ID help please

Bill Murray · #1 15-04-07, 21:19

I am supposed to be pretty good at this but I am a bit stumped.

This photo appears on the Wermacht Awards.com forum and the poster is an author who wants to use it in one of his books.
It states on the back of the photo more or less "we captured this marvelous Russian Lorry with only 3XX km on it and are using it to transport our kitchen." He is looking for a positive ID.
It certainly looks almost new and there are several ID points to look at.

What appear to be US non-directional tyres
Spare mounted under the tailgate.
Garage door type tailgate??

The photo was taken in Autumn 1942 so eliminates at least some lend lease vehicles but I think it is either American or more likely British. I for a time called it a Gaz AA but the little plate under the tailgate is not seen on the Gaz vehicles and I am sure I have seen it on either US or British trucks.

Any help is appreciated and I will give credit to the author if anyone can ID it.
Bill

Alex van de Wetering · #2 15-04-07, 21:57

Bill,

The tray looks similar to those fitted to 1.5ton US trucks, like Chevrolet, Dodge and Ford/Marmon-Herrington, but that spare wheel........hmm

Alex

Bill Murray · #3 15-04-07, 22:07

Thanks Alex, my problem exactly. I have been fighting this one for three days now. Also note the tow hitch which you can barely see. I tried to blow up the photo to see what the vehicle in the background might be but I am not that good at it.
Bill

cliff · #4 15-04-07, 22:09

Quote:

Originally posted by Alex van de Wetering
Bill,

The tray looks similar to those fitted to 1.5ton US trucks, like Chevrolet, Dodge and Ford/Marmon-Herrington, but that spare wheel........hmm

Alex

Hmmm I agree Alex but a lot of the MCP vehicles did have the spare wheel tucked up under the back like that. I remember seeing some Fords like that. I will have to have a look at my records later and if I find anything I will post it Bill.

Cheers
Cliff

Bill Murray · #5 15-04-07, 22:26

Hi Cliff:
Yes, Ford, that was my first thought too but I have not yet gotten a photo showing the rear of such.
Fords also had that sort of slatted body side and tailgate, another reason to think it might be one of those.
I had actually tentatively ID'd it as a G8T, of which thousands went to Russia, but they were not delivered until some time in 1943/44 so fell outside the scope of the photo's date.

I should peruse some of those CDs you sent me with "walk around" photos to try to see if I can find a good rear view of the earlier Fords but if you beat me to it that is OK too

Bill

cliff · #6 15-04-07, 22:26

here are two photos of Fords showing the spare wheel up under the rear on one and the other showing a military type wooden body which, if I remember rightly has the wheel mounted underneath the rear as well.

Both of these are American but I believe similar chassis were supplied to Britain both as lend lease and by cash and carry sales in the early war years. Maybe some of these were shipped to Russia from the British.

Not sure where these two photos came from.

Photo one. The non standard military body.

cliff · #7 15-04-07, 22:28

Photo 2 - the military style body on a 1942 Ford MCP.

the other thing to note is the fold down troop seats in the back of the original photo so my guess is that it is in fact one of these Ford MCP's shown in Photo 2.

Cheers
Cliff

Bill Murray · #8 16-04-07, 23:14

Hi Cliff:
By Gollie, Ollie, I think you've got it.
Herewith a British version of the same truck that has the slightly different tray with a shallower amount of "metal" underneath the wooden slats. Almost a perfect match for my original photo from the Wehrmacht Awards Forum.
As well, a 2G8T from 1942 would match roughly the period of the photo.
Bill