1940s Chevy Blitz Military Truck Was Left to Rot in the Woods, Engine Refuses to Die

Designed in the late 1930s, the CMP entered production in 1940, about a year after the war broke out. Primarily intended for use in the armies of the British Commonwealth allies, the CMP was designed and built by Canadian branches of the U.S. "Big Three" automakers, including Chevrolet, Ford, and Dodge.

More than a half-million of these trucks were put together until 1945 and shipped for military duty to Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. Just like the Studebaker US6, the CMP also made it to the Soviet Union as part of Canada's "Gift and Mutual Aid" program, which was similar to the U.S. "Lend-Lease Act."

The truck saw service in various campaigns, including the Allied invasion of Sicily, the liberation of Northwest Europe, and the Western Allied invasion of Germany. It was also deployed in North Africa, Burma, and the Phillippines. Regarded as the truck that put the British Army on wheels, the CMP was also considered Canada's most important contribution to the Allied victory.

Come 2022 and many of these trucks are no longer around, as most of them have been either damaged beyond repair during WWII or simply abandoned once the conflict was over. However, some survived in private hands after they were decommissioned and were converted for a variety of civilian roles including forestry, grain transport, and fire fighting.

The truck you see here is one of those that survived. Located in Australia, it was used to haul logs for years. And according to the owner, who got it from his grandfather when he passed away, it's been in the same family for decades. A Chevrolet-built version, it's known as the Chevy Blitz in The Land Down Under.

Unfortunately, the truck has had a rough life, being left to rot away in a forested area behind the house. It's also been completely stripped off and now it's missing everything but the chassis, wheels, and cabin. And the latter isn't even complete, lacking its doors, windows, and seats. It looks like a rusty junkyard find and it's quite surprising that it still has an engine under the cab.

There's no info as to how long it's been sitting like that, but based on the way it looks, it's safe to say that it was parked in that spot a few decades ago. It's the kind of vehicle that many people wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole, but the owner isn't willing to give up on it just yet. And amazingly enough, the inline-six engine, which is about 80 years old as of 2022, agreed to fire up after who knows how much time.

If you're not familiar with the CMP Blitz, the trucks made by Chevrolet came with 216-cubic-inch (3.5-liter) six-cylinder engines rated at 85 horsepower. The Ford version, on the other hand, was equipped with 239-cubic-inch (3.9-liter) V8s good for 95 horsepower.

So now that it runs again, will this WWII hauler get a second chance at life? Well, from what I understand, the owner also has a Ford version somewhere and he's planning on putting both of them back on the road. But until that happens, hit the play button below to see the Chevy's six-cylinder come back to life after many years.