Tyre Rims Chevrolet MCP

[Lionelgee]

Hello MLU People,

I found an photograph of a 1941-42 Modified Civilian Pattern Chevrolet truck which has a similar opening windscreen as my 1940 truck has.

I also noticed that the truck in the photograph has two things different to mine in relation to the tyres. The first is that it does not have the suicide rims that mine has fitted to it. The second thing is that the rear wheels are single and not dual as my truck has.

What are the wheel rims which have a series of bolts which hold the two halves together called? Would these bolted wheel rims been originally fitted to my truck?

Can you still get these types of wheel rims and what size tyre would they take?

Could the dual rear wheels been a standard civilian stock since 1940 was very early in the war? Or was it a single rim rear arrangement that has since been modified after the war to be upgraded to a dual wheel arrangement?

A number of members have written that they have had tyre fitters refuse to handle the suicide rims when fitting new tyres. So it would be good to know that I might be able to go down the two bolted half wheel rims and still maintain some authenticity as per the Australian War Memorial photograph of a truck which is probably only a year younger than mine.

Kind Regards
Lionel

Details of the photograph are:

ID Number: 024625
Physical description: Black & white
Summary: WESTERN DESERT, EGYPT. 1942-07-22. AUSTRALIAN ARMY CANTEEN SERVICE MOBILE CANTEEN. THESE 3-TON TRUCKS STACKED WITH GOODS PLY UP AND DOWN THE REAR OF THE BATTLE AREA SUPPLYING THE WANTS OF THOSE WHO HAVE MONEY. NOTE THE NAME "GLORIA" ON THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK. THIS IDEA OF INSCRIBING A GIRL'S NAME ON A 3 TON TRUCK IS, IN A WAY, A DOUBTFUL COMPLIMENT TO HER MEMORY, BUT IS A WIDESPREAD PRACTICE AMONG BRITISH TROOPS IN EGYPT.
Copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
Copyright holder: Copyright Expired
Related subject: Canteens; Exercises and manoeuvres; Trucks; Women

Related unit: Army Canteen Service; British Army

Related place: North Africa: Egypt; North Africa: Western Desert


Related conflict: Second World War, 1939-1945

Accessed 12th September 2013 from www.awm.gov.au/collection/024625