Nigel Watson's "Universal Carriers" in Print!

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

Unfortunately, Mike and Nigel's books repeat the errors on the TT engine numbers originally made in the ARN register book, without trying to explain them.

Originally Posted by Nigel Watson

I would also be interested Tony in the error of the engine number details as I would like to amend all errors..

The Australian Tracked Trucks were fitted with 239ci, 95hp 1942 mercury engines of the same type fitted to the CMP (C29QF 6097 A). These had an engine number in the form of 3GxxxxF. Some Australian CMPs, notably F15A's, had US sourced Mercury engines with numbers in the range 99TF56xxxx. Ford Australia only created new engine numbers for full factory reconditioned engines, and these numbers were in the form AV1Rxxxx, AV2Rxxxx, etc.

We see from the AWM register that TT 129991 (pilot model) was listed at a separate time to the "Production" vehicles. It would seem that the recorded engine number 3G50334F is correct.

The 11 (?) "Production" vehicles received the ARNs 149341 to 149351, a block of numbers between a large series of DUKWs. Chev/GM vehicles tended to record both a chassis number and an engine number. Ford vehicles usually only used the engine number . In Australian Army usage the Chev/GM Chassis number was stamped on the chassis rail, while Aust Fords stamped the Engine Number on the chassis, and this number is used as a vehicle "chassis" number. Comparing the records for the DUKWs and the Tracked Trucks, the recorded numbers are in "Engine Number" column of the register. For 149341, we see an interesting number recorded, C81T 6049. This is not the usual format for a Ford engine number, what is it? The design of the TT featured a Butterfly engine cover, with acces to the engine from the right hand side of the vehicle. If an inexperienced (or time-poor) person was sent out to find the engine number, upon opening the engine cover the first number he would spot is the part number for the right hand cylinder head cast into the head, C81T 6049. This number has been recorded as the engine number for 149341, but it is certainly NOT the engine number.

We could probably imagine the scene as the harried Office Boy returned to the office with his note pad proudly bearing a cylinder head part number.
"You clown! What's this?"
"It was the only number I could find on the engine!"
"If you can't find the Ford number on the Block, it will also be stamped on the Chassis. Now get going!"

Unfortunately, the Tracked Truck wasn't built by Ford Australia, but only used a Ford V8 supplied through Ford Aust. The manufacturer has used a simple SERIAL chassis number with a build date.Thus, we see that:
149344 has Chassis X901, built Aug '44.
149345 " Chassis X902, " Sep '44.
149346 " Chassis X903, " Sep '44.
149347 " Chassis X904, " Oct '44.
149348 " Chassis X905, " Oct '44.
149349 " Chassis X906, " Nov '44.
149350 Not recorded.
149351 " Chassis X908, " Feb '45.
149341 Not recorded.
149342 " Chassis X916, " Jul '45.
149343 Not recorded.

Note that -341, -343 and -350 have no chassis numbers recorded. Also of interest is that -342 is clearly shown as Chassis X916! There were apparently only 11 "Production" models made, so has the Office Boy poorly written X910 in a shaky copperplate script that has been transcribed as X916, or were there 16 made? See that from the build date of X908 to X916/910, 5 months has elapsed, a long time to make just 2 chassis. Or is it really that only 11 were made and -341, -343 and -350 are some combination of X907, X909 and X911?

Also note that Both 149345 and 149350 are shown as going to the United Kingdom.