1938 Chevrolet 15-cwt G/S trucks

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I thought it might be helpful to post amy list of all the 1938 Chevrolet G/S 3/4 ton trucks:

SERIAL # ENGINE # DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE # ALLOCATED TO:
815312801 DND Z 38-1-24 3 MED. [KINGSTON, ONTARIO]
815312802 T1,271,025 DND Z 38-1-38 ‘C’ BATT. RCHA [WINNIPEG, MANITOBA]
815312803 T1,271,022 DND Z 38-1-40 ‘C’ BATT. RCHA [WINNIPEG, MANITOBA]
815312804 T1,271,037 DND Z 38-1-41 PPCLI [WINNIPEG, MANITOBA]
815312805 T1,270,810 DND Z 38-1-39 ‘C’ BATT. RCHA [WINNIPEG, MANITOBA]
815312806 T1,270,751 DND Z 38-1-44 PPCLI [WINNIPEG, MANITOBA]
815312807 DND Z 38-1-25 [KINGSTON, ONTARIO]
815312808 T1,270,622 DND Z 38-1-42 PPCLI [WINNIPEG, MANITOBA] [1]
815312809 T1,270,978 DND Z 38-1-43 PPCLI [WINNIPEG, MANITOBA]
815312810 DND Z 38-1-17 3 MED. [KINGSTON, ONTARIO]
815312811 DND Z 38-1-14? ‘B’ BATTERY [KINGSTON, ONTARIO] [*]
815312812 DND Z 38-1-16 ‘B’ BATTERY [KINGSTON, ONTARIO]
815312813 DND Z 38-1-18? ‘B’ BATTERY [KINGSTON, ONTARIO] [*]
815312814 DND Z38-1-48 P.P.C.L.I [ESQUIMALT, BRITISH COLUMBIA]
815312815 DND Z 38-1-19 3 MED. [KINGSTON, ONTARIO]
815312816 DND Z 38-1-47 P.P.C.L.I [ESQUIMALT, BRITISH COLUMBIA]
815312817 DND Z 38-1-15 ‘A’ BATTERY [KINGSTON, ONTARIO]
815312818 DND Z 38-1-21 ‘A’ BATTERY [KINGSTON, ONTARIO]
815312819 DND Z 38-1-13 ‘A’ BATTERY [KINGSTON, ONTARIO]
815312820 DND Z 38-1-23 [KINGSTON, ONTARIO]
815312821 DND Z 38-1-26 [KINGSTON, ONTARIO]
815312822 DND Z 38-1-46 P.P.C.L.I [ESQUIMALT, BRITISH COLUMBIA]
815312823 DND Z 38-1-22 3 MED. [KINGSTON, ONTARIO]
815312824 DND Z38-1-45 P.P.C.L.I [ESQUIMALT, BRITISH COLUMBIA]
815312825 DND Z 38-1-20 ‘B’ BATTERY [KINGSTON, ONTARIO] [2]
815312826 T1,271,027 DNDZ 38-1-49 REGO. 4284 L.S.H.(R.C.) [CALGARY, ALBERTA]
815312827 T1,271,036 DND Z 38-1-50 REGO. 4282 L.S.H.(R.C.) [CALGARY, ALBERTA]
815312828 T1,271,053 DND Z 38-1-51 REGO. 4281 L.S.H.(R.C.) [CALGARY, ALBERTA]
815312829 T1,271,041 DND Z 38-1-52 REGO. 4283 L.S.H.(R.C.) [CALGARY, ALBERTA]
815312830 T1,271,026 DND Z 38-1-32 REGO.F-21058 THEN F 488 R.22eme [QUEBEC CITY,QUEBEC]
815312831 DND Z 38-1-2? RCR[LONDON, ONTARIO]
815312832 T1,271,057 DND Z 38-1-33 REGO. F-21059 THEN F 491 R.22eme [QUEBEC CITY,QUEBEC]
815312833 T1,271,032 DND Z 38-1-34 REGO.F-21060 THEN F 489 R.22eme [QUEBEC CITY,QUEBEC]
815312834 DND Z 38-1-3? RCR[LONDON, ONTARIO]
815312835 DND Z 38-1-4? RCR[LONDON, ONTARIO]

NEW CONTRACT:
815314928 DND Z 38-1-35 ‘A’ COMPANY, RCR [HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA]
815314929 DND Z 38-1-36 ‘A’ COMPANY, RCR [HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA]
815314930 DND Z 38-1-37 ‘A’ COMPANY, RCR [HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA]
815314931 DND Z 38-1-10 ‘B’ COMPANY RCR [TORONTO]
815314932 DND Z 38-1-11 ‘B’ COMPANY RCR [TORONTO]
815314933 DND Z 38-1-12 ‘B’ COMPANY RCR [TORONTO]
815314934 DND Z 38-1-9 ‘B’ COMPANY RCR [TORONTO]
815314935 DND Z 38-1-6 ‘B’ SQUADRON R.C.D. [TORONTO]
815314936 DND Z 38-1-8 ‘B’ SQUADRON R.C.D. [TORONTO]
815314937 DND Z 38-1-7 ‘B’ SQUADRON R.C.D. [TORONTO]
815314938 DND Z 38-1-5 ‘B’ SQUADRON R.C.D. [TORONTO]
815314939 DND Z 38-1-28 ‘D’ COY.? RCR [ST. JOHN, QUEBEC]
815314940 DND Z 38-1-31 ‘D’ COY.? RCR [ST. JOHN, QUEBEC]
815314941 DND Z 38-1-29 ‘D’ COY.? RCR [ST. JOHN, QUEBEC]
815314942 DND Z 38-1-30 BODY NO. 50 ‘D’ COY., RCR [ST. JOHN, QUEBEC] [3]
815314943 DND Z 38-1-27 ‘D’ COY.? RCR [ST. JOHN, QUEBEC]

[1] This truck, serial number 8153102808 is possibly the only one to survive today. The body has # DND 6 on it. It was sold off by the M.A.D. [see below] post-war and purchased by a Canadian farmer who used it until 1980!

[2] This truck was photographed in February 1940 in Delville Barracks, Cove, Hampshire with a broken right headlamp and had Ontario number plates, allocated to The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, who were brigaded with the PPCLI. Its driver at the time was Private George Kenyon.

[3] Therefore had body # DND50.

[*] Military District No. 3 quote both # 38-1-14 and 38-1-18 as being Serial # 8153102813; it is suggested that the above is correct. There is no indication so far as to the order of the London, Ontario trucks, and it suggested that the above is correct. 38-1-23/25 and 26 were on charge to Kingston, Ontario, but it is not yet known to which regiment or battery they were allocated. They may have been on charge to the RCHA Brigade, though all were the responsibility of the District Ordnance Officer. Two of the British Columbia trucks were registered with CB 355 and 358, and thus it is assumed that the trucks were registered as CB 355/6/7 and 8 in accordance with their DND numbers.


General Motors of Canada
CSL 17-52 Model 15-31
Serial number - 8153102808
Engine number -T1270622
Body serial number -DND 6
Trim – Special Paint F.C. 26


From this we know that Oshawa used a Maple Leaf Truck [heavy Chevrolet truck] civilian Model 1752 2½-ton Chassis With Cowl that normally had a 109-inch wheelbase, however the chassis may have been especially shortened as this truck has a 105-inch wheelbase. Note the special trim, F.C.26 National Defence Service Green paint code, and ‘DND’ special body number, which apparently numbered 1 to 51 and fitted without reference to chassis sequence. Note the initial ‘8’ is the Model year, followed by the Model Number 1531, which was a civilian Chassis with Flat Face Cowl ¾ to 1-ton capacity, 131½-inch wheelbase, and then the sequential production number starting with 0001. The plate information suggests that these were very special trucks, mixing NC components with heavy-duty COE chassis.


This took a bit of detective work!

[cliff]

David any chance of a photo so we know what we are looking at please.

Cheers
Cliff

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Two trucks in service by then with the Westminster Regiment. Rego CB 355 and I think 358 at the back.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by David_Hayward
This took a bit of detective work!

And I thank you for it! I took the liberty of adding the [1]'s for better clarity.

Cliff, also see http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net/cmp_canad...ry_pattern.htm for more pictures.

H

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

This would appear to be one of the P.Q.-based trucks. It has a "F" prefixed rego.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

There were of course two prdecessor trucks, the Ford and Chevrolet 15-cwt/ 3/4-ton G/S trucks. Here is the information I have:

The Ford truck was registered as a ‘FORD’, 1937 manufactured [registered with a 1937 Ontario dealer plate, 856-M] Serial Number C-4800, Engine Number C-4800, with a ‘box’ body, single rear wheels, 4300 lb. empty weight and 7,800 lb. Gross Load. The Manufacturer’s Model Number was ‘79’. Note the Ford Series 78 was the 30 h.p. 221 cu. in. capacity L-head V-8, and it assumed that the engine was the 1937 Model truck engine: 1937 30 h.p. car engines/serials started at No. A-1, and the 22 h.p. series D-1.

The Chevrolet truck had serial number 7151107427 Engine number T88,396 and was a Model 16-40S ‘CHASSIS WITH COWL’, with the ‘S’ suffix denoting ‘Special’ chassis. The ‘7 ’indicated 1937 Model Year, and Model Number 1511, the ‘7427’ indicating that it was the 7,426th built in Oshawa Plant in 1937 Model Year. This requires explanation: the whole truck was a Model 1640, which was a 1½-ton chassis, 131½-in. wheelbase, and the ‘1151’ indicates a combination of the chassis model 1511, and the model 1540 Cowl, without a cab. This standard chassis was then shortened to suit, but although rated at 15-cwt., or ¾-ton, was based on a chassis suitable for double the weight! A note from a Lieutenant R. Henderson confirms my assessment: the chassis and engine were ‘standard 1½ to 2-ton Chevrolet’ with a special War Office pattern GS body. The tyres were balloon type all round and were of the WD type. The Chassis Weight with water, fuel and oil including cab was: Front End: 2,475 lb.; Rear End 1535 lb.; Total 4010 lb. The Chassis Weight as before but with body was 2,500 lb.; 2,260 lb., and 4,760 lb., respectively. Left hand turning circle was 44 feet and the Right hand was 45 feet. Both Ford and Chevrolet trucks were registered in Ontario, by the DND Mechanical Transport department in Ottawa. However, as of 5 August, the Ford truck was still in the paint shop and it was expected that it would be complete and available for delivery on 11 August.

I have no idea what the Ford-Scammell and Chevrolet-Scammell FATs were but I conjected that the Ford was a Model 811-W as it was a COE chassis imported from across the Detroit River, and the Chevrolet was a 1531 modified.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

This is the Ford version.

[mike mckinley]

hi david

great work with the info you have posted on the prototypes. were there ever any manuals or a vehicle data sheet published for there vehicles?

cheers!!
mike

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Mike I have checked my file, and have not found any reference to any specific manuals but I did find:

Millman then sent on 4 July [1938] a letter to Colonel N.O. Carr enclosing fourteen copies of a parts list, covering the parts that differed from the standard Chevrolet 1938 Trucks. In addition, the Dealers that the trucks were sold through were also being sent a list.

So there was a special parts list.

My file also reveals:

In Canada, the requirements of all-terrain vehicles had been answered by at least two companies. J.S. Innes Limited of Toronto created a rear tracked arrangement powered by the rear wheels, suitable for any 1½- or 2-ton chassis, long or short-wheelbase, with either freight or passenger body, though Ford chassis seem to have been the preferred choice. For winter use, the front wheels were exchanged for steering sleighs, though the front wheel system enabled the truck to proceed over any road or surface conditions other than presumably pure snow. The conversions seem to have been aimed mostly at Ford truck users though. ‘Innes-Cunningham’ half-track conversions were used by the DND: a limited number of Innes-Cunningham half-track conversion Ford trucks were used as gun tractors with ‘C’ Battery, RCHA, Winnipeg, and with the RCAF as crash tenders with Ward-LaFrance fire pumper bodies in 1939. The Artillery trucks may have been 1936 Models; a Lt. Colonel C.R. Grant, DOC, MD No. 10, wrote to the Secretary to the DND concerning Innes-Cunningham Half-track vehicles for ‘C’ Battery, RCHA Grant referred to a letter of 6 January 1937 and his radiogram of 12 January. He enclosed a full report embodying the information contained under various headings of NDFC 763, complied by the Officer Commanding, ‘C’ Battery, and also a separate detailed report giving cost of repairs and replacements. The DND had several 1936 Model 2-ton Stake trucks and there is no indication as to which trucks were conversions, if any. It is thought that the 1936 half-track conversion as revealed on P. 17 of Dr. Gregg’s book ‘Blueprint for Victory’, which was purchased by the DND for trials at Petawawa, and was allegedly a Marmon-Herrington conversion, was one of at least two Innes-Cunningham conversions acquired in 1936. There were eight 2-ton Ford Stake body trucks acquired in 1936: numbers 36-1-93, 101, 103, 115, 117, 161, 163, 170, and together with five 1935 2-ton Stake trucks, were to be retained [in 1939] for ‘general and instructional purposes’ to supplement the 51 1938 GS Trucks, and the two 1937 pilot trucks, and it is queried whether some or all of the 1936 trucks were half-track conversions.

Note the Census Numbers 36-1-...

[mike mckinley]

hi david

thank you for that information. you mention the 2 ton fords with the innes-cunningham conversion used by the R.C.A.F. as fire tenders. attached is a photo of one of these, dated 1940 at camp borden. i found this picture at www.firehouse651.com, in their early vehicle gallery. cheers!!
mike

regards the listing of chevrolet trucks above, i have seen a picture of one in service with the perth regiment, and there were at least two in Aldershot, N.S. as evident in another picture i have seen.