WTD data plates for lvt

[wanderingwillys]

Hi Robert - sent you a note off FB I believe too but my St Louis Car Co. 1945 LVT-4 still has a witness mark from where someone recently removed the plate prior to the vehicle coming into my possession.

The measurements are 6.000" wide x 3.750" tall with two holes for mounting centered on the sides - the holes are 5.500" on center and measure 0.130" currently

I am not sure if the FMC and Graham Paige Plates are the same measurements.

There is also a mark from a second plate below the main one which has the same measurements as above. I know FMC had a manufacturer plate with a "water buffalo" graphic on it too not sure if the other makers used something similar.

[wanderingwillys]

So the top plate should read (bold italic type is stamped into the plate after production):

LANDING VEHICLE TRACKED (UNARMORED) MARK 4
LVT (4) BUREAU PLAN 614031
_____________________________________________
BUILT FOR THE UNITED STATES NAVY
BY THE ST. LOUIS CAR CO., ST. LOUIS, MO
REGISTRY NO. [USA 27710 /C 90731 ] (US ANCHOR STAMP) [ FEB ] 194[5]
_____________________________________________
CARGO CAPACITY 9000 LBS. HOISTING WT. 36400 LBS.
CARGO CAPACITY 6000 LBS. (ARMOR INSTALLED)

And the lower plate with the graphic:

WATER BUFFALO
AMPHIBIOUS (GRAPHIC) TRACTOR
TRADE MARK
DESIGNED & MANUFACTURED FOR THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES
BY
THE FOOD MACHINERY CORPORATION
SAN JOSE, CALIF., LAKELAND, FL., LOS ANGELES, CALIF., RIVERSIDE, CALIF.

Hope that helps - I think the upper plate could be made with any of the three manufacturers (FMC, St Louis CC, or GP) in the makers slot - seems like the only variation is if they stamped the last digit of the year or had it on the plate already - I would be fine with having the last digit stamped like the other examples shown

Let me know your thoughts as I would love to get these made up as close to original as is possible

Regards

Matt

[wanderingwillys]

Found this image - slightly better but the text is different as this was for a prototype turret version that was never produced - appears to be a LVT-(a)4 but with long barreled gun vs the 75mm howitzer...

Anyhow the graphic and the layout are good

Matt

[Lt.Horne]

Thanks Matt!, We are working on it!

[Milmart]

More examples here
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Landing-Veh ... 1426766831

[wanderingwillys]

Thanks - that's a good collection - can anyone answer what the GP or SLCC upper tag that would have said "Water Buffalo" would have looked like? Can't seem to find any images of those - only the FMC upper plates...

My tractor has a spot with OEM holes and witness marks for both plates.... (and it is a SLCC unit)

[Milmart]

Id be interested in a set of LVT dataplates should they be produced

[wanderingwillys]

Any luck Robert? Still interested!

Matt