The GMC CCKW

I had a facinating visit with Mr. Jim Swartz yesterday in a resturant here in San Antonio for a couple of hours. He had a couple of big ring binders full of photos and letters regarding the company his father owned, Montpeillier Manufacturing Company. His father was the engineer that designed the wooden cargo bodies and his company manufactured them for the Army. He said that his father went to DC with his design for the Army and came back with a contract , no bids or anything like that. One document I observed listed the contracts received and numbers of beds manufactured. The point that caught my eye was the fact that the contracts were issued by the Ordance branch of the Army. not Quarter Master.
He also has a lot of photos made by a General Motors photographer of his father, various military officers and other officials when the company got their coveted E award for meeting their production quots and standards.
Jim said that they did not install the beds, but rather manufactured them, then they were placed on flat cars and sent to GM for assembly. He even has a photo of himself at the big E award ceremony standing next to a DUKW when he was about 9 years old.
Jim is a member of this site and I encourage him to come forward and post some of the information he has and some of the documents he has in his possession.
I was thrilled to meet the son of the man that designed the wooden cargo bed and headed up the company that made them.
Finding a little more history about CCKW production during WWII is fun.

Army vehicle procurement responsibility changed from Quartermaster to Ordnance after late 42 which coinsides with dates Wood Bodies started production. Contracts were let to Budd, Baldwin Piano, etc. Design of body became Military Standard, and after that anyone could bid on them. This happened to the CCKW Winch, Heil is interchangeable with Gar Wood. Did it with Jeeps, Whites and Corbitts etc, and all of the M-1 Carbines. B-17 built by Boeing, Douglas, Vega, etc. Could go on forever.
Joel

Thanks Joel. He said his father called the other manufacturers Piano Bodies.

If you want to see a really nicely restored wooden CCKW lwb body, look at the pictures off of the home page here of the MVMVC rallt 2005 and WW2 vehicles.

Steve Workman, a machinist by trade and a cabinet maker by hobby (along with HMVs) took a bunch of cargo body parts I bought at an auction at Malachecks (sp) in NJ back in the 80's and made an absolutely beautiful wooden body that is faithful to the original except for the wood type used.


Steve AKA Dr Deuce

I wish I could find a builders tag on the body I have,it's for the short wheel base cckw and is in great condition for a 60 plus year old wooden bed,it was removed right after the war and stuck in a barn till last summer,when it was pulled out to make room for some other stuff,I had seen it in there for years but never relized what it was for till he pulled it out,it even has three top bows,that still have the green leather straps on the corners,I wish I had an SWB open cab truck to put it on.

Gee3 man you are lucky. I want to make a trip to a gambling casino with you. First all those CCKW's you get in Az and now this bed. Oh well, some people just have it. Just kidding of course but you prove that the stuff is there if we go looking for it and don't wait on it to look for us.

The cab & chassis were built by GM, Studebaker and Reo, third party manufactures built the cargo beds and other specialized equipment.
http://www.cckw.org/TM9-2800.htm

i.e. The cckw and the standardized wood cargo were used in the Red Ball Express.

Wood44cargo


Wood44FuelDump



jhscpa

Thanks for the posting Jim.
Jim

Interesting Web Site on Red Ball Express cckw wood cargo etc.
May take a while to load. jhscpa

http://www.transchool.eustis.army.mil/M ... lIntro.htm

Wow, great site Jim. Thanks for the info.

jhscpa, can you, or maybe someone out there explain the letters on that unofficial patch some of those drivers wore on thier shoulder? Also, the red ball thier talking about, was that just a 6in circle painted on the truck somewhere??

"Neat" pictures of a scale model CCKW Wood Cargo by Fine Art Models.

http://www.fineartmodels.com/pages/prod ... t_area=120

Jim S
jhscpa

I will be ordering one soon.
Joel

Me too.

Sorry Guys, it will cost you $10M. I wish I could and donate it to a museum in memory of my father's contribution to the cckw wood cargo used in WWII.
Jim S
jhscpa

joel gopan wrote:I will be ordering one soon.
Joel

I believe that this model costs as much or more than a Fullsize restored one

Hey, I have been promoted from a draftee to private. When I was drafted (US52498563) and was assigned to the 137th Ord Det EOD at FSHTX. I drove an Underwood typewriter and a M35 Reo 2 1/2 truck with red fenders. It never occurred to me of my Dad's contribution. All I remember, it was fun, big, with a automatic transmission and was fairly quiet as trucks go.
Jim S

P.S Why do I remember my SN#, I was proud of it and remember the gas chamber.

I used to see the EOD vehicles at bases in the 60s, M-38A1s, and M-35s w/red fenders, and spark arrestors on the exhaust. I am getting a CCKW SWB in natural Brass, it is my retirement present. they are nearly 3' long 11" wide.They are well worth it. Contrary to some naysayers, MV's other than Jeeps ARE an investment and DO appreciate in value, but only if maintained in top issue condition, and properly restored with factory components. The Brass CCKW is part of a package deal that is in the works.
Joel

Some facts:

Can anyone tell me where the builders plate should be?