CCKW tractor 5th wheel unit

[hwade]

Hello every , can any of you help? I have been told that the Australian Army converted some CCKW trucks from cargo to 5th wheel tractor units.Does any body have any evidence of this as I want to put my own CCKW as a tractor unit.I now it may not have happened but i am open to peaples veiws on this. would it be a waste of a truck or should I go ahead and do it. Looking forward to your imput.

Howard Wade, Suffolk, United Kingdom.

[chevy44]

is this what you meen?


a friend of me built this one from a bolster truck

[hwade]

Hello Chevy44

What a great looking unit, its funny because i have been offered a bolster body off a 353 cckw, I thought i would use some of the parts for my tractor unit. The mud guards for instance they will stop alot of water spray. The main part I need is a 5th wheel which i think is going to be hard to find, unless i fit a post war one.Thanks for the pic, what trailer do you pull with it.

Thanks Howard.

[chevy44]

truck is not mine was from a friend but he sold it last year there was no trailer behind the truck, I believe the spare tire carrier is from a autocar U 7144

[Cat Man]

As I recall on the civilian ones I've looked at that were converted to tractors, the rear frame rails have to be shortened to allow clearance for the trailer when turning. The location of the 5th wheel from the rear cross member in very imortant.

Cat Man

[hwade]

Hello Catman

thanks for that info.do you have to shorten rails or does that depend on what sort of trailer I am going to pull. I might even end up having to build a trailer.Do you have any pics of civy trucks.


Thanks


Howard

[hwade]

Hello Guys, Does anybody else have any more pics or information on the tractor units there must be some out there somewhere.

Thanks

Howard

[Paul]

Hello Howard,

I don't know if you have acces to Wheels&Tracks number 31 of the late Bart vanderveen, but on page 39 (in the article about GMC CCW-353) you will find two pictures of such a truck in the colours of the Australian army during the war and one pre-war picture of a Dutch example taken in 1947 in Netherlands East Indies.
The Australian ones are coupled to a 7-tons GS semi-trailer. These trailers were originaly coupled to Dodge T110L5 Ford V8 4x2 and 'Blitz' 4x4 tractor units. The conversion was done by General Motors-Holden. Maybe some Australian collectors will have photos of these combinations. Maybe you also can try http://www.mapleleafup.org.

I've got also a article of field modifications which has a photo of a American used GMC modified to tractor unit during ww2, the trailer was build with parts of another GMC.
Give me a PM if you're interested, then I can sent a scan to you of the article of field modifications.

Greetings
Paul

[hwade]

Great Stuff Paul

Thanks very much for the information I will pm you with my email my big problem is finding a fifth wheel coupling,theres plenty of modern ones about but I am having problems tracking down a fortys fifth wheel.

Thanks


Howard.

[hwade]

Hello Paul

I have sent you a pm, cant wait to see the information on the vehicles.

Thanks

Howard

[mcspool]

Howard,

Although I think you have put up your CCKW for sale in the meanwhile, here is a picture plus some info from Crismon´s book on US Wheeled Vehicles. Also some more pictures of the CCKW tractor featured earlier in this thread.

Hope this helps,
Hanno