Australian Chev Civilian Modified
 

Have attached some pictures of a chev truck that I recently looked at in a back yard .
My father had one like this from about 1946 to 1956 and I would like to know as much as possible about them ie, where they were assembled ,ewhat year , did it serve in the middle east and the signs on the door .
Thanks
Regards
Jim S.

chev truck
 

Chev Truck

chev truck
 

Jim we had one of those trucks once, ours was built in Melbourne early in 1941 and it's army number was 29678. I found out that the next truck also a chev 29679 was wrecked about June 1941 that's how I dated ours. The front mud guards were widened to take the 18 inch tyres, the cab on that chev is Australian built you tell by the side vents in front of the doors. Our truck is now in held by the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and if you go to Keith webbs old cmp site there should be some photos of it.

The cross on the door of that chev is most likely the red cross or maybe medical services. Also the tray isn't original as they had an all wooden tray with high sides. They certainly are a nice old truck.

Max

Jim, we have looked at some other Aussie Chevs before in this thread. They are known colloquilally in the eastern States as "Desert Chevs", so I expect they would have seen north African service. The AWM pic below is dated May 1941 in Tobruk, do think it could be the same type of truck?

Hi there!

Well the one in the war time pic is different in atleast it does not have the 1/4 vent windows in the doors and ribbing on the door appears different too but it may just be shadows?

Phil... :salute:

Tony the AWM photo shows a Canadian built Chevrolet and not the normal Holden bodied Chev as shown in Jims photos.

Jim it is a 1941 model. Holden bodied by the cowl side vents and quarter lite windows in the doors. It also differed in the mould line across the doors. Holden bodied ones were 'set in' Canadian and US models were like the GMC-CCKW and placed on the door skin.

These were availiable in 1 ton, 1.5 ton and 3 ton loading capacity.

The mudguards had differing degrees of cut outs and as Max said it was done to clear the 18in wheels the AIF used but also on the smaller models it may have been done to save steel. Another reason for the cut outs was to reduce mud buildup under the mudguards.

Hope this helps

cheers
Cliff :)

Chev truck
 

Thanks Gentlemen for your information .

I have heard that the 10.50x18 tyres are unobtainable which if true is a pity because it makes it difficult to have any of these desert vehicles on the road again ie, chev's ,dodges , ford's and inters.

Regards
Jim S.

Re: Chev truck
 

11.00-18 bar treads from a DUKW or Gama Goat, while not common, are still available, but will most likely need to be imported.

Re: Chev truck
 

Jim
That is an International KB series truck you have posted..
I restored this 1941 KB 2 to original ..It was built in Hamilton Ontario ..The last of the civilian trucks before switching to wartime production.

Here in Australia the most common used modified civilian trucks were chevs,then fords, then dodge and then inter trucks. When the army modified these trucks they fitted them with 18 inch tyres, not necessarily for desert use but as part of the modification for miltary use.
Max