1951 M100 Trailers

[Eric B]

Hello

I am trying to determine who made our Canadian M100 Trailers in 1951. Motor Coach Industries had the contract for those made in 1952 and 1953. From a DND list i have it shows those built in 1951 as being built by MCI as well.

Does anybody own a 1951 trailer in Canada and if so can you please provide me the company and serial number so i can verify my list.

I am working on a 1/4 ton trailer book for Service Publications.

Thanks
Eric

[rob love]

I wouldn't bet the farm on the 1951 dates being correct. Are there serial numbers associated with the CFRs?

I used to own serial number 18, which was made by MCI in Dec of 52.

Somewhere I thought I read about a half dozen being brought up from the US including one or two line variants. But I have never been able to re-find that information. I think one may have been made of aluminum as well?

Seems to me that a very early one, or possibly a variant, was found in BC a few years back and posted on here. Perhaps check with Colin Stevens....I think he posted about it.

[Eric B]

Hello Rob

I have these three, one in the photo 51-71283.

and from EDR

1951 71278* 001* TRAILER MISC SMP* X5170000* TRAILER MISC 1951 MOTOR COACH IND M100 MA 131101* 0145* 0145* YES NO

1951 71282* 001* TRAILER MISC SMP* X5170000* TRAILER MISC 1951 MOTOR COACH IND M100 MB 131101* 0145* 0145* DP353405 25-Feb-92 YES NO

I am thinking we bought these with the 1951 M38's as they would have been shipped to Germany to update their fleet. The manufacture could be wrong.

Thanks

Eric

[rob love]

Interesting. I think somewhere before on MLU we discussed the number of trailers made. Since they started (I presume) at 70000 and went up, the three you mention are up there, and should likely be 1953s. That is, unless the number produced was somewhere around 1275, and perhaps they assigned CFRs to the early pilot trailers after the run of normal production.

[Robert Bergeron]

Eric, you mentioned Service publications. Did someone continue the good work and take over after the founder's passing ? If , so , who ?

Thanks.

Robert

[Grant Bowker]

For your exploration
https://servicepub.com/publications

[rob love]

It is my understanding that Dave Hiorth of Army outfitters has taken the reigns. Dave is a longtime colector and member of the MCCof Canada.

[Robert Bergeron]

Thanks Grant and Rob.

Nice that Clive's life work and legacy will continue.

[rob love]

A quick look reveals a number of the trailers after CFR 71282 are listed as 1951. However, the serial numbers are not in the normal MCI format. Normally they ran from 0001 and ran up to somewhere around 1275. These numbers are:

CFR 71282 = serial no 01209391
71287 = 01209375
71278 = 01209383
71292 = 01209821
71333 = 01209464
17302 = 01209426
71303 = 01209807

Perhaps check on the G503 and see if the US M100s of that time period have serial numbers like these. Perhaps the real manufactuerer can be found.

Note that according to the data plate, the actual serial number of, say trailer serial 0018 would be something like MCI/M100/0018.

[Jason Ginn]

Originally Posted by rob love

A quick look reveals a number of the trailers after CFR 71282 are listed as 1951. However, the serial numbers are not in the normal MCI format. Normally they ran from 0001 and ran up to somewhere around 1275. These numbers are:

CFR 71282 = serial no 01209391
71287 = 01209375
71278 = 01209383
71292 = 01209821
71333 = 01209464
17302 = 01209426
71303 = 01209807

Perhaps check on the G503 and see if the US M100s of that time period have serial numbers like these. Perhaps the real manufactuerer can be found.

Note that according to the data plate, the actual serial number of, say trailer serial 0018 would be something like MCI/M100/0018.

Those numbers appear to be typical of the Dunbar Kapple manufactured M100 trailers.

Ive found refrence to a Dunbar-Kapple delivered May 1951, serial number 01169903
Another 1951 with serial 01207732 but no month listed.
And a March 1951 with 01176553
Apparently the 01 is actually a prefix to denote "US Army".

This quote seems to sum it up pretty well." Dunbar Kapple trailer serial numbers were issued a letter before before the serial number number according to what branch of the service the contract the trailer was being built for. K is for the Air force, M is for the Marines, N is for the Navy, and the Army was usually just 01, or just six digits with out a 01 starting around 8 of 1952. "

It would appear that are 1951 trailer deliveries were in the last half of 1951. I wonder if this s common to the M38 deliveries?

[Eric B]

All very interesting.
Thanks

Eric

[Peter Phillips]

For what it's worth, I have a 1951 US Army Dunbar Kapple with serial number 00001025. I don't remember the month of manufacture and can't access it at the moment due to the weather. This trailer was featured in Army Motors Magazine #160 if you were interested in seeing it.

Cheers, Pete!