1946 Chevrolet Utility Pickup (RHD)

Description

World War II was a boom time for manufacturers of mechanized vehicles in America and Chevrolet played their part in keeping the US military supplied with heavy-duty vehicles throughout the conflict. To keep up with the ever increasing demand as peace returned, GM's commercial range in the immediate post-war period was almost entirely unchanged from 1942, the C-series built between September 1, 1945 and May 1, 1946 being regarded as an stop-gap solution until a new post-war design was ready. Mostly painted Turret Grey, the line-up consisted of a ½-tonne, ¾-tonne and one-tonne models and the range of body styles, including the chassis/cab, Pickup, Panel and Suburban. The distinctive styling, with the same front end sheet metal found on the car range, actually dated back to 1941 with only minor revisions the following year. The streamlined front fenders had partially sunken headlamps, the grille consisted of bevelled chrome bars set horizontally on the upper section and vertically on the lower. Other notable features were the crank-open windscreen and metal-framed door windows. Under the bonnet, Chevrolet's familiar 'Stove-bolt' ohv six powered the model range, with a displacement of 216.5-cid and 90 horsepower on tap. Chevrolet built commercial vehicles in Ottawa, Canada and some of these were exported to Commonwealth countries such as Australia in right-hand drive form, usually bodied locally by the likes of Holden.