Chevrolet MS4409

[jeff]

Hi Leigh, there is another thead about these Lend Lease Chevs that i started back in 2009 http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ht=lease+chevs Hope this link works. I have since found out the following about these trucks.
They were painted civilian colours in America before being shipped. They even had pinstriping around the belt line. Most were green but mine was Bordeaux Maroon and another we have was origionally black.

[jeff]

Woops hit the wrong key and hadn't edited or finished the last post. Other features of Lend Lease Chevs that i found interesting;
The black out lights and switches ( your light switch is original) are olive green and weren't painted over. I noticed the blackout driving light on yours is missing but that original type clutch head screws are filling the mounting holes.
These trucks were manufactured in the USA as right hand drive vehicles, I've never found any Canadian parts on any of our trucks.
The dashboard and cab internal sheet metal is all painted body colour but USA civilian trucks of the same model use a silver hammertone paint on these parts.
The approx build month and year can be found by looking at the window glass markings.
I'm not sure if you have the Maintence Manual TM10-1525, but there are good photos of the original body styles in the manual. (they often come up on ebay)
Your truck has some neat original parts that i have never seen before eg. the auxiluary fuel tank, fuel tank switch and the pintal hook chassis extension
Is the chassis number you quoted the one stamped into the passenger side frame just behind the front tyre? It is quite different to the Australian assembled trucks that i have seen. Maybe its NZ assembled? Anyway its good to see another LL Chev.
Jeff.

[Leigh J]

Thanks Jeff,

Yes that chassis number is stamped into frame, I'm starting to wonder if this is a NZ assembled truck, or maybe overhauled in NZ?
I'm trying to find more info about these trucks in NZ service, but not a lot so far.
My Dad restored this truck approx 25 years ago, it was he that did the stencil on the side of the chassis plate and I'm trying to find some of his original notes that may give me a clue of the trucks history.
I noticed the other day that there is a stencil 'Trentham' on the inside of the front bumper, a connection to the old army camp here in Wellington that later became a GM assembly plant, also that unusual stencil with the three 'Cannon' like shapes on the aux tank and bumper are very intriguing...

[Eduard Sorokin]

I have found interesting Manual on the Net:

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/adela...ual/1013652175

[Leigh J]

Yes that shows the 4409 very nicely, complete with the stake side body.

I now have a similar maintenance manual (TM 10-1339) except this one is specific to the right hand drive contracts, it also depicts those same views of the truck. The manual even shows features that are original on my truck, like the fuel gauge switch with 'GAS' plate and the military push/pull blackout light switch.

I've yet to find a picture of one of these trucks in ANZAC service, the search continues...

[Tim Hunter]

Hi Leigh, I have restored a 1942 Chevrolet Stake side truck in Australia and I have a second tray and sides which I am selling, I listed it on ebay a while ago and it failed to attract a bid (search Tray + stake sides, Military 1942-1946 Chevrolet,Lend lease,Chev,GMC,Ford,Holden in completed listings to view it and see extra info.) I have since dismantled it ready for shipping. I will try to attach some pictures of it to this post.

[motto]

The differences between trucks can be quite bewildering and I'm not convinced that it is all due to post war tampering. The example of the 4403 truck is a case in point where the cargo body is obviously the standardised 12 foot body as used on the GMC CCKW and Studebaker US6. The mud-guards are even still in the original place, spaced to fit on a tandem axle truck so there is no doubt about the origin.
It all seems to have been a matter of mix and match or what was available at the time and one would be a fool to make definitive statements. I presented my truck as a model 4403 because I had a cargo body from a US6 and had an officer attached to the army museum tell me it was a nice truck but had the wrong body on it. I respectfully informed him he was not entirely correct and showed him the photo of exactly that combination in TM 10-1525.
With light or heavy front axle, light or heavy steering box, military or civilian instruments, left or right hand drive, left or right hand fuel filler neck, 20" or 18" wheels, US or Australian cab, civilian parking or military marker lights, with or without aux fuel tank, with or without chassis reinforcing, rhinoceros tusk or standard ordnance pintle, single or two speed diff, variations in paint colour etc the combination is endless so happy Chevings whatever you have.

David.