Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Rootes75 · Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2024 9:46 am Post subject: 1944 Commer Q2 15cwt

So, cutting a very long story short. After 7 months of negotiating and red tape and transport issues we have managed to buy and import (From France via Holland) another Commer to our collection. We have already restored a 1942 Commer Q2 30cwt but once we were pointed in the direction of this one we pulled out all the stops to save her and bring her back to the UK.

She's a 1944/5 Commer Q2 6 cylinder 15cwt AM pre Heater Truck.

She is in a pretty poor state, the engine is seized, she requires welding to most panels and she will obviously need a body to be built and a full chassis up restoration. But, most importantly, she is saved and being such a rare truck its important that we restore her back to her original guise.

There are a lot of different features on this truck compared to our earlier model so although both Q2's and only a couple years apart they are very different.
_________________
Various Rootes Vehicles.

Rootes75 · Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2024 9:48 am Post subject:

_________________
Various Rootes Vehicles.

Rootes75 · Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2024 10:09 am Post subject:

This is a photo of an earlier version of the Commer Heater Truck. The one we have just brought back was used mainly with heating Napier Sabre engined Hawker Typhoons in the push up through France after D-Day.
_________________
Various Rootes Vehicles.

badhuis · Joined: 20 Aug 2008 Posts: 1390 Location: Netherlands

Beautiful truck. It looks to be in a very original condition.

Can you tell a bit more about "heater trucks" or "pre-heater trucks"? What use did they have?
_________________
a car stops being fun when it becomes an investment

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22447 Location: UK

What a great save, I've never heard of heater trucks before either.

RJ
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop

consul 57 · Joined: 09 Nov 2017 Posts: 487 Location: somerset

nice truck

Rootes75 · Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:48 am Post subject:

I must admit its been quite a saga to get her back to the UK. We were told about her last summer by one of my military vehicle friends in Holland, he had looked to buy her so travelled down to look, she was about an hour or so below Paris. He took lots of pictures but felt she was beyond his capabilities so he passed on her details.

For me this is very much about saving rare vehicles that would otherwise be lost forever. This is the only survivor of this type of truck and to me that is hugely important.

So, even after all the trials and tribulations over the last 7-8 months its totally worth it now she is sat safely tucked away repatriated with us.
_________________
Various Rootes Vehicles.

Rootes75 · Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 10:14 am Post subject:

Penman · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4757 Location: Swindon, Wilts.

What are the chances of your being able to replace the internal pre-heating equipment?
_________________
Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

Rootes75 · Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:56 am Post subject:

very minimal chances I'd say. I think if we a totally correct in our assessment that this truck is a pre-heater truck then we will go ahead and build a body and leave it empty for the time being...with a view to replace the equipment as and when we can find any...

Also, currently there are no specifications surviving that give equipment part numbers or any diagrams or photos of the internals.
_________________
Various Rootes Vehicles.

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7118 Location: Edinburgh

Well done! This will be an exciting restoration. I hope you find the pre-heater details.

Peter.
_________________
http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

Penman · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4757 Location: Swindon, Wilts.

Have you asked the RAF Museum (Hendon I believe) about the Heater Truck kit? They seem to have the only complete surviving Typhoon, though Wiki shows there are some others trying to resurrect some.
_________________
Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22447 Location: UK

The Imperial War Museum may well have original photos of the body from different angles, someone sent me scans of file images showing vehicles similar to big Dodge years ago in RAF guise.

RJ
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop

bjacko · Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 6:19 am Post subject: Heater trucks

The heating of aircraft engines during WW2 was because the oil used was usually 40 grade which was fairly thick to start with and the cold weather made it thicker and thus hard to start the engine. I seem to recall later aircraft engines had built in heaters. The engine oil was used to change the pitch of the propeller blades.
_________________
1938 Morris 8 Ser II Coupe Utility (Pickup)
1985 Rover SD1 VDP

Rootes75 · Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 10:06 am Post subject: