Several years ago we bought a farm in Montana, as typical with a lot of older farms there was dead machinery scattered in many locations of the place. As we cleaned things up we came upon an ex military '40 Chevy 4x4. The engine is a 235 w/4spd trans. Checking the serial numbers on the vehicle it appears that the truck was originally a stake bed of tow truck, G506. Reputedly this style of truck was built in many body types. Several thousand were shipped to Russia. Other than the missing bed, the truck is complete and in very good shape..
The truck is straight and complete, still has all of the military serial/contract numbers,etc., the truck looks like it would run. We have not tried to turn the engine over. I told my son in-law to park the truck on top of the bank overlooking the Wolf Creek channel, looks kind of stately sitting there, like an old warrior awaiting the next charge. I have read that the U.S. Gov had thousands of ex G.I vehicles sitting in Supply Depots after WWII, the Gov made the trucks, etc., available to the farmers at rock bottom prices to get rid of them and help the American Farmers. I guess if the right offer came along we would sell the truck. Have no idea what the truck would be worth. Wm.
I told my son in-law to park the truck on top of the bank overlooking the Wolf Creek channel, looks kind of stately sitting there, like an old warrior awaiting the next charge.
I hope that bank overlooking the creek is well protected or the next thing you know it will be full of bullet holes...that would be very sad to see.
Mike B
Mike Boteler
1956 Chevy 3100 Resto Rod 1952 Willys M38 Army Jeep 1983 Jeep CJ7 Laredo 1984 Jeep CJ7 +++++ Silver Spring, MD
G506's are great trucks on the farm, you should fix up yours! They were surplused by the thousands immediately after the war and farmers, loggers and miners loved them for their 4x4 utility. A little over 150,000 were produced between 1940-45 with nearly a third of them going to Russia under the lend-lease act. Thousands of others were sent to well over a dozen other allied countries. Few of the lend-lease trucks returned to the United States. The G506 was fitted with several body configurations as different needs arose. Many parts interchange with civilian trucks.
