I have just found out in my notes on the DND papers that you might just find interesting:
Quote:
On 19 August 1938, Colonel NO Carr wrote a Memorandum to the DEOS, recommending that a body be purchased as a sample to govern production in Canada, at an estimated cost of $500 for a 2-pdr. Anti-Tank Gun portee as well as two bodies at an estimated cost of $1,000 each for the Ford and Chevrolet 6-wheeled Field Artillery Tractors, and finally two Norton motorcycles at $750. The same day, Deputy Minister LaFleche had a message radioed to the High Commission in London asking if delivery of the body for the portee, the two bodies for the 6-wheelers, and the Nortons could be delivered prior to 31 March following [1938], and if so, could they arrange the placing of the orders immediately; the covering WD Requisitions would be forwarded. ....
....The two bodies for the 6-wheeled FATs seem to have arrived in May 1938, and distribution thereof had been arranged. The body for the 2-pdr. Anti-Tank gun tractor was also received and was held at the H.Q. Depot in Ottawa awaiting disposal. However, Carr asked for the body to be retained at the Depot for the time being.......
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It was also envisaged that some of the 51 1938 Chevrolet 15-cwt G/S trucks were to be utilised as A/T Portees!
The body drawings for the Cavalry Portee were entitled ‘body No. 1 Mk. II Schedule S (V) 339', spread over seven sheets. It appears as though the Portee file was under reference H.Q. 38-72-316, Clive, and complied with WD Specification 36B Parts I & IIC.
Does anyone know who actually built the Chevrolet 2-pdr Portee bodies by any lucky chance please?
As an aside and I shall move this bit when the new thread starts, WD Specification 36-B with part II.C was ‘For a 4-wheeled chassis for use as a military load-carrier of 15-cwt. capacity’. Body Specification M.C. 205-A was for ‘M.T. [Motor Transport] Vehicles-Bodies for- General Specification’. The drawing was S(V)411 - Mk. III Body. The Drawing for the Mounting under the body (D.D. (V) 355 )was for ‘Truck, 15-cwt., 4-wheeled, GS Arrangement showing mounting of Marks I and II bodies on Morris-Commercial C.S.8T, Commer ‘Beetle’ and Guy ‘Ant’ chassis’. These were then copied and retained by the DND. So if you wondered why the 15-cwt CMPs had similar bodies to the 15 cwt MCC C8T Series III, Guy Ant et al, well as per the Portee bodies the DND had the detailed specs and drawings to hand.