1941 Chevrolet Portee

[Tony Smith]

And while we're linking away like crazy, what about David Ellery's Portee for sale?

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

This shows what the Portees looked like when assembled here in England, probably by GM Limited:

[David Ellery]

Since advertising the Portee on Trademe I've had at least 4 phone calls from blokes across the country who own one and were'nt sure of what they had. There's still quite a few of these trucks hanging on. David...

[Rookie]

Tony

Sorry to let you down but the photo was taken at the point of purchase which is a yard used by the NZ Military Collectors club

The photo posted later is one of Dave Ellery's truck in Auckland, that photo is on the wall of the barn as inspiration. My truck is down to chassis and engine in the male bonding area (barn)

Check the site (if you haven't already) www.nzmvcc.org.nz

David will be checking those numbers off the engine plate today and will post them

Rookie

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Thanks for that.

[Rookie]

Dave H

Re checked numbers I made a mistake

Mod: 84-40x2

serial: 1844031615

eng: 3758552
trim: XR
Paint: F, C, 98

Rookie (decomtaminating after wading through what seems to be asbestos inside cover)

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

That makes complete sense now thanks. These are all possibly Portees:

1844031565
1844031586
1844031599 then
1844031615 PORTEE of course

[Tony Smith]

Originally posted by David Ellery
Since advertising the Portee on Trademe I've had at least 4 phone calls from blokes across the country who own one and were'nt sure of what they had. There's still quite a few of these trucks hanging on. David...

I hope you're taking details down!

[Rookie]

Being a newbie to this I joined in the group Today I received in the mail ,gratis, free, without cost, no payment etc from a total gentleman who shared a common interest a working complete instrument panel plus plans for a portee. It cost me a phone call seeking advice from a person 780 kms from where I live.

I bring to you fellow member Dave Ellery, at the moment a person without peer who echoes what we are all about

(I know it sounds drivelly but when you are looking for bits that are hard to find to be given the bits and some, is one where I am going to get him into his cups when I get to Auckland.

Rookie (I just wanted you all to know he is a good bloke)

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by David_Hayward

Look like 1944 conversions to 3-ton G/S?

I have recently been shown some photos from an Album of 1952 CMT (Compulsory Military Training, NZ's scheme of National Service) that feature, amongst other things, a couple of Portee's. These trucks still plainly retain their Portee decks and have not yet been converted to GS bodies.
David, while your records show some CGT and Morris Portees being converted to 17pdr towers and later GS trucks, it is apparent that some of the NZ trucks did not get converted well into the 50's, and therefore done locally and not in the UK.

Some interesting points:
2pdr guns are quite rare in NZ and as all of the pics I have seen of NZ Portees show them unladen, it is open to conjecture wether any guns returned to NZ at all, only the Portees. Note that in Pic 1 and 2, the front tyre pressure is shown on the front guards as 40psi, well below the recommended for a CGT. Was the combination of Runflat tyres, 101"wb and unladen state too unconfortable for the crews?

In pic 1 (on the front bumper) and pic 4 (on the rear wheel guard), there appears to be a marking of white, yellow or red vertical bars (actual colours are difficult to determine from B&W pics). While they are located in a position you would expect Unit/Formation signs, or troop/battery markings, they don't seem to be . If they are simply traffic markers, why doesn't the F30 in pic 3 have them?

From this thread: "Other known NZ Portee numbers are NZ23853, NZ24669 and NZ24671". Note in pic 1, the number can just be made out on the fuel tank: NZ 24671! This Portee still survives to this day.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Interesting that some if not a largew proportion were not converted to G/S trucks! Thanks for that...it is mentally noted.

[Tony Smith]

Another interesting point: None of the Portees appear to have headlights!

[cliff]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

Some interesting points:
2pdr guns are quite rare in NZ and as all of the pics I have seen of NZ Portees show them unladen, it is open to conjecture wether any guns returned to NZ at all, only the Portees.

Tony the lack of 2pdr guns in New Zealand today could be because they were either all cut up and scrapped at the end of their life or sold in bulk overseas. My Brother-in-law remembers cutting up Vickers MG's and other small arms for scrap in his early service days. I also think that the guns were not taken from storage very often as New Zealands Armed Services were down sized very quickly at the end of the war and money for practice would have been tight for quite some time. Loading the guns would produce un-needed wear on both guns and trucks.

The lack of headlights could be because they were rarely off Army property as they are also not showing any NZ registration plates as Military Vehicles must be registered the same as any other vehicle to enable use on public roads. In 1989 we also had to paint (in black) "New Zealand Army" and the area of it's base (e.g. Auckland) on the doors of our Unimogs and other heavy transport to comply with Transport regulations. The police Traffic department at the time also tried to get all Military Drivers to have the appropriate grade of licence to drive vehicles on Public Roads as well. As we were a Medical Unit the Ambulance Drivers needed to have the equivilent Civilian Emergency Services Drivers Licence and to drive a bus load of troopers you needed a Civilian Bus licence. Common sence prevailed and the equivilent Heavy Transport and trailer licence was all that was required in the end.

[Rookie]

Due to an overindulgence in Dutch beer during the drought I managed to put three rolls of photographs of the disassembly of the Portee through the washing machine.

Being a Newbie and an idiot I now have a shed full of cab parts that I cant work out in which order to repair and re assemble. This included what I felt to be wooden insulating bits between body bits.

THE QUESTION: Is there anywhere on the web or MLU that shows the cab assembly? I have the manuals on line for everything but the body assembly.


HELP

Rookie

[aj.lec]

This is about the best i have although two are ford pictures and one chev they are fairly similar
Hope that helps

[aj.lec]

Here is a couple of photos
The middle one shows the wooden spacers in position
The other two are just general shots

[Rookie]

Andrew

I think you just saved my sanity (whats left of it)

Thanks Mate

Rookie

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Rookie - but yourself a digital camera. Millions of images, inexpensive to run and avoids the washday blues.
Bob

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Eric

Not being able to figure out what parts are, or where they go is about par for this game. The suggestion to use a digital camera is a good one. As you get to that problem of what goes here or what's this part for take a picture and post it. There are lots of us out there who have been through the same routine and will be glad to help sort out the problems.

For example my 1941 Pattern 12 is back on the road and reassembled, but I've still got some parts left over. Some are spares and some are ones that I haven't remembered where they go. But I have tons of pictures of the disassembly and reassembly to refer back to. Some are already posted on my web site.

So start clicking away and posting the pictures.


Cheers Phil Waterman

[Rookie]

I am really thankful over the response from MLU guys

My wife bought me a yew bewt digital camera for Xmas, Unfortunately it needed a drive system that I did not have! e.g. Windows 2000 or Xp I have now got a laptop that is loaded with this but I need one of my mates who is a computer tech to load a drive for the photos. He has been dragging his tail but hopefully I will be able to post some decent photos of the project (and the drunks who assist) when it is running.

Hope to be able to contribute and learn, the info from you guys is brilliant.

PS there is a thing on TV on 24 April (ANZAC DAY) on our newest VC winner.

No doubt a MLU person will source it.

Regards

Rookie

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi Rookie - depending upon which camera you have, it should have come either with a loading dock or USB cabling. I use software called Adobe Photoshop Elements that is the basic part of Adobe Photoshop, and a fraction of the price. This program is useful for colour, contrast and shrinking image size. If you have USB cabling just plug that into a USB socket. Then through the Open command in the software, access the drive for the camera and download the data into the computer. If you have a loading dock you should have received software to drive it. Set your camera for the highest imagery resolution. Also, if not already fitted to your camera, get yourself a decent capacity memory card.
Bob

[aj.lec]

No worries ,any time Eric
The sanity thing is over rated anyway .lost mine years ago
Like phil has said if you ever get stuck post a picture or description and someone here is bound to be able to place it for you
I am only a newbie too and have been taught a fair amount from watching the threads and asking a lot of questions (still have a heap to learn).
I have found that the majority of the mlu members are extremely helpful and all round good blokes with vast knowledge and experience on whatever MV you would like to work on

good luck with the jigsaw puzzle

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Rookie

Just introducing myself as a newbie am rebuilding a 41 Portee.

Ready for the road yet, Eric? These might come in handy!

[Rookie]

Tony

Beleive it or not I could have had that plate for $300 when I registered a 1975 Chev Corvette (since turned into a bathroom, kitchen and chev portee). Being smart as I bought the Corvette for my wife for our 25th anniversary I got the plates 25THAN (dumb) as she hated the car as much as the rifle I bought her for her birthday (she bought me a sewing machine).

Still working on it. Its in chassis and engine phase, all going, still learning to weld so I can finish the body, as usual lack of money and the bloody weather have slowed things a lot. Have completed two wheels which were a real bastard getting the tyres off we have now had the problem of lots of trees (big bastards) falling down around us in recent storms. Time is spent on clearing them. Totally unusual as the trees had stood for 30+ years. My neighbours were also hit bad so time off is spent on fixing things.

Appreciate your interest. Have now a camera will try to show progress as at about three months ago

Rookie bugger didnt work

[Attilio]

Hello,

There is any evidence that the Chev NZ portee was used in North Africa Campaign?

I haven't found any photo of this kind of Chev portee with the two ramps for loading and unloading the 2pdr gun in North Africa

Thanks

Attilio

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

If you mean the 2-pounder No. 42 Cab Portee based on the CGT, I have no definitive proof but can say that they were acquired under Demand S/M 2028, and then a large proportion were sent to the Middle Wast. This must have been direct, and involved assembly in Alexandria. From AIF records, we know of L 4623008, L 4623053, L 4623061, L 4623452, L 4623541 being issued to the AIF. In addition thanks to Shane Lovell, we also know of the following AIF 'Portees' that were in the Mid-East undergoing repairs:
L4516072 L14418712 L4516466 L4514359 L4516492 L4413524 L4514782 L4514865 L4514809 L4514803 L4412964 L4412889 L4514860 L4412893 L4516467, although this could of course include trucks converted to carry the 2-pounder en portee.

If the AIF had them, for which they would have subsequently paid the British, then is it reasonable to assume that the NZEF had a quantity issued that they then paid for?

[Attilio]

Thanks David for your very detailed response.

In my opinion there is a reason for the scarce use of this vehicle in North Africa. The trucks were shippend form Canada to Britain in early 1942 when the 2 pounder gun was obsolete as AT gun. Furthermore the gun cannot fire directly from the platform of the CGT chassis.

Well, in North Africa the gun of portees was more frequently used directly from the truck though the HQs recommended the fire only after the gun was dismounted from the trucks.

The CGT was probably unpratical in North Africa battlefield.

Regards

Attilio

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Buongiorno! I am not sure when the Portees arrived in the UK. The official photos were taken in the snow, so winter time? Or autumn? 1941 or 1942? I suggest late 1941 but may be wrong. By then I think Regina Industries, GM's Regina, Saskatchewan, plant had been turned over to munitions work and I think 6-pdr production work had started there.

[Rob Beale]

I have just been in Waiouru at the National Army Museum, where they have obtained a portee. It is disassembled , but I got to get the census number - L4595399. This was painted on the left front guard forward of the headlight.


I also had the opportunity to do some forensic work with some fine grit sand paper, and sanded down through the layers of paint till I hit bare steel.
(this was above board as I was on a course run by George Bailey of the Canberra War Museum - and he had done the same to their Lancaster!)


Under the headlight mount, there was a single layer of drab khaki green.

Between the headlight and the engine cover, were multiple layers of green in various shades, with the same drab khaki green as the last layer.

This suggests to me that the truck was not sent to the middle east.
The 7 digits of the census number suggests a later production date than 1941.
Any comments on this David? Did they renumber them when the trucks were converted?

(I will try to get info on the data plates if they have them).

cheers
Rob

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

That Census Number is in the batch L 4594498 to 4595497* which was of course to S/M 2028 which covered the Portees Now, the 'L' prefix shows that it's a 'Lorry', which would be appropriate since it was a 3-ton chassis as we know though the Portees were officialy initially at least 30-cwt). This would be the case if there had been a rebuild of an obsolete CGT chassis to a G/S lorry; the same applied to rebuilds of MCC C.8/MG 2-pdr Portees to G/S lorries by Morris Commercial Cars Ltd in late 1942/early 1943. It appears that some were also converted to 17-pdr tractors (see WHEELS & TRACKS) [Imperial War Museum PHOTO NA 19787] Census Number H 4594682 ... note the 'H' prefix added. MCC Portees were also converted to airportable 17-pdr tractors of course. I have no evidence from the Parchute Regiment archives that any Chevs were but they may have/must have tried, surely?

I can understand it was not an ex-Mid East vehicle if it was rebuilt in the UK in late 1942/early 1943 and then 'sold' to the NZ Government, being one of the 219 NZ Portee rebuilds (Morris-Comercial and Chevrolet). I was going to ask if any data was known but I see that I might have it already:

NZ23375/ L4595399 [SENT TO NZ]

GENERAL MOTORS OF CANADA
MADE IN GM CANADA
OSHAWA WALKERVILLE REGINA
MODEL 84-40x2
SERIAL 1844031615
ENGINE 3758552 BODY SERIAL __
TRIM XR PAINT F.C.98

A Gotfredson plate was used on CGTs but I have no idea who built the Portee bodies.


* Plus the direct to Mid East series L 1441XXXX. One of these days I'll get down to Bovington to check their record cards to see if they show the actual allocations.