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#1
17-10-11, 23:47
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Heavy Utility - Ambulance
I note with great interest that the Heavy Utility - Ambulance is not listed in Bill Gregg's Europe WW2, but is mentioned and has a photo (#144 on page 96) of a HU - Ambulance in his Blueprint for Victory.
Was there an official assembly line production of Heavy Utility based ambulances in Canada or the UK? If not, was there a standardized "package" for conversion by RCEME organizations in theatre? I appeal to the corporate knowledge on MLU for some insight into the development of the HU-Ambulance. Cheers!
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RHC Why is it that when you have the $$, you don't have the time, and when you have the time you don't have the $$? 
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#2
18-10-11, 01:10
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Hemmings to the Rescue - part way...
According to http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/...k/warchev.html, there was a contract for HU ambulances:
SM 2563 AMBULANCE 8 CWT. 4 X 4 (2 STRETCHER ACTUALLY 4 STRETCHER) 1942 IC5/AMB-2 BODIES ARTICIZED 13 BUILT BY 1 OCTOBER 1942 The question remains: Was the production run in Canada or the UK?
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RHC Why is it that when you have the $$, you don't have the time, and when you have the time you don't have the $$?
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#3
18-10-11, 01:59
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Without checking any sources, my feeling is that the HUP/HUA/HUW would have been shipped assembled rather than shipped CKD for assembly in the UK. There would be some volume saving in taking the tires/wheels/axles off (to stow inside the truck - hopefully not damaging the interior fittings, or under the truck in the crate reducing the space saving), but less than in breaking down a GS truck (specially the ones with knock down / bolt together bodies). What was gained by removing parts would be set against added size for the crate thickness, and the loss of being able to roll the truck around.
I will check more when closer to reference materials if no-one else gives a good answer first.
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#4
18-10-11, 02:47
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HUA's were a standard HU variant produced in Canada on the GM assembly line. The parts book verifies this.
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#5
18-10-11, 04:58
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Chev Spare Parts Book
Quote:
Bruce, Where did you find this in the parts book?
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RHC Why is it that when you have the $$, you don't have the time, and when you have the time you don't have the $$?
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#6
18-10-11, 08:47
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C8a hu a
The C8A bodies were unique in that they were built on the line at Oshawa, using bodies made by the 'Fisher' body plant there. These would have then been shipped to the UK and 'assembled' here. That would have meant fitting wheels and tyres on, etc. depending on the degree of packing.
As these were British contracts, the work would have been done by for example Pearsons of Liverpool.
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#7
19-10-11, 04:06
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Quote:
I recall (but am too lazy to check) that the introduction in the MBC1 and MBC2 manuals also talks about HUA versions. Why would they do this alongside HUP'a and HUW's in a 1942 factory pub? Last, have a look at the HUP section in Bill Gregg's CMP profile series.
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#8
19-10-11, 04:42
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If I was American, I would be from Missouri
Quote:
I will check Gregg's CMP profile series as you suggested. Update: The Factory Photos diskette put out by Service Publications does show a number of ambulance photos at the GM plant. This confirms that the entire truck was made in Oshawa. My confusion began with the word "body", which I now know refers to the entire truck. This now makes sense to me.
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RHC Why is it that when you have the $$, you don't have the time, and when you have the time you don't have the $$? Last edited by RHClarke; 19-10-11 at 04:51.
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#9
19-10-11, 12:34
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Quote:
__________________
Mark
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