Military Vehicles, the real heroes...

[da bomb]

On the way to collect, an Austin Gipsy, via somebodys epic collection of slowly disolving military vehicles, we got onto the discussion of what still survives and how/why.

 

Mainly, most of the lighter "Useful" stuff post WW2 got thrashed into the deck by people who were skint and needed cheap transport. The bigger it was, the more specialised the application, so for instance a Wrecker probably lived behind a garage for years with occasional use, and maintained by somebody who knew how to keep it going, hence quite a few are running about.

 

The same goes for big trucks and the logging industry, kept going because they were useful.

 

These people have shaped the MV movement the way it is today, keeping a vehicle with a limited design life going long after its original use passed, until an MV enthusiast found it. After all with exception of a few hardcore nutters in the earlier years, probably the last 10 - 15 years has seen a bit of an explosion for Military kit.

 

So me and Croc reckon that the real heroes are the people who were tight and bought cheap surplus vehicles and kept them going for years, probably having plenty of land, or sheds to leave them when they became redundant!

[N.O.S.]

So me and Croc reckon that the real heroes are the people who were tight and bought cheap surplus vehicles and kept them going for years, probably having plenty of land, or sheds to leave them when they became redundant!

 

 

Good points. But don't forget it wasn't just because they were skinflints - after the war heavy trucks were in such short supply (e.g. steel and engine shortages), with waiting lists stretching into years, that often the only option was army surplus!

[Enigma]

After the war the Netherlands needed trucks for rebuilding.

The contractors got a lot of GMC's to do this work.

 

A brickworks (gone now) about 300 meters from our house used them as did every other bussiness / factorys.

[LeeEnfield]

When you see adverts, imediatly post war, ish,..........Bedford QL's for £95.00

OY's £125.00, Scammell 6x4, (pioneer ?)winch £600.00, Matadors from £600.00, Dodge Ambulance, £175.00,............and I could go on, :whistle: Its easy to understand the rarity of preserved British vehicles of that period.

[N.O.S.]

These are just 3 ads from a 1952 haulage industry magazine........and these carried on into the late 70's. I remember looking at LW Vass's ads in Commercial Motor whilst at college, thinking "if only......". They were still offering virtually unused Matadors at that time.

[abn deuce]

Thats quite a load on that Matador !!!. please post more if you have them when you can from time to time perhaps . While they aren't O.D. they are a part of the puzzle of what happened to them between the military use and the present few that are going to be saved through restoration I fear the number being saved from the scrap pile is getting scarce and more are going to the crusher or furnaces and so are beyond help.

 

[N.O.S.]

Thats quite a load on that Matador !!!

 

 

Probably 14 -16 tons, whilst the chassis could cope for a while, the tyres definitely could not - I learned tyre changing skills at a very early age on these, not nice with steel wire sticking out all around!

[da bomb]

I get the feeling that particular Matador was worked to death!

[N.O.S.]

So was this one!!! But it was the best of the 4 - another had a civilian AEC cab (the best looker), the other two had original army cabs. There was also a 6 wheel tanker chassis-cab for spares, all got cut up in the 70's. I know, don't rub it in.........and this is the only photo.