Re: Ike's Staff Car

Posted by signsup On 2019/11/18 21:27:43

It is my understanding that military staff cars would have fallen into two broad catagories. One, a factory built made to military or staff specifications on the assembly line as a staff car, or, two, a buy back version where the military would have acquired a auto off the lot and painted the outside, added what military requirements were needed and then assigned.
So, the interior would vary depending on how the vehicle was acquired. I don't have it committed to memory, but I saw a chart that indicated which US military ranks were assigned various makes. Lt's got jeeps, Captains got Chevy and Ford, Major got Dodge or Studebaker, Col's got Buicks or similar and Generals got Packards and Cadillacs. MacArthur had a Packard and then a Cadillac and Ike had Packards and enjoyed Packards before and after the war as well.

So, we are envisioning a dark brown leather interior with woodgrain dash, dark carpeting and broadcloth trim on armrests, seat backs, headliner, pillar trim, etc. We have done canvas on other military vehicles, but Ike's staff would have requested something nice. IMO