F15 Early Hatch Cab 13

[Ganmain Tony]

Appealing to the wealth of knowledge on MLU again.

I am throwing out a theory that the early batches of F15's in the Cab 13 had the same hatch as the Chevrolets.

I realise the roof's of both were different (Chev having a slight pressing in the roof around the hatch - Ford did not).

Does our esteemed membership concur? Obviously photo's would help.

The Ford's also appear to have what seems to be padding around the hatch hole which the lid rests on. ?

Is there an old thread which has already thrashed this out?

Thanks Chaps

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Hi Tony,

AFAIK the hatches on Ford and Chevrolets were the same - at least on Cab 13s? We do know they were optional, not something many people realise.

Australian production and assembly differed from that in Canada, which convolutes things even more.

[Ganmain Tony]

Thanks Hanno,

That photo certainly shows a Ford with the same hatch used on Chev's, as far as I can tell.

Has anyone else got some photo's?

I noted a couple of Fords that have been restored have that style of Hatch.

The Fords are hard to find over in Oz because, as you said Hanno. We started making our own roof's with a different style of Hatch in Early to Mid 1943.

[Ganmain Tony]

Found some good pictures of a Cab 13 F15A with the "Early" Hatch.

Note - I use the word "Early" because as Australia's war time production ramped up we started making our own Roof's with our own style of Hatch. In Ford production anyway.

(At least that's what my understanding is from reading and listening to learned folk)

What is of particular interest is the use of Rubber around the Hatch hole. I thought this may have been timber but it appears not to be, at least on this truck.

Based on the assumption this construction is original from the Factory.

[Ganmain Tony]

Would be nice to get the date of manufacture off this truck either by looking at the top of the transmission or perhaps it still has a data plate.

Managed to also find some pictures of Mike T's old truck 'Blondie'. Seems to have the same surround material under the hatch lid. I suppose Mike could have used new material as well.