Chevrolet MS4409

[Eduard Sorokin]

Dear Leigh !

I seem, I have some information for You.

1) If You want to see military style wooden body - see this image:



I seem, this is all-wood body. I have read, model "3116" was the same model "4409", but with short wheel base (134 1/2 inches). What wheel base have Your truck - 160 inches, maybe ?

Below is the model "3116" with such body in service - here the Russian infantrymen moves to frontline during World War 2:



"Chevrolet 3116" trucks were supplied to Russia during WW2 under Lend-Lease agreement - about several hundreds (or, probably, even some thousand) trucks were supplied to the USSR in total.

Other "3116" truck with Russian military registration on cab door is below (note same body style):



2) Try this link necessarily:

http://www.46chevytruck.com/

I feel sure, these guys are the experts about such "Chevrolet" trucks - try to ask them about some help. And if their trucks are mostly 1946 models - these models are identical to Wartime models, of course.

There You can see many links to sub-pages;
for example, on page
http://www.46chevytruck.com/FAQ.htm You can find some "Chevrolet" FAQs and even several scanned Manuals (as ".pdf" files) on these trucks - click the Manual's images and download them !

And - WOW! - in "Unit-designed Chevrolet truck bodies" Manual (see first book image on this page) You will find very good detailed photos of different bodies, including wooden bodies. And in "Chevrolet Trucks 1946" book (fourth book image on this page - cover page of this book have "Chevrolet" emblem with word "TRUCKS" within) You will find side view of model "4409" with wooden body and it's dimensions !
In "1946 Chevrolet truck data book" (350 MB, 189 pages in total, second book image on this page), on pages 106 - 107 You will find much better view of model "4409" with wooden body with dimensions and good technical data on this truck. This book contains images of giant amount of "Chevrolet" models and their technical data. Also very useful technical information about engines, springs, cabs, clutches, etc, etc is in this book.

Enjoy !

Note ! In all these books the civilian wooden bodies are shown - they have 34 3/8 inch width openings in left and right sides of body.
But all is simply - with elimination of these openings, we shall have military type body !

[Leigh J]

Wow! What a wealth of information there, it will keep me occupied for hours.

[motto]

Your truck is without doubt the nicest, most original Lend/Lease Chev that I've come across to date Leigh. It is exactly as presented in TM 10-1339 and to have that information painted on the chassis fish plate is a real nice touch. I hope you can find a platform body and stake sides to complete it.

Dave

[Leigh J]

Originally Posted by motto

Your truck is without doubt the nicest, most original Lend/Lease Chev that I've come across to date Leigh. It is exactly as presented in TM 10-1339 and to have that information painted on the chassis fish plate is a real nice touch. I hope you can find a platform body and stake sides to complete it.

Dave

Thank you Dave!

I'm thinking I may have to construct my own wooden tray and stake sides, bit of a daunting task!

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by motto

Your truck is without doubt the nicest, most original Lend/Lease Chev that I've come across to date Leigh, and to have that information painted on the chassis fish plate is a real nice touch.
Dave

It is indeed a nice truck, but do you think that information stencilled on the chassis plate is accurate? While the truck is a General Motors product, it is not a GMC, and although similar to a CC60L in body panels, that is a different truck altogether known as an MCP built to British WD/ Canadian DND specifiactions, not US Lend-Lease specs. C60420-C is similarly the Canadian DND ID code for a CC60L.

Leigh, the truck is US Built, not Aust assembled. Australian trucks had quarter vents in the door windows, and a fold-out vents on the sides of the cowl.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi All

The misinterpreting GMC as being General Motor Company instead of General Motors of Canada Limited is fairly common I've run into it when registering my trucks I write it out as General Motors of Canada on the form they type it in as GMC which is misread as being General Motor Company.

So the person painting the sign may very well have meant General Motors of Canada Limited but saved paint 25 letters.

Cheers Phil

[Mike K]

These trucks were also made post WW2 so it can be confusing identifying them .

That example does not have a GMH Aust. made cab , but GMH did assemble US made cabs during WW2 , imported as lend lease . GMH manufactured those particular style Chevy cabs from 1939 til 47 .

The military light switch on that truck looks to be a later add on accessory , it is new switch to my eyes .

The plate above the light switch has GAS AUX MAIN on it, implying it is a Nth American built truck . We use petrol not gas , my car runs on gas LPG !

Mike

[Lynn Eades]

As has been stated, This is an american truck built under a U.S. army contract. Your average GMC CCKW 353 etc (a family which boasts about 3/4 of a million trucks built during wwII) has "GAS" written inside its petrol guage.