Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 3:11 am
Gentlemen
The fact that the engine is stamped (GPA935) and is below the number of GPA's produced (12,774 by official records of both Ford Motor Company and Tank-Automotive Centre) indicates the engine was in GPA 935 (same number as the Nomenclature Plate on the dash and the chassis number). It will not have been a test engine from Day One.
Has anybody ever seen an engine with a number stamped higher than 12,774?
There were also the three additional Ford Pilot models and the Marmon-Herrington QMC-4.
I have records at home of the US Army removing engines from GPA's on the West Coast before war's end. There were quite a number of GPA's that suffered this fate at that depot. I will dig out the details.
A lot of GPA engines ended up in refurbished MB and GPW jeeps here in Australia. From memory I think there was just over 70. Again, I will dig out the records. No doubt the same happened in the US.
I should mention that Ford Public Relations Branch published a War Record after 1945 with 12,778 and 12,781 GPA's produced. Detailed records clearly show otherwise.
It is great to enjoy the history. This engine coming to surface in a crate is absolutely beautiful. I have often wondered if anybody has seen the remains of the 333 cubic feet GPA Packing Case, with appropriate stencilling, that Ford produced to ship GPA's overseas under Lend-Lease?
Ian
The fact that the engine is stamped (GPA935) and is below the number of GPA's produced (12,774 by official records of both Ford Motor Company and Tank-Automotive Centre) indicates the engine was in GPA 935 (same number as the Nomenclature Plate on the dash and the chassis number). It will not have been a test engine from Day One.
Has anybody ever seen an engine with a number stamped higher than 12,774?
There were also the three additional Ford Pilot models and the Marmon-Herrington QMC-4.
I have records at home of the US Army removing engines from GPA's on the West Coast before war's end. There were quite a number of GPA's that suffered this fate at that depot. I will dig out the details.
A lot of GPA engines ended up in refurbished MB and GPW jeeps here in Australia. From memory I think there was just over 70. Again, I will dig out the records. No doubt the same happened in the US.
I should mention that Ford Public Relations Branch published a War Record after 1945 with 12,778 and 12,781 GPA's produced. Detailed records clearly show otherwise.
It is great to enjoy the history. This engine coming to surface in a crate is absolutely beautiful. I have often wondered if anybody has seen the remains of the 333 cubic feet GPA Packing Case, with appropriate stencilling, that Ford produced to ship GPA's overseas under Lend-Lease?
Ian