1940 Australian GMH Chevrolet military coupe utility

[lynx42]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

The 1941 Chev coupe ute models are unique, apparently GMH cut down Chev sedan bodies and made up a patchwork cab - the cab appears to be a semi - flat backed affair . Ford did a similar thing to their 41 army coupe ute . I did see a Chev 41 coupe ute years ago in a wrecking yard , during a club trip to Mywee up on the Murray. There was also a rag top roadster cab version , made in small numbers as 1941 Chevs and Pontiac. The well traveled 1941 Pontiac of C Anderson was purchased by me in 1981 . I drove it home from Geelong along Geelong road unregistered . The old chap had bought it in 1946 , he said it came down from Townsville where the RAAF had it . He took it for a drive around the block for me and every time he moved it he put another dent in the bodywork . He had just handed in the original 1946 number plates a few weeks before I got it . He topped up the air in the tyres, he wheeled out a mobile air supply in the form of a Wirraway main wheel, it must have had about 100psi in it and he transferred the air over to the Pontiac tyres . It was $300 I paid for the car . I passed it onto Colin as he had spares from sedans and another ute .

As Rick knows, the army specified wider rims/tyres for these vehicles , 7.50-16 I think

Mike, a bit of bad news for you. I was the loosing bidder at Col Andersons auction for the Pontiac. It went the chap who lives at 'Rust Hill' in SA and was displayed at the South Australian Military Museum until about 6 months ago. After being taken out on a run and placed back in the museum it caught fire and was partially or fully destroyed. (it depends who you speak to). It seems that there was a long term build up of horse hair from the seat padding which had fallen down and accumulated behind the seat on the floor and the exhaust ran close to the underside of the floor. This bit of floor got hot and started the horse hair smoldering and eventually the horse hair caught alight some 3/4hr after being parked up and burnt the car. The placement of the sprinkler system above the displays in the museum saved the other exibits but never quenched the Pontiac. It may be restored but who knows. (It was the owner who told me about the fire.)

Regards Rick.

[Mike Cecil]

Hi Tim,

I've come close: some engine numbers around it, but not it. Same with the 3200 chassis number. Sorry.....

I'll keep an eye out, though, just in case it pops up during a search for something else.

Yes, Rick, I'd heard of the unfortunate demise of the ex-Colin A Pontiac, too. Hope Mr 'Rust Hill' does restore it: it was a nice vehicle. I have several shots of it at various times, and in various guises ... from green to yellow to ...

Mike

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by lynx42

Mike, a bit of bad news for you. I was the loosing bidder at Col Andersons auction for the Pontiac. It went the chap who lives at 'Rust Hill' in SA and was displayed at the South Australian Military Museum until about 6 months ago. After being taken out on a run and placed back in the museum it caught fire and was partially or fully destroyed. (it depends who you speak to). It seems that there was a long term build up of horse hair from the seat padding which had fallen down and accumulated behind the seat on the floor and the exhaust ran close to the underside of the floor. This bit of floor got hot and started the horse hair smoldering and eventually the horse hair caught alight some 3/4hr after being parked up and burnt the car. The placement of the sprinkler system above the displays in the museum saved the other exibits but never quenched the Pontiac. It may be restored but who knows. (It was the owner who told me about the fire.)

Regards Rick.

Rick

I may be confusing things a tad. Colin had two 41 Pontiac utes .

At the auction held in 2003 , he sold the unrestored one, this vehicle went to South Aust. I recall seeing it on the back of a truck after the auction, precariously positioned and ready to fall off the truck.

The yellow restored one ( the Geelong flyer ) , he kept this for some years after his big 2003 sale and attended Corowa with it . Is that the burnt one ?

Colin had previously tracked down a 1941 Pontiac sedan and he salvaged many parts from it , it had been a hire car in Melbourne for the duration of the war - thus it escaped military service .

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

I may be confusing things a tad. Colin had two 41 Pontiac utes .

At the auction held in 2003 , he sold the unrestored one, this vehicle went to South Aust. I recall seeing it on the back of a truck after the auction, precariously positioned and ready to fall off the truck.

The yellow restored one ( the Geelong flyer ) , he kept this for some years after his big 2003 sale and attended Corowa with it . Is that the burnt one ?

Would this be the yellow restored one?

H.

corowa_14.jpg

[motto]

Yes Hanno that was the Pontiac utility that Colin Anderson restored and owned for many years. I sure hope that it was not the one that was burnt out.
If I recall correctly these vehicles had mounting provision to take a straight eight engine but were only ever fitted with a six .
Also, IIRC, at the time Colin got his ute restored the Pontiac Club in America had never heard of the utility version and were very skeptical of their existence.

David

[Mike K]

here is the story in Colins own words

http://www.vmvc.org.au/vmvc1au/vmvc/...iutestory.html

[cletrac (RIP)]

In civilian Pontiacs the six was used in Canadian production and the States used the straight eight.

[lynx42]

Mike, David and everyone,

Unfortunately it is the yellow one which caught fire. It may be restorable but was uninsured so time only will tell.

Regards Rick.