Is there a "Gee" number for the 3/4T Levine Gear "baby" Ben Hur trialer?

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DDTrustee
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Is there a "Gee" number for the 3/4T Levine Gear "baby" Ben Hur trialer?

Post by DDTrustee » Thu Oct 20, 2022 8:42 am

Looking for a manual or references.
reenacting and WWII history


Rustman
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Re: Is there a "Gee" number for the 3/4T Levine Gear "baby" Ben Hur trialer?

Post by Rustman » Thu Oct 20, 2022 9:28 am

I'm not a moderator here. But why not just put everything related to this trailer. Questions, photos, restoration progress etc into one thread? It'll be easier to reference in the future.

Matt
1970 Kaiser Jeep DJ-5A Left Hand Drive
1945 Corps of Engineers Welder & Trailer
1943 G518 "Ben Hur" Trailer Steel Body
194* G518 "Ben Hur" Trailer Composite Body
http://g518parts.com/

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Fred Coldwell
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Re: Is there a "SNL G" number for the 3/4T Levine Gear "baby" Ben Hur trialer?

Post by Fred Coldwell » Fri Jan 13, 2023 7:49 pm

An April 24, 2012 post by Fred 1 led me to the MVPA’s reproduction booklet Ord. Dept. Adm. and Tactical Vehicles, 1940-1945, page 35. This Ord. Dept. booklet shows all ¾ ton cargo trailers made in 1940. Unfortunately, it does not contain any information on 1939 ¾-ton trailers, but we are nevertheless thankful for the 1940 data.

The G number for the 1940 ¾ ton cargo trailers is SNL G518, same as for their 1 ton successors. Three manufacturers are listed for the ¾ ton cargo trailers: BNH, which means Ben Hur Mfg. Co. (Lavine); SAG which means Saginaw Body Mfg. Co.; and SHB, which means Streich & Bros. Co. The trailer model designations are Ben Hur (Lavine) Trl: model G (40-17), 910 built; Saginaw Body Mfg. Co., model G-3, 360 built; and Streich & Bros Co., model US, 118 built. U.S.A. Registration Numbers are listed by manufacturer for all these ¾ ton cargo trailers, which will aid you in your restoration or, conversely, identification if a Reg. No. is present but the data plate is missing.

The fourth and last 1940 ¾ ton trailer listed is a communication trailer (SNL G-517) built by FHB, meaning Fisher. Curiously in the 1940-44 version of this Ord. Dept. Adm. and Tactical Vehicles booklet, the manufacturer of the ¾ ton communication trailer is listed as Fleetwood-Glider. Perhaps Fisher acquired Fleetwood-Glider in 1944 or 1945? In both booklet versions, this 1940 communication trailer model designation is K-19-C and 47 were built. I bet this is the enclosed ¾ ton trailer with 5 lug wheels pictured in a 1942 issue of LIFE magazine, seen here.

Image

The BNH key name “Ben Hur (Lavine) Trl” continues through 1945 for both the 1 ton cargo trailers and the 250 gal. tank trailers. So, as Rustman (Matt) notes elsewhere, there is a connection between Ben Hur and Lavine Gear Co. Lavine built all the 1940 3/4 ton cargo trailers by itself, then built some 1 ton cargo trailers perhaps as a subcontractor for Ben Hur or perhaps was acquired by Ben Hur sometime during the war. The Ben Hur 1 ton cargo trailers have the following model designations: 41-33 (5,208 built in 1941 only) and 41-120 (54,315 built 1941-45). Its 250 gal tank trailer is model K-WT (11,675 built 1941-45). Enjoy!
Happy Jeep Trails,

Fred Coldwell
1944 CJ2-09 - X33
1945 CJ2-26 - X50
1944 Dodge T233 CC
1945 Dodge T233 Utility
MVPA #283C


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