One of the best transports I ever had in that time was a 1941 Willys flatbed, that had been a panel van, but either through accident of or rust (it was 20 years old, they made parts for their vehicles for 21 years, I was told) the van section had been cut off, a plywood back put on the cab and a horse hair stuffed full width seat fitted. You sat bolt upright.. It had a wooden framed, wooden decked tray and steel framed canvas canopy in it's place. It had 3 speeds and column shift. First model with that I believe. It's best features were the 2.2ltr 4 and although rigid axles and leaf springs at each corner, telescopic dampers. They were firm but the skinny wheels/tires followed the road's surfaces like glue, so you felt in real control anywhere. The little G/box was amazing, especially as it was built for NZed's RHD. The shifter rod went down the column to levers near the bottom of the box. They connected to pivoting rods that crossed under it to levers on their other ends. Short rod links then connected up to the shifting levers on that side of the box. With all the slop there was in that arrangement, I couldn't beat the synchros between 2nd and 3rd (top), up or down. Maybe it helped. It handled, I reckon, better than any British built sports car of the time. Went round corners on rails, never ever felt like it was going to "let go". Not that it was very fast, but it was fun.
Tragically, it too came to a "sticky end" with me in it. I had gone out to seek another job, It had been raining on the tar seal road. I stopped at an intersection behind an Ice Cream truck. Next thing there was a big bang in my back, my head hit the plywood back, but not badly enough for injury. A commuter bus had slid on the wet painted center line and squashed the Willys between them. The driver had leapt out and yanked my door open (No such thing as safety latches on it) and was inquiring if I was OK. I was apart from that bit of a bump.
The poor old Willys had folded the chassis up into a V under where I sat. It could have been much worse. That was the end of job changing for a while.
One funny (could have been serious) memory I also have of it was having my other mates riding in the back, taking them home. There was this short, roadway overpass over some railway tracks in a trench that the road was formed in an arch over it. Quite short. This night I must have misjudged it a bit speedwise, hit it fast, went over the top, and the tray and canopy lifted off the chassis and came down with a hell of a bang going down the other side. I think they were both stirred and shaken. Seems there were no bolts holding it and them on.
