Ice Cold In Alex

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

It now appears that I was indeed wrong as I have read a small item that mentioned that they did indeed use a CMP system...from someone who was there during fliming. It seems that there were also RAMC K2/Ys featured, apparently based in Libya around the time of the Suez crisis. I had no idea that the Army continued so long with them!

[malcolm erik bogaert]

David we have been down this road before...however despite the experts.Ian is quite right ..army workshops in Libya converted 3 austin K9's for the film...this has ben noted before in Windscreen magazine...and I b elieve there was an article in Soldier magazine at the time the film was released...keep up the good work...hope you have some good titles for sale for Xmas...best regards malcolm

[Alan McGuinness]

There are plenty of stills from the film in Classic & Vintage Commercials magazine (July 2008) including a head-on shot where the diff is clearly off-set (to the driver's right) like a CMP but not like the K9. You can also see CMP style hubs in some of the photographs and six-stud wheels in another, so the C8A analysis seems spot on to me.

This said, the article says:
The standard item was a 4x2 Austin K2 but for some scenes the film's technicians seemed to have used a Canadian Military Pattern 4x4 chassis and mounted the Austin's coachowrk on top of it. There were also stories of the British Motor Corporation lending the production a hand via a 4x4 Austin K9 disguised as a K2 (just look at the front axle in certain shots).

So there you go. Watch the film and take your choice.

One oddity, the article starts by quoting what appears to be an extract from the book:
My official name is A1079654, ambulance, Austin, K2. I have a six-cylinder overhead valve 29.8HP engine, four gears, and I weigh about two and a half tons. But I have always been called KATY.

Did they get the number wrong in the film! (Now there's a little known fact.) Anyone got the book?

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Alan McGuinness

[I]My official name is A1079654, ambulance, Austin, K2.
Did they get the number wrong in the film! (Now there's a little known fact.)

Alan,

That number was in a batch that was never issued.....and the census number in Radek's post from a film clip was also ficticious.

[rupert condick]

i like the feed back, cheers.
in the film ica the k2y has six stud split rim wheels, the axle pattern chev so these have to be C8A/X axles, better view when they take the wheel off. it should be noted that, the axles fit straight on to the austin chassis, check dia,s for HUP chassis and Austin.

i did think that the chassis was C30, but the axles would be wrong. or
i have a C15A long wheel base ( 137" ) australian ambulance ( not much left of it)/Users/
there are a lot of differences from the book to the film, beer different, name of the german, love affaire sergeant and nurse.

[Kuno]

The final scene of that film -which I liked very much- was not filmed in Alexandria/Egypt but in Tripoli/Libya. The buildings are still existing today at the so called Algeria Square opposite the former cathedral (which is now a mosque).

[Radek]

a few pictures