Chevrolet 1533X2 30-cwt trucks

[Tony R]

Thanks all. When talking about a flat face cowl we are looking from the front, so the area behind the hood/bonnet is flat from one side to the other, or are we looking from the side, so that the same area does not curve up to the windshield?

What sort of dash do the export civilian trucks have? Mine has the typical closed cab GMC/Chev style, but photos of the re-built (I hate to call it a replica as it is too good for that!) LRDG Chev show a flat dash very similar to an open cab GMC but in RH drive format.

From what little I know, the LRDG trucks never had full windshields/windscreens. They appear to have had aeroscreens the same as truck from the 'World at War' series.

The front axle needs to be 2WD, and I believe the rear needs to be two-speed???

I am not sure whether the Ninth Service Command markings are original to the truck, it does retain its original hood number though.

Thanks again to all who have posted.

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Tony R

The front axle needs to be 2WD, and I believe the rear needs to be two-speed???

Rear axle would be an Eaton two speed ...Maple Leaf ..Chev and GM used lots of them on their two wheel drive trucks..

Single speed could be used but more fun with a two speed..
Better range too.

[Tony R]

Here are shots of the cowl area of my Chev. I cant really tell the difference between mine and the pics of the 1542 flat cowl model. Any pointers as to how different it is to a LRDG Chev????



Here is a close-up of the serial number on the hood.



Thanks again one and all.

[cletrac (RIP)]

Here's the caption off this one with full windshields from IWM.
Members of the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) inspect newly-issued Chevrolet 30cwt trucks in Cairo, May 1942.
The firewall area on these trucks can't be made flat since the old stovebolt has to stick back there somewhere.
The flat cowl bit is where the shape in line with the cowl vent is carried through to the dash with no windshield frame. The type of windshield wouldn't matter since they usually threw them away anyway. A windshield would have got in the way of the field of fire on some of their MG mounts and a reflection from the glass would acquire unwanted attention from many miles away.
I don't know if you checked out the New Zealand WW2 site but they have quite a bit in the LRDG. Here's the link.
http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/name-011342.html

[Tony R]

Hi Cletrac, I've finally got it!! Sorry for being a numpty. I need to cut a flat panel in the area where the windshield will be removed, from just behind the air vent to the dash. I assume that the nice curved civilian dash will have to be removed as well and replaced by a flat dash similar to the open cab GMC's.

Thanks for the great link as well!

[Tony R]

BTW, does anyone recognise the engine in my Chev? I believe the original was replaced by a more powerful unit, but it is still a straight 6 Chevy engine.


I need to find a RH drive bellhousing to suit.

Thanks!

[cliff]

such a shame that the old girl is to be cut up as she looks to be in reasonable shape.

[Bob Carriere]

...a 235 cubic inch...... you will need to look up the serial number by the machined pad leftor rear of the dizzy...

Look directly above the starter motor...... if you see two vertical raised bars....aka aptain's bar,,,, about an inch long raised casting.... thenyou are lucky and have larger 261.......

Any CMP 216 right hand drive bellhousing will fit that engine....

Good luck.... don't forget to take lots of pictures and share them on MLU.

Bob

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by cletrac (RIP)

Here's the caption off this one with full windshields from IWM.
Members of the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) inspect newly-issued Chevrolet 30cwt trucks in Cairo, May 1942.

Here's a better version of this picture.

L4618873 is part of the block of census numbers L4615000-4635000 which was assigned to “various types” in the Middle East. This Chevrolet 1533X2 being one of them.

84673624_10221559499327368_2915128603127578624_n.jpg

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Added a general arrangement diagram of the 4B1 body, this was designed specifically for mounting on the Chevrolet 1533X2 truck.

1533x2 MCP GMEXQ3 461-141041.jpg 71761684_10156567636713148_4582547104865452032_o.jpg

[Simon Theobald]

I have been trying to track down the make and model of a truck in this picture and whilst most advice has been it is a Chevrolet 30cwt, I couldn't find pictures where the front end matched.....until coming across this forum. The man in the picture is my father who was part of REME when it was originally formed. He was part of 2ABW and I believe this was Egypt. So was this "Indian" reference to modifications made in India? I would like to make a scale model of one but the Tamiya one that is most common has a totally different grill and will need modifying somewhat. Any help appreciated!

img197.jpg

[Andrew H.]

Yes, that is definitely a Chevrolet "India pattern" truck. The parking lights on top of the headlights suggest it is a 1942-45 model (1941 models had them elsewhere). The curvature of the front mudguards suggest that it does not have the wider Timken axle. The grille is un-cut and the bumper is civilian-style, so probably not LRDG despite its sand-pattern tyres.

[cliff]

Originally Posted by Simon Theobald

I would like to make a scale model of one but the Tamiya one that is most common has a totally different grill and will need modifying somewhat. Any help appreciated!

Attachment 114629

The Tamiya kit has the same grill with some bars missing otherwise it is the same as the truck in the photo.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Simon Theobald

I have been trying to track down the make and model of a truck in this picture and whilst most advice has been it is a Chevrolet 30cwt, I couldn't find pictures where the front end matched.....until coming across this forum. The man in the picture is my father who was part of REME when it was originally formed. He was part of 2ABW and I believe this was Egypt. So was this "Indian" reference to modifications made in India? I would like to make a scale model of one but the Tamiya one that is most common has a totally different grill and will need modifying somewhat. Any help appreciated!

Hello Simon,

Thanks for joing us and bringing in such an interesting story.

The Chevrolet in the picture is definitely an "Indian Pattern" truck, which means it was a chassis/cowl (either with or without windscreen) exported to India where it was fitted with a wooden cab and basic angle-iron-and-wood GS cargo body. This is most likely a 3-ton truck, not a 30-cwt.

Check out the threads "Bombay Chev" and "Chevy Art deco 1942 (4x2)" for more information and pictures.

As suggested it is indeed not a 1533X2, which was built entirely in Canada for a specific demand from the LRDG.