 09-07-04, 13:35

Thank You indeed!

I have a good record of the four 1931 Chevrolets. AC nr 4 and 5 served with 2nd Cav Regt (Skövde, W Sweden) and nr 6 and 7 with 4th Cav Regt (Umeå, N Sweden).

But regarding the 1940 model i dont have all details. I know for sure that nr 25-28 were Chevrolet 1940 and that nr 4 and 5 were uppgraded from Chevrolet m 1931 to Chevrolet m 1940 in 1943.

The new chassis were reported to be Chevrolet 1940 133" HS Sp 1.

I think that also nr 29-33 were Chevrolet m 1940 and also (new) nr 6 replacing a Chevrolet m 1931 which was destroyed in a fire accident in 1940.

Of the original nr 6 and 7 one of them (I don´t know which of them) was armed with a 37 mm M/1898 gun (ex Navy) and a 8 mm HMG M/1914-29 Colt-Browning in the front.

The other one had a second 8 mm HMG instead of the 37 mm gun.

In 1941 these ACs were renumbered 801-809 and 811-830. (810 beeing an odd AC M/1929 built by Stockholm Ordnance Workshop).

In 1942-43 all 30 ACs M/1931 were rearmed with a 20 mm Bofors AA gun + a 8 mm MG on the same pivot + the 8 mm HMG in the front.

In 1943 a mysterious M/1931 AC was built locally by the workshops of 3rd Armoured Regt. It got nr 951 and had engine number T 3176067 - does that fit in with a Chevrolet?

A Chevrolet m 1931 (nr 6 or 7) winter 1933.

David_Hayward (RIP) · #8 09-07-04, 15:33

Engine # T 3,176,067 according to my data, was assembled in April 1932 in Flint Motor Plant. Note that it is a left-hand drive Truck engine, not rhd! Assuming that the engine was then railed to Bloomfield Boxing Plant, New Jersey, and thence by ship to Stockholm, the chassis was a 1932 Model but could have been assembled as late as summer 1932.

Stellan Bojerud (RIP) · #9 09-07-04, 16:27

Oh!

Fantastic! So what happened?

I think You just solved a question that has been puzzeling Armour Buffs in Sweden for years!

AC nr 951 was not a m/31 but one of the only three m/31 F. Of course! Why didn´t I realize that earlier?

In March 1943 three ex-Soviet BA-10 were bought from Finland without engines, wheels, tires and weapons.

So I just think the Ordnance Dept got hands of a Chevrolet 1932 engine and installed it in a BA-10. Sweden was driving left until 1967.

Here it is:

David_Hayward (RIP) · #10 09-07-04, 18:24

Compare the design with the Canadian Ford and Chevrolet 1935 designs:
http://www.rcaca.org/AFV-1935-Armd-Cars.htm

Very similar in concept!

I was listening to the radio in September 1967 when Sverige switched over during the night to driving on the right. I was sure it was 6 September but I know I am a few days out..I was 12 at the time. It is no surprise that the engine was a lhd and not rhd engine..all Chevrolets to my knowledge that were imported by GM, Stockholm, were lhd.

I am realy glad that I resolved another mystery..that's what I do!

Stellan Bojerud (RIP) · #11 11-07-04, 14:27

This is the prototype for what later became pansarbil m/31. This one was called fm/30. The year was 1930 and the place 3rd Cav Regt in Skövde (W Sweden).

But what type of chassis? The wheels don´t look Volvo to me.

Stellan

David_Hayward (RIP) · #12 11-07-04, 20:12

..a 1930 Chevrolet LR to me. Note those wheels...disc type. Or on reflection in vuew of the posting below, 1931 LT BUT just because it was acquired in 1931 does not mean to say that it was not a 1930 Model Year chassis.