Nuy, I have no evidence, and neither have I heard of anything until now, about Vichy objections to the British 'acquisition' of French contracts. That said it is very possible! I find the ill-fated Naval assault on Dakar rather fascinating.
I think that I may have misdirected myself! The diverted 1940 Model Chevrolet WE or WF COE trucks, at least, and probably the N.C. chassis were in fact destined for Antwerpen/Anvers, and landed at La Rochelle instead. The intention was this 'booty' would be used fy the Free French forces although the whole caboodle was seuzed by the Wehrmacht on June 22.
I found this information in my thesis:
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Despite French and Belgian orders for Fords, Chevrolets and GMCs being diverted to the U.K., there had already been considerable deliveries to the Belgian, Dutch and French forces in 1939 and 1940, and there were also CKD packs that arrived at La Rochelle which were intended for the French forces [possibly for assembly in Gennevilliers originally], though the Germans seized the port on 22 June and the crated components were confiscated. With the invasion of the Soviet Union in mind, the German forces required every vehicle possible including former civilian vehicles. G.M. and Ford in Antwerp were required to become involved in programmes. In August 1940, G.M. Antwerp started assembly of stocks of CKD packs, which totalled 1,308 Chevrolet trucks and 156 cars, broken down again as 72 ‘light delivery’ chassis, 1,128 1˝-ton WA and WB trucks virtually identical to those being handled by Limited, and 108 heavy-duty C.O.E. WF chassis. The cars were: 106 Chevrolet, 22 Buicks, 21 Pontiacs and 7 Oldsmobiles; all for the Wehrmacht. The assembly of the packs followed these from La Rochelle in the New Year, which probably consisted of Chevrolets and GMCs.
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So, Belgian orders were diverted, p-word'ed by the Free French and then again by the Germans!