Whaddyacallit #196 - Solved! Gasporter (Crosley based fueling vehicle)

[Arunas]

Based on a Crosley?

YES! So there is a Powel in this in the end. It was used in small airports.

Sorry, Arunas, it was made in the forties, but you arrive too late and there was no point for that anyway.

[Allemano]

Obviousely the car is called "Gasporter" and was manufactured in 1948 by Engineering Research Associates, Inc..
The car you find by searching looks a bit different, but believe there's at least a connection.

Just ignore the words Google's suggesting to search for instead of "Gasporter" 

[Ray B.]

I do believe you're right. I found the page you mentioned, and also another picture of a "Gasporter". I think the puzzle photo shows whether a later model, whether a modified one. The biggest clue is the 16 louvers on the front end: identical and same disposition on both models.
I am amazed. As promised, another point.

[Allemano]

Even if I run a risk: the exhibited car has 20 louvers. And the plate isn't at the very same position.
The fillets of the body seems to be larger as those at the puzzle's car. For instance the bumpers, the size of the wheels and the driver's 'cabin' are different.
Even though I believe there's a definite relation. Guess it was handbuilt in very low numbers for different airports with different configurations.
If all of them were built by a the same company — I don't know!
The museum's car obviousely was for an airport without a night flight permission...

[Ray B.]

On this one we have 16 louvres.

[Allemano]

Convinced! 

[ImpishGrin]

I think they were actually built in quite a large number, considering how many of them survived until today. And the different versions aren't anything strange, seeing as the tug was built at least 1942-1948 (these are the earliest and latest dates attributed to various Gasporters I've found so far).