A very late production F15A

[Keith Webb]

Seen at Corowa 2005, this F15A has to be seen to be appreciated.



Literally everything possible has been done to it, including much fabrication.

But one of the most interesting features is the build date of March 1947.



I've seen one other data plate for an F15A with the same contract number, and also at Corowa saw a pic of another similar F15A with lifting slings on the hubs in Queensland.

Can anyone shed any light?

Lots more pictures here.

[Jon Skagfeld]

Excuse my ignorance (in the purest sense of the word), but is that a horn on the bumper?

Also, what hatch is there? Since it's late production, surely it is round hatch?

Any side shots available?

Us Chev guys like to know what the competition has to offer.

Anyhow, Keith, stunning composition of the shot , reflecting background views from the windscreens!

[Keith Webb]

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld
Excuse my ignorance (in the purest sense of the word), but is that a horn on the bumper?

Also, what hatch is there? Since it's late production, surely it is round hatch?

Any side shots available?

Us Chev guys like to know what the competition has to offer.

Anyhow, Keith, stunning composition of the shot , reflecting background views from the windscreens!

Hi Jon

OK, to answer... the horn is mounted on the bracket which holds the overflow tank, as are all Ford cab 13s.

Ford Australia built the roofs here - we never used round hatches.

Not sure whether I took any side shots but I'll check.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Keith Webb
Can anyone shed any light?

I think the only explanation is these F15's remained unassembled until the Army needed some more. As explained before, CMPs were shipped CKD to Australia, which explains those data plates with only chassis and contract numbers. The engine serial and build date were stamped when these trucks were finally built up from imported and local parts, as late as March 1947 in this case. Remember those Studebakers in crates - weren't they assembled as late as the 1960s?

H.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I thought I could add nothing to the debate but Hanno has once again intrigued me. This is clearly an Australian order, and I have no information on Aussie contracts except the very few E52-448 Chevrolet ones from '44. However the Windsor serial number and the 1943 Model engine number suggest that this chassis or the components thereof were completed in 1943, and the contract may be a '43 one as well as it predates the known one[s]. So, we have prima facie a 1943 CKD chassis to 1943 contract with '47 date on it. Could the date be a rebuild date by say Ford of Australia? We know GM-Holden's rebuilt CMPs and MCPs post-war but I have no evidence yet that Ford did the same. Anyone know please?

Correction:

I have just rechecked my data file and see that I have information on a Perth-assembled C60L to E52-384; in theory the contract was placed at about the same time as the contract on the Ford's plate, and this was on a 1943 CKD chassis assembled October 7th 1944. The engine number was from a batch assembled in Windsor transmission plant around September 1943 so this chassis was shipped from Oshawa and assembled about a year later! It is thus quite possible that Ford of Australia stored 1943 components, perhaps with a view to using them as service replacements, and then built them up post-war when required for military or civilian use. Did the Australian forces use CMPs in the period from '46 to Korea?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by David_Hayward
It is thus quite possible that Ford of Australia stored 1943 components, perhaps with a view to using them as service replacements, and then built them up post-war when required for military or civilian use.

Exactly. Like you said, this is basically a kit of parts(*) - not a complete truck - manufactured in 1943 and shipped to Australia to be completed there. For some reason, there was no immediate need to put it together right there and then, so was stored for future use, which moment did not come until after the war. The "Jeep in the crate" is not a myth!

Please bear in mind that during the latter part of the war more equipment was built than needed, really. It was from these stocks the rebuilding of Armies and transport systems in devastated countries took place after the war. Our American friends still suffer under a law put in place by an automobile manufacturer's lobby prohibiting the re-importation of Lend-Lease equipment. This was done because the biggest threat to the US home truck market were new or as-new vehicles released by the Armed Forces.

H.

(*) For Fords this should have included: all chassis, mechanicals, cab floor/lower cab frame, upper (windscreen) cab frame, doors, windscreen frames, front shell, wheels; the rest being manufactured locally in Australia (source).

[cliff]

Originally posted by David_Hayward
Did the Australian forces use CMPs in the period from '46 to Korea?

the quick answer to this is yes David they did use CMP's up to and including Korea.

cheers
Cliff