The GMC CCKW

Did you know that the OEM Mirror on the CCKW/Chevrolet was the 5" round King Bee? These are available as Repros from the better suppliers like AJP, RAPCO, Surplus City, and Peter Debella. They are about as close as you can get, right down to the smoked glass lens,and "King Bee" logo on the edge. I have a few NOS in the wrapper that I used to compare them with.
Joel

My "Air-portable" '45 LWB that spent some time vacationing in Norway has rectangular outside rear view mirrors on it.

The history I know of is that it was immediately placed in storage when completed in 6/45 and then when fished out it was rebuilt in the US before going as an MDAP vehicle.

Joel...Would these larger mirrors have been put on at the USA rebuild or when it got to Norway. I believe it had a major overhaul there too.

No water buckets on this one...yet!

Bill

The 5" round mirrors were standard on all US Army trucks up thru the 6X6 right up into the 60s, you can confirm this by referencing the TMs for M-38A1, M-37, M-135/M-211, M-54 etc. The 1951 SNLs for CCKW showed another Part # for a mirror by "Arrow", but it was still the 5" round one At some point rectangular Mirrors appeared in the 60s, and were slowly retrofitted to trucks, the "West Coast" types appeared in the 70s. You may want to check for Metric threads on the mirrors, or foreign brand names, "Hella" is a start. Round is the only Mirror CCKW used, and King Bee is the brand that were in GM packages. A lot happens in 60 years. I have backed up a lot of Army trucks using those dinky mirrors.
Joel

Joel
Another question as far as mirrors. Did they only have the driver side mirror? I seem to have noticed that most of the photos show only that side having a rear view mirror mounted.

There have been thousands of these salvaged over the years, especially in Europe from 70s thru 90s. Extra Mirror Arms and the Mounting Brackets have been in abundance, and coincidentally the bolt pattern of the Open Cab being symetrical, makes it easy to ad a mirror. They left the GM Plant with just a drivers mirror.
Joel

Speaking of mirrors:

I just discovered yesterday when I added a passengers side mirror to my cargo CCKW that the mil/civy hinge mirror bracket for the drivers side is different fromthe passengers side. There is a hole in it to screw it to the hinge on the cab and apparently the hinges are not the same. They have a hole in them (cab portion) that allows a screw from this hinge bracket to attach to so that it does not move around. Hole is in the wrong place (slightly) if you put the bracket on the pass side.

Steve AKA Dr Deuce

Great info . Joel, do you have an extra arm and bracket for the open cab truck?

I have a couple brackets somewhere, but am short on arms. Visit your nearest M-135/M211, they have the same bracket and the arm may still be useable. Used arms have a problem with the inner piece and set screw rusting solid. New arms are scarce, and have been picked to pieces over the years. $3.00 will get you a pair of Fibre Washers for the arms mailed to your doorstep.
Joel

Thanks Joel.

Talking of mirrors and the like, what are the actual arms like and the clamp which holds the inner part to the outer part, I have seen several types and would like to know what is the correct ones, also how long is each bit. Can any one post some pictures please.

Thanks