C8AX Tac Sign

Ausmick · #1 14-10-09, 00:40

Ken,

I see in your post you talk about the NZ numbering system may have been based on areas of registration linked to different towns. Tony in his post above #18, supplied a link for a list of C8AX trucks. My C8AX is on here as number 518.

I noticed some of the trucks built had two different formats for their date of being built. The early dates are a format as such 5 - 3 - 43 and about May started like 5 May 43.

Out of all the May built trucks, my truck is the only one on this list built 5 - 5 - 43 where as all the rest in May are 5-May-43. My truck and the numbered one 622, are the only two above a number of 339 that have dates set out like this.

My question is, do you know if these trucks were assembled at a different plant and if so, in what town? IS that why there is two different date formats?

Ausmick · #2 14-10-09, 08:08

Received this from the AWM today -

The C8AX, known in New Zealand as a 'Puddle Jumper' was the GS version of the Cab 13 C8A operated by Canada and the United Kingdom. The type was not operated by the Australian Army. The registration is a Royal Navy registration, applied to the vehicle following transfer to them from the New Zealand Army in the period of the build up of UK forces in Australia and NZ in preparation for the invasion of Japan in 1945. The UK acquired a number of vehicles from both Australia and New Zealand to supplement those they were accumulating in Australia by importation from the UK. When the invasion of Japan was called off due to the A-bomb and the end of hostilities, the vehicles were disposed of to the local market.

Tony Smith · #3 14-10-09, 10:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ausmick

Ken,

I see in your post you talk about the NZ numbering system may have been based on areas of registration linked to different towns. Tony in his post above #18, supplied a link for a list of C8AX trucks. My C8AX is on here as number 518.

I noticed some of the trucks built had two different formats for their date of being built. The early dates are a format as such 5 - 3 - 43 and about May started like 5 May 43.

Out of all the May built trucks, my truck is the only one on this list built 5 - 5 - 43 where as all the rest in May are 5-May-43. My truck and the numbered one 622, are the only two above a number of 339 that have dates set out like this.

My question is, do you know if these trucks were assembled at a different plant and if so, in what town? IS that why there is two different date formats?

No, that's a typo that has crept into constantly reproducing and updating the list. Go back through the earlier posts and you'll see that many of the other May vehicles have pics of their plates stamped as 5-5-43, while some are 5 May 43.

GM NZ was the only plant assembling XH8448 C8AX trucks, this plant was in the Lower Hutt suburb of Petone. Once assembled by GM NZ, they were handed over and distributed to the various military districts. Ken's suggestion is that each Military District was responsible for the initial registration of the vehicles, and therefore the allocation of the NZ number. There were 3 MDs, Northern, Central, and Southern.

Ausmick · #4 16-10-09, 01:17

Rob,

Here’s a picture of the pintle hook and frame. The tip of the hook is a little past the end of the chassis but this would indicate a GS tray? I have seen a picture of an C8AX ambulance now and the pintle hook was further out from the chassis as indicated.

Mike K · #5 16-10-09, 02:33

your very lucky the pintle frame is still there.... it is unique to the C8AX

the pintle itself is unique also .

Mike

Rob Beale · #6 18-10-09, 07:54

I'm convinced you have a GS chassis. Those bent U shaped brackets welded to the chassis flange brackets are often found on GS trucks to stop the tail gate hitting the pintle hook if it is dropped.

Excellent find

Rob

Ausmick · #7 20-10-09, 12:28

Has anyone got an idea what this rather large screw did? It’s located just about 6 inches to the left of the gear lever. While I was taking the floor up I thought I would find it was a dip stick of some sort. As it is, it would be worthless and looks as if it was put there for some reason, but what. I have been looking at other blitz floors and haven’t noticed any others. Any ideas?

(The floor is sitting on the rear of the tray when picture was taken)

Bob McNeill · #8 20-10-09, 14:04

Models fitted with tyre pump, access to screw slot on top pump activating lever.

Lionelgee · #9 29-12-09, 03:35

G'day Mick,

According to the television news it seems that it has been a bit wet down your way of late, are you anywhere near the rising rivers?

We have have rain off and on each day since Christmas Eve. The local newspaper said that the last three months in Bundaberg were the driest on record since 1942.

I sent you a PM last week - did you get it? Please send a reply via another PM cheers.

Regards
Lionel

Ausmick · #10 29-12-09, 07:12

(PM sent)

Got a few markings painted back on while waiting for the call that the engine is ready.

When this project arrived it had the Mirror Bracket (shown in green) in the picture. While the Ford and Chevy brackets mount differently does anyone know is the bracket in the picture an add on or a piece of Kiwi manufacturing?

Also, I was looking at a few pictures of these Puddle Jumpers driving in the Solomon Islands and noticed the side mirrors on them were round, not the square shape on the normal Blitz’s, question is, are the round ones just maybe mirrors the Kiwis knocked off the Americans or was it the normal mirror the NZ used?

Rob Beale · #11 29-12-09, 19:45

Those mirror arms look like solid rod. The ones I have found are all two piece tube with a folded clamp that bolts to the casting you have that goes on the top hinge of the door. I'll get a pic for you.

I'm not sure about mirrors now. Perhaps they used the round ones as replacements, but then if all the solomons vehicles had round ones, that suggests the whole vehicle fleet left NZ with them.

Certainly the round ones are simpler and cheaper to make, with the flat glass mirror. This is going to need some study!

seasons greetings
Rob

Ausmick · #12 25-01-10, 13:25

This project has been on hold for a while. Had big rain here and washed out a heap of flood gates and with Christmas New year finding a camshaft wasn’t easy. Got one out of the States for $110 US, brand new, so no complaints there, was here in 9 days.

Have one door up and ready but the other door, while solid, has the latch mechanism missing altogether so will need to track another one down, or at least the mechanism ( does anyone know if another sort of truck used the same latch parts?).

Axle lamp was turned out by a mate of mine. He used 1¼ solid rod and the results were just what I was looking for.

Question......did the axle lamp have a lens (what colour) inserted into the barrel, if so, was it in the end or just infront of the globe?

Thankyou Rupert from Perth for the Delco shock - its been painted and bolted on Rupert