Canadian Long wheelbase Diamond T975 survivors?

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

Does anyone know the current location of Genaral Crerar's caravan? Borden maybe? Any pictures?

I understand the caravan was found by Bill Gregg and put on the back of a Diamond T975 for display in a Canadian museum. From what I have heard the Diamond in question might have been the Dutch one, previously a flatbed painted brown with black camo.

Alex

Crerar's caravan followed Bill Gregg's collection to Shilo. They did not have a truck to put it on, so they removed the rear deck from the Diamond T wrecker which was also from the gregg collection, and spliced the frame to give it the required wheelbase. I drove it about 9 years back after doing a little work on the starter. As far as I know it remains in the Shilo Artillery museum's collection,

[welbike]

Hi All, interesting Topic! My 975 came from the Marshall Museums collection, they had 3 of them, all from Denmark, and the pontoon bridge model, with the spare wheel on the side of the bed.

I don't think mine went to Canada, first it went to Belgium, then Luxembourg, and now is or was in Germany, in a terrible state, believed to be for sale, can find out if anyone is interested.

Drove the truck to Normandy and back in 1989 I believe, with a M3A1 halftrack on the back, a memorable ride!!!



And here how it looked 5? years ago:


Cheers,

Lex Schmidt

[Alex van de Wetering]

Lex,

Thanks for posting the pics of your former Diamond; It must have been your truck that I saw in the 80's than. It was at a Remembrance tour in Haarlem and if I remember correctly (I was a young boy in those days ) the Diamond had about 5 motorbikes on the back before the tour and was driven by two women during the tour (?)

Oh my....it's terrible to see the current condition of the truck...let;s hope it gets saved once again.

Alex

[jwdejong]

hello all,

I have buyed the 3rd diamond T.

Jan Willem de Jong

[Alex van de Wetering]

I have "found" three more 975's on the web.

One restored by "Cameron restorations" in the UK and oddly enough described as being a 970A, but the data plate shows it's true identity. (picture 1 &2)
This truck seems to have the same rear body as the ex-Howard Wade 975, which I presume is a body fitted post-war by the Norwegians or Danish army(?)
4595498421.jpg 4595498429.jpg
source: http://www.cameronrestorations.co.uk...ary/4574129676

The other two are in the "Piana Delle Orme" museum in Italy and retain their Original bodies. (picture 3 & 4; Second Diamond can be seen in the background)
P5290757.JPG P5290759.JPG
source: http://opevneni.blogspot.nl/2013_10_01_archive.html

Alex

[welbike]

Hi Alex,

Yes, I had seen the ones in the big Iti museum too!

And yes, that was my truck in Haarlem, with the 2 blondes!!!

Have not heard if anything happened with it, but presume the truck is still in Germany, one of the blondes lives in Normandy right now!

Also 2 pictures of the trip to Normandy in '89, must have been insane to even try that! but we got back OK too, only 3 burst (recapped) tyres, and had 3 spares, we were very lucky!





They are great trucks!!! also read the Wheels & Tracks article, very informing.

Cheers,

Lex

[David Dunlop]

A couple of cab and chassis units were sold into the St. Claude area of Manitoba back in the 70's and the Machinery body from one was still around a few years ago. Both vehicles came out of Military District 10, here in Canada. Probably all Scrappiest Fodder by now.

David

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by welbike

Have not heard if anything happened with it, but presume the truck is still in Germany, one of the blondes lives in Normandy right now!

Lex, this is your old truck, right?

It is advertised for sale in France.....

Very rare Diamond T 6x6 Pontoon Truck
75203.jpg
WW2 US Army 1943 with Garwood front winch, Pontoon carrier ex Corps of engineers US Army,
needs restoration, very complete truck, price £5000 (Pound Sterling) ,
please specify full address and landline telephone number,thank you very much for your understanding.
0033 665 234647
Jean Petit