Bedford QL ex-portees

[Rich Payne]

This seems to be the Portee and Fire to GS Conversion thread so I hope these Austin K5 pictures belong here. They show the stick arrangement under the tilt and the flash guard above the rad quite well.

The photos are actually just post-war and were taken by my Dad but he can't remember precisely when and where (The background could be the stadium at Nurnberg).



It could be that the Austin was with 11 Air Formation Signals but it might just have been a convenient backdrop.

Rich

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I like it when threads are resuscitated and we can add more as a result of new information!

1. We now know that the Chevrolet 2-pdr Portees were:
a) rebuilt as 17-pounder tractors
b) rebuilt as 30-cwt? G/S lorries
both by end 1943, by whom I have no idea yet but possibly GM Ltd Cleckheaton or Bamber Bridge, nr Preston, with shipments back from the North African theatre
c) sold to the Australian Government and New Zealand Government direct from N Africa*
d) obsolete trucks donated or sold to the NZG along with MCC Portees, then rebuilt into G/S or remained as built?

2. The Morris-Commercial 2-pdr Portees were:
a) rebuilt as 17-pdr tractors
b) rebuilt as airportable tractors
c) conjecting rebuilt as G/S lorries?
by Morris Commercial Cars Ltd in Adderley Park, Birmingham by late 1943 under Ministry of Supply contract. I have seen drawings confirming, with originals held at the Parachute Regiment Museum

3. Chevrolet C60L 6-pounder Portees:
rebuilt as 3-ton G/S lorries only? Probably by GM Ltd

4. Bedford QL 6-pounder Portees:
rebuilt as 3-ton G/S lorries only? Possibly by Vauxhall Motors Ltd at Dunstable; the same building that assembled the Churchills.

I should like to get this list confirmed once-and-for-all in due course, and perhaps any other similar rebuilds can be added? I would imagine that Austin Motors Ltd did any K5 rebuild work at Longbridge but it is equally possible that Pearsons of Liverpool could have done so. They rebuilt war-weary K2/Y ambulances for further service.

[Les Freathy]

Photo of the other side of the first one shown
cheers
Les

[ted angus]

Originally Posted by David_Hayward

I like it when threads are resuscitated and we can add more as a result of new information!

1. We now know that the Chevrolet 2-pdr Portees were:
a) rebuilt as 17-pounder tractors
b) rebuilt as 30-cwt? G/S lorries
both by end 1943, by whom I have no idea yet but possibly GM Ltd Cleckheaton or Bamber Bridge, nr Preston, with shipments back from the North African theatre
c) sold to the Australian Government and New Zealand Government direct from N Africa*
d) obsolete trucks donated or sold to the NZG along with MCC Portees, then rebuilt into G/S or remained as built?

2. The Morris-Commercial 2-pdr Portees were:
a) rebuilt as 17-pdr tractors
b) rebuilt as airportable tractors
c) conjecting rebuilt as G/S lorries?
by Morris Commercial Cars Ltd in Adderley Park, Birmingham by late 1943 under Ministry of Supply contract. I have seen drawings confirming, with originals held at the Parachute Regiment Museum

3. Chevrolet C60L 6-pounder Portees:
rebuilt as 3-ton G/S lorries only? Probably by GM Ltd

4. Bedford QL 6-pounder Portees:
rebuilt as 3-ton G/S lorries only? Possibly by Vauxhall Motors Ltd at Dunstable; the same building that assembled the Churchills.

I should like to get this list confirmed once-and-for-all in due course, and perhaps any other similar rebuilds can be added? I would imagine that Austin Motors Ltd did any K5 rebuild work at Longbridge but it is equally possible that Pearsons of Liverpool could have done so. They rebuilt war-weary K2/Y ambulances for further service.

David , Vauxhall Motors didn't open the Bedford plant at Dunstable until the early 1950s, The same goes for Commer's The Dunstable plants opened in the early 1950s.
Until then all Vauxhall and Commer production was in Luton
Although I consider that there many fine engineering products from Luton I would list the first 3 as;
Commer/Karrier ( as my Dad spent most of his working life there). When he retired in the mid 1980s he still occassionally operated a collossal lathe he first operated in 1940 skimming parts for Humber armoured car turrets.

Vauxhall/Bedford because I used to sit for hours on the kerb and watch the trucks roll out; many just chassis with Kamakasi drivers with leather helmets and goggles.


and finally in third place TED Angus cos he's a good egg!!!!!!
regards TED