Australian CGT mystery

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

This is an extract from the War Department 1938 Report relating to GMC 4-wheeled 4 x 4 Artillery Tractor.

On completion of trials as a tractor the vehicle was resubmitted in the role of a 3-ton load carrier, but the frame proved insufficiently robust and the first severe application of the brakes caused a permanent set of 4 inches at the centre. No further action was taken with this vehoce as a load carrier.

I gather that the following year a similar GMC 4 x 4 truck was trialled by the WD in England and the front axle tie-rods [?] failed, which resulted in smashed transfer case gears when the front axle was shifted rearwards!

The WD seem to have had submitted various designs of 4 x 4 FATs starting with the Guy Quad-Ant and Karrier Spider. The implication is that these were meant to also be the basis of 3-tonner chassis. I am no expert but surely the manufacturers learned from these sort of lessons, and double-skinned the Chevrolet and Ford CMP FAT chassis if they were indeed rated in the 3-tonner class?