• A non  military truck built during WWII without a chrome grille, it is referred to as a “Blackout  style” truck.

• The gross allowable weight of any model of this “3 Ton” Series 1760-1770-1780  could not exceed 15,000 pounds

• Wheelbases: 135 1/4″ – 159 1/4″ – 177 1/4″

• The turning circle of this series of trucks ranged from 56′ to 76′ for the 177″ wheelbase.

• Engine: Heavy Duty General Motors OHV 248 cu. in. Inline 6 cylinder, 97 brake HP, maximum torque 200 ft. lbs. at 1000-2000 r.p.m.

• Oil Filter: AC Kleer-Kleen

• Carburetion: Zenith 100% down-draft with flow tested jets.

• Generator: Delco-Remy 33-35 ampere.

• Standard rear gear ratio 7.06 to 1 and optional 6.5 to 1

• Starting in 1943 a small number of Blackout style Maple Leaf trucks were again build for Civilian use during WWII

• 1946 MAPLE LEAF 2-TON, 2 ½-TON & 3-TON used the 6 cylinder PONTIAC 239.2 cu. in. and 6 cylinder and CHEVROLET 30.4HP 235.5 CU. IN.

• Following WWII Maple leaf trucks sold well, 1946= 17,067; 1947=19,300; 1948=20,460; 1949=20,745;1950=26,522 far outselling GMC trucks.

• The Maple Leaf truck has it’s origins with Robert McLaughlin who with his sons, they started the McLaughlin motor car , then the McLaughlin Buick and then started General Motors of Canada.

• Relying on the philosophy that “One Grade Only And That The Best” the McLaughlins built extremely high quality cars.

• In 1933 McLaughlin was to get $10,000,000 and build a Chevrolet Maple Leaf truck in Canada for sale in Canada as a rebadged Chevrolet with minor trim changes.

• They also looked after building other GM based vehicles for Canada and export internationally.

• Many Maple Leaf trucks were exported to Australia and other commonwealth countries as TKD, total knock downs and reassembled at their destination country.

• Some years a 170″ wheelbase was offered on Maple Leafs and not Chevys.

• Maple Leafs were sold at Pontiac dealers, similar to the later Acadians and Beaumonts .

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The Museums truck was built during WWII so many it is referred to as a “Blackout  style”

1942 Specifications Maple Leaf 3-Ton Models

Series 1760-1770-1780 (248)

Straight Rating – 15,000 Pounds

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Wheelbases: 135 1/4″ – 159 1/4″ – 177 1/4″

Available as:

Basic Chassis Models:                  1760         1770       1780

Wheelbase……………………             135 1/4″ 159 1/4 ” 177 1/4″

Chassis AND Flat Faced Cowl…..  1761        1771         1781

Chassis and Windshield Cowl…     1762        1772         1782

Chassis and Cab……….                  1763        1773         1783

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The gross allowable weight of any model of this series shall not exceed 15,000 pounds including Chassis, Cab, Body, Payload, Fuel, Oil, Water and Driver.

Chassis weight bare: 3,974 lbs., 4,080 lbs., 4,195Lbs.

Cab Weight: 488 lbs.

Turning circle: 135 1/4″ wheelbase =56′,   159 1/4″ wheelbase=66′ and 1771/4″ wheelbase= 76′

Engine: Heavy duty General Motors valve in head, 6 cylinder 248.5 cu. in. S.A.E. hp 33.19 ; maximum brake hp 97 at 3,000 r.p.m.

Maximum torque 200 ft. lbs. at 1,000 to 2,000 r.p.m.

4 main bearings

Oil Filter: AC Kleer-Kleen

Carbureion: Zenith 100% down-draft with flow tested jets.

Generator: Delco-Remy 33-35 ampere.

Transmission: Selective type sliding gear. Four forward speeds plus reverse. Opening for power take off on left side.

Clutch: 10 3/4 ” dry plate single cushion disc type with spring dampener.

Rearend gear ratios: 7:16   optional 6.5:1 ratio available.

1939 MAPLE LEAF SERIES 16 made in REGINA  total built 10873

1940 Male Leaf Series 16 and 16h Made in Regina Total built 31097

1941 MAPLE LEAF SERIES 16 & MILITARY MCP made in Oshawa total built

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1944 Blackout 1942 style Maple Leaf Series 16 Civilian Trucks made in Oshawa total built 52487

For the War Effort Maple Leaf trucks were available in wheelbases of: 113″,123″,133″,158″,175″

A variety of Engines were used based on the aplications:

29.40 HP engine  = 216.5 cu ins. [3 ½ x 3 ¾ Bore and Stroke]

33.19 HP engine = 248.4 cu ins. [3 23/32 x 3 13/16 Bore and Stroke]*

30.2 HP engine = 224.1 cu ins. [3 9/16 x 3 ¾ Bore and Stroke]*

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29.40 HP engine  = 216.5 cu ins. [3 ½ x 3 ¾ Bore and Stroke]

33.19 HP engine = 248.4 cu ins. [3 23/32 x 3 13/16 Bore and Stroke]*

30.2 HP engine = 224.1 cu ins. [3 9/16 x 3 ¾ Bore and Stroke]*

Also used in Canadian-built GMC trucks.

1946 MAPLE LEAF 2-TON, 2 ½-TON & 3-TON used the 6 cylinder PONTIAC 30.4HP 239.2 CU. INS.and 6 cylinder CHEVROLET 30.4HP 235.5 CU. IN. Total maple Leaf prodcution 17,067

1947 MAPLE LEAF 2 ½-TON CHEVROLET 30.40HP  235.5 CU. INS.

1947 MAPLE LEAF 3-TON PONTIAC 33.19HP 248.4 CU. INS.  Total 1947 Maple Leaf 19,300 compared to 5,179 GMC

1948 MAPLE LEAF 2 ½ TONS CHEVROLET 30.40HP 235.5 CU. INS.

1948 MAPLE LEAF 3-TONS PONTIAC 33.19HP 248.4 CU. INS. 1948 Maple Leaf 20,460 compared to 7,266 GMC

1949 MAPLE LEAF  2½ TONS CHEVROLET 30.4HP 235.5 CU. INS.

1949 MAPLE LEAF 3 TONS PONTIAC 33.19HP 248.4 CU. INS. 1948 Maple Leaf 20,745 compared to 8,686 GMC

1950 MAPLE LEAF  2 ½-TON CHEVROLET 30.4HP 235.5

1950 MAPLE LEAF 3-TON PONTIAC 248.9    1948 Maple Leaf 26,522 compared to 14,806 GMC

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It’s genesis is with the McLaughlin Motor Car Company, started by Samuel McLaughlin and William C. Durant in 1907. An initial 15 year contract was signed for Durant’s Buick to provide power trains for  McLaughlin. McLaughlin was a long running carriage maker in Canada and was putting the drivetrains into his carriages, adding bodies and selling the cars as McLaughlin’s for the duration of the contract. They then became McLaughlin-Buick from 1923 to 1942.

In the mid 1800’s a young farmer, Robert McLaughlin lived on a farm in Tyrone, Ontario. He had cleared the land himself with an axe that was made with a handle McLaughlin made himself. He went on to sell axe handles in Bowmanville  but decided to build a horse-drawn sleigh like the one he saw in an old carriage cataloque.  Relying on the philosophy that “One Grade Only And That The Best” McLaughlin soon had a farm wagon workshop,  then a carriage plant in Oshawa and then branches across the country.

One of McLauglins sons was a chemist who started the Canada Dry Company while the other two sons became partners with their father. With the new century just starting, the company bookkeeper took the sons for a ride in his automobile and they started persuading their Father to build a horseless carriage.

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The senior McLaughlin wanted nothing to do with these new fangled devices so the two sons looked into it on their own. By 1905 the Buick was choosen to be the car built by the McLaughlins. Financially they could not do it without their father’s backing, but the Senior McLaughlin consented and the McLaughlin Motor Car Company was started.

Their engineered got seriously ill right when production was to start, and eventually  Durant waas contacted to send an engineer to help out. By 1908, 154 cars were built with Buick running gear and called McLaughlins.

In a mutually beneficial stock swap the General Motors Holding Company was formed when Durant swapped $500,000 of Buick stock for the same amount of McLaughlin Motor Co. stock. McLaughlin then swapped his Buick stock for the newly formed General Motors and then in 1910 was on the board of General Motors in Detroit.

McLaughlin started the Chevrolet Car Company of Canada in 1915 which built Canadian Chevys with Chevrolet Engines and McLaughlin bodies. He merged his company with the Canadian Chevrolet company to form General Motors of Canada Limited in 1918.

Then Robert McLaughlin was given GM Stocks and GM took over the Canadian company. General Motors of Canada had their first offices on Richmond Street in Oshawa and all McLaughlin plants were taken over by GM.

A Financial Post story of September 23, 1933 reported McLaughlin was to get $10,000,000 and build a Chevrolet Maple Leaf truck in Canada for sale in Canada as a rebadged Chevrolet with minor trim changes. They also were to manufacture McLaughlin Buick and other GM based vehicles for Canada and export internationally.

An interesting bit of “Madmen” antics is that after Buick won the First race at the Indianapolis Speedway, McLaughlin’s advertising men wanted to change the name to cash in on the fame of Buick. Soon sales declined so the car was re named McLaughlin-Buick.

Canadians liked the quality machines and when GM decided to build Chevrolets in Toronto, McLaughlin was worried about the competition. Some of the large US stock holders also had faith in the McLaughlins so they were given the Chevrolet to build. Part of this deal was for the McLaughlin Carriage business to be given to GM and the elder McLaughlin reluctantly agreed because he did not think the carriage business was over yet.

The “Canadian Chevys” had a certain flair with Sam McLaughlin’s designed bodies and were finished with superior paints and materials than the US built Chevys. Strangely in 1918 with all this success, the two sons George and Sam had no interest in carrying on in the automotive business and after a 5 minute meeting with GM Brass it was decided GM would by the McLaughlins out.

In an other odd twist, the one condition GM wanted was the two brothers stay on to manage the company. Sam remained was president until 1945.

Some other minor things to note on the Maple Leaf trucks, many were exported to Australia and other commonwealth countries, some as TKD, total knock downs and reassembled at their destination country. Some years a 170″ wheelbase was offered on Maple Leafs and not Chevys. Maple Leafs were sold at Pontiac dealers, similar to the later Acadians and Beaumonts .