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Unidentified ~What is in this picture?

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3 years 3 months ago #218052 by Roderick Smith
This is a crop of a view of Astor Theatre (St Kilda, Melbourne), dated as about 1936. The cinema was opened in April 1936, but the brickwork doesn't look to be just completed.
Can someone please identify the truck (make, model, year)?
201008Th-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-StKilda-d-AstorCinema-a-truck-~1936.jpg
Roderick Smith

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3 years 3 months ago - 3 years 3 months ago #218054 by Lang
A bit like International but looks more pommy style. Not Bedford.

This Morris is getting close.

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Last edit: 3 years 3 months ago by Lang.

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3 years 3 months ago #218055 by 180wannabe
Possibly early Ford AA?

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3 years 3 months ago #218056 by Lang
Most American light trucks of 1936 all seem to have sloping or V shaped radiators.

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3 years 3 months ago #218057 by Morris
I( don't think it is a Morris Commercial because Roderick's picture appears to show a two-piece windscreen (my eyes are not what they were, they used to be able to see) but no scuttle mounted fuel filler and the scuttle rising up from bonnet level to the base of the windscreen, while Lang's Morris appears to be a C Type from 1933 to 1936 which had a one piece screen and the scuttle mounted filler for a petrol tank under the dash. (the Motoring industry's attempt to cut out smoking) The C Type was available in capacities of one and a half tons to five tons.

I have my shoulder to the wheel,
my nose to the grindstone,
I've put my best foot forward,
I've put my back into it,
I'm gritting my teeth,

Now I find I can't do any work in this position!

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3 years 3 months ago #218067 by Roderick Smith
Thanks all.
I think that we have knocked any model from 1936 on.
The original photo shows assorted workmen in action, and a Clements Langford sign.
I think that the photo shows the final touches being completed before the April 1936 opening.
CL was a major building company which completed many well-known public buildings. The founder had died around 1930.
A 1933-36 Morris would fit. Equally, could the immediately-preceding year fit?
I can't track B R Radio Ltd to see if it was likely to favour UK or USA products.
Roderick

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3 years 2 months ago - 3 years 2 months ago #218151 by allan
BR Radio formed 1933.
trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243420360

They became a very successful hire-purchase organisation with a number of Melbourne metro dealerships and dealt in most of the Australian manufactured "recognised" radio brands.
trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11108441
trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205562705

One brand they stocked was Essanay
trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/244763339
Another was the Fisk (Radiola)
trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/244767610

EDIT to add. In 1939 BR Radio Ltd was taken over by Universal Guarantee Ltd who were expanding their hire-purchase operations beyond just motor vehicles. The trading operations were then 'liquidated' with Universal presumably retaining the hp book.
EDIT again. It's just struck me, the Fisk above was of course a founder of AWA. The old CFA training complex, Fiskville is named after him and was the site of the AWA transmitting station for HF communications with England. (The receiving station was at Rockbank - I vaguely remember the aerials still there in 70s?)
Last edit: 3 years 2 months ago by allan.
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3 years 2 months ago - 3 years 2 months ago #218220 by Roderick Smith
Edited to take in replies here and elsewhere, and to fix the fault caused by the softward turning greyscale into pink & turquoise.

That was great research on BR. It was formed in August 1933, so the mystery truck being a 1933-36 model sits well.
I use Trove a lot, but it can be fairly slow: it is easy to get sidetracked.
Today I have a 1955 light truck, plus two cars.
190328Th-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-EasternMarket-1955 Dodge.
201010Sa-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-Bentleigh-1948 A very small crop, possibly impossible. I'd vote British for sure, Morris possible.
201010Sa-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-Bentleigh-1930s. Central Garage, built in 1928 on the south-east corner of Centre Rd and Jasper Rd. The car is 1930s, and I suspect one of the cheaper and more popular USA makes. Overland?


Roderick





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Last edit: 3 years 2 months ago by Roderick Smith.

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3 years 2 months ago #218288 by bparo
1st picture is definitely a dodge. It could be a fargo as they were the same but being a paper truck I favour the Dodge

Having lived through a pandemic I now understand all the painting of fat people on couches!
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3 years 2 months ago #218300 by Roderick Smith
Thanks for the Dodge id. I have now fixed the photo to show grey-scale properly.

Here is another streetscape: mainly cars and trams, but there is a truck. It has to be 1940s, and has been captioned 1945.
201015Th-MetroTwitter-FlindersSt-(1940s).jpg

Roderick
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