Canada Manufacture 1942 3 ton Dodge Truck T110-L-5

[cliff]

I agree - sunvisor.

Photos and details of the data plate including serial numbers would be appreciated as well please

[Paul Westbrook]

Hi All, really great to get your feedback on this and appreciate the camaraderie here. Don't know much about its history of this truck other than about 100 of these trucks came back to Australia after the war where certain military parts where removed and the tray altered for domestic us and then sold to farmers.
I am only in China for work as my heart is back in Aust as nothing better than a Saturday afternoon in the shed.
Note that the tyres on this are the original 10.5 x 16 1942 big ribs used for desert application. Too perished to drive but gives a good indication to its originality.

[Mike Cecil]

Hi Paul,

Very nice straight example. Nice find indeed. There is a companion to this truck (same number block) in the AWM collection in Canberra (but I cannot locate the entry for it on-line).

s/n 91024778 is almost certainly somewhere in the Army registration number block from 120801 to 121834. I've got all manner of s/ns around it (including 91024780), but have not got that particular s/n listed.

The truck is a standard T110L fitted with 10.50x16 chevron pattern bar tread tyres which were a general use military tyre and not peculiar to desert applications. It was assembled in Australia - it has the Australian timber tray body and POW can boxes, and Aust Army pressed steel (two piece) roof hatch with top-hat section grab handles rail, and the cab fittings for the .303 inch BREN LAAMG mount on the cab rear left corner. I suspect you'll find the fitting to stow the BREN in the cab, if not, then certainly the mounting holes. It' s also still fitted with CMP-type black out driving 'spots' on the lower edge of the front mudguards.

Altogether, a really, really nice example and appears from your images to be very original. So congrats!

When you are able and if you wish to, post the engine number and we'll see if it can be traced via that way. Otherwise, carefully sand off the rounded face of the bonnet & nose on each side: the reg number should be under that top-coat of paint, in white numerals about 3.5 inches in height.

Mike

[Paul Westbrook]

Dear Mike, Seriously appreciate your input on this vehicle as it answers lots of questions for me but then opens up more!
Regarding the fittings on the outside of the cab, I have included a photo here which shows a gantry fitted into these. There are certain gun fittings within the cab but as I am not there at the moment to check will need to wait until I get back next month to check. I do have the engine number T110L14500C
which I am guessing is the original. As I am doing a rebuild on this motor can you tell me what should be the correct colour to paint this?
Also can you please tell me what are the "POW can boxes you mentioned?
Thank you again for your input, greatly appreciated!

[Mike Cecil]

Hi Paul,

Found it by engine number. Your truck was registration number 120649 - so an earlier number block than I was looking in yesterday. Engine and chassis match what you have. Sold to Harden & Johnson at disposal. Sorry to have misled you in my earlier post but I did say 'almost certainly!

The only visible mod I can see on your truck is that the spare wheel box at the front of the traybody has been removed: a common mod by farmers to maximise the carrying space. You can see the open end of it under the canopy in the AWM image.

The 'POW' cans are the 2 gallon Petrol, Oil and Water cans that fit into the rack visible under the front left corner of the traybody. The vehicle would ordinarily be equipped at issue with four cans: one petrol, one oil and two water. The image you have from the AWM shows three of the four cans in place: the single water can is visible as a white can and it will have a black 'W' stenciled on the sides. Petrol and oil cans were green, with a white or black "P" or "O".

The Dodge experts will have to chime in here about the original engine colour - I don't have a clue. However, if your truck (Actually a "Lorries, 3 ton, GS (Aust)" to be clinically correct) still has the original engine fitted, what colour is it now and maybe what colour is visible under the top layers of paint?

I'm sure there are members in Australia who have multiple copies of the driver's handbook (there always seemed to be plenty around!) and could sell you one. If not, I have a spare but postage ex-USA is the killer.

Mike

[cliff]

Chrysler civilian production engines were always painted a light grey with fittings like generator, starter motor etc black.

I believe this to be true of these trucks as well.

The 'gantry' you mention is the bren AA mount

[gordon]

Originally Posted by cliff

Chrysler civilian production engines were always painted a light grey with fittings like generator, starter motor etc black.

Pretty much right but needs an extra detail or two. The Chrysler engines were silver though to the end of the 1940 model series, but since this one is a 41-up series truck it would be light grey as you say, as follows;

Light grey

Engine block, cylinder head, bell housing, oil filler pipe, generator mount, waterpump and fan pulley, thermostat housing, crank pulley, manifolds, oil filter mount on head, Carter carb. airhorn, all engine sheet metal, gearbox except shift tower which is olive drab.

Satin black

Oil filter housing and bands, radiator fan, starter, generator, horn and horn bracket, air cleaner, engine breather/filler cap.

Red

Background colour for all distributor data plates and 6 volt electrical data plates.

Crinkle black

Generator regulator cover