Commer Q2: Truck, 15-cwt, 4x2, Van

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

George Moore wrote:

“ Sad to relate, when researching Humber vehicles, I was told that after General Motors took over the Rootes group in the 50’s, all drawings and info was skipped and burnt.”

I do not recall General Motors taking over Rootes Group in the 50’s. Chrysler took over around the late 60’s as I recall.

[David Herbert]

Though there was a brief relationship with Ford USA which resulted in the Sunbeam Tiger (an Alpine with a Ford V8). A Ford V8 engined Humber Snipe was also prototyped but never went into production.

David

[Hanno Spoelstra]

You're right Richard, it was indeed Chrysler which took over Rootes between 1964-1967, and in 1978 it ended up in the hands of Peugeot - read https://www.curbsideclassic.com/auto...-rootes-group/

I quoted George Moore mainly because of the the notion that when Rootes was taken over "all drawings and info was skipped and burnt.” However, according to the Rootes Archive Centre Trust "a warehouse full of old Rootes documents and drawings" was donated by Peugeot to the ARCC.

I have been trying to find out more info about the 15-cwt RAF Van and there is very little info available. As Bob Allan wrote: "we have very little information about these vehicles and do not know where the records are now". So the search continues...

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Via Steve Wright who shared photos "from the Thompson Brothers archive".

As far as I can tell this water bowser type was not taken into production.

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[Hanno Spoelstra]

Another nice Commer Q2 photo, not a Van but a Tractor with 8'0'' wheelbase:

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Plus, a photo of the manual for this Tractor:

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[Hanno Spoelstra]

Page from a RAF vehicle data book, courtesy of Ted Angus. He wrote the pre-heater van had a 10ft wheelbase and the heater fan was driven by 3 V-belts driven by a PTO on the nearside of the gearbox.

"Aircraft Pre-Heater Van on Commer Q.2. 4 x 2 chassis"

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[Davdberg]

Does anyone know what the actual difference is between the Q15 and the Q2 GS model?

Seems Q2's have a single glass piece front window, or am I mistaken?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Page from a RAF vehicle data book, courtesy of Ted Angus. He wrote the pre-heater van had a 10ft wheelbase and the heater fan was driven by 3 V-belts driven by a PTO on the nearside of the gearbox.

"Aircraft Pre-Heater Van on Commer Q.2. 4 x 2 chassis"

“Ground crew of No. 3208 Servicing Commando, insert collapsible tubes from a pre-heating van into the air intake and radiator of a Hawker Typhoon Mark IB in the snow at B58/Melsbroek, Belgium. The tubes fed hot air into the Napier Sabre engines, which were notoriously difficult to start in wintry conditions, and required this treatment at regular intervals to maintain serviceability.”

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