FROM OPEN CAB TO CLOSED CAB

[joel gopan]

No problems, but some features are affected.
The Open Cabs had provision for the Fire Extinguisher either on the passenger firewall or relocation to RH cowl if the heater kit is installed. Some late CCKWs appear to have had the fire extinguisher bracket installed on the passenger cowl at the factory.
It took years to find near new ate Open Cab Running Boards set up for Gas Cans and to find NOS Pioneer Brackets for them and the NOS Spare Parts Box that mounts under the Passenger Seat.
The change over to closed cab does away with Pioneer Tools and factory Gas Can provisions on the running boards, and there is no place for that NOS Spare parts Box either.The Fire Extinguisher normally goes on the passenger firewall, but the GMC Hot Water Personell heater eliminated that opportunity. The kick panels that line the sides of the cowl are too flimsy for the fire extinguiser. It could gp on the front of the seat riser tho.
The nice pair of Open Cab mounted Rifle Brackets were done away with also
Worth it? You bet!

[joel gopan]

I wanted a Closed Cab from the start, but friend Seymore Sinnet, owner of Supreme Surplus and family friend since 1945, could not locate a rust free SWB example at the time, but did find a clean Open Cab version in Denmark. Seymore had it shipped overland from its location in Denmark to the Port at Rotterdam. It took 10 days as "roll on" freight on the Polish ship SS Polaski to reach Newark, New Jersey The truck was nice, and rust free.
The next three years were spent as a labor of love reducing the truck to bare components and bring it all to 100% factory spec. All moving parts were inspected and serviced, all seals wee changed, Steering Knuckles disassembled, serviced, adjusted and reassembled. New Wheel Cylinders , Master Cylinder, and NOS Hydrovac, hydraulic and Hydrovac hose were installed.
Sheet metal was fine and straight, but I just had to install the NOS fenders that I had saved for years. The engine was OK, but got a fresh coat of paint, and given a NOS radiator to keep it cool. The Cab cot new seat cushions, NOS Windshield and Wipers. NOS AC DELCO instruments and wiring harnesses were installed. All lighting is original GM Guide, and I was lucky to find NOS WWII period Head Lamp bulbs with the dull look. NOS AC Spark Plugs, WWII Ignition Coil, Delco Starter, Generator and early 40Amp Regulator completed the electrical system. It is on its third Delco Commercial battery.
The exhaust system is 100% GM factory, and NOS GI Surplus NDT 750X20 tires were installed on 12 handpicked wheels. I was lucky to find the tires at Sam Winers in the 90s, they are a mixture of 8 US Royal, and 4 Uniteds.
The entire truck was stripped and painted. The first coat of paint over the red oxide primer was rust inhibiting 24087 SG OD, after that two more coats of Aervoe WWII 310 weresprayed on. The Aervoe was a big mistake as it is pure crap, I did not like it and let the factory know just what I thought about their cheap paint. I put up with it for 5 years and repainted the CCKW in 1991 with Gillespie WWII SG sold by Army Jeep Parts, it is nice paint for the money and a very pleasant color If I could do the paint over again and the paint system by TM-9 sold by Paul Veins were available at the time, that is what I would have used as it is superior to all OD paint now available.
All future restorations by me will use TM-9 OD.
The CCKW has served me well with no maintenance problems or breakdowns. I have yet to tow it or boost it for any reason for the past 24 years. PM by the TM is the key to MV happiness. The years around Army vehicles have been good to me, and I am ever thankful for Uncle Sam letting me serve and go to schools to learn correct Army Maintenance.The truck gets constant PM and tweaking with a few NOS parts added to improve its looks.
The return to closed cab is the icing on the cake. Many friends contributed NOS parts from their private stock to make it a reality.

[Hammerhead]

Hi Joel,
That was a great story. Out of curosity when you painted the engine did you paint it OD or grey. I was told the correct engine color from the factory was grey but if it went to a repair depot it came out OD. BTW, I painted mine OD. Hammerhead

[joel gopan]

GMC had it's own factory shade of Olive color in the 40s. Army Depots or Arsenals usually painted them the going shade of Olive Drab for the period.. The 24087 SG OD seems to match up with the rebuilds in my lifetime. 270s from Europe will be many colors, REOME and ERGMA can be Lime Green, Red, or Dark Green, some 270 rebuilds from Norwegian surplus haver been gray.


Jim Carter sells GMC Olive color engine.Paint.

While speaking of paint, I am not done yet, I have a can of TM-9 ORDNANCE Blue Drab and am waiting to find someone who can duplicate the 4" Font that GMC used on the CCKW before I re do the USA Numbers.
There seems to be a problem of distortion when going 4" and fitting in allocated space. 3" works and looks fine, but 4" is correct. If anyone can do up a paint mask in correct 4", let me know.