History of an MLZ Bedford Truck

Hello, have picked up an old Bedford details are,

- Bedford by Holdens, Chassis BED DG, Weight 5T 16 CWT
- MLZ260643
- KM262209
- Style M 7201B
- Wheelbase approx. 143"
- Engine model 214

Can some kind person please tell me the correct model and year, also 5 ton doesn't equate to 16 cwt how is this applied? any info would be great!
Thank you...........

There are 20CWT (hundredweight) in a ton so your vehicle is about 5 3/4 ton. It should carry a load of 2 to 3 tons.

The MLZ indicates M Series truck, Long wheelbase, Chassis only - which makes it one brought into Australia from 1939 and fitted with an Australian built cab.

Thank you, that helps, so how would you track the year? Also, sorry if I'm a bit dumb, but how would 16 cwt make 5+ ton, if 20 is only 1 ton??

5 x 20 cwt = 100cwt +16cwt = 116cwt in total

thanks Ray and Lang, so that makes sense, theres a 1 corroded off the plate before the 16, thats excellent, thanx again!
Anyone else out there have an idea about date?

No there should not be a 1 in front of the 16. Just a coincidence this is a 5 tonner which makes it 100 cwt.

Just like dollars and cents

Your truck is 5 tons 16cwt (5 tons = 5 lots of 20 cwt) plus 16cwt. You could say 116cwt to indicate weight but more usually each time they got to twenty they called it a ton with the odd cwt added after. General Motors stamped your plate with tons and hundredweight (cwt) not total hundredweight.

If it was money it would be 5 Dollars and 16 cents (5 lots of 100 cents) plus 16 cents. You could write 516 cents and still be right but convention says each time you get to 100 you call it a dollar.