British Empire Staff Cars

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Bantam BRC-40 an Chevrolet(?) staff car in North Africa. Both camouflaged.

Courtesy of John J. Valenti.

C683CADD-75AE-458B-A9A5-0093D7E802EC.jpeg

[Keith Brooker]

A few more from my collection.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Keith Brooker

A few more from my collection.

Serious accidents were the order of the day, I reckon.

[lynx42]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Bantam BRC-40 an Chevrolet(?) staff car in North Africa. Both camouflaged.

Courtesy of John J. Valenti.

Attachment 120343

The Chevrolet sedan is a Fisher bodied 1940 model.

https://www.xr793.com/wp-content/upl...-Chevrolet.pdf .

It differed from the Australian body by having a one piece rear window and a slightly different shape to the boot area.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by lynx42

The Chevrolet sedan is a Fisher bodied 1940 model.

https://www.xr793.com/wp-content/upl...-Chevrolet.pdf .

It differed from the Australian body by having a one piece rear window and a slightly different shape to the boot area.

Thanks for that Rick. I grabbed some screenshots from that catalogue.
Screenshot_2021-03-01 1940-Chevrolet pdf.jpg


Despite the availability of "Knee-Action" IFS, I think the army went for the more conventional and sturdy leaf spring suspension.
Screenshot_2021-03-01 1940-Chevrolet pdf(1).jpg Screenshot_2021-03-01 1940-Chevrolet pdf(2).jpg

[Lang]

All those 1930's ads show the cars elongated. If they thought people liked that look why did they not build them like that?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Lang

All those 1930's ads show the cars elongated. If they thought people liked that look why did they not build them like that?

It's called "marketing". All they do is to lure you into buying that sleek limousine

[lynx42]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Despite the availability of "Knee-Action" IFS, I think the army went for the more conventional and sturdy leaf spring suspension.

As you know, Hanno, my 1940 Chev staff car was the car used by the then Brigadier Stanley Savige, as OIC 17th Brigade 6th Division AIF. It has the IFS set up. It also had a pack-rack for the sand channels and dents to show where it had been fitted and where the channels were thrown up, denting it above the rear window.

58580494_318304598810223_2480306998843801600_o.jpg

Here it is followed by my 1939 WA Chev, LRDP replica and my M3A1 White Scout Car.

Regards Rick.

[Keith Brooker]

A few more from my collection.

aa staff car M10137.jpg

german staff car (2018_01_13 18_51_57 UTC).jpg bunny german army + Bedford MW.jpg

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by lynx42

As you know, Hanno, my 1940 Chev staff car was the car used by the then Brigadier Stanley Savige, as OIC 17th Brigade 6th Division AIF. It has the IFS set up. It also had a pack-rack for the sand channels and dents to show where it had been fitted and where the channels were thrown up, denting it above the rear window.

Hello Rick, that's interesting to read.

I made my remark knowing that the army wouldn't order luxury vehicles but workhorses. Hence no 1940 Special De Luxe or Master De Luxe but a plain Master 85.

Apparently the configuration of the army vehicles differed from the civilian line up.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

"WW2 Canadian Soldier at Barriefield Camp
Barriefield Camp, Kingston, Ontario was a training school for the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps during WW2. The photo appears to be taken at a train station. Note the rail cars visible in the background.
The back of this snapshot has a pen and ink inscription,;
"This was on the film in Ward's camera when he left & I think was taken just before they joined the Perths - and still at Sussex I think in Sept.".
Perths would be the Perth Regiment and Sussex would refer to Camp Sussex, New Brunswick."

4747123205_376d6b2b8d_b.jpg
Source: https://flic.kr/p/8eufkP

[lynx42]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Hello Rick, that's interesting to read.

I made my remark knowing that the army wouldn't order luxury vehicles but workhorses. Hence no 1940 Special De Luxe or Master De Luxe but a plain Master 85.

Apparently the configuration of the army vehicles differed from the civilian line up.

This is the official Australian Army Registrations book showing my Chev, M-15, with engine number R1992353, a 5 passenger car, left from Melbourne with the 1st Contingent for the Middle East. It is a Chevrolet Pullman Ridemaster Deluxe. So I guess only the best will do for HQ 17th Brigade .

6778861.jpg

Regards Rick.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by lynx42

This is the official Australian Army Registrations book showing my Chev, M-15, with engine number R1992353, a 5 passenger car, left from Melbourne with the 1st Contingent for the Middle East. It is a Chevrolet Pullman Ridemaster Deluxe. So I guess only the best will do for HQ 17th Brigade

The Army must have ticked all the boxes on the options sheet for their HQ vehicles ;-)

As far as I know, in 1940 Chevrolet sold the Pullman and the Ridemaster (both with Deluxe options), but not a Pullman Ridemaster (ref https://ozgm.com/reference.htm).

Any which way, it is a lovely car!

Chevrolet-Pullman-And-Ridemaster-Series-Brochure-1940-_57.jpg