Can't get no respect- the G749

[Bob Phillips]

Here are some ads I unearthed as I start my cleanup around here (again).
I remember when Levy's had these new trucks but they were out of my price range in those days. There were lots of low miler units available cheap around. In spite of being specifically designed for military use and being far ahead of their time with auto transmissions- they just never got any respect. They were underpowered and needed regular maintainance to keep on the road. But I liked em, and still have one to get running one of these days!..BP

G749Ads-a.jpg G749Ads-b.jpg G749Ads-c.jpg

[Ed Storey]

Fantastic documents!

[Dan Martel]

Originally Posted by Bob Phillips

I remember when Levy's had these new trucks but they were out of my price range in those days.

Bob, there's no date on any of the documents. Do you recall when this was taking place?

Cheers,
Dan.

[Bob Phillips]

Hi Dan, I am thinking mid 1980s...

[Dave D.]

Originally Posted by Bob Phillips

Here are some ads I unearthed as I start my cleanup around here (again).
I remember when Levy's had these new trucks but they were out of my price range in those days. There were lots of low miler units available cheap around. In spite of being specifically designed for military use and being far ahead of their time with auto transmissions- they just never got any respect. They were underpowered and needed regular maintainance to keep on the road. But I liked em, and still have one to get running one of these days!..BP

Attachment 114714 Attachment 114715 Attachment 114716

Thanks so much for taking the time to post the pictures. It's the first 'documentation' I've seen that states "these trucks were stored on blocks".

We know the stories about 16 target cities in Canada having support areas nearby where we kept rescue vehicles in the event of a nuclear strike. Across Canada, stories are told of the fleets of deuces lined up that no one could touch, except for maintenance. The G749 appears to have done her job to the satisfaction of most, then quietly took retirement.

The after service life of the G749 will never be completely known. With stories of radiated trucks being buried in cement after cleaning up our nuclear problems to Dewline loaded barges being pulled onto the dock at Hay River with modified M135's, her accomplishments will remain, unknown by most.

I drove my first M135 in the 80's. The company I worked for mounted a 1200 gallon hydroseeder to the back of an M135 and I managed not to flip it over or break it for years. It was 8000 lbs of hydro-seeder with 12,000 lbs of water, seed, mulch, fertilizer and sometimes tacifier, ...... on the back of a deuce. I was just a youngin' trying to make a buck so never questioned the boss about weight. The truck drove heavy but always got me home.

Many of the G749 adventures are nearly 50 years old now. It's time to remind Canada about them! From Chalk River to Operation Morninglight, the deuce earned her recognition!

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Anecdotally, it was understood the government sold most of their deuces to Levy's but kept a bunch, no doubt for the well neglected reserves. Then the government had to buy back transmissions at grossly inflated prices.

[maple_leaf_eh]

A few months ago in an installment of the MLU Express, I got to fly with Bob Bergeron looking for a mythical fleet of surplus Israeli halftracks. Nothing found, but the story was debunked from armour to 2 1/2 ton trucks. It seems an enterprising fellow used to buy surplus vehicles at the auctions on Nuns Island, Montreal and use them as snow ploughs. The fleet was 12 or 15 M135s and a handful of 3/4s. He also bought just about everything that he fancied. The sawmill yard where they were parked was cleared in the first part of this century and as many as 50 40' scrap metal bins went to the shredders. The old fellow is now in a home and his son told me the story. He has a Studebaker M35 wrecker in his yard and a variety of parts in a couple of falling down sheds. He didn't quite know what he's got, except that they are truck parts. I have begun to cultivate a friendship. Who knows what will emerge?

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

Anecdotally, it was understood the government sold most of their deuces to Levy's but kept a bunch, no doubt for the well neglected reserves. Then the government had to buy back transmissions at grossly inflated prices.

There was a large release of trucks in the ealry 70s when Trudeau senior cut the military. That included deuces, 3/4 tons, Jeeps and trailers. The next large release did not happen until the MLVW entered service in the 1984/85 time period. None were held back for the reserves...there were MLVWs for everybody. Well almost everybody. We still had one on the base in 1987 with the sigs. They did not get a replacement, so simply held theirs for as long as possible. It came in for a rear main seal leak, along with a few other minor problems. The control office dug out a recent message that ended with "nil sine labor", so off to CADC the truck went. The message mentioned there were still a few positioned with AMF in Norway at that point, but they would be replaced soon.

I have always used the features of the deuce to determine when it was released. If it had the large West coast mirrors and the beehive clearance lights installed, then it was late release. That also usually included several brushed on coats of camouflage.

Conversely, if the truck still had the small round mirrors, and no additional clearance lights, then it was an early release from the Trudeau era.

I did work on many of the deuces that were in long term storage while I was in Winnipeg. None were on blocks.

[Ed Storey]

These SMP vehicles at Hagersville in the 1950s are up on blocks.

IMG0091 M135CDN copy.jpg

[rob love]

Holy Christmas....that is a lot of wheel cylinders in that picture!!! (that is what a mechanic sees).



Those are the nicest roofs and hoods I have ever seen on an old deuce. It's as if nobody ever walked on them. It is also a good reminder that I need to tape up the exhaust pipe on my deuce.

[Dave D.]

Originally Posted by Ed Storey

These SMP vehicles at Hagersville in the 1950s are up on blocks.

Attachment 116759

Hamilton would have been the City these M135's were dispatched to after a nuclear exchange. Thank you so much for that photo. Can we use your deuce pictures for future stories over at www.civildefence.ca?

In the 1960 Survival Operations Handbook, the 2 1/2 ton would have been used to transport wounded civilian Canadians to 'reception towns' around target cities.

The trucks would pull up in front of a federal building with a surgical ward set up in the basement, offload patients and treatment would begin. In Alberta, 19 underground hospitals were set up through the 50's with some stock still stored today. Old's near Calgary and Wetaskiwin near Edmonton would have had similar stockpiles of deuces. Wainwright also housed a fleet of EMO equipment.

The other support cities were Holyrood, Windsor, Camp Gagetown, St Jerome, Almonte, Newmarket, Welland, Centralia, Chatham, Portage la Praire, Chilliwack and Duncan.....if we're looking for stockpile pics.

[Ed Storey]

This image shows a M135CDN that has been converted to carry casualties by strapping in approximately 16 stretchers. This configuration was not only employed for Civil Defence casualty transportation but also in the late 1950s and early 1960s by RCAMC Field Ambulance and Hospital units.

M135CDN Civil Defence Vehicle - Stretcher Modification copy.jpg

[Jon Skagfeld]

Originally Posted by Ed Storey

These SMP vehicles at Hagersville in the 1950s are up on blocks.

Attachment 116759

While training at Camp Borden, I often passed by 43 COR (Central Ordnance Railhead) where many deuces were up on blocks.

[Perry Kitson]

Just west of London is situated a wrecking yard that ended up with about 200 M135's that were disposed of in the early 80's. Quite a number ended going south of the border to farmers and had bins replace the cargo beds.