The Chevrolet Story

[Robbo]

See:

http://chevy.tocmp.com/ChevyStory/cs00.htm

A minor discussion of WW2 production starts about page 9:

http://chevy.tocmp.com/ChevyStory/cs09.htm

Interesting point that trucks on the assy line when contracts terminated were taken apart and removed.

[RANGER]

That was interesting. After the war, there was a shortage of new Chevrolet cars and trucks, the dealers were allocated only so many vehicles. The demand exceeded the supply. There was a black market going on with automobiles. My family was in the automobile business, and Uncle Joe through his former Ranger buddies that were now in the automobile business in the Masachusetts area, always had a source for new Chevrolet cars and trucks in the 1946-1948 period.

[Robbo]

One doesn't see much GM-sourced material in print or online about their war production efforts in WW2. Contrast that to Dodge who commissioned historians to write up their effort in several books and the excellent photographs taken inside the Dodge factory now available online from the Library of Congress.

The few GM photographs in the Library of Congress collection are mostly unavailable and the only wartime image on the official GM history site seems to be a poster which they want to sell. After the war, GM subsidiaries in Australia and the UK brought out substantive books on wartime production. Does anyone know of a similar US corporate history book? There is a detailed history of the DUKW's development available online but that was not from GM.

I recall a discussion on the other GMC forum about GM's lack of current interest in wartime history. Bryce Sunderlin I think got access to their archives at one point. I wish he would write some more articles to fill in the gaps in our knowledge. Is he still in the hobby??

[Robbo]

After a bit more digging, I've found that GM produced a document called "War Engineering Record". This bloke apparently has a copy - we'll have to pursuade him to post the rest of it - does anyone else have a copy?:

http://www.carofthecentury.com/developm ... y_earl.htm

http://www.carofthecentury.com/duck_(du ... n_u_s_.htm

http://www.carofthecentury.com/patriotic_patr.htm

For the Sparkman & Stephens history of the DUKW:

http://www.mysticseaport.org/Library/ma ... 5&Folder=2

[martylee]

wow, thanks for the good links. I had a great time going thru sparkman & stephens history of the dukw. this is a vehicle i've seen only once and wasn't to sure about if it was a sucess or what. after reading a lot about the normandy invasion and the battles afterwards i've come to realise that this was a good vehicle. especially after reading more about it here. so thank you very much!


marty

[Ugg]

Marty:

I hate to rub it in, but my son Maynard got to drive one in Lake Michigan when he was only 10. Then again, Maynard rubs it in to me all the time as the guy wouldn't let me drive it in the water.

Later