Vehicle ID

[Bill Murray]

Hi All:

The photo below was posted to the Axis History Forum in their Vehicle ID
thread. I have tentatively identified it as a 1942 Chevrolet, probably supplied to Australian Forces and later modified into a cobbled up Officer Transport Car.

Can anyone here (Cliff maybe?) positively ID this vehicle?

Thanks

Bill

[cliff]

I'd say 1942 Chev as well Bill. Checking images on Google as well shows the same car listed as 1942.

[Bill Murray]

Thanks very much for verifying the year, Cliff.

Do you by chance have any further opinions on the car?

I do not recognize the uniforms/flag but assume a British Commonwealth
country. The standard wheels/tyres indicate a non-combat zone to me.

It is LHD, so came from the US. The US Army/AAF/Navy all had cars in Australia so I assumed it might be from there.

The numbers on the side of the motor hood are more consistent with the US style and range of numbers than Commonwealth systems which confuses the issue, especially as there is no "USA" above or in front of the numbers.

Any further ideas would be welcome.

Bill

[Tony Smith]

1941 Pontiac cars were widely used as staff cars, and that number is is quite consistant with being an Australian Army Registration Number.

[Bill Murray]

Good info, Tony. Any photos?

Bill

[motto]

What is that fitting at the forward lower corner of the passenger door? There appears to be a similar object in the middle of the drivers door.
The door handles seem to have been replaced with loops made of bent rod. What is that about?
There also appears to be something, perhaps timber, attached to the top of the doors and a post sticking up just behind the driver. Perhaps a part of the convertible modification?

David

[lynx42]

I'll go along with the 1942 Chevrolet Fisher bodied model. It is a sedan cut down to an open car with the doors welded shut and side steps to climb in and out. Not something we would see in Australia although being a Fisher body it may have been a military import. Next time I go to the AWM, I will look up that ARN. but that won't be for a few months.
Regards Rick.

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by motto

What is that fitting at the forward lower corner of the passenger door?
David

That's a ash tray ..they smoked a lot back then

[Mike Cecil]

The number on the bonnet is not an Australian ARN: although consistent with the Australian Commonwealth numbering system, that number (165602) was a jeep trailer.

The uniforms are not Australian either - more like British than Australian.

Mike

[motto]

I hadn't noticed the third such fitting in the middle of the rear door and I haven't seen anything like this arrangement for boarding a vehicle previously.
To weld the doors shut and provide steps for climbing over them seems very odd to me. Has this modification been seen elsewhere?
If the vehicle was intended for the carriage of officers it surely must impose on their decorum, particularly if the roof was in place. I assume the steps and handles were there for emergency exit only and everybody normally entered and alighted from the offside?

David

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

The uniforms are not Australian either - more like British than Australian.

Mike

That was my impression also.

Could it be the British zone in post war Germany or Austria ?

[David Dunlop]

Motto.

That post behind the driver looks to me like the muzzle end of a rifle. Also looks like a large spotlight mounted on the right end of the front bumper.

David

[motto]

That explains it all - it's a 'shooting buggy'! I would have picked it straight off if there was a dead deer lashed onto the front of the vehicle.

David

[Ilian Filipov]

Following this logic, by far the most popular shooting buggy is this one:



Its doors are mounted shut, it has side steps/stirrups and spotlight, it carries two Lee-Enfield rifles in gun racks and even a submashine gun.

[David Dunlop]

Ilian.

Thanks for posting. Both vehicles have a similar plate between the grill and right head lamp and also the same twin flag mount on the upper right side fender. In the top photo, both flag posts are almost side by side, so it is difficult to ID the second flag.

Maybe the key to location/context is in the front right metal plate.

David