C8AX production

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

ALL S/M 2394: [ASSEMBLED BY G.M. NEW ZEALAND, CODE XH]
XH8448-067
XH8447-087 MFGD. 5 3 43
XH8448-229 ENGINE # FR3863719 MFGD. 5 3 43
XH8448-275 MFGD. 4 MAY 43
XH8448-377 ENGINE # FR3863573 MFGD. 5 5 43
XH8448-382 ENGINE # FR3863937 MFGD. 5 MAY 43
XH8448-428 MFGD. 5 MAY 43
XH8448-496 ENGINE # FR3863872 MFGD. 5 5 43
XH8448-502 ENGINE # FR3863593 MFGD. 5 5 43
XH8448-564 MFGD. 5 MAY 43
XH8448-594 ENGINE # FR3863668 MFGD. 5 MAY 43
XH8448-606 ENGINE # FR3864085 MFGD. 5 MAY 43
XH8448-657 ENGINE # FR3864068 MFGD. 5 MAY 43
XH8448-718 ENGINE # FR3864330 MFGD. 5 JUNE 43
XH8448-721 ENGINE # FR3864172 MFGD. 5 JUNE 43
XH8448-834 MFGD. 5 JUNE 43
XH8448-870 ENGINE # FR38635?4 MFGD. 5 JUNE 43
XH8448-890 MFGD. 5 JUNE 43
XH8448-903


Do we agree that the '3' and '5' are indedd March and May respectively? Otherwise why would the second digit be so close to the year?

I have concluded that these data plates were all stamped by GM New Zealand Ltd in Petone, and that they arrived CKD. Note that the engine numbers are in no way sequential, and so were dhipped independently from Walkerville and stored around the Plant. Do others agree that we have three batches here at the moment? Whether each batch were actually assembled on the date on the plate I would not like to say..these may have been official dates and could even be delivery dates?

[Tony Smith]

Al Nicholson has spotted this one on E-bay.au in Queensland, Aust.
Serial -747
Eng PR3963973
Date 5 June 43

C8AX Dalby.jpg C8ax-747.jpg

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Data added to my collection thanks!

[Lynn Eades]

Obviously it should read "FR" not "PR"

[Tony Smith]

Oops! An "FU" on my Part!

[Lynn Eades]

Ahmm!!...............

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Xh8448-079 Engine # Fr3862924 Mfgd. 5 3-43
Xh8448-080 Engine # Fr3852622
Xh8448-087 Fr3838752 Mfgd. 5 3-43
Xh8448-199 Engine # Fr? Mfgd. 5 3-43
Xh8448-229 Engine # Fr3863719 Mfgd. 5 3-43
Xh8448-252
Xh8448-254 Engine # Fr3863431 Mfgd. 5 4-43
Xh8448-273 Engine # Fr3863445
Xh8448-275 Mfgd. 5 4 43 ?
Xh8448-322 Engine # Fr3863983 Mfgd. 5 4-43
Xh8448-339 Engine # Fr3864029 Mfgd. 5-4-43
Xh8448-377 Engine # Fr3863573 Mfgd. 5 5-43
Xh8448-382 Engine # Fr3863937 Mfgd. 5 May 43
Xh8448-392 Engine # Fr3864366mfgd. 5-5-43
Xh8448-394 Engine # Fr3.863668 Mfgd. 5 May 43
Xh8448-419 Engine # Fr3863618 Mfgd. 5 5-43
Xh8448-427 Engine # Fr3863894 Mfgd. 5 5-43
Xh8448-428 Mfgd. 5 May 43
Xh8448-452
Xh8448-459 Engine # Fr3863469 Mfgd. 5-5-43
Xh8448-496 Engine # Fr3863872 Mfgd. 5 5-43
Xh8448-497 Engine # Fr3,863875 Mfgd. # 5- 5-43
Xh8448-502 Engine # Fr3863593 Mfgd. 5 5-43
Xh8448-564 Mfgd. 5 May 43
Xh8448-594 Engine # Fr3863668 Mfgd. 5 May 43
Xh8448-606 Engine # Fr3864085 Mfgd. 5 May 43
Xh8448-611 Engine # Fr 3864083 Mfgd. 5 May 43
Xh8448-622 Engine # Fr3863893 Mfgd. 5 4-43
Xh8448-634 Engine # Fr3864089 Mfgd. 5 May 43
Xh8448-650 Engine # Fr3,883,923 5 May-43
Xh8448-657 Engine # Fr3864068 Mfgd. 5 May 43
Xh8448-718 Engine # Fr3864330 Mfgd. 5 June 43
Xh8448-721 Engine # Fr3864172 Mfgd. 5 June 43
>>xh8448-747 Engine # Fr3963973 Mfgd 5 June 43<<
Xh8448-833 Engine # Fr3863827 Mfgd. 5 June 43
Xh8448-834 Mfgd. 5 June 43
Xh8448-870 Engine # Fr38635?4 Mfgd. 5 June 43
Xh9448-887 Engine # Fr3863776 5 June 43
Xh8448-890 Mfgd. 5 June 43
Xh8448-891 Engine # Fr38638?2
Xh8448-903

[AnzacPJ]

Hi Lads, I can tell the reason why there are in gaps in the dates. I was lucky to talk to an old chap a few years ago Tom Cadallader who was in charge of all CKD assembly from 1935-54. In fact there were four lots of assembly of the C8AX by GM Motors (Todd Bros, Petone)
The problem with the Petone Plant was by 1942 it was in full swing as a repair base for the U.S. Army for damaged Dodge vehicles, personnel & ammunition carriers from the Pacific. So by 1943 storage at the plant was tight and so the crates of CKD C8AX could only be assembled in small lots when room was avalible.
Ah you ask 'What about the dates on the plates?' I have you answer, At the time a lot of the CKD crates were mixed up and were hard to access due to a full yard behind the plant so they would go around and do a rough estimate of what was at hand that could be completely assembled with what time frame they had in between U.S. vehicles arriving from the Pacific, so when they found 200 or so C8AX ready for assembly the would stamp the 200 or so plates that day or the next place them in a box with the new numbers for the crates and have them pigon holed for assembly line.
I hope this has been the light at the end of the tunnel.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

This is the up-to-date listing now (known to me):

XH8448-073 ENGINE # FR3867782 MFGD. 5 - 3 – 43
XH8448-079 ENGINE # FR3862924 MFGD. 5 3-43
XH8448-080 ENGINE # FR3852622
XH8448-087 FR3838752 MFGD. 5 3-43
XH8448-161 ENGINE # FR3838745 MFGD. 5 3 43
XH8448-199 ENGINE # FR? MFGD. 5 3-43
XH8448-229 ENGINE # FR3863719 MFGD. 5 3-43
XH8448-252
XH8448-254 ENGINE # FR3863431 MFGD. 5 4-43
XH8448-273 ENGINE # FR3863445
XH8448-275 MFGD. 5 4 43 ?
XH8448-322 ENGINE # FR3863983 MFGD. 5 4-43
XH8448-339 ENGINE # FR3864029 MFGD. 5-4-43
XH8448-377 ENGINE # FR3863573 MFGD. 5 5-43
XH8448-382 ENGINE # FR3863937 MFGD. 5 MAY 43
XH8448-392 ENGINE # FR3864366MFGD. 5-5-43
XH8448-394 ENGINE # FR3.863668 MFGD. 5 MAY 43
XH8448-419 ENGINE # FR3863618 MFGD. 5 5-43
XH8448-427 ENGINE # FR3863894 MFGD. 5 5-43
XH8448-428 MFGD. 5 MAY 43
XH8448-452
XH8448-459 ENGINE # FR3863469 MFGD. 5-5-43
XH8448-481 ENGINE # FR3863988 MFGD. 5-5-43
XH8448-496 ENGINE # FR3863872 MFGD. 5 5-43
XH8448-497 ENGINE # FR3863875 MFGD. # 5- 5-43
XH8448-502 ENGINE # FR3863593 MFGD. 5 5-43
XH8448-564 MFGD. 5 MAY 43
XH8448-594 ENGINE # FR3863668 MFGD. 5 MAY 43
XH8448-606 ENGINE # FR3864085 MFGD. 5 MAY 43
XH8448-611 ENGINE # FR 3864083 MFGD. 5 MAY 43
XH8448-622 ENGINE # FR3863893 MFGD. 5 4-43
XH8448-634 ENGINE # FR3864089 MFGD. 5 MAY 43
XH8448-650 ENGINE # FR3883923 MFGD. 5 MAY-43
XH8448-657 ENGINE # FR3864068 MFGD. 5 MAY 43
XH8448-718 ENGINE # FR3864330 MFGD. 5 JUNE 43
XH8448-721 ENGINE # FR3864172 MFGD. 5 JUNE 43
XH8448-747 ENGINE # PR3,963,973 DATE 5 JUNE 43
XH8448-833 ENGINE # FR3863827 MFGD. 5 JUNE 43
XH8448-834 MFGD. 5 JUNE 43
XH8448-870 ENGINE # FR38635?4 MFGD. 5 JUNE 43
XH9448-887 ENGINE # FR3863776 5 JUNE 43
XH8448-890 MFGD. 5 JUNE 43
XH8448-891 ENGINE # FR38638?2
XH8448-903

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

APJ, that makes sense thanks! These CKD crates were mixed up, and the Engine Number mixes seem to prove that this was the 'case' if you'll excuse the pun.

The 'XH' code obviously indicates General Motors New Zealand Ltd, founded Petone in October 1926. The only other plant to allocated an 'X' code so far as I know was GM South African Pty Ltd in Port Elizabeth, code 'XG'. GM-Holden's generally just used the city code for each assembly plant, and did not use an 'H', e.g. 'HA' for Adelaide until the 1950s I think when the 'X' codes were abolished in favour of codes abbreviated from the city or company, e.g. 'NZ' for Upper Hutt, NZ, 'SA' for South Africa, and for our Dutch friends, 'C' or 'CA' for GM Continental, Antwerp.

[Rob Beale]

There were three assembly plants in the Petone / Seaview area which is just north of the capital city, Wellington. ie: Ford, GM and Todd (Chrysler/Dodge)

I am puzzled: were Todds assembling GM products?

Rob

Incidentally the Todd family are now NZ's wealthiest family enterrprise.

[Rob Beale]

to keep things on track in this thread:


“Dave

I have a list from around 1949 compiled from returns after the war, so many early vehicles must have been disposed of by then: nearly all the first 1800 NZ census numbers are missing.
There is no detail of chassis serials recorded.

The list includes 491 C8AX listed including GS (393), Wireless (50), Ambulance 4Str (31), LP Water (13), LP Disinfector (2) and Compressor (2)
The last 3 are news to me. I want to see a photo of them now!

The LP water cart is described in another memo as 132 gal (the MW Bedford is 200 gal)

Rob”

“Rob,
It was probably some abortion ,using 3 x 44 gal drums.
__________________
Bluebell”


Good Point Lynn

The maths show 3 x 44 gal = 132 gal

Also 1 gal weighs 10 pound, so 132 gal weighs 1320 lb

8cwt x 112 lb = 896 lb, 15cwt x 112 lb = 1680 lb

Given that the NZ army rated the 8cwt as both 15 cwt and 1 ton post war,
I surmise that the water cart may have retained a GS deck, with 3 drums perhaps plumbed together to a water bar with taps like on the rear of the MW water cart.

Rob

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by rynoki

a 1945 C15A with a good original tray.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-208503655.htm

Rynoki and Lynn Eades have spotted this one for sale on TradeMe.

Chassis: XH8448-857
Engine: FR3864045
Date: 5 JUNE 43
NZ Army number: NZ25526