The GMC CCKW

It all started with me doing a living history display..... And a couple walks up and I tell them about the weapons and what they are and so forth. And then they asked what museum does all this stuff belong to? And I told them that 90% of the equipment, vehicles and weapons ther were on display were privately owned. And they were amazed. And the next question was were do you find this stuff? And I told them, other collectors, dealers, ebay, internet, friends, family and word of mouth.
And then they mentioned to me former family member/foreclosure, "TANK IN THE BACK YARD" yada yada yada....?
So with a grain of salt taken (I've heard crazy stuff from people at displays) I ask "where is this "Tank" and what is the address???
So after the Show/display a buddy of mine and I go looking for the mythical "tank in the back yard"
After searching the neighborhood and attracting the attention of most of the residents in the area we are about to give up. And I said "lets try this side street that goes behind the area maybe well see something. And as we are driving down the dirt street, There It Was..... And we both stated "HOLY SH%T"!!!!! It was not a tank but close..... An M-20 armored car.
So after finding out who the property owners were, getting contact information, phone calls, phone time and closing the deal yesterday. I'm now the owner of a M-20 Armored Car. It's a restoration project, stuff added needs to be removed, stuff removed needs to be reattached or welded into place and things have to be rebuilt. And at one time 1968 this was registered for on road use in NC.
But the next mission is the recovery. I'll take lots of pictures and film the process.
So if any of you have M-20/M-8 parts stashed away somewhere or know someone that does point them in my direction cause I need them.
Looks like the MB/jeep project gets pushed to the back burner (again) as the M20 has priority.

Doc, Great find, I'm green with envy. Can't believe that was in the Carolinas and "1944M8" didn't find it first. Congrats

Agreed...a great find.

Should be a interesting project to get working on.

Doc...I have to thank you. I told SHAEF about what your wife let you buy and showed her a picture of it. Now I am somewhat less in hot water than before.

I owe you a beer.

Bill,

Glad to be able to do my part and "draw fire" when a buddy is in the cross fire. So the water has simmered down from a rolling boil after the M-5 HST incident? That is good to hear. Or did you do something else you did'nt tell me about?

And Cold, Free and other people's beer is my favorite!!!!

WOW!!! What a find. The only word that comes to mind is jealous. Post lots of photos of the recovery.
Barry

BEWARE RESTORATION CREEP.......

A few years ago, when I finally got Annie the CCKW-Schield-Bantam crane on the road, I was standing back admiring it and just behind it was the cargo CCKW. As I was admiring the two of them together, It dawned on me that it was exactly 20 years from having one CCKW on the road to having 2 CCKWs on the road...

Then I realised that I have at least four more CCKWs to restore....
Quick calculation 4 x 20 = shock:

Then it occured to me that the reason it took 20 years between CCKWs 1 and 2 was that the Bomb Truck, Bomb Trailer, Water Buffalo, GPW, Searchlight Trailer, Airborne Bulldozer, etc came in between....

So when I read that you MB would have to wait....

Welcome to the DARK side



506

Well,
A quart of stripper later, scraping and a wire brush I have found the serial/hull number for my M-20 which is 2722-C. This puts my M-20 in late Nov early Dec 1944 production.

And yes once again the jeep gets pushed back, it was actually the first project vehicle. But then came the CCKW, which was running and mechanically very sound and big and cool. Compared to a frame up project like the jeep, so she was set aside..
And now we have an Armored vehicle. This surely must be restored before a jeep. Compare numbers of production, jeep VS. M-20 and the M-20's low production numbers make you deside M-20. And the most important thing is the COOLNESS FACTOR. Jeep a 1 compared to a M-20 a 8 on a 10 scale. A no brainer M-20 has OPERATIONAL PRIORITY!!!!!

It took 3 years for my M20 to go from a bare hull to complete vehicle, but there is always one more little add on detail
I can send you 1944M8's E-Mail address if you need it

Cheers
John

I've heard mention of "1944M8" on here and the "G" is this Mark Burroughs screen name? As I have not met him yet but he is a member of the NCMVPA chapter down here. I have his phone number but would prefur to drop him an Email first to break the ice.

I'm taking the GMC to a car show today on Ft Bragg at the request of the local classic car club. I stopped by last Saturday night with the CCKW at their weekly Cruze in Nite at a local Burger and Ice Cream shop.
I was met very very warmly by the group and was suprized at all the attention the CCKW was getting. I got a ton of questions from the guys and they were crawling under the truck checking things out, and I opened the hood so they could see what was in there? As they were trying to peek thru the vents on the side to see the engine. When I dropped the safety strap on the drivers side and let a few in the cab, they were shocked that I would let them do this as most hot rodders wont even let you touch their cars. They were amazed at all the shift levers coming up thru the floor. And whats that big pedal on the far right? Was another question. IE the starter. But middle ages men were smiling like school kids with a new toy in groups by the truck and not by their cars. And most of the hanging out and BS sessions were conducted by the GMC that nite.
I was expecting to be blow off as the "crazy military guy with the army truck" as there is no chrome, no 400hp, and no $3000 paint job. Instead I met a nice group of people who loved the truck as something different and for it's "rugged appeal". I got ton's of stories of gramp's old truck and questions about the GMC, comments and stories about the old dodge truck that someone had owned. I met some really nice people who appreciate classics vehicles no matter what they are! This opens up our hobby to groups of people that would not normally go to a "military show" But love old vehicles, and it lets them see 1st hand that you are not the "crazy guy with the army truck" And if you are, be on your best behavior. And share our hobby with a new group of people.
Try it at your local car club, hopefully you will get the same reaction and good time that I did.

The "alias" is correct

10-4 on the "cruise" nites I get the same reaction just wait till you drive in with the M20

Cheers
John

RE cruise nights:

A friend of mine got me one of those multi-colored feathery dustoff thingies that the car guys use with an extendible handle. I keep it in the cargo deuce and when I go to car shows and cruise nights, when I first get there, I take it out, extent it and "dust off" the .50 cal.....

I get even MORE looks and smiles.... I like to break agies

Ahhhhh, my 1st laugh of the day! But it's funny cause I thought of doing that at the car show yesterday...... But I did not do it.
I wish I cound be there to see you "dust off your 50.cal so I could see the people's expressions on their faces, priceless!
And ask Bill, I like to bust ball's also.....

Colin,

I noticed thru the faded and dirty paint on the M20 the name "White Owl Motor Company" Kinston NC.

There is a CCKW connection. White Owl has been for many many years a surplus dealer in NC. When I started my first CCKW project back in the late 1970's I was a regular White Owl customer. There were few other places that had stocks of NOS CCKW parts.

They are very much still in the MV business as White Own Parts Co. Inc.

Terry Kivitt used to be the guy to talk to there. It would be fun to see if they have any photo's of the M20 when they were using it as a recovery vehicle. By the professional lettering I'll be they had it for some time and could share the history.

When people ask me how we find this stuff, I tell them that when you reach about vehicle number three or four ""we don't find it, it finds us"!

What great fun. And remember, be careful when working on that armor stuff. It's heavy and it bites.

Cat Man

Cat Man,

Yeah I'm well aware of White Owl and have recently picked up a transfer case seal kit for my CCKW as well as a few other odds and ends. They have always been very nice to deal with and like you said, very knowledgable.
And a while back they did have a CCKW bolster truck for sale but its been sold. I thought about getting that before I bought my 353 cargo.
There is other writing in blue that is more faded than the White owl writing on the M-20. And that is some electrical company that welded the winch and the pully system to the M-20. They must of done that after they purchased it from White Owl. (I'm suprized White Owl had sold it to tell the truth). And they did the wire rigging for high tension wires.

And thanks for the warning on the heavy stuff and it biting back. I've worked on tracks and heavy equipment before so I'm well aware of them demanding their sacrifice of flesh and blood when working on them. In fact I warned Bill of the same thing when he got his M-5 HST.

Well, so far things have gone slower that I wanted as I had family come and visit this past week and could not get away to work on getting the M20 packaged up and home.
I 've got the fenders and skirts off and I was able to get all the frozen breaks to back off after I got the adjusters free. And was able to get air into the tires of the M20 and they are holding. After 40 years of sitting the run flats had a flat spot so airing them up will hopefully get her rolling easier.
But the shifter linkage is frozen and I think she is in gear so I may wind up pulling the driveshaft to get her rolling. But hopefully I can get her to move tomorrow.
The snakes living under the M20 claimed a victim, I found and had to deal with the smell of a dead cat 5 feet away from the M20 in 95 degree heat and no shovel to bury the damn thing! And to make things better my airing up the tires really pissed off the fire ants that were living under the flat spotted tires. So the one hand I had on the ground was attacked before I knew what was going on. I've had this wonderful burning itchy sensation on my left hand for the past few hours. The little ba$tards really got me good!
But I got things accomplished and I'm a bit closer to getting her home so today was a worth while adventure.

Doc, you are a better man than me. I could stand the smell of the dead cat but knowing that there was a snake close would have me out of there PRONTO!!!
Barry

Barry,

Is your 25 pounder the one I see being pulled behind Stefans CCKW once and a while? The last pictures he sent me in Iraq he had a 25 pounder behind "Big Ugly". I figured it has to be yours
I saw ton's of 25 pounders in Iraq sitting in the desert, rotting with a few limbers. All WWII dated. I'll see if I can find some in pictures.
And if you dont mess with Jake the snake he wont mess with you!

GADS
I hope you won't have to lay under there to long to remove that main shaft ( thank God for cold winters up here )



John

Hi Colin
The 25 pdr in Stefan's photos he sent you is probably his. Mine is here in Canada. I tried to quickly find a photo of Stefan and his gun from a parade we followed him in with me driving his Chev. C15TA. Now that is a real truck. Rolph has probably seen some of them in Norway. Anyway I couldn't find a photo but I did find this one of him and his C15TA in Normandy. It has a 270, the same as the CCKW.
Cheers,
Barry