Heads Up: 1952 cdn m43

[Grant Bowker]

Just a thought, is it possible that the glove box door (with data plates attached) was swapped from a Canadian manufactured ambulance to a US manufactured ambulance? This might have been done to avoid registering a second truck....
If the chassis number is repeated on one of the data plates on the glove box door this idea is obviously wrong.

[rob love]

I was thinking the same thing about the glove box door. Despite driving a Cdn Dodge almost every other day recently, I can't recall what the Cdn shifter looks like compared to a US shifter. One of the photos shows the tranny shifter. Is this one Cdn or US?

[paul53]

The truck is 20 km's away from my place but i'm going out there tonight and will check all other places including side of the frame and block numbers.

Paul

[Comox Air Force Museum]

Morning I just had a quick run over to 19 Wing to check your numbers against our M43. Turn out your truck is only 15 trucks away from ours. Here's the stats.
Contract # CDMR511160
Build date 5-6-52
Serial # 91400953
Model# T-249
Ord Code # 2606
I suspect that it's a Canadian truck alright and was just turned over to the US when they were here looking after their missile program.
Hope this helps.
Rob

PS. I was in such a hurry that I forgot to look at the shifter. I'm on my way to Ontario so I won't be able to look at it for a while!!

[paul53]

Thanks Rob Roy for getting back to us, I'll post all that I can find tonight.

Paul

[paul53]

Well I went out and beat my way thru the mosquito's to scrape some rust off the side of the block.

It reads # T-249 1319C

Data tag on glove box as per the picture
Body Tag # 19109-210

Serial # 91400968
Contract # CD511155
Ord Code # 2606
Date of del 19-6-52
Model T-249

I can not find that frame serial number but i'll have another go at it this week end.
Here is a picture to see the shifter if needed.

If any one out there is interested make me an offer?

Cheers

[Markwin Serlui]

Dodge M43..my first love, my first MV!

[paul53]

Hello everyone,
This vehicle has been SOLD actually purchased by myself. After a good clean up and some research in the usual places for unit markings and such this is what I have found.

This CDN made M43 was stationed with the 917th ACWRON US Air Force Radar staion located at Puntzi Mtn, BC. from 1952 to 1961 then CDN RCAF operation 55th ACWRON from 1962-1966 then it closed down. The Us Air Force was operating there as part of an aggrement to operate these stations as the Pine tree line.

The Pinetree Line was a series of radar stations located across the northern United States and southern Canada at about the 50th parallel north, along with a number of other stations located on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Run by NORAD (after its creation), over half were manned by United States Air Force personnel with the balance operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force. The line was the first coordinated system for early detection of a Soviet bomber attack on North America, but the early 1950s radar technology quickly became outdated and the line was in full operation only for a short time.

While carefully removing the hippy paint job in the interior I hound this on the heater defrost duct painted with 1 inch stencil:
WINTERIZED SEPT 1961
TO 36 1-7 TYPE A
917TH ACWRON

The 917th AC&W was part of the 25th Air Division ADC/TAC/NORAD

On the the rear left bumper was painted ADC-PAS
The ADC = division
The PAS = type of vehile use
The Winch I believe was put on by the US or CDN's and using what was easily available at the time dur to the rough roads.

After researching the internet I found the month to month history when the US operated the station from 1952-61 and RCAF 62-66 and have talked to persons staioned there.

This ambulance was the only ambulance there and many storys of it use including bus rides into Williams lake BC 117 miles on rough gravel road at the time.

On a personal note MY father was stationed at CFS PUNTZI MTN in 1963-64 as his first posting as a radar Tech and actually rode in this ambulance to Williams Lake ( used as a bus sometimes ) when the L20 otter couldn't fly due to the weather.

I found out the US Air Force had procured CDN made vehicles from the RCAF 11 Supply depot in Calgary for Puntzi Mtn and conveyed approx 6 vehicles to that location. They then painted there unit markings on those vehilces.
On this ambulance I found the US markings and also the RCAF markings. I have so much more info but don't want to bore you all.

Due to this vehicle not being used by the last owners since 1977 and only used once for there trip to Penny BC as a moving van then parked, it hasen't been roughed up much and I'm amazed to find most of the markings.

So thats My story in short form.

Paul