Pre-war 15cwt trucks

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Hanno

I was told once that one of the requirements was that center of the plain of the steering wheel was to be 13" behind the center of the front axle and that there was a very particular reason for this distance. Something to do with if the wheel is any further ahead (as in a true cab forward) that the driver will not have the proper feel of the vehicle as it turns.

Cheers Phil

[Bob Carriere]

HI Clive

You leave us hanging by the skin of our teeth.... did the butler do it on not???


So in late October 1939..... the war has just started and a small contract for 50 more trucks from Ford is signed then amended for colour.... and said trucks did not reach the Canadian Army until early 1940.......

...but in previous readings, some from David Hayward, ( God I miss him at times likes this) actual production started on the Chev cab 11 late in March 1940 but all models actually counted/dated as April production...... and again thanks to David, who told me that the numbers of my cab 11 was on the line late May 1940...... and already had the new air vents incorporated in the assembly.....as on going improvements....and also has a Ford woven grill which may or may not have come from the factory... gives it more class!!! but no roof hatch.

They must have been burning the midnigth oil between early 1940 and April 1940.

Waiting impatiently for the next episodes and more details ....... such as shortage of front and rear axles for Fords..... and the very early dates for the cab 13 and how it fits with HUP "pilot" which is part cab 13 before the 13 were actually released.

Bob C

PS....Obviously the Senate was not involved and besides Duffy would not have fitted in a cab 11 anyways.

[servicepub (RIP)]

The butler is innocent until proven guilty.

The challenge with part 3 is that the files dealing with the development and DND acceptance of what became the cab 11 are not readily found. With the declaration of war there was an obvious need for additional MT, however, the Brits had indicated that they didn't need anything from Canada and that they were best suited to equip the Empire. Let's not forget that Britain didn't become a 'nation of merchants' by buying goods overseas. This attitude only changed post-Dunquerque.

The early-war files that I do have clearly indicate that there was still a preference, from both manufacturers, to produce modified commercial pattern (MCP) vehicles to meet the relatively small Canadian demand of a few thousand vehicles.

By end of 1939 the two manufacturers were still paying lip-service to the concept of integration of design and standardization of parts. When (read - 'if') the relevant files are uncovered we may find that the cab 11 design was based more on a combination of the slavish acceptance of the 13 inch rule imposed by the British War Office and whatever parts/tools were available to Ford and GM.

I shall continue researching and, if not the butler, then perhaps the guilty party is Col Bloggins, in the study, with a candelabra.

Clive