Canadian Long wheelbase Diamond T975 survivors?

[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.

Hello, this one is from Jarno Wormgoor, he also ownes a cab 11 Ford FGT, a Ql, Fordson and a Champ, looks like he likes Canadian Britisch .

@ Hendrik. I think I remember seeing pictures of an cab 11 gun tractor under restoration somewhere in Holland; the fellow also owned the remains of the bodies of two others. Could that be Jarno?
It would be great to see both the FGT and Diamond T975 in a "correct" liberation parade next year!

Alex

[Alex van de Wetering]

I came across these pics this afternoon; taken at the Canadian War Museum in 2004 according to the source. Great to see a Diamond Machinery truck (Machinery M?) in preservation.

Alex









Source: http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/ro...ry_vintage.htm

[gordon]

About fifteen years back I was in Norway and saw a Canadian T with a Bay City crane / shovel set on it. Looked entirely original.

Gordon

[lendlease]

2 years ago I was in Sweden and looked at a Canadian LWB 6x6 for sale. I was reasonably original except for a missing engine and transmission. Had crane mounted on it as shown above in pictures in this thread. I know is was sold to a collector in Holland with a few big trucks. I have pictures, but don't know how to upload them. I do have an original CANADIAN manual for this military truck that I purchased here in Australia....also anothe CANADIAN manual for the Willys MB jeep....again purchased here from a book dealer.

[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