MAPLE LEAF TRUCK

General Motors of Canada Ltd. 

Walkerville, Ontario (1930-1933)
Oshawa, Ontario (1933-c1952)

This is a Maple Leaf truck radiator emblem (1933-1936)   mjs
Size: 60mm wide 41mm high   MM: Unknown

The Maple Leaf truck was basically the Chevrolet heavy duty truck made by General Motors of Canada Ltd. and was initially intended mainly for the Canadian market. The first models, introduced in 1930, were 1-1/2 to 2-ton capacity models and were called Chevrolet Heavy Duty trucks.

The Maple Leaf name was used from about mid-1933. Pre-1947 Maple Leaf trucks were intended for export to British Commonwealth countries, as well as for the Canadian market, and most of those sold outside Canada were assembled in Australia and New Zealand.

After about 1952, Maple Leaf trucks were re-designated GMC trucks.

Emblems

The 1-1/2-2-ton capacity Chevrolet Heavy Duty truck model, introduced in Canada in 1930, carried the following blue and white enamel "Heavy Duty Canada" radiator emblem with a Maple Leaf motif. This Chevrolet truck radiator emblem is scarce.

This is a Canadian Chevrolet truck radiator emblem (1930-1931) mjs
Size: 78mm high 78mm wide   MM: D L Auld

The Canadian Chevrolet truck radiator emblem was changed to the familiar bowtie shape in 1932. The new emblem was the blue, white and red enamel "Heavy Duty" radiator emblem shown below. This Chevrolet truck radiator emblem is rare.

This is a Canadian Chevrolet truck radiator emblem (1932-1933) mjs
Size: 76mm wide 27mm high   MM: D L Auld

From mid 1933, General Motors Canadian heavy duty trucks were 2-2-1/2-ton capacity models based more closely on the GMC truck design but still powered by Chevrolet engines. The new trucks were named Maple Leaf and carried a new oval shaped emblem folded to fit the v-shaped radiator, together with Maple Leaf hood side nameplates, see restored 1935 Maple Leaf truck shown below:

Maple Leaf truck showing radiator emblem & hood side nameplate (1935) bc vintage truck museum

The radiator emblem is the red, white and blue painted Maple Leaf radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Maple Leaf truck radiator emblem is rare.

This is a Maple Leaf truck radiator emblem (1933-1936)   mjs
Size: 60mm wide 41mm high   MM: Unknown

There was also an enamel version of this Maple Leaf radiator emblem, which is also rare. 

The following is an example of the Maple Leaf truck hood side nameplate seen on a restored surviving 1935 Maple Leaf truck. Original Maple Leaf truck hood side nameplates are rare.

This is a Maple Leaf hood side nameplate (1933-1936)  flickr
Size: 435mm wide 74mm high   MM: Unknown

For 1937-1938, the Maple Leaf truck radiator grille emblem was the same as for US Chevrolet trucks and the hood side nameplate was revised with the Maple Leaf motif contained within the borders of the nameplate, see example shown below:

Maple Leaf truck restored hood side nameplate (1937-1938) ripituc

The Maple Leaf truck hood side nameplate was changed slightly in 1939 and continued in use through 1946, see example shown below. This Maple Leaf hood side nameplate is scarce.

This is a Maple Leaf hood side nameplate (1939-1946)  lktec
Size: 427mm wide 40mm high   MM: Unknown

The Maple Leaf 3-ton capacity models introduced in 1941 also carried an oval painted "3-ton" plate on the lower rear of the hood sides, see example shown below:

Maple Leaf 3-ton truck hood side nameplates (1941-1946)  alamy

From 1947, Maple Leaf trucks displayed US Chevrolet hood front emblems and a new rear hood side "Maple Leaf" nameplate, see example shown below, which was used until c1952 for the 2-1/2-ton capacity models and until 1950 for the 3-ton capacity models:

This is a Maple Leaf hood side nameplate (1947-c1952)  lktec
Size: 230mm wide 40mm high

The Maple Leaf 3-ton capacity truck models displayed a similar hood side nameplate after 1950 , which was inscribed with "Three Ton", see example shown below:

This is a Maple Leaf 3-ton truck hood side plate (1951-c1952)
mystarcollectorcar

I am most grateful to Dennis Nielsen for his advice regarding the dates of use of Maple Leaf emblems. Any errors in my interpretation of this advice are entirely down to me.