Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.
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Peter_L
Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Posts: 2680 Location: New Brunswick. Canada.
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Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2018 11:22 pm Post subject: SMT Carlisle Truck Dealer WW2 Surplus |
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OCC members of a certain vintage, like me, will no doubt remember the number of ex-army vehicles that were on the roads in the 1950's. What I didn't know was there were companies who bought surplus trucks and added various body types and sold them on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v5xOFh64TI
Presumably some will have survived. |
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Rootes75
Joined: 30 Apr 2013 Posts: 3821 Location: The Somerset Levels
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Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2018 7:17 am Post subject: |
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We had a scrap dealer near us in Wells who used to dipose of military vehicles and equipment just after the war. _________________ Various Rootes Vehicles. |
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consul 57
Joined: 09 Nov 2017 Posts: 488 Location: somerset
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Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2018 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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one range of mags called wheels and tracks (military vehicles) quite often had pics of old adverts for various ex military vehicles revamped for the civi market.
one of which was converting austin k5 4x4's to twin rear wheels as they originaly had sinlges all round, also bedford ql's converted to tankers and site tippers although they already existed in both forms for the army & airforce. |
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kevin2306
Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1359 Location: nr Llangollen, north wales
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Rootes75
Joined: 30 Apr 2013 Posts: 3821 Location: The Somerset Levels
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Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 9:48 am Post subject: |
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That is an interesting site, have you looked at some of the prices though. A 'Snatch' Land Rover from £35K! _________________ Various Rootes Vehicles. |
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V8 Nutter
Joined: 27 Aug 2012 Posts: 588
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Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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I grew up close to a timber merchants yard. He had a G.M.C. 6x6 with a fifth wheel attachment, which he used well into the 1970's in later years it was fitted with a Perkins diesel. Over the years he had several other ex military trucks usually Canadian Chevrolet or Ford, he also had a couple of Morris Quads. There was a company near Worcester their core business was servicing and repair of G.M.C. and Chevrolet ex military trucks |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6319 Location: Derby
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Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 8:25 pm Post subject: Re: SMT Carlisle Truck Dealer WW2 Surplus |
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peterwpg wrote: | OCC members of a certain vintage, like me, will no doubt remember the number of ex-army vehicles that were on the roads in the 1950's. What I didn't know was there were companies who bought surplus trucks and added various body types and sold them on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v5xOFh64TI
Presumably some will have survived. |
Hundreds of low mileage Bedford RL ex Army troop carriers were sold off cheap. Where are they now? They can't all have been turned into travellers homes, surely? |
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Peter_L
Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Posts: 2680 Location: New Brunswick. Canada.
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Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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My father started his decorating business in about 1956, This was the second vehicle
I can remember, the first being an Austin "Tilley"
This Morris was purchased form "Woolhouse and Son, Smithies Lane Barnsley.
The yard isn't there anymore but it was well known back in the day.
This Morris came from a Depot in Leicestershire, possibly Donnington.
From the notes my father kept at the time he paid $120 "plus work".
His notebook wasn't found until after he died but from family legend I know that it was not uncommon to exchange "trades and services".
Apparently the Morris was a post D-Day production unit and had only 86 miles on the speedo,
which, again from the notebook, was said to not be working.
The vehicle also had another mechanical problem, the clutch would not disengage something that our neighbour and ex-RAF mechanic said could be an easy fix.
The vehicle was brought home, the clutch was fixed and the fabric cover over the "box" was replaced with galvanised steel. The joints were overlapped, holes drilled (by hand) and riveted, more ex RAF skills no doubt. The drop down tailgate was kept and an upper top hinged door complete with window was fitted.
Rear seating was via the tried and tested "bus seat", very popular at the time.
One of the last journeys I can remember, was to Anglesey. I remember the vehicle coming to a stop on a traffic roundabout/junction. Again from the note book, it seems that the steering seized at full right hand lock.
It was towed to a local garage and "fixed" kind of, but not long after that the business purchased two brand new 100E 5cwt vans.
I remember driving the Austin on the beach at Cleethorpes, but don't recall driving the Morris. Although my Father kept a notebook, he did have a habit of writing "Sunday, went to Cleethorpes" or Sunday, went to Filey" and things like "Saturday afternoon, John greased the steering and adjusted the brakes" |
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ukdave2002
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4105 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 10:57 pm Post subject: |
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As a kid I remember my dad going to a government surplus place in Chester called Ledsham Trading, the building is on the canal and has for a long time now been a restaurant and wine place called "Telford's Warehouse "
Dave |
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Rootes75
Joined: 30 Apr 2013 Posts: 3821 Location: The Somerset Levels
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Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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Not a common variant the Morris Tilly van. _________________ Various Rootes Vehicles. |
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Norseman
Joined: 09 Jan 2019 Posts: 78 Location: Essex UK
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 6:03 pm Post subject: Re: SMT Carlisle Truck Dealer WW2 Surplus |
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peterwpg wrote: | OCC members of a certain vintage, like me, will no doubt remember the number of ex-army vehicles that were on the roads in the 1950's. |
As a sprog my parents lived alongside what was then known as the North Orbital Road in Hertfordshire & I remember huge convoys of army trucks drawing up on the wide grass verge in front of our house for a brew-up. _________________ 1987 classic Range Rover Vouge
1998 E39 523i SE sedan
A great many models have served me well since the 'sixties, all of them old & some even older than me. |
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Norseman
Joined: 09 Jan 2019 Posts: 78 Location: Essex UK
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 6:10 pm Post subject: Re: SMT Carlisle Truck Dealer WW2 Surplus |
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[quote="Ray White"] peterwpg wrote: |
Hundreds of low mileage Bedford RL ex Army troop carriers were sold off cheap. Where are they now? They can't all have been turned into travellers homes, surely? |
1950's, more likely QL's from the war? The troop carrier was nicknamed the 'drooper' (rather than trooper) due to it's extended body causing the rear end to sit low.
You're quite right, many do survive in the hand of enthusiasts, especially those that originated in the US & were shipped to the UK to serve on airbases etc. though prices are getting silly due to their rarity. Around 600k 'deuces' were produced by GMC (400k) International & Studebaker, but any for sale today command real money. I was into WW2 American military vehicles, owning 3 in total, but storage problems led me to sell the last of them in 2005. _________________ 1987 classic Range Rover Vouge
1998 E39 523i SE sedan
A great many models have served me well since the 'sixties, all of them old & some even older than me.
Last edited by Norseman on Thu Jan 24, 2019 3:28 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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47Jag
Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Posts: 1480 Location: Bothwell, Scotland
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 11:46 pm Post subject: |
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Interestingly, I served my apprenticeship in a factory outside Glasgow that reconditioned mainly Bedford (OL, QL, OY and latterly RLs). We also did some Austin Lodestars and a 6x4 recovery truck that I can’t recall the designation. The whole vehicles were strip. ed to the bones, everything mechanical was reconditioned, rewired' m, and new body flooring. They then got sent to a vehicle dump near Abingdon. One of the tradesmen was a recent Army retiree and he told me one of his mates had gone to ab auction to buy a truck so that he could start a business. He bought what he thought was an Bedford OL for £100 and having paid for it drove it home. A week or so later he got a letter from the Ministry of Supply asking when he was going to collect the other two trucks in the lot.
Art |
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BigJohn
Joined: 01 Jan 2011 Posts: 954 Location: Wem, Shropshire
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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My Old Man had a similar experience, bought one truck, found it included two others, which was handy as he and a friend had originally gone to buy a motorbike, and ended up with 3 more crated, and a truck full of spares. They had to go back the next day with extra drivers. _________________ 1974 Mk1 Escort. |
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Norseman
Joined: 09 Jan 2019 Posts: 78 Location: Essex UK
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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47Jag wrote: | One of the tradesmen was a recent Army retiree and he told me one of his mates had gone to ab auction to buy a truck so that he could start a business. He bought what he thought was an Bedford OL for £100 and having paid for it drove it home. A week or so later he got a letter from the Ministry of Supply asking when he was going to collect the other two trucks in the lot. |
I have a similar story to tell. Many years ago a guy I knew successfully bid for a Bedford RL at Ruddington & drove the truck home. On arrival the kids were all over it, one called out 'dad, there's a big crate here in the back' & when opened a new (or army recond.) BSA motor bike was revealed. Being an honest bloke 'dad' contacted the auction & was told 'you bid on a lot number, so anything it that lot is yours' _________________ 1987 classic Range Rover Vouge
1998 E39 523i SE sedan
A great many models have served me well since the 'sixties, all of them old & some even older than me. |
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