History The US getting prepared for their entry into the war against the Germans, American observers highlighted the need to develop a recovery tractor to clear the tanks and other heavy vehicles immobilized on the battlefield. After many trials, it was decided to design a prototype truck from a 6×6 of the mining firm Knuckey…
History Built in 1938 by the White Motor Company of Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the basis of a commercial frame, the prototype led to a fist order for 64 units. The Army decided to adopt an improved version, designated M3A1. The new version had a longer and wider hull. In front…
History In July 1941, the US Ordnance Department launched a call for tenders regarding a 6 wheel armored car, able to replace the antique M6 Farco. Three companies competed : Ford, Chrysler and Studebaker. In april 1942, Ford T22 prototype won the tender, with performances very close to those of its nearest…
History The story begins with the tests conducted by the US Army in the 1930s to evaluate the performance of the half-track concept. The first standardized series M2 and M3, the M3 with a slightly longer body, resulted from these tests. 41,000 will be produced starting in 1941 by Autocar,…
History Our Chevrolet HUP (Heavy Utility Personnel), undergoing restoration, belongs to the family of the Canadian trucks designed in Canada during WWII. 12,000 only were made, with specific features as compared to other similar vehicles (shorter drive axles, different braking system). This first HUP model had no spare wheel. They were, as a number of…
Salvaged from a junk yard in Isère, South of France, a big restoration work lies ahead ! The fact that, to the best of our knowledge, only 5 such vehicles survive in Europe motivated this ambitious move. The fact also that the truck as the crane are complete (the missing truck hood and crane…
History Originally manufactured in the US for civilian purposes, this truck has been adapted to British military specifications and then manufactured in Canada. This truck became a movie star since it “played” in the 1953 famous French movie directed by Henri Georges Clouzot “The wages of Fear”. It was Canadian military Dodge despite its left…
History Evolution of different versions of the M4, the M4A4 is the last version produced during WWII (1942). Manufactured by Chrysler Corp. and originally equipped with the “Multibank” engine, the reference of the tank changed post War in the French Army for M4A4 T (T for transformed) because it was motorized with a 9-cylinder “Continental…
History The company’s name was created when Charles Arthur Tilt’s father, shoe maker, chose as quality emblem for its products, the diamond. The T of Tilt was included in a diamond originally painted gold. His son who grew up in a workshop environment with machines everywhere built his first car in 1905. When…
History The name of the company was created when the father of Charles Arthur Tilt, shoe manufacturer, chose a diamond as the emblem of the quality of its production. The “T” for Tilt was thus set in a diamond that was originally painted in gold. His son growing up in a workshop and machinery environment…
Today, members of Univem are going to participate to 3 different events! Initially, this brotherhood celebration was to be celebrated on the 8th of May, for the Victory Day. But finally, because of Covid reasons, the cities of Les Loges-en-Josas, Toussus-le-Noble and Buc (in the vicinity of Versailles) held it on the 25th of September.…
Despite the corona crisis, we decided to organise the European Heritage Days, that allows the general public to know us, and meet us. Special exhibits were held inside the halls. Some vehicles were exhibited outside and the public could have a ride on them: huge success! Finally, it was again a wonderful event, for the…
On the occasion of the unveiling of the Monument commemorating the Battle of the Vexin, the Vexin Histoire Vivante (VHV) association and the city of Fontenay-Saint-Père invited several reenactment groups to come and setttle a camp on the 11th and 12th September. This forgotten battle took place in late August 1944 during the liberation of…
Every year, the city of Versailles holds an event gathering every association of the city that present what they do to the public. UNIVEM was there, with a lot of heavy vehicles: 2 Half-Tracks, Ford M8, Diamond T M20, Ward-La-France M1A1, International M425 and its semi trailer, Scout-Car, a Dodge Command-Car and some Jeeps. Once again,…
On the 25th August 2021, the city of Versailles commemorated the 77th Anniversary of its liberation. UNIVEM brought some vehicles : the M8 Armored car, the M16 Half-Track, a Dodge Command Car and two Jeeps. Photo credit: Ville de Versailles / Marc O Carion
