Australian Office? Body F15A- a few Q's

Ian Fawbert · #1 16-07-07, 09:54

Hi all,

Well i finally got to doing some things on my F15A i bought last year. Nothing mechanical, more preservatory and research orientated.

I have a few questions based on what i have found as well as from talking to people and would appreciate any help anyone can give.

1. In speaking to Ian W, he informed me where my chassis number should be. Now i`ve sanded back and wire brushed, but there is nothing there- zilch. Does any one have any ideas if i cant find it drivers side, top face, behind the crossmember.

2. Where can i find my engine number and how could i identify if my engine is original ww2 or a post war v8?

3. I have found my ARN (cant remember it off the top of my head though). When i went to the vehicle ledgers, i found that the number is assigned to an F15A, but it is not for a GS body, instead it is for an Office Body. To my untrailed eye, i though i had a GS body, however seeing war time factory pictures of a C15 office body, i began to wonder, as this had what appeared to be a GS body with a canvas cover- not what i thought an office body to be. (admittedly, i envisaged an office body to be a metal or wooden cabin thing). I had also noticed a few differences between GS bodies (althought on a chev) and my body, but not knowing much about australian bodies, didnt know any better.

I guess this i the tricky bit. Does anyone have any info on F15A's fitted with office bodies and how would i figure out if my body is an office body or not. Is an office body on a 15cwt vehicle comprised of a GS body

I guess there is always the chance that it had an office body and it was removed and a GS body fitted, but i am not sure what i really have so i cannot tell!

For pictures of my truck, look here. (not the best, i can get more of the tray if you want.).
http://www.aussiejeepimages.com/gall...2_itemId=72776

Thanks for any help.
Ian.

cletrac (RIP) · #2 16-07-07, 10:10

Here's a list of 15 cwt bodies from Gregg. The body drawing is the only one he lists as Office.

cliff · #3 16-07-07, 12:32

Quote:

Originally posted by cletrac
Here's a list of 15 cwt bodies from Gregg. The body drawing is the only one he lists as Office.

We are talking of an Australian model not a Canadian so they are totally different. The Aussie version does indeed look like a GS but with extras.

I have some AWM photos here of the Office type body and I will dig them out and post them in a couple of days as my 'office' is a tad untidy at the moment due to a clean up.

cliff · #4 16-07-07, 12:38

found the disc first try. Sorry thought the photos were from the AWM but I don't think they are.

Photo 1

EDIT : these photos come from a collection now owned by Keith Webb

cliff · #5 16-07-07, 12:39

Photo 2

cliff · #6 16-07-07, 12:39

photo 3

Sorry thought this was an office but Keith tells me it is a Medical Dressing Station and under all that canvas is a modified conventional pattern truck.

who can tell me which type and model from the photo?

Mike K · #7 16-07-07, 13:00

Hi Ian

As Cliff said , the Aust. Office body I think is a standard GMH built steel GS body with added fitments for the canvas side annex's and chairs and map tables and other stuff .

I like pic No.3 Cliff .... is there a truck under that long tent somewhere !

Mike

Keith Webb · #8 16-07-07, 13:39

Isn't the office, but an advanced dressing station. The hidden truck was a Modified Conventional Pattern.

cliff · #9 16-07-07, 22:37

Quote:

Originally posted by Keith Webb
Isn't the office, but an advanced dressing station. The hidden truck was a Modified Conventional Pattern.

Darn! Thanks Keith I will alter my data base captions and move the photo to it's proper folder.

Ian Fawbert · #10 17-07-07, 09:12

Thanks very much for that info Guys.

I found my ARN listed at home- 54783.

Is the vehicle Cliff posted a Chev or Ford? If a chev, would there be a difference in the Ford Office body? Or does anyone have any info on Ford Office Bodies?

The reason i ask is my tray has an extra tool/locker box in the rear wheel arch- both sides, painted OD etc etc. Would that be indicative of a Ford Office or a standard Ford GS body?

And seeing the configuration of the office body, it would make sense that it is based on the GS body- easy to modify.

Would anyone have any info on what made up an Office body- Ford or Chev- fitments, interior photo's etc?

I was able to find a listing of equipment to be carried in the Chev 4x2 office body when visiting the AWM last week. I didnt find any ford, but then again, I wasnt looking when i ordered what i was viewing (i wasnt looking for the chev stuff either, just stumbled on it in some other documents!).

If i do her up in this configuration, looks like i might have a ready made camper with out any modification!

How about my engine and chassis numbers, where can i find them?

Thanks,
Ian.

Keith Webb · #11 17-07-07, 11:39

Quote:

Is the vehicle Cliff posted a Chev or Ford? If a chev, would there be a difference in the Ford Office body? Or does anyone have any info on Ford Office Bodies?

The reason i ask is my tray has an extra tool/locker box in the rear wheel arch- both sides, painted OD etc etc. Would that be indicative of a Ford Office or a standard Ford GS body?

And seeing the configuration of the office body, it would make sense that it is based on the GS body- easy to modify.

To try to answer some of the questions:

The vehicle Cliff posted is a Chev C15A. I've only ever seen the office onfiguration on this chassis, not on Fords (although I don't have definitive info).

The toolbox in the valance is a feature of the later 2A GS steel bodies on Australian 15CWT CMP vehicles.

And as you may already know, GM-H were the sole manufacturer of this body for both Chevrolet and Ford CMPs.

The photograph of the rear of the vehicle shows the pilot model.

Hope this helps.

Tony Smith · #12 18-07-07, 04:07

Quote:

Originally posted by Ian Fawbert
I found my ARN listed at home- 54783.

How about my engine and chassis numbers, where can i find them?

Thanks,
Ian.

Ian, if you looked up your vehicle in the AWM books, it would have given the original engine number in the listing.
The Serial Number was a number on the alloy plate screwed to the instrument panel. This number was rarely stamped on the chassis.
The Engine Number was listed on the data plate. It was the number recorded in the AWM books as it was often (but not consistently) stamped on the chassis, and even then in a variety of locations (Vertical face of R or L chassis rail near cab mount, or top flange of chassis rail under cab, or on engine mount crossmember). The Engine Number may be stamped on the machined face where the inlet manifold bolts on, on any of the four corners FL, FR, RR, or RL! It may not even be on the engine at all, being stamped on the gearbox bellhousing above the clutch inspection cover!!