Local supply of Jeep spares

[Mike Cecil]

Hi Mike,

I think you will find that the various various members of the Chrysler Distributors Network were independent companies, with each being member of the network like a franchise holder, rather than being a subsidiary of Chrysler. Hence, Canada Cycle produced a range of products under their own name, as well as being the Victoria 'area sales-point' for Chrysler's range of vehicles. Other companies held similar positions in other states. Happy to be corrected on this, but that's how the paperwork for orders, deliveries etc of Defence force vehicles and spares looks to me.

It harks back to the 1920s, when Australia was part of an Empire-wide preferential system, so 'foreign' companies (non-Empire) could not get a foothold in Australia without at least partnering with or being 'parented by' an Empire company. It is why we see GM Canada as the parent of GM-H, and Ford Canada as the parent of Ford Motor Company (and Ford Manufacturing Company) of Australia. Chrysler took the other avenue: partner with established Australian-based companies to form an Australia-wide network. Even so, Ford and GMH managed to hold something like 80% of the motor vehicle market in Australia up to the beginning of the Second World War, and is why the 'two engine policy' of Defence was established in 1938-39.

Mike