Chevrolet 1533X2 30cwt LRDG truck mini articles

[Charlie Down]

Hi
I've been researching these trucks for about 5 years now, collecting information from various sources including here. Its more historical and modelling than mechanical so bear that in mind please!

The Chevrolet 1533X2 30cwt LRDG truck had a flat face cowl on which a straight dashboard was fixed. This has been an area of contention for a few years, and having spent some time researching the details I am as confident as I can be of it's accuracy. The drawing is mine and not to scale. I don't have a truck on my drive to get measurements, so it's the best I can do and shows a general arrangement of the dashboard. There are 2 features I am not sure of on the dash board and any help identifying them would be great. I have included a diagram of a standard dash for comparative purposes and to confirm item identities. There are only partial views of the dash board that I have or know of in existence. The CMP grab handle wasn't commonly fitted, or, as it can be folded, maybe more common on the trucks but not visible behind the folded canvas door. The stencilling on the glove box maybe instructions for the PTO driven air compressor, or maybe some other factory applied Chevrolet information/data. Any information on the contents of the data decal would be great. Does anyone know whether the temperature gauge would be supplied by Canada to British forces in Centigrade or Fahrenheit?
This information comes from a company that does re-production gauge faces online, Maple Leaf Up Forum and various other sites including the LRDGPS forum.

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[Charlie Down]

When I first started looking for information on Chevrolet trucks, I read posts discussing various aspects. One thing that I found confusing was the term flat faced cowl on the trucks, normally from those who are trying to, or have built a replica. I eventually worked it out by myself, but thought a quick post might help those not sure of it either.
The standard cowl was designed to incorporate an angled 2 piece hinged windscreen to be fitted to the hard top cab. this meant the dashboard and the bonnet (hood) was shaped in a shallow v to accommodate this. It also meant that the dash had a different rounded civilian profile to it with a specific instrument cluster.
The LRDG didn't need the cab and the standard Chevrolet model for this was a flat face cowl, which was flat vertically at the door pillar and across the dash. This allowed it to have a straight 'Jeep' style folding windscreen which was a standard fit on the LRDG batch. (These windscreens were frequently removed and replaced with Aero screens, but you often see the original jeep windscreen mounts on the front edges of the wooden dash surround.) This cowl also had a specific set of instruments. The following annotated drawings are from the 1941 Chevrolet catalogue, and photos from Maple Leaf up Forum and various internet sites I no longer remember!

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[Grant Bowker]

Originally Posted by Charlie Down

Does anyone know whether the temperature gauge would be supplied by Canada to British forces in Centigrade or Fahrenheit?

I would be extremely surprised if the temperature gauge (and speedometer) were originally anything except Imperial measure, i.e. Fahrenheit, MPH etc. but I do say this without reference to period documentation. Imperial measure when sent to the Empire unless special ordered for a particular purpose would be what I would expect.

[Paul Singleton]

The flat face cowl trucks were built for commercial body builders. Most common are school buses and armoured cars used to transport money, not the military type. I would think that during war time when local bodies were installed over seas the flat face cowl trucks were likely faster to produce than a complete truck.
I haven’t seen metric gauges in British wartime vehicles, but a friend of mine did have a 1946 Ford sedan with a metric speedometer. The car was originally sold in Argentina.

[Charlie Down]

Thanks Grant and Paul. The reproduction gauge decals were from an US retailer, not Canada, so was curious as to what would actually be seen on the temperature gauge in North African in 1942.

[Mike Kelly]

Interesting they used the 1939 truck round instruments, I think these same round instruments were also used in earlier Chevy passenger cars 1937 ? or around there. I have a 1939 1 Ton truck wreck with these round instruments fitted , I must remove them as they are probably weathered by now or maybe beyond help.

NOS part https://www.ebay.com/itm/1936-1937-1...UAAOSwbeBdSxrA

[Tony Smith]

While we're Ebaying, here's a collection of all the gauges:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1937-38-OEM....c100005.m1851

Odd that the Temp gauge stops at 212 F. Don't Chevs boil in the Desert?

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[Hanno Spoelstra]

Not a 1533X2, but a nice shot of the type of sand channel they were fitted with:

“General Auchinleck, Commander in Chief of the Middle East Forces, talks with men of New Zealand patrol during inspection of the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) in Cairo. Photograph taken on 5 October 1941 by an official photographer.”
Source: National Library New Zealand

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