Photos of Burma Dodges found at National Archives in College Park, MD and from truck service manual. The color photos were taken by Keith Webb at the Tank Museum in Melborne Australia before the recent auction. See his web site for more pictures and auction results at http://www.oldcmp.net/mtm_06_1.html
The black and white photos of the Burma Dodge trucks in India and on the Ledo Road where found at the National Archives in College Park, MD I just stumbled on them and the only way to make copies I had was to Xerox them and later digitalize them. This would account for the poor quality. I hope to go back some day and scan them into a computer.
According to Don Bunn in his book DODGE TRUCKS page 111 the trucks were built for the Chinese Army by Dodge. The contract was for 15000 trucks and production started in Oct 44 ran into early 46. They were built extra heavy duty and were right hand drive. GVW rating of 20000lb. Had a Clark 5 speed transmission, 9.00/20 tires, ten-stud Budd disc wheels, 331 ci 128 hp L-head six cyclinder engine, 13in clutch, 170in wheelbase and a maximun payload capacity of 11,200 lbs. The front clip most likely inspired the design of the post war Dodge 4x4 power wagons. Another article makes mention that a ship carrying Burma Dodges was sinking off Australia during WWII. Some of the trucks were off loaded to Australia which explains why the Tank Museum had a Burma Dodge truck and a couple wrecks. The article had mention that a large dairy in Australia had used these trucks at one time.
Date(s): MAY 22, 2006. Album by VC40WC41. 1 - 14 of 47 Total. 6675 Visits.
My Father was on the Burma Road driving one of the trucks and cooking for the troops. When the Air Force split off after the war he joined th Air Force and became a mechanic on the Jet aircraft.
I will look in some of his albums and see if he has any pictures on the Burma road. If so I will pass them on.
My dad, 89, has a picture of himself sitting on the fender of a Dodge truck as he was trying to start the China exit home after the war. He was glad that it was a new truck. It had just arrived. It broke down when the brakes locked up during the first few miles. They had a mechanic but all he had was a knife to work with. He freed up the brakes. They then get hit over a dozen times trying to get down the mountain. No injuries till he boarded a plane over the Hump. He ruptured his ears and is still fighting with the VA for help. They finally got him a high powered aid and he can hear a little. He still laughs about that truck, more now than then. - Harry Branch, Fri, 30 Jan 2009 7:39AM
my father worked on and assembled those trucks in Inda and Burma during the war. He is 86 now and I am trying to get as much information for him as I can. I have a real interest in what he did as he traveled the entire world during the war and warked at the base of the burma road at Ledo. Any information you can give me would be appreciated. - Tom Purvis, Tue, 28 Nov 2006 7:14PM
1 BURMA DODGE TRUCK ARTICLE 1 This an article on the Burma Dodge. I am not sure of the source. There is a "Classic Trucks" at the bottom of the page. I think this was provided by someone orginally from Australia but not sure. If anyone is familar with this publication please add info in comment section. The article is hard to read in this format. I will have to see if there is another way I can do this.
2 BURMA DODGE TRUCK ARTICLE 2
3 BURMA DODGE TRUCK ARTICLE 3
4 BURMA DODGE TRUCK ARTICLE 4
5 BURMA DODGE MAINTENANCE MANUAL
6 T-234 MAINTENANCE MANUAL
7 BURMA DODGE PARTS LIST This is the Chinese version of the parts list.
8 T-234 PARTS LIST
9 BURMA DODGE Image from T-234 manual
Any idea what that thing is hanging on the pillar between the windshield and side door
10 BURMA DODGE TRUCK REAR
11 BURMA DODGE DASH The truck was right hand drive. I suspect this was because the truck was design to haul on the Ledo and Burma Road. Since the British controlled India and Burma at the time of WWII most likely the roads where designated right hand drive. Burma is now left hand drive as is China. Not sure about India but will find out.
12 BURMA DODGE ENGINE The Burma Dodge used a 331ci flathead 6 cyclinder engine. This was the largest gasoline engine Dodge built at that time WWII
13 BURMA DODGE FRAME Wheel base was 170 inches.
14 BURMA DODGE TRUCK STOP INDIA ASSAM JULY 45 This appears to be a truck park in Assam India taken in July 1945. The trucks appear to be loaded for a trip to China. I suspect they only made a one way trip as the war ended the next month.
