Chevrolet WA 30cwt

Kuno · #1 02-02-07, 12:11

Could somebody tell me what maximum speed could be reached with a Chevrolet WA 30cwt as it has been used by the LRDG in the early days.

I know, the v/Max would be reduced by the heavy load which was normally packed on such vehicles and es well the conditions of the soil they were driving on.

Somehow I have the figure of 80km/h in my mind; but I can not recall where it came from

Kuno · #2 13-02-07, 09:15

...it seems that nobody is driving such truck these days

cliff · #3 13-02-07, 09:21

My friend the question you ask is really unanswerable due to the terrain covered. On a flat tarred road with no load a speed of 50mph (80kph) may have been OK but over sand and cross country it may have been only as high as 10mph and probably less.

A lot depends on the gearing and load that a truck carries whether it can maintain the recommended speeds usually given by the manufacturers.

Cheers
Cliff

Dave Page · #4 13-02-07, 17:17

Hi Guys,
whatever the maximum road speed, which was likely nearer 45mph, driving across north africa often required maximum speeds of 5mph or less. I have seen a picture somewhere of a MCC 15cwt with "speed 5mph max". painted onto the dash area. The speed restrictions were due to the dust being stirred up and: 1. giving your convoy's postion away;
2. the following drivers would not be able to see let alone breathe;
3. the air filters would clog.
Then, some surfaces would destroy springs if traversed at speed.
I'm sure there were many other reasons as well.
Cheers,
Dave

Kuno · #5 14-02-07, 07:38

The first time that I ask an "unanswerable question" here in this forum

David_Hayward (RIP) · #6 14-02-07, 11:02

A vet told me that he was driving a Bedford QL once, and this must have been on tarmac, and was really moving along at warp speed. He recanted that General Montomery was following behind in his staff car and waved down Sergeant Yeates, only to tell him that he was doing 80 mph! Now, this figure seems wildly inaccurate but Ray later headed a transport fleet of Bedfords for a GM subsidiary and was no mean driver. I can imagine that a 4x2 Chevrolet would be able to do 50 and surely that's as fast as you would want to go with cross-country or sand tyres?

Kuno · #7 14-02-07, 17:20

Actually I only wanted to have a confirmation for the appr. 80km/h as a V/Max on asphalt roads and with an empty truck.

Not a big secret that off the road the speed has to be reduced.

Would say that such LRDG truck did not speed higher than 50-60km/h when fully loaded and under best possible "sand conditions".

My Landrover 110 TdI was at his "end" at about 90kms/h when it was only loaded with some spare cans of fuel. The reason for such loss of speed is as well that you reduce the tire pressure down to 1bar if necessary...

Thanks for your support - it is always a pleasure here!

Bill Murray · #8 15-02-07, 03:07

Kuno, this will not really help, but my first ever car was a 1937 Chevrolet sedan with the same basic engine as your inquiry truck.

I can safely say that it would do 75 mph as I received a speeding ticket as a very young boy with that very car..

I am quite sure that your truck example, with ordinary tyres and on good road surfaces would be capable of at least 50-60 mph.

While totally off the subject, my only experience with a military vehicle on desert terrain was when I took my Volvo Sugga down to the tip of the Mexican Baja Peninsula in the early 1970s.

It had non directional tyres, a very strong 6 cyl motor of about 90 hp. and was capable of 80 kph on the "highway".

Going on the dirt roads that were available at the time, I could average maybe 35-40 kph. When I had to cross dry lakes (Wadis), the speed would drop to 10-20 kph. It was 4WD, so I never got stuck but I came close a number of times.

Just a little historical footnote.
Bill

Dave Page · #9 15-02-07, 15:16

Hi Everyone,
I know memories can be a bit tricky on us over time; this is why we write things down. According to the Data Book Of wheeled Vehicles (Third Edition) Published By T.T.2. Ministry Of Supply - a
Q.L. Bedford was governed to 38 mph. This is not to say that the governer on the Q.L. had not been unofficially "tweaked" by the engineers for their use - personnel would have risked being placed on charge for doing so but it did happen. 80mph?, maybe down a - very - steep hill in neutral. Having driven an assortment of Bedfords: MW, RL, as well as S, J and TK Bedfords, the fastest one, a J, only reached 75 downhill.
I looked for a Chev WA but the closest model I found was a Chev 4412 3Ton 4x2, the max speed was given at 45 mph (no mention of a governer).
Cheers,
Dave