Looking for correct USA number

[robert de ruyter]

Hello,

Fred Smith asked me to make the USA numbers stencils for his GPA.
Unfortunally the serialnumber on the frame and plates are gone.

He wrote:

My GPA was working in Scotland catching salmon until 1987. When I bought it 12 years ago – I knew nothing & should have waited & bought something better.

It has had a hard life. Any numbers on engine & chassis are long gone. It is a late model & its provenance & history as a licensed fishing vessel (along with 3 others – all of whom I know) is good.

Could somebody help me with a correct as possible USA number for his GPA?

Thanks, Robert

[leo verhagen]

Robert,

There were 3 GPA contracts which had the following USA numbers:

702104-709999
7010000-7012103
7012105-7014882

Without any frame and/or engine number it is hard to tell what USA number has to be on it. I've checked my gpa photos of the salmon fishers and these gpa's were so heavely modified that I can't tell whether they were early or late types. I'v seen both early and late type steering wheels on them, so I guess there were both early and late types perhaps.

[robert de ruyter]

Hello Leo,

Thank you very much for your answer.
So for a late GPA it would be correct to choose a number between 7012105-7014882.

Thanks, Robert

[bobskinner]

Hi Robert,
My guess is that the Scottish GPAs would have been in British Service and bought at a disposal sale in the UK. The British had a contract for around 300 GPAs, Ian Grieve can tell you the actual number supplied and possibly the frame numbers. My `good' GPA, frame number 5386 dod 5th Jan 1943, was definately in British service. So it would have had a British `P' number, not a USA number.
Regards
Bob