Canadian Dodge, 3 ton 4x2

[Mike Cecil]

Hi Lang and Tony,

The hatch is a standard Aust hatch as fitted to Ford Cab 12 CMPs in Australia, utes, etc. It was an Aust Army requirement, fitted by the assembler after the vehicle arrived in Australia. That's why you don't see them on the order, or on vehicles supplied to other countries such as Britain.

It's dimensions were smaller front to back than the hatch on Cab 13 CMP Fords in Australia, but the same from side to side.

The design was a stamped inner welded to a stamped outer, with a hatch rim welded into an aperture cut into the roof of the vehicle. The handles are standard hardware door handles, riveted to a top-hat section welded to the roof in front of the hatch. The handle on the inside of the hatch was the same as the grab handles, and the catch/lock was a standard hardware small-size slide bolt. The hinges were also standard hardware items.

The AWM has a very nice original example. Look up REL24655 on the AWM website.

Mike