F60H pilot truck!

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

The history of the development of the 6 x 6 D.N.D.-pattern trucks can be traced back to the summer of 1940 at the earliest. The M.E.E. or Mechanical Engineering Establishment at Farnborough, Hampshire, tested a Ford F.60H 6 x 4 D.N.D.-pattern truck loaned or seconded to the Ministry of Supply: reputedly serial CMD 4903, a Pilot Model, Engine/chassis number 1C3685F. M.E.E. Report No. B.571 dated 31 December 1940 referred to a trial of the truck between 15 August and 28 November 1940, under Ministry of Supply file 257/Veh/956.

Now, this very truck may be:





Now, note the word 'pilot', and also that the Engine Number 1C3685F was built in late November 1939 as a modified C01T unit..source Ford of Canada 1940 Engine # listing by month...in which case this may be prototype F60H chassis! If it is, then it was a chassis to start with, then it was tested and then disassembled, crated and shipped to the CMD in Southampton or Dagenham, re-assembled and fitted with a British gantry body [there is a build plate on the body in the original print] and then the same was loaned to the Brits in August 1940 for testing as a precursor they hoped for British orders. However after thousands of miles of testing it was found wanting, and so the Brits never ordered F60H chassis for themselves.
I apologise..I quoted the wrong address..thanks Hanno! Anyone recognise the long building that features in several KID 1940 photos?

[Tony Smith]

The 1C.. series engines fitted to 01T and C01T trucks were the 221cu 85hp engines. It's not surprising that the evaluations of this truck found it wanting! The 239cu 95hp Mercury engines appeared in the US in June '39 and while I don't know if they were readily available to the Canadians for series production, they certainly ought to have been able to acquire one for a pilot vehicle, particularly if the aim was to impress. Even with a 95hp engine the F60H would have been slow and cumbersome cross-country, but with an 85hp engine it would have been embarassing.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

The 1940 Canadian Mercury engines were available and in production from 1 November 1939! The DND papers show that by spring 1941 Ford's offered a Lincoln Zephyr V-12 engined F60H..and I suspect that at least one was produced! Also, the F60H could be converted in production to a 6 x 6. However by then the project was doomed and the contract went instead to GM of Canada, who offered the GMC 270-powered C60X. Even then the power was wanting, and as we al know the Chrysler 8 323.5 was installed in a C60X airportable G/S to create the ultimae CMP.