1940 Australian GMH Chevrolet military coupe utility

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by lynx42

Mike, a bit of bad news for you. I was the loosing bidder at Col Andersons auction for the Pontiac. It went the chap who lives at 'Rust Hill' in SA and was displayed at the South Australian Military Museum until about 6 months ago. After being taken out on a run and placed back in the museum it caught fire and was partially or fully destroyed. (it depends who you speak to). It seems that there was a long term build up of horse hair from the seat padding which had fallen down and accumulated behind the seat on the floor and the exhaust ran close to the underside of the floor. This bit of floor got hot and started the horse hair smoldering and eventually the horse hair caught alight some 3/4hr after being parked up and burnt the car. The placement of the sprinkler system above the displays in the museum saved the other exibits but never quenched the Pontiac. It may be restored but who knows. (It was the owner who told me about the fire.)

Regards Rick.

Rick

I may be confusing things a tad. Colin had two 41 Pontiac utes .

At the auction held in 2003 , he sold the unrestored one, this vehicle went to South Aust. I recall seeing it on the back of a truck after the auction, precariously positioned and ready to fall off the truck.

The yellow restored one ( the Geelong flyer ) , he kept this for some years after his big 2003 sale and attended Corowa with it . Is that the burnt one ?

Colin had previously tracked down a 1941 Pontiac sedan and he salvaged many parts from it , it had been a hire car in Melbourne for the duration of the war - thus it escaped military service .