Swiss Army Truck

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

The GM Suisse plant developed a wartime substitute fuel unit, and the engineers perfected a carbide generator which was offered on the market as "G.M. Carbor". However rapid depletion of the Swiss sheet metal and tyre reserves brought this activity to a close in mid-1942 and also prevented the lauunch of an alternative program, a food hydrator. The plant then devoted its time largely to repair and reconditioning work for the Swiss Army.

Amazingly, the 1938 order for Phaetons to tow guns etc for passage through the alpine regions was so successful that the Government thought about subsidising the conversion so that trhese vehicles could be used in an emergency! No mention at all of GMC trucks but thi might have been as part of the 1937-on order for militarisation and defence of all essential civilian factories.

extracted from: THE WAR EFFORT OF THE OVERSEAS OPERATIONS, 1944