Quote:
Originally Posted by Lang
I would not be too precious about the staff car history. The only thing that makes them special is the colour (and as I found out the black ones were used by the military though whether impressed, borrowed or on strength I have no idea).
I was trying to get some history from GM and GMH sites and from what I can see the black one has a normal non-military set of codes on the data plates. This does not mean it was never used by the military but leans toward initial civilian ownership whether impressed later or not.
The green one has a government delivery code but this could be for any department including the services so no proof there. I don't really want to be trawling through the AWM records searching for it. It looks to have a sand colour as the base coat on the firewall but GMH had a similar colour on offer for general sale.
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Indeed there is a fine line between
Conventional and
Modified Conventional Pattern Vehicles. Conventional vehicles were just that, with just light alterations from a civilian vehicle like matt olive drab paint, non-chromed trim and some military fitments like black-out lighting. This could vary from contract to contract, depending on where the vehicle was going to put to use. Especially for home front use, these "plain jane" civilian vehicles could be painted in "any colour you like, as long as it is black" as Henry Ford put it.
See this RNZAF Ford Staff Car in the
Ford Canada Conventional and Modified Vehicles thread:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra
RNZAF 1942 Ford Fordor Staff Car. Location: Fiji.
RHD, black, painted grille and trim - looks like the cheapest no-frills version from the catalog. Reportedly, ten (10) examples of the 1942 Ford V8 Fordor were exported to New Zealand during the Second World War.
Note the census number "MT2230" on the bonnet and license plate "5209" on the front bumper which has retained it's chrome.
Photo courtesy of Air Force Museum of New Zealand |