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ww2 15cwt "Gin Palaces"


early british ww2

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Hi , Ive decided to start this thread in order that I can guage how many of the WW2 15cwt House Type Wireless bodies or more affectionately "Gin Palaces" have survived into preservation and where they all are ?

 

I own a 1942 Guy Ant Wireless Truck as part of my own collection and wonder how many other Wireless Trucks survive and on what chassis they are on and where in the world they all are , whether complete with internals or whatever - Please get in touch

 

Here are a couple of photo's of my Guy in various guises over the years :coffee:

Guy - Dodge.jpg

mudlark 028.jpg

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1943 Morris C4 WT under restoration. I have 2 bodies of the type III and 2 C4s both MkII and one is stamped WT. Rory ballard has a 8cwt Morris WT all fitted out which is superb, There is Bob, who has taken over Rory's original resto, of the early wooden type wireless house, which is nice.

 

My dad was a signaller in this type of truck in normandy, then went to Palestine 45-47 where, to his annoyance, they were supplied with the earlier pre-war truck!

 

Don't know of any other Morris C4 WT with all the interior. there's a BBC marked up version in Holland. But that's an early warning body i think not WT.

Simon

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1943 Morris C4 WT under restoration. I have 2 bodies of the type III and 2 C4s both MkII and one is stamped WT. Rory ballard has a 8cwt Morris WT all fitted out which is superb, There is Bob, who has taken over Rory's original resto, of the early wooden type wireless house, which is nice.

 

My dad was a signaller in this type of truck in normandy, then went to Palestine 45-47 where, to his annoyance, they were supplied with the earlier pre-war truck!

 

Don't know of any other Morris C4 WT with all the interior. there's a BBC marked up version in Holland. But that's an early warning body i think not WT.

Simon

 

Hi Simon , Have you any pics of your morris's esp the wireless truck and the cs8 ?

The Genny in the back cupboard on my Guy is a wartime dated bsa 300 watt generator / battery charger and is wired into the switchboard etc in the wireless body - The truck is in for repairs at the mo but hope to get it back out next summer:coffee:

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H,

everything is apart at the moment. The CS8, although a very early example, has some later fittings which need to be changed. It is in an awful paint scheme and the original resto didn't apply much paint. However, mechanically the resto was excellent. Engine and gearbox re built and it runs and drive a treat. Loads of power! There's no need to dismantle it all but, as you know, there's alot of bits once to get the socket set out! I can put up some pix but poss on a new thread is it will 'bump' this one i fear!!

The WT is in a similar state. I have the 2nd vehicle in transit right now and will collect on friday with any luck.

 

Incidently the type III house that I have has shelves on the immediate left of the rear door. Does yours? Jules' early warning version has a tall slim cupboard (or should have). I knew the truck when it was owned by the original restorer Dom Legg. He made a great job of it.

 

Before my dad got too old he explained where everything went in the truck and how it all worked/what they did, and i have his memoirs which i have written during countless conversations. I've been very lucky in this way....

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H,

everything is apart at the moment. The CS8, although a very early example, has some later fittings which need to be changed. It is in an awful paint scheme and the original resto didn't apply much paint. However, mechanically the resto was excellent. Engine and gearbox re built and it runs and drive a treat. Loads of power! There's no need to dismantle it all but, as you know, there's alot of bits once to get the socket set out! I can put up some pix but poss on a new thread is it will 'bump' this one i fear!!

The WT is in a similar state. I have the 2nd vehicle in transit right now and will collect on friday with any luck.

 

Incidently the type III house that I have has shelves on the immediate left of the rear door. Does yours? Jules' early warning version has a tall slim cupboard (or should have). I knew the truck when it was owned by the original restorer Dom Legg. He made a great job of it.

 

Before my dad got too old he explained where everything went in the truck and how it all worked/what they did, and i have his memoirs which i have written during countless conversations. I've been very lucky in this way....

 

I take it that the Morris CS8 is the early version with the solid tailgate without the dip in the middle but not the early low cab almost prototype version - On the subject of Morris's You don't have a spare lube chart for the dash do you? My '39 model is in need of one .

 

On the subject of my wireless truck as you go in the back door there is the fold down seat fixed on the genny cupboard to the right , to the left there is a shelving unit in the corner which has a bench or smaller shelving unit going over the wheel arch which extends to the operators table . The light and socket is above each window at the side - All windows have a blast / blackout screen over them . There is a smallish cupboard on the left and the battery brackets are on the floor under the ops table which itself has a small lockable drawer in it . On the back wall to the right of the operators table is the switchboard which leads to the rifle rack on the right wall There is another small cupboard on the back wall just to the side of the small window where the wires go out to the aerial bases . Another seat sits half on and off the right hand mudguard and back to the genny cupboard which has a metal shelf above it where the oil can etc for the genny live and finally above the genny cupboard is the extractor fan - I will try and dig out some more photo's of the interior as it is easier to see rather than putting it into words .:coffee:

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yes early body, but not the proto version. Rory has one only 500 or so awya form my chassis number which is neat. I don't know if any other early early CS8s about, but this is the place to find out! Has yours got the early deep base on the mate's seat or as the later versions?

Don't have a lube chart. if i did, i need one for the C4! However, if we could find out if a repro version could be made i reckon at least 6 would be bought by Morris owners i know....

 

Your house is almost the same. All correct except the genny is in a box with a lift up lid for access if you didn't wish to take it out of the truck. The top of this slopes and has a chain to lock it open. The genny cupboard and the table I have restored so i can put some pix up if you like. As you say it's easier than writing it!

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I am looking for a Pair of C.A.V type CMRF 140/DP.

 

Cheers.

 

J.

 

Hi Jules. i have a pair of mint, still original paint, CAv headlamps but they are the early MW type with a single mount underneath, However you could convert them if you could't find any others.

Sorry if we're off topic here Glyn......

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Hi Hanno!

yes that's the BBC one I mentioned with the early warning body (no louvred doors for genny). Lovely condition for sure.....

Hi Simon,

 

Have not yet seen it in the metal, so to speak.

 

The owner is looking for all sort of information about this body type as it needs kitting out.

 

Who can help?

 

Thanks,

Hanno

 

klein2.jpg

Edited by mcspool
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Glynn

 

Do you want to keep the photos to preserved vehicles or to include originals from WW2 and WW2 vehicles in very early post war

 

Hi Les ,

I was trying to guage how many have survived into preservation but to be honest for my own interest I would love to see any wartime or early war pics you or any other member may have You are most welcome and many thanks Cheers:coffee:

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Heres another interesting adaption of a WW2 gin palace body transposed to a 1950 Commer Q2, around 3 to 400 of these including cargo bodies were produced the cargo body it would appear is also from WW2 15cwts if not certainly a pattern of the type

 

I have had the pleasure , if you can call it that , of seeing a couple of these Commer Wireless trucks in the flesh in a yard in deepest darkest Lincolnshire - In fact I managed to get some of my bits for my wireless body from one of these , which were both wartime dated bodies on 1950 chassis - one truck and body had been crushed by a BRS Truck body , the other was sat on top of another truck body - The weird thing is that neither looked bad enough to be in a scrapyard especially as they appeared to have been in their for years - we visited the yard back in the early nineties but I have been told it has now been cleared :coffee:

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