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Police Wagon ProjectCommerce Police Wagon Project
The restoration of the Victoria Police Department's 1921 'Patrol Wagon' is well underway. Since this project began in 1999, a substantial amount of research and work has gone into returning this rare truck (possibly the only truck of this model still in existence) to a restored condition.
We have learned that our Commerce truck is a 'Mercantile Express' model powered by a 22 horsepower Continental engine (model N). The truck was manufactured by the Commerce Motor Truck Company of Ypsilanti, Michigan. The vehicle was purchased in January 1921 by the Victoria Police Department from Thomas Plimley Motors in Victoria at a price of $2385.00. A local carriage maker in the Victoria area, Mestons, likely fit it with its wooden prisoner box.
The truck was retired from Police service many years later and was later used as a gardening truck at Royal Roads Military College. It then was employed in logging work in the Triangle Mountain area of Victoria. Sadly it was abandoned in the Happy Valley area until being rescued in 1963 by Gordon Stewart who repaired it to running condition. Stewart realized the rarity of the truck and decided to donate it to the B.C. Forest Museum in Duncan where it sat until being re-claimed by the Victoria Police Historical Society.
Because of the rarity of our truck and the many years of neglect the vehicle deteriorated and missing parts required fabrication. Our restoration team's ability to locate skilled tradespersons and fabricators has been tested. This has added a significant number of hours to the overall project. However, we are now able to see the results of these many hours of work by the team's members as the project has well surpassed the half-way point.
To date the chassis has been stripped and painted and the rear end assembly / brake components refurbished. The bodywork and paint on the cowl and fenders has been completed. The radiator grill has been straightened and repaired. Unfortunately, the truck's windscreen was in too poor a condition to salvage, however there was enough of it to enable an accurate fabrication of a new one; this will be no simple task. The cab also requires a new steel bonnet be fabricated to cover the engine compartment as well as new running boards, both of which were completely missing.
The prisoner box (being fabricated from steel tubing rather than wood as the original would have been) was temporarily mated to the truck's chassis for the first time. The two pieces coming together really showed how beautiful this truck will look when completed. The prisoner box continued its work throughout the winter of 2007 with many countless hours of work as the additional images show.
Most recently work has begun on a complete tear-down and rebuild of the original and rare Continental Engine. It is the team's goal that this vehicle be an operational vehicle in parades and special events when fully restored.
Although our restoration team has learned a tremendous amount thus far, we still have many questions to answer and problems to tackle. If you have knowledge of Commerce Trucks, Continental engines or have parts suitable for use in our project please contact The Victoria Police Historical Society.
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