1940 Break Down Chevrolet Holden MCP

[Ken Smith]

There has been a breakdown crane on Gumtree for about 12 months, that is supposed to have come off a Chev army truck.
It is reasonably cheap and not a million miles away from you Lionel, it is at Tara near Dalby.

Ken

[Lionelgee]

G'day Ken,

Well Spotted Ken. I did see that advertised a while ago. Only two photographs and neither show the full shape of the boom. It would have been handy if there were more photographs. Something to get an idea of scale off would have been handy to work out what size it is.

What can be seen looks like a single boom whereas the ones above in my earlier posting seem to be twin boom arms that have a lot of box work above them as bracing. The CMP breakdown trucks had an "I" beam type.

Perhaps it should be described as crane fitted to an ex-Army truck at some point of time? Not necessarily an Army crane fitted to an Army truck? It could be a crane used by engineers and not related to breakdown lorries.


The breakdown lorries seem to come in different capacities. The attached one seems to be a light weight version on the back of a CMP. Also too the CMP 6 x 6. Neither of which are a MCP type as in my first post.

Accessed November 20, 2016 from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/024818/
ID number 024818
Collection type Photograph

Object type Black & white
Physical description Black & white
Description WESTERN DESERT, EGYPT. 1942-08-10. A STAFF CAR UNDER REPAIR BY NO. 1 AUSTRALIAN RECOVERY SECTION ABOUT 15 MILES BEHIND THE FRONT LINE ON THE EL ALAMEIN SECTOR. THE UNIT'S BREAKDOWN TRUCK WITH CRANE IS IN THE BACKGROUND.

Accessed November 20, 2016 from, https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/075276/Then the heavy weight on the back of a 6 by 6
ID number 075276
Collection type Photograph
Object type Black & white
Physical description Black & white
Description MADANG, NEW GUINEA. 1944-08-15. PERSONNEL OF THE 165TH GENERAL TRANSPORT COMPANY USING A 6 X 6 RECOVERY WAGON TO LIFT AND TOW A BROKEN DOWN 4 X 4 CHEVROLET TRUCK. IDENTIFIED PERSONNEL ARE:- NX125258 DRIVER N.S. RITCHIE (1); NX125172 DRIVER R.R. CAMPBELL (2); NX150330 PRIVATE R.N. GOODRUN (3); NX125244 PRIVATE G.B. BRAYSHAW (4); NX125253 WARRANT OFFICER I, A.R. BARNES (5).

Accessed November 20, 2016 from, https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/127839
ID number 127839
Collection type Photograph

Object type Black & white
Physical description Black & white
Description AUSTRALIA. TRUCKS, 3-TON BREAKDOWN (AUSTRALIAN) NO.4. LEFT SIDE VIEW.

Here is a Ford MCP version of the Heavy Weight Breakdown. Accessed November 20, 2016 from, https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/127755
ID number 127755
Collection type Photograph

Object type Black & white
Physical description Black & white
Description AUSTRALIA. LORRIES, 3-TON BREAKDOWN (AUSTRALIAN) NO.2. FORD. THREE-QUARTER BACK VIEW, RIGHT SIDE.
Unlike the other photographs the Ford has all the pioneer tools in place.


There are about 600 photographs at the AWM under "cranes" Looks like I have some homework in front of me!



Kind Regards
Lionel

[Mike K]

It looks like a Heath Robinson contraption These cranes were designed when Meccano sets were very popular , Meccano must have had some influence ha

[Tony Smith]

Is that first truck you pictured an MCP, or a Standard truck? I'm not familiar with the earlier Chevs, could you run through some of the MCP features of the WA and WB Chevs?

I thought the MCPs were more like the LRDG WB 30cwt Chevs, with heavier duty front axles and hubs to support the wider wheels?:

[Lionelgee]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

Is that first truck you pictured an MCP, or a Standard truck? I'm not familiar with the earlier Chevs, could you run through some of the MCP features of the WA and WB Chevs?

I thought the MCPs were more like the LRDG WB 30cwt Chevs, with heavier duty front axles and hubs to support the wider wheels?:

G'day Tony,

The MCP were basically civilian trucks that were modified to different extents.... a little to a hell of a lot... Oh a check on MLU and the wider internet has a difference of opinion "Modified Civilian Pattern" or "Modified Conventional Pattern" ...

Have a look at Cliff's explanation Accessed November 20. 2016 from, http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...02&postcount=7

There is a whole thread devoted to MCPs Accessed November 20. 2016 from, http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...d.php?p=147431

In the case of my truck - it must have been made early in 1940 and when compared to a local 1940 truck that was bought new for a sugar cane farm, so it was not "borrowed" by the military - there is very little differences between the two trucks. By 1941 more in-factory modifications were taking place.

Hmmm I need to take more photographs of my mate's Chev - I do not have a photograph of his windscreen. Oh my mate's truck is the pretty blue one

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Mike K]

Pic P02399.014 is a typical 1939 model. The 39 has the earlier round separate instruments , plus bullet headlights and the different grill.

[Lionelgee]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

Pic P02399.014 is a typical 1939 model. The 39 has the earlier round separate instruments , plus bullet headlights and the different grill.

Hello Mike,

Both my mate and my Chevrolet trucks have the bullet lights and integrated or composite gauges set in a rectangular cluster. Also both mine and Merv's grille both have 16 horizontal bars. I cannot remember which whether the 1939 had one less or one more horizontal bars on the grille. Both trucks are also plated Holden's 1940. The photographs of my truck were taken when I first saw it in Dalby and I was preparing it for a tilt truck ride to its new home.

The previuus owner of my truck installed the external fuel tank. Merv upgraded the 6 volt system from a generator up to a 12 volt system with an alternator. My wiring is stock 6 volt generator. Oh and Merv put a 1950's chrome label "Chevrolet" on his engine hood's side shown in an earlier photograph.

In the Second last - bottom photograph you can look at the extreme right and just see the rectangular gauges cluster. The photo was taken originally to show that Merv's truck had a pretty lining on the door - where mine does not. Whether it had one in the first place and it has since fallen off I am not sure.

The last photograph shows what the blurry image is in the passenger footwell of the second last photo is. It is a display plaque that Merv puts up during truck shows. Merv's father bought the truck new and it is still in the shed on the same sugar cane farm.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Mike K]

Hi Lionel

No your 1940 model doesn't have the bullet headlight shells. Look at the first pic you posted in this thread - it depicts the 39 model which has much longer headlight shells, shaped like a bullet , the 1940 model headlight shells, in comparison, are short and stubby. Not sure where this thread is going.... it's all over the place