The GMC CCKW

Another great photo Bill and of course the subject matter aint too bad looking either. I love photos of open cab trucks. Thanks.

The location of the red 2" reflector on the front panel indicates the cargo bed may be a steel composite wood floored? On the Montpelier steel composite bodies the corner reflector was located in the same position.

OK, I'm NOT trying to be picky here, but shouldn't that front reflector be yellow anyway?

Or are you saying that on the composite body it was red a standard?

Super truck either way.

Wow.....You guys sure are observant.

In looking at the high res version of the picture it appears as though the cargo body is a split in the middle Air-portable version.

I just went out and looked an my airportable composite bed has the same red reflector in the same place.

Bill

So is the Red reflector tied into the airportable thing?

Bill do we have any more info? The post war modded grill, the super singles and the exhaust stack may tell a story?

Beats me?

Mine was a return from Norway....is a red front box reflector a "Euro" DMV type thing?

I don’t know of you guys noticed it but the front end and the wings are lengthened. I suppose that there is a diesel engine under the hood. Probably economical reasons. The grill is original but it is placed a few inches forward. The super singles are DUKW wheels. You see this more often, because in the war the GMC was sometimes equipped with DUKW wheels for the African desert.

Paul

The front end looks stock length to me.

Did you notice the pintle hook on the front bumper?

It is nice to see a 'cocktail' truck as it always nice to see how they evolve
through different use's.

Paul,I noticed that too,quite a neat job by the looks of it. I wonder what engine is fitted?

Matt.

I didn't mean to raise a "hornets" nest with my question.
I think the weekly lead pictures are great and should be critiqued.

You did not raise a "hornets nest" Jim. I believe that is the way we all learn about these beautys.

Obviously this vehicle has had some "field modifications".

If the owner is comfortable with them...than that is all that counts.

The good part is is that it is being used and shown.

Bill

From time to time discusions regarding what were orgnal and not.
My experience is that we from time to time experience that indiviuals turns up making remarks about this and that werent orignal on our beloved trucks..
The funny thing about that is that these persons very often havent seen a uniform from the inside - or in other words often have not been in armed forces service. My 6 years of service as an officer in the the branch armd. cav. ordn. has thougt me one thing about this:
There are close to none orginal trucks, tanks, or jeeps.
Its orginal in its apperance from the time it's assembled to it's been taken in use by a unit. From the day it's beeing used, small mods begins. And if the unit has special tactical needs, or is in a war zone, the level of field mods just increase -
just look at WW2 pic. from war zones How many "orginal" veichles turns up ?? There ar field mods all over. Why ?
Indivdual needs in the units or by driver makes this happens.

Just rember one of Murphys Laws of combat:

-An Inspection ready unit has never passed combat.

-A combat ready unit has never passed inspection

Because:

-Your weapon was made by the lowest bidder....

My opinion is that restored CCKW with "field" mods that would have been "correct" are cool. Why ? Because a "trailer queen" standard on the restored strictly orginal army truck tends to be a little bit unatural...

Regards

Sturla Holtan

You’re completely right what you said about originality. Also because most ww2 vehicles have been used longer by other nations then the US military. You can make the conclusion that a restored truck with after-war substructure and after-war colors is as original as one restored in ww2 livery.
In my opinion I think it’s very interesting to see how they adapted the trucks to their own requirements, and these trucks must be saved too.
Paul