CANADIAN MILITARY PATTERN (CMP)

1943 CHEVROLET C8A HEAVY UTILITY MACHINERY "ZL" 8 CWT

Drawing of a HUP (personnel model) giving general specifications.

HU-ZL

The heavy utilities were another distinct Canadian Military Pattern unit manufactured by General Motors of Canada. Although the outside configuration virtually remained the same, the rear portion was designed to serve various purposes for the war effort. Canada manufactured approximately 13,000 units or 1.50 % of the total military vehicles produced in this country. They fell into the categories of Transporting personnel, Command centres and Communication for use by Anti-Aircraft and or Artillery Units.

The unit currently with the CMRS, is a Heavy Utility machinery "ZL", (simply put, a radio repair shop). What makes this unit very rare, is that it is one of two original prototypes manufactured in Oshawa, Ontario for the war effort.

This unit is equipped for a driver and a passenger. There is an observers hatch on the passenger side and the rear compartment is a self contained repair shop for wireless radios. It contains a work bench equipped with a vise, overhead lights, blackout curtains, drawers for parts, tubes etc. etc. and it's own generating system which is powered by an original "Onan" generator.

Another interesting note: The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation utilized HUPs to broadcast their radio reports from the front during World War 2. CBC Hups traveled with the Canadian Army during their advance throughout Sicily and Italy,  (Operation Husky Aug 19th 1943). One of the most famous Canadian radio correspondents, Matthew Halton, used the HUP to broadcast the first announcement to the world of the Allied landing on the Island of Sicily. Matthew Halton's son David is also a reporter with CBC.

The truck is now being fully restored.