VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Commercial Vehicles Strange-looking 1937, what brand could this be?

From several books I have checked the last weeks, this Norwegian truck must be an Oldsmobile. They were only for the export markets, such as Europe, Oceania etc. Pictures, and text from several sources are supporting this conclusion.

I hope it will be restored, as it must be near to "one of a kind" here. Thanks for all help, folks! :love:

The grille looks Olds. They were made in Australia and used flat head engines. Australia is a Right hand Drive country and used a Holden cab. The cab appears after market on a cowl chassis.
See picture of 37 Oldsmobile panel with Holden body about mid-page at <http://home.znet.com/t1937/Panel.htm>.

Lou is right in that Aus is RHD and Holden manufactured at least Chev bodies and quite possibly other GM bodies as well. I have seen several bodies that look the same but have other GM badges including Olds and Bedford
William Holden produced horse drawn coaches and then cars in Adelaide prior to the war. During the war GM purchased at least part of the company now known as GMH.
I believe most cars were imported as chassis and running gear while the bodies were produced locally. During the mid 50s there was a major fire in GMH records department and most of the information stored there was destroyed.
Tony

Why do I never see these new postings!

1. Buicks: the 1923 3/4-tonner was the Model 23-3SD or Special Duty, and a similar truck chassis was produced in 1924 as the 24-4SD which itself was produced well into 1925 and was the last 4-cylinder Buick chassis.

2. Oldsmobile trucks were assembled in the US from 1917, initially a depot wagon, then the 1919-1922 Model T one-tonner, followed by the 1934 Sedan Delivery.

3. Olds trucks were exported from Pontiac, MI plant from 1935 to 1940 and GM-Holden's assembled them during those years from chassis-cabs, Holden's adding their own cab.

4. That truck in the photos seems to be a '37 export Chevrolet with an Olds grille off a locally-assembled Olds truck!

5. The UK received Olds trucks in 1937 and 1938 only, with rhd. They were basically GMC clones, with Olds 224 engines.

Hi people! I am a new member from downunder in Australia and have a 1937 Chev Truck, a 1956 Chev truck and a 1977 Chev truck. The pictures depict a 1937 Oldsmobile truck front the same as the one used in Australia though the cab is very different and not an Aussie cab. Looks similar to the cabs we had several years earlier. We had trucks here branded as Oldsmobile during the mid to late 30s. They used the same cab as our local Chevrolets and were more upmarket and quite popular in their day. Here is a picture of an Aussie one in a paddock down the road from me just waiting to be bought up and restored.

I'd like to drag this up out of the dust for a few comments.
I can't see the original photo posted to start this thread, but the last photo posted is pretty cool.
Google image of 1937 Olds truck sales brochure
What is really impressive to me is the use of vent windows in such an early design. The Aussie truck looks to be spot on, and not a conglomeration of parts. I wonder if it was ever purchased for restoration. I'd love to have that truck and put it back to original. i might throw a pickup bed on it ILO of the flatbed, but hey, I'm not going to own it anyway!
It seems as though you could try to replicate it with various parts. The cab seems Chevy-like but not totally. Chevy trim on GMC hoodsides. Not sure where to get that grille from.
You'd sure get a few looks here in the States with a resored version of that truck!
Here's a '38 COE from the same website.
There's a lot of good pictures of Olds trucks in there. Snoop around!

Wouldn't one of these "restored" for use as a car hauler be a "kick in the pants"? One of my buddies and I have been pondering finding an already butchered (body/drive train etc.) COE and finishing it as a crew cab with a flat bed, winch assembly to use to haul our cars/trucks to shows etc. Major problem has been selling the idea to the better half(s) despite the crew cab concept. Oh well... dreams are cheap.