WW2 Photos

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by jim sewell

This truck has an American cab similar to the lend lease chev,s that came to Aust during the war but this is the first I have seen with with the big single tyres 10.50x 18 , the tray is the std tray that was fitted to GMC Chev Studebaker etc.
The front bumper is also different from the Aust built cab.

I wonder if the wheels were fitted for local ( Aust ) conditions.
Good pic,s .

Regards
Jim S.

That truck in pic 1 and 2 is not an American built one, but a Canadian GM 1543 MCP 4x2. Tray body is also Canadian built, possibly by Brantford Coach and Body, and the 10.50-18 tyres are factory stock to WD specs.

(PS: MC welcome to MLU!)

[jim sewell]

Thanks for the info Tony , I was not familiar with the Canadian version of the Chev 4x2 as I had seen a number of the Australian built Chev's with the big tyres.
Regards
Jim S.

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by jim sewell

Thanks for the info Tony , I was not familiar with the Canadian version of the Chev 4x2 as I had seen a number of the Australian built Chev's with the big tyres.
Regards
Jim S.

Even the "Australian Built" ones were Canadian built with local Holden Cabs.

[Lang]

The way the vehicles are tied down brings back memories. When I was a kid in the 60's I drove a semi trailer interstate for a couple of years and often went across the Nullarbor Plain on the "truck train". The highway was just too rough with about 1,000 miles of dirt and the trucks did 36 hours from Port Augusta, South Australia to Kalgoorlie, Western Australia on a special train.

Even at that time with the trucks weighing up to 40 tons they used plain old sisal rope twisted with bush sticks as can be seen in the top photo above. I suppose it was quick and they never lost a truck so why change? If you see a truck on a train now it has 3 ton ratchet straps all over it plus about 6 chains.

Lang

[Mike K]

Looking through Barts bible , it appears to be a Canadian CC60L/X2 with 2 speed diff . The bible says the tyres are 10.50 X 16. Looking at it from the side the tyres do appear to be 18" , but it's hard to tell . I may be wrong but I don't think 18" wheels were a British WD standard on softskins ... for some weird reason Australia adopted the bolt together split 18" size wheels for its AIF fleet .I don't know of any British built WD pattern 30 cwt or 3 tonner with 18" rims .. Does anyone know of any ?

GMH actually made quite a bit of stuff apart from vehicle bodywork. The basic truck mechanical components were of overseas manufacture . But they did make axle stubs , crown wheel and pinions etc. for various vehicles .The whole engine for the tiger moth trainer . The whole gray marine engine , including the engine block casting .

Mike

[Mike K]

After studying the pics for a while . They do appear to be 16" rims , not 18" .
It certainly is an odd one , I've never seen another Chev like it here in OZ .

The truck is pictured in Barts Bible, 1972 edition, page 237 lower RH corner .

Mike

[Ken Smith]

Gooday all
Ken Hughes had a CC60L Chev in his yard at Kingaroy in Queensland I don't know what happened to it.It was in reasonable condition and it looked quite tough with the single tyres.That is the only one I have seen in the flesh.
Cheers Ken