Chevrolet Truck 'Lend Lease' etc

[Lionelgee]

Originally Posted by cliff

MCP vehicles were civilian models which were modified slightly with an observation hatch in the cab roof plus a MG gallows pole
Hope this helps a little

G'day Cliff,

My 1940 Chevrolet MCP - more is the pity - does not have an observation hatch and no sign of a welded up one either in the roof. Its front mudguards were only slightly raised while still being far lower than the desert ones were cropped. A mate has a full civilian farm truck of my same year and you can tell that the front mudguards were raised a wee bit on my truck.

I do have the fully tilting hinged no crank type desert wind screen though

What is a MG gallows pole and where would it have been what did it look like and what was it used for?

My truck's plates have the colour DLX (Dulux) Khaki 1940 so it was built for the Australian Army by Holden. It still has its khaki colour on the cab and traces of khaki on the metal work of the tray.

It also has traces of paint for an ARN on the bonnet and etched outlines - it is hard to tell where over-painted numbers and the original ARN start and finish.

Due to my truck's lack of major modifications it might have been produced rather early in 1940 and perhaps saw little action - something like a stores vehicle. It might have been why it survived without lots of dents even after its civilian life as a farm truck in the Dalby area of Queensland. Who knows?

P.S. Sorry for the thread hijack Matt!

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

G'day Matt,

The Stovebolt website for old Chevrolet trucks says the following information about 1940 model coding... Hmmm this website does not like tables ... hang on a second .... I made it into an image and attached it.

Accessed November 19, 2016 from, http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/identification/Series

The same chart extends down to the US "War years" with different model numbers.

All these models may not have applied to Australian "Holden" assembled Chevrolets.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Mike K]

You need to get hold of the NASCO ( GMH ) parts catalogue for your particular truck. Those codes on the USA stovebolt site have little or nothing relevant to Australian assembled Chev RHD trucks in 1940 .

The 1940 Chev truck RHD , is Model Series 13,14 and 15 , assembled for the Aust. army - that's straight out of the NASCO book.

eg model 15-40/E2 158 1/2" wb with special 10ft 6" x 7ft G.S. Wagon with Canopy top .

[Lionelgee]

Hello Mike,

Thank you for the tip about NASCO parts books. Much appreciated. I will start to look out for a copy.

I did write in my last message .... "All these models may not have applied to Australian "Holden" assembled Chevrolets".

Kind Regards
Lionel

[mlombard]

Hi Mike, Lionel et al

Interesting discussion here. So I understand the MCP designation is the military 'catch all' to cover these types of vehicle and differentiate them from the 'Blitz' or CMP vehicles.

As you say the military (I assume Australian only,, but maybe others did too) used the numeric code only and not the alphabetical code which GM used on the civilian models. So a 1942 civilian truck of 1.5 tons which had a code of MR or MS would have been a series/model 15 (as per the GM issued Truck Parts manual) or 1500 (as per the D.M.E. Technical Instruction).

So it now is starting to make sense, now all I need to do is determine which is which, so I assume 1500 or 15 is a 1.5 ton truck. The reason I am trying to work the civilian and military models together is that the access I have is to people with civilian parts but they are not local to me.

Anyway thanks to all for your help

Matt

[Mike K]

Lionel

I might see another NASCO parts book at a swap meet ( I got mine from Jack O'Donnell when the place was closing ) . Its amazing what turns up at swap meets. In any case, I can loan you my copy for a while if you need it.

I used the book and the C8 parts book and cross referenced some numbers. Quite a few of the cab 11/12 C8 8 cwt parts are standard Chev car/truck parts eg the brakes, front axle I beam , rear springs and more.

[Lionelgee]

Hello Mike,

Could you scan or take a photograph of the front cover of the NASCO 1940 truck please and post it up? It always makes things easy to find when you know what you are looking for.

Thank you for the offer of a loan of your book. I am in no hurry at the moment. It will be early to mid next year and a big task out of the way first before fun!

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by mlombard

Hi Mike, Lionel et al

So I understand the MCP designation is the military 'catch all' to cover these types of vehicle and differentiate them from the 'Blitz' or CMP vehicles.

Matt

The CMP Ford and Chev vehicles were a specific truck "Family" made to a UK War Department specification by the Canadians. Although they share many standard mechanical parts, they are a distinctly different group of military vehicles.

The Modified Commercial Pattern (MCP) trucks were also a Canadian design change by Ford, Chev and Dodge to (it's sounds obvious when I write this) modify their Standard Commercial trucks to adapt them for Military service. The adaptations included things like larger, wider tyres, better air and oil filtration, and military lighting.

So MCP is the manufacturer's distinction of the vehicle's design to differentiate them from the standard commercial trucks. While on the whole the MCP changes originated from Canadian designs, in common with the standard commercial trucks assembled by GM/H, the Aust Chev MCPs had some unique Aust design features stemming from local manufacture content. Some were instigated by the Army, some by GM/H, but they also appeared in the standard trucks. By contrast, the Ford MCPs were more "true" to the Canadian design as they has less local content.

[mlombard]

Hi et al

Ok, yeap I get it now, the MCP thing does make sense.

I note that in the DME Technical Instructions they also call the, Standard Conventional Patten, or could these be a differentiation for the 'more' conventional types i.e conventional wheels etc.

And of course these MCP (and possible SCP) are derivatives of the, WA and WB from 1940, YR and Ys fro 1941 MR and MS from 1942 etc.

In this regard then, am I correct in assuming that the series/model designation of 13/1300, 14/1400, 15/1500 etc. is the carrying capacity (which I assume to be in CWT for Australia). Or does that also have something to do with the wheel base as well. I'm not to sure about the 93/9300, 94/9400 etc. though also listed.

regards

Matt

[mlombard]

Hi

I found a listing of Canadian Chevrolet Chassis and Model Number on the net and it maybe useful you can see it at http://www.gregwapling.com/hotrod/ch...dian-chev.html. It also lists MCP vehicles.

Regards

Matt