Great War truck Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I have been offered an exciting package of three WW1 GMC Ambulances with enough parts to restore two of them. You may be familiar with it, they did look like this: Although there were two different body types. Anyway, this is what i have been offered: Does anybody know anything about them? Does anybody have a manual? There are at least three restored ones in the USA (photos to follow). any thoughts or other words of wisdom greatefully received 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 Here is the data plate on one of them: and here are some photos of one of the restored ones: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevpol Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 nice, be on the road next year, good luck with them! Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 Woah, hang on there. There is a significant difference between "offered" and "received permission to buy". No, we wont be getting these. Too many other toys in the toy cupboard and not enough time, but would make a great project for somebody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaindrive Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Very nice old trucks. Would be a relatively easy restoration for someone since most of the parts are there and in reasonable condition. I especially liked the front bumper that has the elaborate and well thought out spring arrangement in one of the photos. Very interesting to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobs1918 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Hello Yes a nice package ..I too was offered them but the cost of shipping the three of them from the continent to the US scared me off...... Perhaps the price has come down a bit to enable their resurrection to take place. They were not , to my knowledge, first line ambulances. These were most exclusively Model T's. I believe that GMC's were used to transport patients to the larger facilities well behind the lines Good luck to someone!!! bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Just curious but what would make a Model T more appropriate for front line work over a GMC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Size and weight. The T was legendary for being unstoppable, regardless of road quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulbrook Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Mmmmmm I was offered them too................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 My understanding is that they are still for sale. Probably a price issue. A pity really as they would make a great project for someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Larkin Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Just curious but what would make a Model T more appropriate for front line work over a GMC? Tim, The Ford T was trialled along with Sunbeams for use by Field Ambulances. It had been thought that only horses would be suitable for FAs due to FAs being mainly tents in fields and much closer to the front line. On 8-11-1914 the Ford stood up best in cross country trials around St Omer conducted by 1 MAC and had 'good ground clearance and small turning circle' whereas the Sunbeam lacked ground clearance. On 23-11-1914 ambulances were sent by 1 MAC to FAs for trials and 9 Fords and 3 Sunbeams were sent. The Fords came out on top for use off-road, although were unable to carry as many patients. The Fords appear to have been BRCS cars, not War Office. These trials only lasted a few days and the horse ambulances of FAs began to be replaced by motor ambulances, mainly Fords, but some evidence of Daimlers, Austins and Sunbeams being used. The Ford remained the most popular with FAs (cross-country ability) and least popular with MACs (payload capacity) and as with all the other makes used underwent various modifications as wartime experience developed. In Africa the Ford T was known as the 'Jigger' after the Jigger Flea due to its ability to get everywhere. The GMC ambulances were all BRCS cars it seems. I have found nothing that points to the War office buying other than British made cars, but by early 1915 the BRCS were buying American chassis with UK built bodies (Buicks with Sunbeam fittings) as the War Office were grabbing all the British manufacturers capacity. The BRCS were no different to any other civilian user in that permission was needed to buy new vehicles. I've not found direct reference to GMC ambulances being used except a couple of photographs which both have FANY drivers. The FANY operated a ambulance convoy in Boulogne on behalf of BRCS carrying patients from hospitals in the town to hospital ships and from hospital trains to the hospitals, so rarely ventured outside of Boulogne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 A Friend's Grandmother and an BRC ambulance supplied from Jersey, I'd be intrested to know what type they are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSM Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Very nice images. The second or lower example is a Siddeley Deasy I believe - also used by the AIF. Rod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Larkin Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 A Friend's Grandmother and an BRC ambulance supplied from Jersey, I'd be intrested to know what type they are Tony, would your friend have any further information, and could you put us in touch, please? The top pic is a donated or 'gift' ambulance, but not BRCS. It's British Ambulance Committee. Not been able to find much on BAC but hopefully more when next at Kew. The bottom pic is a War Office Siddeley-Deasy, so not BRCS either. The lady looks to be FANY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 The only info I have is that it was Peter's Grandmother. I gather she was quite a woman, two wars down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gustaf Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 HelloYes a nice package ..I too was offered them but the cost of shipping the three of them from the continent to the US scared me off...... Perhaps the price has come down a bit to enable their resurrection to take place. They were not , to my knowledge, first line ambulances. These were most exclusively Model T's. I believe that GMC's were used to transport patients to the larger facilities well behind the lines Good luck to someone!!! bob Bob, the GMCs were used extensively by US forces in Italy and France, they were favored over the Ford ambulances for service in Italy because they had a multi-gear transmission and more substantial brakes. There were more GMCs shipped to Europe than were needed in Italy, so many were used in Sections and companies in France. All of the GMCs that I have seen photos of in France had the closed body as shown inthe photo of the restored ambulance, I have a friend who has an original open body ambulance as shown in the first post. Here is Evacuation Ambulance Company 8 with their Packard truck and 12 GMC ambulances in France in Sept of 1918 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobs1918 Posted June 14, 2023 Share Posted June 14, 2023 (edited) I know that I last posted on this thread 10 years ago but I thought I would resurrect it. Well I did find a US GMC ambulance chassis here in the US . Lot of work to do but it is now running and on newly made wheels and new rubber. . I do need the radiator assembly. Presently I am modifying an early Dodge radiator to do the job. I wonder if the three in France are still there and would the owner sell any parts. Anyone have any contact information for them / I have long lost whomever was selling them Edited September 1, 2023 by bobs1918 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted June 15, 2023 Share Posted June 15, 2023 Welcome back. Amazing what is still out there. Good luck sourcing a radiator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobs1918 Posted June 19, 2023 Share Posted June 19, 2023 I really do not expect to find a radiator any time soon so I am repurposing one for a 1920s Dodge brothers. So far I have the shroud widened about 2 inches and shortened about 1 inch. Than I will insert the DB radiator and add some trim to the shroud to block out the expected size discrepancies. Not perfect but it will enable me to run the engine and beats having a big gaping hole in the front 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobs1918 Posted June 23, 2023 Share Posted June 23, 2023 Chassis painted with rust encapsulating paint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Bill Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 Great to see it and see you back. Looking forward to further progress reports! Steve 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobs1918 Posted September 1, 2023 Share Posted September 1, 2023 As luck would have it I managed to locate a second GMC chassis . It was a true barn find . It lacks an engine but there is an original cargo truck body on it . And it has the elusive radiator . The plan is to take the best components and build one truck. The second vehicle has the roof and the upright and horizontal supports along with the cargo box. Should be here in about 48 hours Updates to follow 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobs1918 Posted September 1, 2023 Share Posted September 1, 2023 (edited) anyone tell me how to share a video? I am unable to do so Edited September 1, 2023 by bobs1918 unable to post video Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Bill Posted September 1, 2023 Share Posted September 1, 2023 Wonderful find! Steve 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted September 1, 2023 Author Share Posted September 1, 2023 An amazing find Bob. Congratulations. For videos, i normally upload them to you tube and then share the link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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