Staff Utility

[Nigel Watson]

Does anyone have any details of the F15 known as the Staff Utility? I only have 3 photos but would like some details of the construction of the body etc.
Nigel

[Nigel Watson]

Does nobody have any details? Any of you boys on the other big island know where I can get details? It was your vehicle!!!! Any help much appreciated.

Nigel

[Ganmain Tony]

G'day Nigel

I suggest you post the photo's you've got so the lads on the forum in the know will have their identification memories triggered.

Apart from that, we'd like to have a sticky beak anyway.

Hope that prompts some help

[Nigel Watson]

Am interested in any details, especially the back body construction and sizes.

Thanks
Nigel

[cliff]

Is this what you want?

Keith Webb probably has a lot of info on these and I think that is where the photo below came from originally.

[Grant Bowker]

Sorry Cliff, that's not the one. Nigel said he was looking for info on a Ford F15, not a Chev C8A.
Looking at the rear body the hatches differ from a HU series and there's a step up in the roof at the the cab in the photo he attached. Until Nigel attached the photo I had thought he was referring to a heavier variant of the Ford Car, Heavy Utility, 4x2 (Ford C011DF-F8) that was based on the 11 or 12 cab F8. With the photo attached it seems to be something completely different that I don't know anything useful about.

[cliff]

Originally Posted by Grant Bowker

Sorry Cliff, that's not the one. Nigel said he was looking for info on a Ford F15, not a Chev C8A.

I suggest you look again as it is NOT a C8A but a C15 Australian Chev 6 seat staff utility. Apart from being a Chev it is similar to the Aussie F15 6 seat staff utility. Both had a stepped roof.

I have a few photos of the Ford and Chev 15cwt versions but that was the only data I had with measurements. Again most of these I am fairly sure I got from Keith Webb.

There was one of these for Sale at the late Ken Hughes yard at Kingaroy, Queensland a few years back but I am not sure where it ended up at.

[Grant Bowker]

You are right, I jumped to a (wrong) conclusion when I saw Chevrolet in the description on your image. When I look more carefully I also see the stepped roof in your image. All I can say in my defence is that I did say it was a truck I don't know anything useful about.

[Keith Webb]

Yes, that is one of my images:



This was indeed built on a Ford F15 chassis but there was also an Australian Chevrolet counterpart which differed in detail only. They were of coachbuilt construction using both steel and timber and were very unusual in the seating arrangements. The front seats were leather and folded all the way back, the rear bench seat (for the officers) was a leather bench seat which could be folded back too to form a sort of camper arrangement. There was a canvas side annexe on the left hand side and very uncomfortable fold down seats in the rear for others. The spare tyre was carried flat in the rear of the vehicle under a shelf.

[Keith Webb]

This is the Chevrolet built version, Note the thinner rear mudguards.



While the Ford uses the same ones as on the pickup:

[Howard]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

...The spare tyre was carried flat in the rear of the vehicle under a shelf....

Keefy,
What is the point of having a spare tyre that is flat?

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Howard

Keefy,
What is the point of having a spare tyre that is flat?

Obviously it must have run over some razor-sharp wit somewhere!

[Les Freathy]

another of the Ford yes?

[Nigel Watson]

Keith many thanks that helps. What was the backbody framework and cladding made from?

Nigel

[Nigel Watson]

Sorry Les, and others, thanks for help.
Were there any with double rear wheels?

Nigel

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Les Freathy

another of the Ford yes?

That's from the DMV book.

What was the backbody framework and cladding made from?

Framed in timber with sheet metal cladding.

Were there any with double rear wheels?

No, at least not built to use duals - they would have had to remove the rear mudguards to make them fit! The only CMPs which used them as far as I can see was the Australian medium wheelbase tipper, and the post-war Metropolitan wrecker, although some No6 Bofors tractors were modified in the field. Incidentally at least some if not all the Metropolitan wreckers were built using surplus No6 Bofors tractor chassis, but I digress.

[Nigel Watson]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

That's from the DMV book.



Framed in timber with sheet metal cladding.



No, at least not built to use duals - they would have had to remove the rear mudguards to make them fit! The only CMPs which used them as far as I can see was the Australian medium wheelbase tipper, and the post-war Metropolitan wrecker, although some No6 Bofors tractors were modified in the field. Incidentally at least some if not all the Metropolitan wreckers were built using surplus No6 Bofors tractor chassis, but I digress.

Keith that's brilliant thanks for your knowledge and photos. Now to work!! See you next year!! Happy Hoggers and may you all have a white Christmas even in the places where everything is upside down!!

Nigel

[gjamo]

Where exactly is that Nige.
Graeme

[Nigel Watson]

The other side of The Line!

Merry Christmas before us!!

Nigel

[Nigel Watson]

Take your pick! It'll be Hogmanay soon!!

Nigel

[Nigel Watson]

What are the two stickie uppie thingies on the cab roof in front of the hatch for? Holding a map board? Handles? Holding a SMLE? Tying the dog to?

Nigel

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Nigel Watson

What are the two stickie uppie thingies on the cab roof in front of the hatch for?

Nigel

You're one of the few who know the correct technical term for them! They are clips for a Bren LMG.

[Nigel Watson]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

You're one of the few who know the correct technical term for them! They are clips for a Bren LMG.

Thought I was right!! You and me!!
For firing sideways? or the bipod? !!!

Happy New Year

Nigel