wwII

In New Zealand, immediately after WW2, there was a severe shortage of new vehicles available, particularly for commercial use. There was, however, a surplus of military vehicles, in particular general transport trucks. One of the greatest needs was public transport. At the time, most major transport infrastructure was owned by the New Zealand Government, so their answer for NZ Railways...

A fact not known to most but once it is explained it is very understandable. “The rubber products that were produced prior to World War II (and during the war there were rubber shortages) did not combine well with petroleum based lubricants. One of the best examples in the automotive field was leaf spring shackles. These connect leaf springs, usually...

As in most of our Feature Truck of the Month series that specializes in more unusual vehicles, the following is certainly in this “one of a kind” category. This 1941 Chevrolet ½ Ton pickup has been transformed into a World War II truck from the US Navy. Exact in most ways, many look at it as a copy of the...

During the mid-1930’s through the WWII years, spending money was very limited. The “Great Depression” crippled our country’s economy, so only the basics were what much of the population had to work with. A radio added to a car or truck would have been so rare! It cost about a month’s wages for most hourly workers. Now enters American Ingenuity...

About 80 years ago, the World War II was going strong in the South Pacific. For a period of time there was no sign of victory for either the U.S. or Japan. One of the largest effects to the world was the Japanese control of most of the tropical islands that grew natural rubber trees. The quality of this product...

It’s the height of the war and material shortage in the U.S. is at its worst. The Japanese have control of most of the islands in the South Pacific that provide the most rubber to much of the world. The rubber trees they cultivated were the best. And of course, the U.S. was totally cut off for this needed product...

During WWII there were major material shortages for our citizens as our country placed most of their energy in supporting the over-seas war effort. U.S. factories produced a very limited number trucks that were used in this country (almost no cars).  It was expected pre-existing used trucks would supply local farms and businesses. Repair parts for immediate needs were so...

It's the height of World War II. The Japanese have control of the rubber plantations in Indonesia. The few tires available are reserved for military use.  And, the rationing of gasoline stops most U.S. vehicle operation.  But, there were still trucks needed on farms, keeping telephone lines operational, and supplying store commodities for their city.  For these selected truck uses, new tires could...

Our 1942 1 1/2 ton Chevrolet Fire Truck Was delivered to the DeLand Naval Air Station, February, 1942.

The term artillery wheel is a nickname adapted from a scalloped type wheel often seen on US military vehicles in World War I. The similar appearance at a distance to GM's scalloped steel wheels quickly gave them the name artillery. On GM trucks, this style was first used during 1934-36 as a stock six bolt 1/2 ton 17 inch wheel...

Shortages during this major war led to many modifications to Chevrolet and GMC door handles. War demands for die-cast material changed handle designs on military trucks as well as on a few commercial vehicles purchased by civilians. The attached photos show these wartime designs. The exterior handles have a stamped steel outer cover. Their inner liner is thinner metal and...

The two series of exterior door handles on GM trucks between the years 1934-46 are certainly different yet they share a few similar features of interest. One characteristic which seems strange today is that the handles lock the right doors only, not on the left. This occurs on GM trucks from the early 1920's to about 1959. At this time...

With the introduction of GM's new truck body design in mid 1947, a delivered package became available on both Chevrolet and GMC. World War II was in the past, employment was high, and many American truck buyers were willing to pay a little extra for more options on their new vehicle purchase.

With the US entry into World War II, trucks were quickly modified to be successful for military use. Pre-existing cabs, frames, and mechanical components were altered to be more usable when in everyday work duties or in battle.

During the war years, the US was plagued with a shortage of rubber. The Japanese occupied most of the islands that grew rubber producing plants. The majority of the rubber the U.S. could obtain was sent to the war effort.