Lend lease Chevrolet 30 cwt truck information

EricVincentHancock · #1 18-03-09, 14:40

Hi Jeff and Jeff of Queensland. I am currently restoring a 1942 Lendlease Chev with Stake Body. Engine number is BFR492940. It has a Holden badge on the firewall containing - Body P289 Model M14338 Serial No 4400
I understand from its maintenance Manual (TM 10-1339) and Parts List book (TM 10-1524 recently purchased) that it is a Model 4409.
An elderly former Aiforce driver now deceased told me a few years ago that the Lend Lease Chevs were flat packed and shipped to Australia during WW2 to be used for both the australian Armed Services and for the war effort generally. He told me that a shipment to Western Ausralia was assembled in the Holden factory that was then in the Perth suburb or Mosman Park.
P = Perth and mine is the 289th built in Perth. I understand shipments also went to A = Adelaide and B = Brisbane. Two other plates I have seen in WA are P40 and P280 both Model 4400 and three other engines begin with BFR.
I also am interested in more Australian history of Lend Lease Chevs. I will insert some images when I work out how to.
Regards, Eric

David_Hayward (RIP) · #2 18-03-09, 14:50

I can imagine that M = Melbourne plant (chassis assembly) with body assembly and association with the chassis in Perth.

EricVincentHancock · #3 18-03-09, 15:21

Hi David and two Jeffs,
Attached are images from the manual

Stake Body.jpg Stake Body 4409.jpg

Regards, Eric

David_Hayward (RIP) · #4 18-03-09, 15:32

The same ones appear in the Master Parts List! However those are good scans, so thank you very much!!!

jeff · #5 20-03-09, 12:47

Hi Eric, thanks for the info. When you say 'flat packed 'do you think that the chassis ,had the wheels off and boxed or that it was a rolling chassis with the cab boxed and sitting on top of the chassis. What about the front guards, grill, etc attached or packed? The Holden body plate on my cab only has a body no. 488 with no prefix letter. The model no. and serial no. are not stamped. What chassis no is on yours? Is it similar in configeration to mine? I read in Norm Darwins book that Holden produced a pressed steel tray that was fitted to lend lease chevs. We have one truck with a pressed tray and stake pockets that looks identical to the picture of the model 4409 shown in the front of the Maintenance Manual. So i would think this tray is U.S. made. So there is another question, were they supplied from the U.S with the tray? Jeff.

cliff · #6 20-03-09, 17:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeff

When you say 'flat packed 'do you think that the chassis ,had the wheels off and boxed or that it was a rolling chassis with the cab boxed and sitting on top of the chassis. What about the front guards, grill, etc attached or packed? So there is another question, were they supplied from the U.S with the tray? Jeff.

The vehicles were CKD or Completely Knocked Down and complete in most cases with rear bodies. All they needed was to be assembled by Holden.

The attached photo from the AWM data base has the caption...

ID Number: 130235
Maker: Barrett, Reginald Mervyn
Physical description: Black & white
Summary: MOOREBANK, NSW. 1946-08-05. A VAST STACK OF CHEVROLET TRUCKS, STILL IN CASES AT 5 BASE ORDNANCE DEPOT.
Copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
Copyright holder: Copyright Expired
Related subject: Trucks
Related unit: 5 Base Ordnance Depot
Related place: Moorebank

Related conflict: Second World War, 1939-1945

Bob Moseley (RIP) · #7 22-03-09, 10:32

Hi Jeff and Eric - welcome to MLU. Attached is the instrumentation that your truck should have. Coincidently, I just happen to scratch build or restore these panels to full working condition. Contact me if interested.

Salesman Bob (If you've got it, flaunt it)

Hanno Spoelstra · #8 23-03-09, 10:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliff

The vehicles were CKD or Completely Knocked Down and complete in most cases with rear bodies. All they needed was to be assembled by Holden.

Just to set the record straight:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

CKD: Completely Knocked Down. CKD should not be confused with trucks being encased, after first being 'knocked down' as much as considered practical. CKD was restricted to destinations where the manufacturers had proper assembly plants. CKD entailed the supply of parts which could not - or not economically - be produced locally, supplemented by parts which could. Besides packing methods for trucks that had to be reassembled on arrival, the CKD-pack method was also used but this entailed parts and components which had not been assembled before and then dismantled for shipment. They comprised the necessary numbers of subassemblies and parts for a given quantity of chassis which would be assembled in much the same way as it was done in the Canadian factory.

As far as I know Holden did more than just assemble vehicles shipped over 100% complete.

David_Hayward (RIP) · #9 23-03-09, 11:18

CKD = Completely Knocked Down; kits of components in crates that when they arrived were a major headache as crates were lost and mixed up.

SKD = Semi Knocked Down; replaced CKD in England after first few hundred CMPs. Basically, as I understand, complete vehicles but disassembled into crates.

SUP = Single Unit Packs; complete vehicles without say bodies, shipped uncrated perhaps

TUP = Twin Unit Packs; two crates. I understand that these were two vehicles in one crate, as against one vehicle in two crates.

I believe that Holden's received CKD, SKD and SUP/TUP crates. Those chasiss that were CKD were components shipped across for complete assembly with Holden-built cabs, thus acquiring Holden chassis numbers. Those shipped SKD etc. were complete vehicles requiring some form of assembly or at the least bodying and thus carried a plate from the original N American plant.

EricVincentHancock · #10 23-03-09, 12:58

Hi All, I understood that 'flat packed' meant parts ready for assembly. This would be compacted and crated for shipping. Perhaps about 300 arrived in Western Australia in one ship. The chassis is rivited together and could also easily been assembeled with fairly simple machinery. The body is screwed and spot welded - again not complicated. My truck appears to be as per the 1942 manual I have with only small variations.
My chassis does not have a serial number (I sandblasted myself so should have seen if one existed).
Jeff (Dayboro) - I remember seeing a web page with a Chev optionional steel tray. I will post address when I find again.
Attached is my 1942 Chev in the 1960's and more recently prior to restoration commencement.
Regards, Eric

Chev pre restoration.jpg my Chev in 1960's.jpg

Hanno Spoelstra · #11 01-04-09, 14:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by David_Hayward

CKD = Completely Knocked Down; kits of components in crates that when they arrived were a major headache as crates were lost and mixed up.

SKD = Semi Knocked Down; replaced CKD in England after first few hundred CMPs. Basically, as I understand, complete vehicles but disassembled into crates.

SUP = Single Unit Packs; complete vehicles without say bodies, shipped uncrated perhaps

TUP = Twin Unit Packs; two crates. I understand that these were two vehicles in one crate, as against one vehicle in two crates.

I believe that Holden's received CKD, SKD and SUP/TUP crates. Those chasiss that were CKD were components shipped across for complete assembly with Holden-built cabs, thus acquiring Holden chassis numbers. Those shipped SKD etc. were complete vehicles requiring some form of assembly or at the least bodying and thus carried a plate from the original N American plant.

We should get this right once and for all.

CKD, Completely Knocked Down, is an really a different manufacturing system, rather than a different type of crating for shipment.

One type of manufacturing is to source all the parts required to assemble a certain type of vehicle, and assemble them into a working vehicle at an assembly plant in country A, test it, after which it is scrutinised and accepted by a goverment official. After full assembly, it can be partly dismantled and crated to be shipped to it´s destination in country B. The crating can be done at the assembly plant, or at a depot type of facility where vehicles are prepared for shipment.

Some types of vehicle can be easily (partly) dismantled and will be crated, others (like tanks) are sealed for weather influences. SKD , SUP, TUP etc. are all methods of packing complete vehicles into crates for shipping. At the destination nothing more than labour and tools are needed to uncrate the vehicle and re-attach the bits that have been removed to decrease it´s volume for efficient shipping.

Now, Completely Knocked Down means sourcing some parts required to assemble a certain type of vehicle in country A, crate these parts, and ship them to an assembly plant in country B where the shipped parts are uncrated and locally sourced parts are feeded to the assembly line after which a complete, running vehicle will emerge for the first time.

In the case of e.g. the Indian deliveries, Ford and Chevrolet both had local assembly plants or contractors, so they only had to send over chassis, engines, gearboxes, axles, cowl parts, etc. The local asembly plant(s) sourced bodywork, tyres, cab parts etc. to complete the vehicle.

I hope this sets the record straight.

I´ll get off my soapbox now