I’m reading an old issue of Charge Utile (French magazine about trucks, title could be translated as ‘Payload’). This one is about the Belgian company Transports Jonet and they, like many others, used surplus US trucks/tractors, usually after modifying them.
In some cases the M26 got a new cabin or they inserted windows in the armour plate infront of the driver and co-driver. The armoured cabin added weight so the need for ballast to get good traction was partially covered by the cabin
Some others.
Soft top, almost original. New headlights repositioned to under the bumper
New cabin (simplistic) and presumably also a new engine
The first one makes me want another Renwal kit! And that last one - what were they thinking? Still it looks interesting enough to be worth a scratch-build…
The ‘state-of-the-art’ in motor vehicle esthetics in the late 50’ies and into the 60’ies makes me wonder what kind of substances they were using.
The US produced some strange creations but the French also had some wild designs.
Fantastic pics Robin. The M65 tractor is definitely unique.
If you don’t already have them, the four volumes of Frituur Zorro are a great source of pictures for post war usages of all manner of trucks.
The corrugated sheet metal cab of the one in Robin’s original post last picture is the " trademark" of the coachbuilder Fernand Genève. Here’s another example, the Ford Cargo :
