Rootes WW2 production data

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

You and Richard F. posted some info in the Ford WOC1 thread?

Hanno,

If you are refering to bodies made for CMP's, by Rootes group, then here is the entry from the factory records;

for War Office

Qty 850, which is crossed out and 600 handwritten in

G.S bodies (300 T&M & 550 Maidstone )

Date of intention to purchase 7-6-43
Date of order 9-6-43
Contract no. 294/23/S.3507

[Alan McGuinness]

Hi Mike,

What's the title of the Rootes history - I wouldn't mind looking out for a copy.

Alan

[Mike K]

Hi Alan

My informant is a auto historian who lives in the USA . He has the book on loan . I would think it would be a very scarce item .He scanned the pages you see . I'm not sure, but Rootes themselves may have published the three volume set . I would love to see the whole book set, rather than bits of it .

Sadly , very few of those wartime Humbers made it down here . At least one Humber LRC did though, a friend here has its remains . Presently, he is rebuilding a FWD heavy utility , a pommie emigrant brought it out here in the late 1950's. Interestingly, it had a British army rebuild in the mid 1950's , scribblings were discovered inside the tailgate panels . It's a most impressive bit of kit I must say . Why on earth didn't they continue making them after the war .. would have been a ripper run about on the 'estate'.

Mike

[car_commander]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

Sadly , very few of those wartime Humbers made it down here . At least one Humber LRC did though, a friend here has its remains .

Mike,

Is there any chance of some photos of his LRC remains.

Regards,

Les.

[Mike K]

hi Les

The LRC as found, was a rolling chassis with the motor in situ . The I.D. plate with contract number is still there , that is how it was worked out it was originally a LRC .The armoured hull, or skin was cut off many years ago. The LRC motor is like new , with no wear visible, it's going into the Humber 'BOX' heavy utility .I think the axles ratio are different to the BOX? ... I am no authority on these . These things are just so scarce down here .

Mike

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

If you are refering to bodies made for CMP's, by Rootes group, then here is the entry from the factory records;

for War Office

Qty 850, which is crossed out and 600 handwritten in

G.S bodies (300 T&M & 550 Maidstone )

Date of intention to purchase 7-6-43
Date of order 9-6-43
Contract no. 294/23/S.3507

I know the GS bodies in the picture were built earlier than the contract listed here, but would Rootes have been building the British style wooden GS bodies, or bodies according to Canadian drawings?

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Rootes Ltd at Maidstone, the body-building arm, and also service centre, had a long history of association with General Motors Limited, Chevrolet importers. Rootes were a GM marque distributor from around 1922.

It is no surprise to me that at the meeting in May (?) 1941 called by GM Ltd, which featured 'Fat Cats' from Pearsons of Liverpool, Northern Counties Engineering and Rootes, that the latter had a contract to build CMP bodies. By then GM Ltd were assembling BRITISH order Chevrolet CMPs at Bamber Bridge near Preston, although that ceased by the end of the year. Another company with associations with GM Ltd, Lep Transport & Depository Ltd had by then been assembling CANADIAN CMPs at their Chiswick, London W.4 depot on the Thames, on eof just three (Canadian direct) contract assemblers with Prearson's one of the others, and of course the CMD at Slough.