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| In 1936 , Morris Commercial pioneered the 8 cwt 4X2 class when it introduced the nifty little PU model . By 1940, other UK vehicle makers such as Humber and Ford were producing their own 8 cwt pick ups. These little U.K. built trucks were not a modified civilian vehicle, although they did utilize some standard civilian components e.g., engines, they were, in reality , completely designed from the ground up as a military vehicle. From the beginning , the 8 cwt class of trucks were specially designed for use as mobile wireless stations , with approx. half of the vehicles built being fitted out as FFW ( Fitted For Wireless ) trucks . By 1940, WW2 had appeared on the horizon and the British army was in desperate need of wheeled transport of all kinds . As the war situation looked grim , GM and Ford of Canada came to the party and produced a 8 cwt truck loosely based on the British 8 cwt PU. As part of the range of Canadian Dept. of National Defense (DND) pattern vehicles, these Canadian built 8 cwt vehicles were designated as the Chev. C8 and the Ford F8 . Production began around May of 1940 and ended towards the end of 1941 with total production listed at 9837 units built .The percentage of C8's in the production figure is unknown but it was probably around fifty percent. These little 8 cwt trucks make an ideal project for the restorer , being small , they will fit into the average garage without any trouble . The Chev. C8 , and the Ford F8, both utilized many standard civilian vehicle parts . This parts compatibility situation makes it relatively easy to locate replacement parts e.g., engines and gearboxes used in both of the 8 cwt twins are the standard off the shelf civilian lumps . In the case of the C8, the 1940 3 ton civilian truck front axle was employed , it was coupled to the standard Chev. light commercial brakes .The rear axle was pinched from the 1940 Chev. 1 ton truck : with a 4.55-1 ratio, it is unusual in that it has a torque tube drive shaft to the gearbox. Special adapters were used to mate the 900-13 split army rims onto the civilian axles. The Canadian designed cabs known as the number 11 and 12 ( In Australia , often called the Monkey Face cab. ) were the result of a awkward design specification laid down by the British War Office , the front axle had to be a certain distance from the firewall etc. These cabs can only be described as being like a full sized mechano set , with many hundreds of bolts holding everything together . On the Chev cab , to gain access to the engine to do a tappet adjustment requires about and hours work . The engine cover is made up from three separate panels , all bolted to the floor . Here in Australia , the C8 is far more common than the F8 ,with around ten C8 examples having been found , and so far only one F8 has surfaced. Overseas , it seems that the F8 is more common with quite a few examples located in the UK and Canada . The Australian C8 's arrived here via the Middle East and they all appear to have been supplied under British contract demand SM 2029 . Units of the AIF stationed in the ME theatre were issued with vehicles supplied under British SM's and some of these vehicles were sort of sneaked back to Australia with the returning troops .One cab 12 C8 purchased by the author in 1981, still had its British census nr. Z4544183 , visible alongside the AIF 6th div formation sign and the 1st Aust. armoured div sign . As well as the 8 cwt's , among the menagerie of dusty, sand coloured trucks that were officially or unofficially borrowed by the Australians in the ME , there were other oddities like 2 pounder portees and 12 cab gun tractors . The British style 8 cwt PU body was a rather complicated affair with many separate wood and metal bits bolted together , the Canadians redesigned it and came up with a all steel composite design , much easier and quicker to make . There were two distinct Canadian 8 cwt bodies , known as the 1A1 and the 1A2 , they were outwardly identical , but the 1A2 was the FFW version and it had elaborate fittings for the wireless set it carried . Apparently , the Chev C8 bodies were made by W.D. Beath , a company in Toronto . It seems that Ford made their own . It is known that some Canadian 8 cwt's were shipped to the UK, but the bulk of them went directly to Nth Africa . The odd thing about the C8's found in Australia is , they all ( except for one Canadian bodied example I know of ) have been fitted with British built PU style bodies , built by Duple Bodies and Motors LTD of London . Were these Duple bodies fitted in the U.K., or the ME ? It is a mystery indeed. Being only a 4X2 , and rather heavy for their size , their off road use must have been severely limited .Wide section balloon type 900-13 tyres were standard on the 8 cwt class . This unusual tyre size was apparently used by oil companies on light trucks in the Middle East oil fields pre WW2 . Today , it is a difficult task locating these tyres , MRF in India seem to be the only brand available in Australia at present albeit in the NATO tread pattern . Driving the C8 around on modern roads can be a little hazardous , the little beast likes to sit on around 40 mph. The small thirteen inch wheels can easily force the ' stove bolt ' Chev engine to rev out beyond its limit , the cast iron pistons have their limitations and GM's cast iron wonder runs on poured big ends , drivers have to be careful . Reports from F8 owners overseas claim that the F8 will cruise along happily at 50 mph , this makes sense as the V8 would spin out more readily and handle the revs without problems. The F8 also has a axle ratio of 4.1 against the C8's 4.55. The Canadian 1A2 FFW body had various wireless fitments that were rather comprehensive , there are brackets for locating batteries , a wireless antenna base mast and a radio operators notice board with light . The two large lockers mounted on the forward end panel are ideal hiding places for tools etc. A canvas speaking tube was located between the cab and rear body , enabling the crew to communicate with the driver . The wireless fitments appear to be designed to accommodate a No.11 set . By 1942 the No.19 set was widely in use and many 8 cwt's would have been fitted with these sets My second C8 was located on a property near Wangaratta in N.E. Victoria , still in running condition , the original military body had been discarded many years ago . I was most pleased to discover that it was a cab 11 , built around May 1940 . I worked out that it had , in its army days , had a Canadian all steel body fitted. A wanted ad in 'Wheels and Tracks' prompted a reply from a chap in Lancashire U.K., he had the same problem , a C8 without body , but he had access to one . Over a three year period , he very kindly supplied me with detailed drawings and photos of an original 1A2 body , these plans are currently available to anyone who needs them. A 1944 Canadian vehicle data book has the 8 cwt's still listed , but a notation states that ' this vehicle is obsolete and is not used in any active theatre '. Similarly in Australia , by 1944 Jeeps had well and truly arrived and the C8's would have been relegated to ordnance vehicle parks to await disposal . Post WW2 , at least one C8 example was used in bush fire brigade service in Northern Victoria . At a guess, as many as fifty C8's may have arrived here , but it is difficult to be certain about the exact figure . Pictured is a F8 kitted out with the LRDG , apparently they only had one of these vehicles and they reported that the V8 engine suffered badly from sand intrusion . Note the Vickers gun mounted in ad hoc fashion . The cab top has been removed , this was common practice with many cab 11 and 12 vehicles in the ME theatre . These cabs were very cramped and hot , one can only imagine the heat distress suffered by drivers . Towards the middle of 1941 a revised all steel body was fitted to Canadian 8 cwt's . The new body was longer and supposed to be more spacious , the spare wheel was fixed internally Combining aspects of British design with American technology , the result was a unique vehicle that despite it's limitations , did the job required . Today , around the world ,these little trucks are sought after by enthusiasts and collectors . With only just under 10,000 built , not that many are left . By late 1941 , transport requirements were rationalized and the 8 cwt class was deemed to be obsolete , production ceased in the UK and Canada in favour of the 15 cwt class . These little trucks may be slow , ugly and lacking in the glamour and utilitarian looks of their contemporary U.S. cousins , but they do have much to offer . Mechanically , they are straight forward , parts are relatively easy to locate and they have that ' rare ' factor which adds to the interest . Apart from my own C8 , I have never seen another 8 cwt at a rally anywhere , I hope this situation is remedied soon . Written by Mike Kelly VMVC # 207 Email: vk3cz@hotmail.com |