C8AX production

[Tony Smith]

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/shep...itz/1277925967

Here's a funny one posing as an F15 (it might be an F15A chassis, it has 8 stud wheels?), but it does at least have a new C8AX plate for us so the list is now:

XH8448-073 FR3867782 mfd 5 - 3 – 43
XH8448-079 FR3862924 mfd 5 - 3 - 43 NZ22897
XH8448-080 FR3852622 mfd 5 - 3 - 43 NZ22958
XH8448-087 FR3838752 mfd 5 - 3 - 43 NZ22899
XH8448-161 FR3838745 mfd 5 - 3 - 43
XH8448-199 FR ? ? ? ? mfd 5 - 3 - 43 NZ25422
XH8448-229 FR3863719 mfd 5 - 3 - 43 NZ23261
XH8448-252
XH8448-254 FR3863431 mfd 5 - 4 - 43
XH8448-273 FR3863445 NZ26023
XH8448-275 FR ? ? ? ? mfd 5 - 4 - 43
XH8448-304 FR3863576 mfd 5 4 - 43
XH8448-322 FR3863983 mfd 5 - 4 - 43
XH8448-339 FR3864029 mfd 5 - 4 - 43
XH8448-377 FR3863573 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-382 FR3863937 mfd. 5 May 43
XH8448-392 FR3864366 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-394 FR3863668 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-419 FR3863618 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-427 FR3863894 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-428 FR ? ? ? ? mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-452
XH8448-459 FR3863469 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-481 FR3863988 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-496 FR3863872 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-497 FR3863875 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-502 FR3863593 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-564 FR ? ? ? ? mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-594 FR3863668 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-606 FR3864085 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-611 FR3864083 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-622 FR3863893 mfd 5 4-43
XH8448-634 FR3864089 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-650 FR3883923 mfd 5 May-43
XH8448-657 FR3864068 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-718 FR3864330 mfd 5 June 43
XH8448-721 FR3864172 mfd 5 June 43
XH8448-742 FR3863886 mfd 5 June 43
XH8448-747 FR3963973 mfd 5 June 43
XH8448-833 FR3863827 mfd 5 June 43 NZ25791
XH8448-834 FR ? ? ? ? mfd 5 June 43
XH8448-857 FR3864045 mfd 5 June 43 NZ25526
XH8448-870 FR38635?4 mfd 5 June 43
XH9448-887 FR3863776 mfd 5 June 43
XH8448-890 FR ? ? ? ? mfd 5 June 43
XH8448-891 FR38638?2 NZ25051

[Tony Smith]

I have been contacted by a member who has 2 new vehicles for the list. Pictures to follow!

XH8448-073 FR3867782 mfd 5 - 3 – 43
XH8448-079 FR3862924 mfd 5 - 3 - 43 NZ22897
XH8448-080 FR3852622 mfd 5 - 3 - 43 NZ22958
XH8448-087 FR3838752 mfd 5 - 3 - 43 NZ22899
XH8448-161 FR3838745 mfd 5 - 3 - 43
XH8448-199 FR ? ? ? ? mfd 5 - 3 - 43 NZ25422
XH8448-229 FR3863719 mfd 5 - 3 - 43 NZ23261
XH8448-252
XH8448-254 FR3863431 mfd 5 - 4 - 43
XH8448-273 FR3863445 NZ26023
XH8448-275 FR ? ? ? ? mfd 5 - 4 - 43
XH8448-304 FR3863576 mfd 5 4 - 43
XH8448-322 FR3863983 mfd 5 - 4 - 43
XH8448-339 FR3864029 mfd 5 - 4 - 43
XH8448-377 FR3863573 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-382 FR3863937 mfd. 5 May 43
XH8448-392 FR3864366 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-394 FR3863668 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-419 FR3863618 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-423 FR3863597 mfd 5 5-43
XH8448-427 FR3863894 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-428 FR ? ? ? ? mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-452
XH8448-459 FR3863469 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-481 FR3863988 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-496 FR3863872 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-497 FR3863875 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-502 FR3863593 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-564 FR ? ? ? ? mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-594 FR3863668 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-606 FR3864085 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-611 FR3864083 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-622 FR3863893 mfd 5 4-43
XH8448-634 FR3864089 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-650 FR3883923 mfd 5 May-43
XH8448-657 FR3864068 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-660 FR3863896 mfd 5 May 43
XH8448-718 FR3864330 mfd 5 June 43
XH8448-721 FR3864172 mfd 5 June 43
XH8448-742 FR3863886 mfd 5 June 43
XH8448-747 FR3963973 mfd 5 June 43
XH8448-833 FR3863827 mfd 5 June 43 NZ25791
XH8448-834 FR ? ? ? ? mfd 5 June 43
XH8448-857 FR3864045 mfd 5 June 43 NZ25526
XH8448-870 FR38635?4 mfd 5 June 43
XH9448-887 FR3863776 mfd 5 June 43
XH8448-890 FR ? ? ? ? mfd 5 June 43
XH8448-891 FR38638?2 NZ25051

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

I have been contacted by a member who has 2 new vehicles for the list. Pictures to follow!

Initials are AG maybe.

[Tony Smith]

While there is no firm answer on the number of C8AX vehicles procured, numbers of 900, 1000 or 1200 have been suggested.

Whichever of these numbers proves to be correct, it is quite remarkable that the confirmed list of surviving vehicles currently stands at 47 vehicles. It is conceivable that there will be a number of "undiscovered" vehicles out there, hidden away on farms, workshops and wrecking yards, potentially expanding the list by 100%.

This means that after 77 years, around 10% of these vehicles still survive, many in restored and operating condition. Is there any comparable class of military vehicle that has stood the test of time so well?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

This means that after 77 years, around 10% of these vehicles still survive, many in restored and operating condition. Is there any comparable class of military vehicle that has stood the test of time so well?

Some 46 Grizzlies out of 188 built have survived: http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Grizzlys.pdf

That is mainly due to these not seeing combat, plus many were supplied to armies after WW2 which only used them for training and kept them in reserve long enough for collectors to snap them up (rather than being scrapped).

GMC, Dodges and Willys/Ford military vehicles being kept as strategic reserves were a main source for today’s fleet of preserved vehicles (as were the French Navy’s stock of CMPs) in Europe.

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

I have been contacted by a member who has 2 new vehicles for the list. Pictures to follow!

AG has sent these pics of 423 and 660.

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

AG has sent these pics of 423 and 660.

At least, these beauties were saved form the scrappy . Would be nice to know the arrangement of how these ex NZ army trucks were imported into Australia from the Solomon Islands . Did the NZ Govt. just sell the whole lot as a closed one off deal ? Was there a open bidding arrangement ? Torokina Equipment in Sydney were selling their 'Island stock' which included not only C8AX but other surplus vehicles, they didn't stay around in business very long.