New C15?? Restoration Project

[Keith Webb]

Normally that is at the end of the chassis number, S means Sydney assembled, so perhaps the chassis number in front of that has been obliterated...

[hrpearce]

My chassis no. and another on a chev chassis.

[Grant Bowker]

I realise that you are discussing a mystery on a frame found in Australia and am only speaking based on my Canadian experience. Typically, Canadian Chevrolet CMP chassis are not stamped with a serial number (some could have been but I haven't seen any, nor have I seen documents to say they should be stamped) but the "S" stamp can be present. This makes me think the number on the top of the rail and the "S" on the side of the rail are not related. The "S" in the middle of the serial is not something I have seen on Canadian trucks, which fits the suggestion of this version signifying Sydney assembly. There has been past discussion that the "S" on the side of the frame rail near the spring hanger might be an inspector's acceptance mark (possibly signifying "satisfactory?).

[Ganmain Tony]

The bits that have come with the vehicle appear to include a gun tractor fuel tank.

[Mike Cecil]

In the parts image, the seats are the standard narrow back type, not the Australian wide back type which entered production in early 1944. So IF these are the original seats, the truck is not a 1945 period vehicle produced in Australia by GMH.

Robert's images of the chassis numbers are your best guide, along with Keith's comments. If you cannot find the remains of something like that, then the suggestion that the number stamped into the chassis is a later, police/registration dept requirement because a chassis number could not be found becomes the most likely scenario.

Mike

[Mike K]

Maybe you could ask the previous owner if they know anything of the vehicles history. Ancestry.com for CMP's , that would be useful project ! A long shot but you can ask the QLD registration dept. to do a search in their computer system for that chassis number.

[nbarkley]

Thanks all for the info so far. Spent a few hours looking at the chassis yesterday and came across a very worn number under the cab. I could see a 3 then 8 then nothing until maybe a 2 at the end. My folks live in Canberra and are retired so have asked them to do a bit of research for me at the Australian War Memorial.
Have done a PPSR check and unfortunately returned nothing. The previous owner mentioned he had bought the vehicle up from Victoria 10 or so years ago.
Mike in regards to the seats, thanks for identifying them. They looked so rusty and not worth saving but had the folks up at Christmas and Dad got stuck into restoring them and have come up really well. Was going to replace the springs but as they are not visible may look at new methods.
So with the info on the seats I also have the following:
- wooden steering wheel (1943 production onwards)
- engine number seems to be similar to others in 1943 and very close to two CGTs built
- Sunshine cab ?? Later in the war years so 42/43 onwards and an Aussie design
- possible chassis markings starting with a 3