Looking for original Clubmobile photos

mick.wilson · Post by **mick.wilson** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 4:34 pm

Hi Guys,
Our American Red Cross girls have got me working hard for them this winter, with a plan to turn a GMC workshop in to a GMC Clubmobile for them, I was looking for original photos of Clubmobile's to work from. Any help would be much appreciated and possible lots of free tea and donuts if you ever make it over to the U.K.

Mick

www.514th.co.uk

dr deuce · Post by **dr deuce** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 6:21 pm

I believe that Frank Buck in Pennslyvania (USA) has one. You might try him.

I seem to remember seeing one at the Tobbyhanna National about 5 or so years ago

mick.wilson · Post by **mick.wilson** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 3:56 pm

Thanks Dr Deuce, do you know a way I could get hold of him ?

Regards.
Mick.

UK Jack · Post by **UK Jack** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 4:25 am

Cracking idea Mick, high far are you going to go with the restoration, or will it just be a look a like?

Funny enough, when we were out on convoy on rembrance Sunday I did say to myself that it would be wonderful to have such a wagon as it would be nice to have a hot cup of tea once we pull up.

Would be very interested in being kept up to date with project!

Best wishes.

Jack.

Ledog · Post by **Ledog** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 5:36 am

This American Red Cross Clubmobile turned up at the US Cemetary at Colleville on June 6th, 2005.

It is owned by the Union Jeep Vexin (France). They says it's an original. They have discovered originals markings under the paint.

It was previously painted like that.

Then they have changed to match the GMC of an american red cross veterant Janet Blair, that visited them on june 2004. Her truck was called Dallas and was grey.

These are the links to their site.
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/unionjeepvexin/ ... mobile.htm
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/unionjeepvexin/ ... 20Utah.htm

mick.wilson · Post by **mick.wilson** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 6:33 am

Hi,
I was looking at this site " http://perso.wanadoo.fr/unionjeepvexin/ ... mobile.htm " , the guys that own this truck were at Beltring War & Peace show this year and our ARC girls got me to take lots of photos of the truck but its a converted GMC workshop (its to short and the hatches are on the wrong side), I know its going to be hard work but I intend to (try) and lengthen the chasse , I plan to make it as close to an original as possible. I cant work out the ARC markings under the paint work on the French (workshop) Clubmobile I don't see how it could be original, most photo we have of Clubmobiles are soft cabs, the truck we have coming is a soft cab. Thanks anyway 777 AAA

Ledog · Post by **Ledog** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 6:56 am

I aslo heard that it was a converted Ordnance Dept Small Arms Repair Truck. But as I was preparing the posting of previous message, I saw that they have found the markings under the paint. Certainly someone did the transformation years ago.

Good luck for your project. I would be nice to make a website, or a blog, in order we can follow the tranformation progress. You could take pictures and post them frequently.

Here are two pictures from a french book (J.-M. Boniface). One is a closed cab. Notice the two fuel tanks. One for the truck. One for the fuel heater and burners in the shop.

Ledog · Post by **Ledog** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 7:57 am

Picturesthat may interest you.

A Red Cross "Donut Dolly" serves her sugary fare to American GIs
on a train returning from German POW camps that were liberated
by the Russians. The headline on the newspaper on the lap of the
soldier in the foreground reads: "NINTH TAKES LEAD IN RACE
TO BERLIN," a reference to the 9th U.S. Army being at the head of the
American advance into Germany. The Russians would capture Berlin
less than a month later. ACME News photo dated April 9, 1945.

Some WAACS serve up coffee and donuts somewhere
on the route of the Red Ball Express in France, July 1944

mick.wilson · Post by **mick.wilson** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 8:08 am

Thanks, I will show our ARC girls that one, we have a crew of 3 ARC girls that come along with us to show's ( bottom corner of this web page http://www.514th.co.uk/W&PShow2005.html ) but they only had a trailer to work from, hopefully we will have a GMC for them next year.

Mick.

Ledog · Post by **Ledog** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 9:58 am

Is this trailer something real? Did it really exist?

Found this one.

mick.wilson · Post by **mick.wilson** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 11:33 am

Our trailer is not (1942 British military trailer Convershion), but they used all sorts of things for donut deliveries, converted green line buses were at most U.S airfields in the U.K but only 88 GMC Clubmobiles where built and I don't think any of them survived.

Mick.

Cara · Post by **Cara** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 4:28 am

777 AAA wrote:Is this trailer something real? Did it really exist?

Found this one.

Hi 777 AAA,

I am the bane of Mick's life at the moment, I am the ARC girl who has purchased the GMC Workshop and (Hopefully) persuaded (OR will do) the guys to help me convert it into a Clubmobile.

I believe the vehicle in this picture is of a Ford van (I will check tonight), the first Clubmobiles were Ford vans, although I think there was only 1 or two of them, before they used the busses and then onto the GMC's to go into the ETO.

Thanks,
Cara

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 6:01 am

Hi Cara,

It looks like a British Ford to me.the ARC truck in the film Red Ball Express is a US Ford 1 1/2 ton 4+2.I wonder if that was just painted in ARC colours for the film? I've never seen an original photo of the ARC using them.

Matt.

Cara · Post by **Cara** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 6:09 am

Matt wrote:Hi Cara,

It looks like a British Ford to me.the ARC truck in the film Red Ball Express is a US Ford 1 1/2 ton 4+2.I wonder if that was just painted in ARC colours for the film? I've never seen an original photo of the ARC using them.

Matt.

I think the one in the film would have been a mock up, as the Ford Clubmobile Vans were converted in the UK to travel to ports and airfields to supply their wares (sp?) and am pretty sure that it/they were British models. Again I will check tonight and let you know.

The best book for information about the ARC Clubmobile girls is in the book "The Clubmobile - The ARC in the storm" which details a lot of the history before going to war, how it came about etc. and also follows a few of the stories surrounding each of the 12 Clubmobile groups in the ETO. Absolutely fantastic book. Just not many detailed pictures of the Clubmobiles themselves.

Thanks Matt,
Cara
x

dr deuce · Post by **dr deuce** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 11:26 am

Frank Buck in Pennslyvania

717-338-1941

Karoshi · Post by **Karoshi** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 12:26 pm

Hi cara, you might find these useful to you. Not all Clubmobiles I know but maybe useful all the same:

]

All the best with your project

Karoshi

mick.wilson · Post by **mick.wilson** » Thu May 25, 2006 7:15 pm

Well we are close to finishing our conversion of the GMC Workshop to Clubmobile, as you can see there are still lot of small details that need to be added but it is starting to look similar to the extinct 1944 Clubmobile. Not to bad for 4 months work.

Mick.

Bill_Wolf · Post by **Bill_Wolf** » Thu May 25, 2006 7:40 pm

WOW!

Very Impressive!

armydriver · Post by **armydriver** » Fri May 26, 2006 8:14 am

Great work Mick. I am very impressed.

oldreliable9_47 · Post by **oldreliable9_47** » Fri May 26, 2006 12:31 pm

Impressive!

I will have to get back with and chat to my pal about the club mobile. He served in the 1st Division 18th Infantry and a golden 90 this spring. He once told me about a 6x6 he was riding in caught a 88 shell moments after they left it and sent a "red cross truck" scurrying away.....also said a lot of GI's did not care for the Red Cross...

I wonder if he was talking about the clubmobile truck? hmmm I'll ask him

The GMC CCKW

Looking for original Clubmobile photos

Looking for original Clubmobile photos

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