The GMC CCKW

I've finally gotten to the point where I can drive my truck around! I still need to time it to run better, but I've driven it around the neighborhood. What a blast! I'm sure glad I chose this over a jeep, this is so much more fun.

I had to replace my wheel cylinders before I could get it to go anywhere. I was quite surprised to see that every last one of my wheel cylinders was frozen in either the open or closed position.

I'll take some pics later on and post them. That is if I don't forget while having too much fun w/ the truck!

--Nick

That is great Nick. I hope you enjoy your truck as much as I have enjoyed mine. I had five jeeps before this truck and I had rather drive the old CCKW anytime over the jeep. Have fun with your new toy.

Great work Nick and they really are a blast and they get better and better to drive each time - done over 200 miles in mine last weekend......enjoyed every minute!

Don't forget to post up your pictures.

Cheers

jack

I still need to paint some parts green, do the stencils, and put the side racks on and I'm waiting for my canvas seats and a cab top to arrive (I'm borrowing the seats in it from Chris T. Mine were junk).

Here are a few before and after pics...
(Bill, I'll send you a good before and after for the site as soon as my truck is stenciled)










If you noticed the tail lights in the fourth picture, I made those using magnetic towing lights and a WWII trailer plug. It was a cheap safety addition that can come off very fast at a show.

--Nick

Nice truck!

Couple of things:

Get in the habit of coming up thru from the bottom with the hooks for the tailgate chains otherwise they will pop out

which leads me to the 2nd point

remember not to put the tailgate all the way down with the connector plugged in for your temp lights. You will damage the plug.

Otherwise, great truck. Enjoy many, many miles!

Hi Nick
she looks gorgeous
I took my truck out today and i know what you mean about how great they are, i love everything about it and the looks you get too...

kevin

Thanks guys, I appreciate all of the encouragement!

dr deuce wrote: Get in the habit of coming up thru from the bottom with the hooks for the tailgate chains otherwise they will pop out

When I received the truck, I noticed that one of the chains had popped loose in transit do to them not being hooked right. Ever since then, I always double check them before taking it for a spin. I don't need it coming loose!

--Nick

Nick, nice truck, my truck is in a similar condition to what your was, did you grit blast it? any tips on prepping? thanks

LITTLEWOOD wrote:Nick, nice truck, my truck is in a similar condition to what your was, did you grit blast it? any tips on prepping? thanks

I grit blasted the bed of the truck, but I didn't want the sand getting into all of the mechanicals so I cocooned the truck in plastic.



The front clip was all taken off for repairs so they were sand blasted while off, and the cowl and cab were just sanded down. On the inside of the cab, I used a lot of wire wheels to get into tight spots. This method took a lot of work but it came out nice. I'm not sure if there are any easier ways, but you may want to check.

--Nick

Good luck in your process. Looking foreward to see it fully restored.
Mine was in about the same shape when I bought it last year and I am currently working on it.
Yours has a similar bed as my vehicle, except mine is a 353. Anyone know what klind of bed this is.
It have those oval holes on the sides where the stakes are placed, which I have never seen on original wartime photos.

Tom

The holesyou mention are common to French and Norwegian trucks and are intended as drain holes.

The truck looks great. I always liked the SWB models.

About those half moon shaped cutouts in the cargo bed stake pockets. They do identify the bed as a post war replacement (nothing wrong with that, they are really well made and quite correct)

The original steel beds only had a drain hole at the underside of each stake pocket but solid on the sides. There was a field modification started sometime after they started to rust out. A crude and usualy rough half moon shaped cutout was hacked out with a cutting torch. I have an early all steel LWB bed here with that modification. By comparison, also have in the collection a post war German built all steel bed with a 1954 data plate that has very symetric machine cut half moon openings in each pocket.

There must have been as part of the post war rebuilds a plan to replace the original oil soaked, rotted, split and loose wood beds with new steel ones.

CAT MAN

That is some great info. Thanks!

I had suspected it was a post war bed... i would hope it was not though, but great to finaly know.
My bed has a data plate with Bremen and 1951 if I remember correctly.

Tom