Hello from Germany

[Chris_M]

Hello everybody,

I'd like to introduce myself to this forum. With the help from Bill I finally managed to create a working account.

I bought a GMC CCKW 353 B2 in France this summer. It's new home is Nuremberg, Germany.



There is a miracle about this truck and its history. The former owner registered this vehicle in France as built in 01/01/1944. The dataplates show a different story. I don't know if they are original. I hope you guys can help me to solve this miracle. I am going to take some more detailed pictures soon. Especially of the dataplates which seem to be complete.

So long,

Chris

[Bill_Wolf]

Chris,

First, Welcome....You have a great looking truck.

There are a couple of members of the message board who have a monthly build history by unit frame number (serial number).

If you post up your number I am sure they will let you know the build dates.

Bill

[jds15151]

Chris, Nice truck. Are you part of the Museum for Historische Wehrtechnik? The background in your picture looks familiar. Jeff

[Chris_M]

Thank you guys,

yes Jeff, you are right. The Jimmy is parked at the Museum (http://www.wehrtechnikmuseum.de). I am not a member yet. But the members of the museum allowed me to use their space. I am very glad because I don't have a garage.
To my surprise, the vehicle is half German. The steel bed was made in Wuppertal bei C.Blumhardt in 1952.

Chris

[jds15151]

Chris, I tried to PM you but it isn't working. Let me know if I can be of any help. shonkwiler1@msn.com And tell everyone at the museum that Jeffrey says hello. Regards, Jeff

[Chris_M]

Your PM reached me Jeff and I tried to reply. Same error message. I answered to your email adress. I will tell the people from the museum, you contacted me. And yes, I am sure you can help me. All I have is the TM9-801, some tools and no experience

Regards,

Chris

[armydriver]

Welcome Chris. That is really beautiful truck. We are glad to have you aboard.

[KEVINABR]

HI CHRIS
WELCOME FROM THE UK
YOU SAY SHE HAS A GERMAN BUILT BED
WELL DON'T BE SUPRISED AS MANY CCKW S AND OTHER MAKE S OF TRUCKS WENT TO RE BUILD DEPOT S IN GERMANY IE BREMEN DURING THE EARLY 50,S
REGARDS KEVIN

[Chris_M]

Hello Kevin,

this is a fact, I did not know before I went into the "CCKW business". It's very exciting to find out more about my vehicle. Digging in my Jimmy's history is great fun. Fortunately all dataplates are complete and the serial number matches the chassis serial number.
Some things I found out:

Serial number: 538120
According to this number the truck must habe been built late April 1945 in Pontiac, Michigan.
Date of delivery July 1945. So this is a post war vehicle. But where was it delivered to? In 1952 a steelbed was mounted in Germany. I know the truck served in the French Army. Obviously she was stored for a long time. The last 62 years she was driven only about 2400 Miles!
In 1985 or 1986 the truck was released from the army to the public. When I bought the truck she still had a civilian french license plate dated back to 1986. The last private Owner bought the truck in 1991 and sold it to a MV-dealer in 2007 in France. This is where I bought he truck from.
I hope I can find out more details.

Regards,

Chris

[dr deuce]

One minor correction. A July 1945 HMV is not a post-war vehicle. The Pacific War was still in full force.

[abn CCKW]

Nice to see your CCKW ,even better to see another one being saved and enjoyed . I have a CCKW 353H1 a bit younger than yours 488311 about feb of 1945 . Welcome to the group .

[Chris_M]

You are right dr deuce. For us Germans war was over in May 45. I don't think my truck was shipped to the pacific theater.

[KEVINABR]

hi chris
as you say the war was over and as though some amount of cckw s were sent to the pacific, many got issued to all the countries which were involved in the war. glad to see your truck. good stuff