G506

Hi Richard,

from what you and Roy have mentioned, it certainly sounds as though predominantly the 30/40 cwt were used on the home front. Could this explain why many seem to have made it through the war to be converted to charabancs, considering so few were made (400)?

In the very first post, first photo, she looks like a 1941 (serpentine grill), second photo harder to date but 1942 onwards (assuming they have their original grills, of course). Great to have a good condition cab, is it a GMC CCKW or G506? There are detail differences, but it also depends on the level of detail you want to go into. There is even a fair difference between early and late Chevy cabs, its a minefield!

I had heard of these two, but assumed they would return to nature, very pleased you are saving one or both! Will you save the tipper or post hole borer?

Oh yes, there's interest, more pictures please!

:-D

A couple of further points. Several of these smaller versions found their way to the Isle of Man in 1919/20 as war surplus and were bodied as 18/22 seat charabancs, Isle of Man taxation records show at least one as a 'Napier 50cwt'. They were probably well suited to the smaller I o M roads. I think we have had this discussion before regarding weights, the WD in general classified vehicles in 2 categorys viz. 1 ton 10cwt. or 3 ton irrespective of what manufacturers claimed.These categorys were for the rerspective load weight over 'rough terrain'. I now think the smaller Napiers were classified as 45 cwt by the manufacturer. Once vehicles were begining to be sold as war surplus most '3 toners' immediately became 4 ton etc. and of course in many cases were put to use carrying considerably more !.

Richard Peskett.

Hello Richard,

I'm still in the British/Canadian WW2 vehicle mindset of weight categories 8cwt, 15cwt, 30cwt, 60cwt, and US counterparts being 1/4 ton, 1/2 ton, etc, etc, which I need to get out of for this project. What you say makes sense, in WW1 there were less weight categories, but each category was much wider. This would explain lorries identical to mine being described as both 30 and 40cwt, but Im sure Ive seen photos of Napiers with the more intricate Y shaped cast wheels described as 45 cwt; but then it could be the photo caption was wrong or as you say it was purely a manufacturers classification.

I've seen some wonderful vehicles on this site and look forward to seeing more in the future as well as enjoying the progress of on-going projects. One thing that would be greatly appreciated is the posting of any 3-view drawings you may have acquired during the restoration process. Those of us who model these old beauties need all the help we can get!

 

Bosun Al

Hi Bosun,

if you come across any Napier WW1 drawings please let me know

Cheers,

G506.

Hi Roy,

that makes a lot of sense actually; two tons on a well made metalled road is a lot different to two tons across a muddy shell-holed track!

Hi Richard,

thank you for posting that photo, not one I had seen before. Very useful as it is very clear, and shows a lot of detail of the truck's fittings. Interesting you mention there were only two models, as I have seen a factory shot of a chassis/cab awaiting delivery to the body builders and it looks exactly the same as mine, and descibed as a 2 tonner.

Thanks for posting this Chevy photo, never seen it before. Not sure what the bracket is for, but interesting jerrican positioning

Hi Guy,

superb work you are doing there!

Is there any commonality of parts between that engine and the US built GM straight sixes, the 216, 235, 261, etc? If so the USA may be a good source of internal parts.

Hi Tony,

yes, sorry I meant to call you but the morning just seemed to fly by! A beer at Beltring instead maybe?

Antony,

My Mum grew up in the New Forest, and the yard opposite ran a US6 for many years during the forties and fifties (and maybe sixties), but no one seems to remember where it went.

Also, there used to be the remains of a US6 near where I live in Southampton, probably 20 years ago; went hunting for it a couple of years back but no sign, so I hope it didnt end up on a ship bound for China..... :cry:

I think these were two different trucks, but maybe not!

Hi Richard, thanks for the ID, will look for numbers when I see it next, this coming Wednesday.

Hi Antony, apologies for getting your hopes up, but will PM you shortly with something else.

Cheers

Antony,

as requested, two pics of the bell housing. Important to say I bought this in error some years ago, I think it may be Studebaker but you probably have a far better idea than me!

Hi Antony,

good luck with her, Studes are way too rare to allow to be lost. By the way, I have what I think is a US6 bellhousing, would you be interested? Can send a pic if it helps

Yeh , ... the door

:shocked:

Only if you find the rest of the trailer;)

:rotfl:

I think that settles it, well done Mark and Richard.

Do we get a prize?

:laugh:

A few more photos!

Front passenger side dumb iron and WD hook at top, then driver's side below.

If my luck holds, I may be able to reuse the front tyres, but I have to confess zero experience with 'solids' so this may be a little optimistic?

Hi Doug,

that can be done, no worries. Give me a week or two, I need to examine some details on the rear axle anyway. I will post what I find, unless you prefer PM?

Cheers

Ok, a bit of a silly suggestion, but turned the other way up could it be a rear door from something along the lines of a Bedford QL refueller? The hinged flap would tend to discredit this idea, but maybe a post war mod?

Hi Rob,

superb project you have there, glad such a rare lorry is in safe hands. Good luck with it, I'll be watching with interest

Mark, pleased to assist. jpg copy attached. London rego noted. Have just finished a book on the 'Mechanicalization' of the Australian Army 1901 to 1919 (based on British Establishments and transport) and this is one of the over 450 images in said publication which is at the printers at the moment. Regards....Rod

Hi Rod,

many thanks for attaching that, I hadnt seen that image before, she is a beauty!

Slightly diffferent running gear to mine, as the pictured truck has eight spoke front wheels, against six on mine. I'm surprised to see plain round profile spokes, the larger models (from the images I've found so far) seem to have the more intricate Y shape, as also noted by Runflat.

As per Redherring, put me down for a copy of that book!

Tim,

I couldn't agree more!

I think this is the same sort of Napier as Mark has. It does also have the hooks on the front of the dumb irons which suggests to me that it is an ASC wagon. As you say it does have the less common round spoked wheels which did feature on some of the military lorrys. I cant make out the hub on Marks one to make a comparisson though. Any chance of another photos Mark?

Hi Tim,

as promised, further photos showing hubs and wheels, first the front

then rear

More to follow later!

Gordon far be it for me to throw the cat among the pidgeons but I have an image of a full page Feb 1916 Australian Advert. (Brit. image content) for a W^D Napier which has identical running gear to your new acquisition and clearly on the side is the signage "LOAD NOT TO EXCEED 3 TONS" .....trust that helps.....Regards....rod

Rod,

I would love to see that image, could you PM it to me?

The plot thickens!

There is one great benefit here - basically it isn't scrapped and is stored for the future, whatever happens.

 

When I was a lad I passed by a whole pile of stuff that I knew I couldn't restore or would never get round to, and now it has all been melted down I'm sure.

 

Last ten years or so if I run across anything unique that really should NOT be melted, regardless of condition, I've managed to find time and money to grab it and get it under cover, or pass it on to someone who could - at a last resort via fora like this one.

 

 

There would have been a really good case for buying this, cleaning and conserving it, and just keeping it stored somewhere even if it is another hundred years before someone can get it all back together - well done.

 

Gordon

Thanks Gordon,

one of my theories was it had survived for nearly a century, it just seemed wrong after all that time for it end up being scrapped. Even more so as it turns out there seem to be very few of the 30cwt in existance. I decided that if I bought it, realised I had bitten off way too much, and couldn't do it, it didn't matter because it was safe and someone else could take it on. But when the time is right, I'm confident I can make it happen, however knowing the pace of my restorations, VERY slowly! Anyone who has seen my Chevy restoration plod on will verifiy this!