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WWII staff car pics


Lou Earle

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How 'bout this??

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This car was for sale in CA at one time.....here's the text of the ad.

I am selling this car for my sister, who inherited it from my dad. We don't have very much information about this car, but we do know that my dad spent all of his spare time restoring it to the beautiful car that it is today. He was a stickler for detail, and loved his WWII vehicles, and it shows, inside and out on this vehicle. I also sold his WC12 that I put on this site last year. We do know that the car is a 1941 Plymouth P11, that has been restored to a reproduction Army Staff Car. He purchased it several years back, and turned it into the the military vehicle that he loved. He was an active member of the MVCC in Northern California. This car has been in several parades and has won trophies and ribbons at various events. We had the car inspected by a mechanic, and had a new master cylinder installed, as he was having problems with the brakes. The car runs great!

The car also has a visor that fits over the windshield, and a roof rack that has a panel that is slightly damaged. (I have photos that show the broken peices). These two peices are not on the car at this time, but are included. Some of the photos show a spotlight on the car, but this is not on the car either, nor do we have it. The drivers side window has a small crack in it.

My sister has had a hard time deciding what to do with this car, because it was a huge part of our Dad. We felt that he would have wanted to see it with someone who is just as passionate about it as he was. It has been sitting for over a year. The car is located in Northern California, and I am in Southern California, but can arrange to meet in Nor Cal with a buyer.

I have plenty of photos, please email me at ricallen@earthlink.net to see them.

Contact Ric 818-749-1479

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Another article.......

Military Staff / Command Cars

Military Staff and Command Cars are used for light transportation duties for senior officers and their communications. Some models are based on civilian automobiles while others are based on tactical trucks, depending on combat or non-combat missions. During and after WW II the military jeep (and later the HMMWV) replaced many of these staff car or command vehicles.

The September 1943 War Department manual TM 9-2800 ("Standard Military Motor Vehicles") lists two 5-Passenger 4x2 Sedan models:

• Light: Manufactured by Chevrolet, Ford, Plymouth

• Heavy: Manufactured by Buick, Packard

These were civilian cars -- not built to full military specs -- just stripped of chrome, painted OD and maybe a few cosmetic changes to lights or other features. Other regular passenger vehicles were routinely purchased in small quantities, not standardized.

Packard----

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There has been a serie of articles on what US car factories produced during WW2 in the "Hemmings Classic Car", also an article covering staff cars. I try to look it up during the holidays. If my memory serves right it was not long ago when they covered the staff cars, probably this year 2009...

I've always been interested in military transportation vehicles, some extra charm in plain purpose focused vehicles, topped with military spec accessories.

Edited by Uncle-Pekka
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Read an article some where (maybe AllPar, or Jim Benjimensons book) that the fishionable material for A bomb tests was transproted from lab to test site in the back seat of a 42 Plymouth. They were going to transport it in truck convoy escorted by Military Police. It was decided this would arouse to much interest and suspicion anlong the route, So they put the crate in the back seat of one of the scientist's cars and drove through the towns without commotion. Apparently they even stopped for lunch at a cafe along the way leaving the A bob stuff in plain view while they were in eating.

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P.S.

In the finnish army there were no any "official" or at least not staff cars built for the purpose during WW2 (the Winter War & the Continuation War). The staff cars were mostly civilian cars which the army claimed.

I happen to run across this 1937 Plymouth last summer in a classic car meet in northern Finland. An old chap told a bit of the car's history. It was among other mission also in the use of a famous finnish radio reporter during the war. The reporter was serving as army news reporter on the front. He also survived the war (as apparently did the Plymouth)

There was a bullet hole through the passenger side front door upper front corner via dashboard to the firewall.

The car was in original condition apart from the gray top coat sprayed on it probably in early fifties.

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p.p.s.

The traffic sign on the roof has no connection to the war or the plymouth...

p.p.p.s.

The car by the side of plymouth is a moskvitsh, a russian direct copy of german pre war Opel. Russians stole the entire Opel factory and moved it to Russia. They set it up again and produced this copy during the entire fifties. The quality become worse every year as the dies and tools wore out... Compare the size of the two cars and guess why pre-war US cars were appreciated & used in Finland all throught the 50's until early 60's.

Edited by Uncle-Pekka
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If you want to see some original staff cars, go to the museum at Fort Knox, KY. There are several WWII cars there, along with communications trucks, and other trucks and tanks.

BobT,

Staff cars were still used in the 60's. The battalion commander of our headquarters had both a staff can and a jeep in Korea back in 62 - 63. Also had them in France when I was there in 66 - 67.

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From what I have seen OD (olive drab) comes in at least 2 flavors. Flat and semi gloss. I would think a staff car would have been painted using semi gloss. Them ossifers wanted a little flare;)

I have never been to Fort Knox but I believe Norm is correct in saying there are several original WW2 vehicles there. Also the General Patton museum is close to Fort Knox. Several years back there was a member of this forum who had one of his restored vehicles on display at the Patton museum. In Pattons words I dont remember who the SOB was:D

A siren, fender mounted, seems approporiate for a staff vehicle.

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Lou..contact the Air Force Museum here on base..they not only may have some photos but they actually have a few members that have military vehicles they often display at the museum, especially in the annual funda raising show in October..these guys could be a wealth of information...

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I posted these photos a long time ago but here they are again. They were given to me by an old friend ,he is the GI on the left in both photos. The 41 Chrysler photo reads on the back that it was used as an Admiral's car by the Japanese and the 37 Imperial limo was the Governor of the Philippines car. Both cars were liberated in Kokura, Japan in 1945. Look at the 41 it appears to be a right hand drive car.

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Except for the grille, and the steering wheel that sure look like a Plymouth.

If it's an export, wouldn't it be a P15 with Dodge badges like the Canadian cars?

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That is a canadian d25 painted usa olive drab....

It's more than likely an American-built CKD D25, probably assembled in Europe. It has a metric speedometer.

Would love to see a closer shot of the tag on the firewall.

Too bad it was "restored" by a Ford / GM fan. Chrysler never painted their firewalls black - only body colour. Of course, the body may have been originally black, in which cause the firewall would be correct.

Bill

Vancouver, BC

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Bill is probably correct as it has what appears to be the short block engine based on the manifold. If it was a Canadian built car it would have the longer engine. I didn't know any D25's were American. I have been schooled by Bill again.:P

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