Rare Opel-Blitz cab?

[wartimeopel]

Hello,



I'd like to know more about the cabs used in Opel-Blitz 3,6 trucks in 1940. Here's two pictures of the cab of my old friends (passed away two years ago) 3,6L-42-30, baujahr 1940 truck. Do you have any idea how rare was this kind of Opel cab? At least it has been very unusual here in Finland. Still I'm quite sure that this cab is German made. That old friend of mine always said so and with no doubt he knew these trucks quite well, 'cause he owned no less than nine (9!) Opel-Blitz 3,6's between the mid 1950 - early '60's. I have seen many pictures of Finnish Army war time Opels, also some pre-war civil units, but found only one picture of Opel with nearly this kind of cab. Cabs in these pictures here looks very similar, but notice the rear window, which is different shaped. The old picture here has taken at the beginning of Soviet and Finland Continuation War, (1941-44) in July 1941.
 
Most of the Opels used by Finnish Army were equipped with that common Opel cab with ventilation window. Also most of those trucks were '41 models. There were hundreds of Opels still in work with their civil owners in Finland many years after the war. Some of those veterans served Finnish Army as long as early 1960's, usually in teaching of military drivers.

Thank's for the info!

Pictures: aijaa.com/GYkxuw (partial enlargement of SA-kuva / Finnish Army Picture)

              aijaa.com/pi0Vck

              aijaa.com/Z42ipZ

[wartimeopel]

Hi Scott,

and thank's for the reply. 

- This Blitz was private purchased from Opel, without a cab, and the purchaser installed their own cab

I think this is the most probable way, with both of these two Opels in those pictures I sent earlier. But nonetheless these cabs are German made(?) Notice, that Opel in the wartime picture is almost new. It's quite obvious it has been imported to Finnish army at earlier same summer 1941, when German - Finnish military cooperation started to strenghten. Or, it has been forced from civill owner. There was time to sell very few of new Opel's for civill owners during the so called "Middle Peace" (armistice), the period between Winter war and Continuation war (3/1940 - 6/1941).
Also during - not only after - the Continuation war here in Finland has been Opel's equipped with many kind of cabs. It is surprising that many of them were models from war years. But as you supposed, some Opel's got the Finnish made cab both before and after the war, too. And still, as I mentioned earlier, most of the circa 900 Opel Blitz's in wartime Finland, were equipped with factory-fitted steel cab. So, as we can see, the Opel Blitz "field" has been quite mixed, almost as the whole vehicle fleet here in Finland  
After the war most of the Finnish army own buses were Opel's. Several of these were modified to trucks by next civill owners. Few of them, which remained in the ownership of the army, were equipped also with truck cabs and big, wooden boxes etc. on the chassis. 

That Opel Blitz 3,6-42 '40 of the deceased old friend of mine has been sold from army auction to the civill owner in 1947. My friend bought it from that same farmer in 1975. So this truck has been in ownership of only two civill persons. The renovation finished in autumn 1993. Truck is still in quite good condition. 

With Regards,

-Timppa