The Bilbao Modelo 1932 was the official armoured car of the Guardias de Asalto (Assault Guard – officially known as Secciones de la Vanguardia del Cuerpo de Seguridad – Sections of the Vanguard of the Security Corps), who were essentially riot police. They were boxy armoured cars based on a Ford commercial truck chassis, with a cylindrical turret armed with a Spanish-built Hotchkiss machine gun. The Bilbao armoured car was used by both Republicans and Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War, but the majority remained in Republican hands in 1936, and these were used extensively in the first few months of the war. As more were captured by the Nationalists, they also saw service throughout the rest of the war, albeit in smaller numbers. Designer Jarlang
