Pics from QLD State library

[Mike K]

Fourth Armoured Brigade Tank taking part in a procession in Queen Street, Brisbane, ca. 1943

Japanese Type 97 Chi-Ha tank, Rabaul 1945-1946

Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go tank, Rabaul 1945-1946

German tank "Mephisto" at the gates of the Exhibition Building, Queensland Museum, at Bowen Hills, Brisbane, Queensland, 1919

Soldiers join the crowd to see a speaker on a tank, Brisbane, ca. 1916

[Mike K]

Royal Mail delivery truck under contract to the Post Master General's Department. Maple Leaf trucks were imported from Canada, a General Motors product. 3 ton chassis imported and a stake sided body built in Australia. Chevrolet name is still on the front of the truck. Maple Leaf name applied to Chevrolet trucks made in Canada.

https://collections.slq.qld.gov.au/viewer/IE336710

Maple Leaf chassis from General Motors, Canada. Cab by Holden Australia similar to the Chevrolet truck. Load capacity of 3 tons. This truck has gas producer generator on the front of the van. During WW II petrol was rationed hence the use of gas.

https://collections.slq.qld.gov.au/viewer/IE6026830

Signage on driver's door reads: Johnson & Sons, 340 Queen St.
1940 Chevrolet chassis made in the USA or Canada. General Motors body and cab cover built in Australia, probably locally. Chevrolet truck division, but front part of vehicle similar line to 1940 car

[Mike K]

Caunter scheme on this Australian Ford utility

https://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/dis...mages&offset=0

Recent article by Mike Starmer. https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/u...cheme-1940-41/

Registration nr. on the 1939 Ford utility is AIF V656 or 655. Enlarged the nr. and 90% sure its 656, 656 was returned to Australia and sold back to Ford Australia.

Years ago I looked at two of these 1939/40 Ford utes with a project in mind. But in both cases, they were very rough and beyond my skills. One of them I looked at was very close to Corowa ...New floors were available from one of the hot rod businesses up at Castlemaine for $600.

[Philliphastings]

Hi Mike,

Years ago I was given one of these vehicles identical to your pics by a farmer in Koorda WA.

It was incomplete and the engine was out (actually it was THE engine out of my Mk1 Scout Carrier which had been retrofitted after the war)

I remember it had a side mount spare wheel on the left side behind the passenger door. I still had one of the teardrop headlight glasses until not that long ago.

It was just one project too many and at the time I was mainly concentrating on Stuart Tanks and other Armoured Vehicles.

The Utility is probably still out there and technically still mine but I lost the address of the farmer years ago when my home was flood damaged.

Cheers

Phill

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Philliphastings

Hi Mike,

Years ago I was given one of these vehicles identical to your pics by a farmer in Koorda WA.

It was incomplete and the engine was out (actually it was THE engine out of my Mk1 Scout Carrier which had been retrofitted after the war)

I remember it had a side mount spare wheel on the left side behind the passenger door. I still had one of the teardrop headlight glasses until not that long ago.

It was just one project too many and at the time I was mainly concentrating on Stuart Tanks and other Armoured Vehicles.

The Utility is probably still out there and technically still mine but I lost the address of the farmer years ago when my home was flood damaged.

Cheers

Phill

Hopefully somebody saved your ute. Unfortunately many of these 1930s and 40s cars have been hot rodded.. at least they were saved but many were modified to the extent that bringing them back to standard condition is a major job.