GMC CCKW Questions

[James G. Davis]

Hello,
Can someone tell me the reason for the GMC CCKW coming in two sizes, the 352 SWB and the 353 LWB?

Did all GMC CCKWs, except the CLASS 530 fire truck that was issued at the end of the war with an HVIN starting with 5, carry an HVIN (Hood Vehicle Identification Number) starting with 4? An aside, all fire trucks regardless of type or size carried an HVIN staring with 5. The CLASS 335 (50 built) was conversion body appplied to a cargo body CCKW that carried an HVIN starting with 4.

Thanks,
Jim, Maui.

[42cckw]

Hi Jim
The 352 SWB was a prime mover for field Artillery, the gun being towed and the gun crew and ammunition carried in the rear body. The 353LWB was used as a troop and cargo carrier. But in combat both trucks were used as needed doing both jobs and much more .

JIM 42CCKW

[Cat Man]

Hi Jim,

The USA Registration numbers on WWII Era vehicles start with a specific number prefix for different type or size of vehicles. There are 23 different number or letter prefixes.

US Army Registration or "Hood" numbers run
Trucks in the 1.5 ton range start with "3"
Trucks in the 2.5 to 4.5 Ton range (CCKW's) start with "4"
Trucks 5 Ton and over start with "5"
The manual that I have also lists firefighting vehicles use a "50" prefix.

I'd say a CCKW that was carring fire fighting gear and having a 4XXXXX hood number was a conversion or a replacement chassis. If it entered service as a classed fire fighting vehicle it should have a 50XXXX hood number.

We see lots of restored vehicles of all types that have the wrong hood numbers installed by the owner. Thanks for asking the difference.

I visited your web site. really great work. Thanks for your service both Military and Historic!

Cat Man

[James G. Davis]

Hello Cat Man,
Thanks for the info. Question? Have been told that the CCKWs that were built as tankers, water, gasoline and lube oil, carried HVINs starting with 6 and certain CCKWs that had Van Type bodies with radio equipment and the like used a different starting HVIN. Do you know if either of these scenarios are correct?

If your Cat is Catapillar, I started on an RD-7 and over the years ran D-2, 4, 6, 8 and DW-10s. All great machines.

Jim

[Cat Man]

Jim,

I should have added.

Maint Vehicles, including trucks with workshops are prefixed with "00"

Motorcycles are 6XXXXX, but special vehicles for radio, air compressors, gun carriers etc are prefixed "60XXXXX"

and "80XXXX" is the registration prefix for tankers (Not sure what that includes?)

As a Caterpillar guy my dream is to drive to a MV show in a 6 Ton White, pulling a Rodgers Bros low boy trailer loaded with a WWII Cat D7. Always liked running large tractors over those little D2's or D4s. I'll run a 7 or an 8 any day.

Hope those registration numbers help you.

From COLD WISCONSIN

Cat Man

[James G. Davis]

Hello Cat Man,
Thanks for the Hood VIN info. Any chance you could scan the document you got it from and e-mail it to me.

Will go with the D-7, but have a diffent transport out of WW II in mind. If you will contact me I will send some pixs and some info.

Aloha,
Jim