Rare ute find in OZ

[Mike Kelly]

I received an email from a chap who was asking about a Chev. ute . To my great surprise , it turned out to be one of the ultra rare 1941 12 cwt militatry utes . these were a unique 'SPECIAL' done by Holden during the war . Basically , HOLDEN cut up sedan bodies to make up these odd ball car based utes for the military . Very few 1941 model sedans were ever assembled here , 99% of them you see are 1940 models .

I have only ever seen one other , in the early 1980's in a wrecking yard in northern Victoria . The vehicle in question was in excellent shape , little rust and was only $100 . Stupid me didn't buy it .

Note the weird shape of the cab , a result of the cut up sedan roofs . The chap in question emailed me the HOLDEN body data plate and it says it was assembled in Aug. 43 , which is odd .

Mike

[Mike Kelly]

Scan from Norm Darwins book .

[Mike Kelly]

David

The owner supplied these numbers found on the above ute :

H 3 would be August 43 ?

HOLDENS
PCU 91 H
CHEV
MODEL COUPE
SERIES UTILITY
JOB No 1226GP


COLOUR 253
GP
RND 0
BATCH No 6
DATE H 3


Mike

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I just typed out a carefully-worded and researched reply and then it disappeared into the Ether!

Oh well! To summarise:

a) I have often wondered where these cars came from and how they ended up in Oz. Is the engine still in it, as if by some lucky chance it was original, then that will tell us if it was a Canadian or US engine, and then where the sedan came from! I query now I think about it whether that is a Holden front end, from a Holden body or N American style?

b) I cannot find any Canadian contract in the 1942 Canadian DND contracts listings but my database says that S/M 2221 was issed for Sedans, and they could be for AG 1503 Master Delixe Sedans however I just checked the US Chevrolet Master Contracts List or whatever it is called, and there were no rhd '41 Sedans listed though there were lhd Sedans and both rhd and export '42 Models. There is no evidence of Defence Aid '41 Models therefore. Neither of Lend-Lease as well.

c) The S/M 2221 was it seems a 1941 Demand, and as there is no Census Number listing it must have been for overseas delivery. At this point I suggest that these were Canadian cars intended say for Singapore, and then diverted and arrived as refugee cargoes.

d) Note the suggestion of a sixth batch, "PCU" possibly for "Pickup Utility" and I agree August 1943 conversion date?