1940 Australian GMH Chevrolet military coupe utility

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

I think Wheels & Tracks featured photos of this type of vehicle in use with US Forces in Australia?

Yes the US forces did use the Aust. pattern vehicles . I have a pic of Gen. Kenny in front of his Aust. assembled 1941 RHD Dodge staff car , in New Guinea. .

[Mike K]

Following on the coupe ute theme .

This is the 1941 De Soto I bought from Colin A. many years ago. The price was $80 . These utes are actually all Canadian sourced Plymouths with fake grills and badges - Dodge De Soto and the real Plymouth . I believe the body itself was made by TJ Richards in South Aust. with the front guards/wings, and the special fake De Soto grill and the bonnet being imported from Canada . The engine is the Canadian made long block 3 3/8" bore and 4 1/16" stroke

This ute was in good original condition . I bought this car with intentions of restoring it, but at the time I didn't have the skills or tools on hand .

[Mike K]

1940 model I think ?

And a Middle East scene depicting a 1939 coupe ute

[Mike Cecil]

The supply of vehicles to the USASOS was called Reciprocal Lend Lease. I wrote an article about it many years ago, published in Army Motors.

The Australian Govt supplied a myriad of articles to US Forces, and the value of these was placed on the other side of the Lend Lease ledger. By end of war, Australia had supplied around 75% of the value of Lend Lease items supplied to Australia, in RLL - so owed the US Govt the 25% difference.

The variety of motor vehicles was very broad: from little Austin 2 seaters to armoured scout cars. Just imagine some burley Yank liaison officer used to tooling about in a V8 at home in the US, being handed the keys to an Austin 2 seater as his 'liaison duty' vehicle. Would come as quite a shock I should think! And if a current-day restorer finished his little Austin with US registration and white stars on the doors, he'd probably be laughed at (but he may well be accurate!)

Mike