1940 Chevrolet 12-cwt Ute

[Mike K]

I had a look at my 1939 and 1940 GMH NASCO parts book for the Australian Army.

GMH refer to the 1940 utility as: Series 12 Pullman. The ute had 10 leaf rear springs . The sedan had 9 leaf. And a different front bumber was fitted to the ute

The book mentions the army units had wider rims to accomodate wider tyres.

[Lang]

Mike C and Mike K

After reading The Authority on a web site saying that 1940 utes had no stamped chassis number and were identified by engine number and data plate serial it really did not seem right.

So after stripping the chassis I found this. Can you blokes advance the cause with that information (I have picked the very light stamping out with white-out so it can be easily read)

Mike K. The vehicle came with tyres fitted to wider rims which the owner said was original. He also gave me 5 good rims from a car that are a full inch narrower, Hubcaps the same on both. I have fitted 205R85-16 which are close to the same height as the 7.00-16 offered by GMH for Military (and probably commercial use also).

[Mike K]

Well done finding that number.

My interpretation would be: A Melbourne assembled vehicle 1940 and the number would be sequential to chassis' for that model year. But would the sequential number include sedans or was it just utilities ?

The Ute bodies were probably transported over from Woodville to Fishermens Bend.

My utes both have the narrow rims. BTW a 1940 light commercial cab/chassis is for sale on Marketplace
, ex-CFA same as my two wrecks.

[Lang]

Ute Brochure 1940

[Lang]

Second bit. Note they offered the utes both leaf spring and independent front suspension.