The GMC CCKW

This truck was donated to the museum a few months ago. The frame says it is a few thousand numbers older than my 41 CCKW. By the frame # it should be a April of 1941 352 with winch. The cab has no data plates. It looks like it went through some kind of "Pimp my CCKW" show with all that chrome.

My question is has anyone ever seen a hood like this? I was told it is original.



Here is the truck

If it has Air Force History, you may have your answer.

standing on the hood maybe?

I would agree with Dr Deuce , Can't think of any other reason there would be a need to reinforce the hood like that ?

It for sure is some device for some sort of support holding something on the hood.
But do not know what. Those foure holdes seems very close to each other, so it can not have been any big suporter, but clearly for something heavy.
Perhaps a stand for some sort of a crane moutned on the back?
Any evidence on the frame for anything "unusual"?

Rolf

The cab is not original to this frame. The frame has been butchered up real bad.

Well the ad on on the hood are riveted on and not bolted, so my suggestion must be that is was done in a factory and not as a field modification.
Is there any dataplates left in the cab telling serialnumber?
I do think if they still is in place it would be missing the suffix to the end.

Rolf

The only data plates left in the cab talk about checking the water and oil. All of the ID data plates are gone.

It's got to be a repair, and if the hood was on a truck from the Air Force and the repair and rivets are aluminum it is typical of that era.

Seen it before, Air force Sheet Metal Shops were clever and repaited many a truck body.

I have a photo of a K-53 circa 1944 with the same hood.
It may be because of the rack above the cab, if you're putting stuff up there you'll have to step on the hood/cowl area.
When I get home I'll post the photo.

Later,

the basic hood is original, the bracing who knows , as for the rear frame some factory or Military rebuild depot must have done the conversion work perhaps a man lift had been fitted.
Perhaps someone will recall seeing a CCKW modified like this one?

Here's the photo of a K-53's hood "somewhere in the Med, circa 1944"

The bumper markings are :

ELMS-S-AIR-SIG-ST3
ELMS- -B2R


I hope this works!



Looks the same to me.

Those curves seem to be too smooth to be done not without an English Wheel which would have made that much more labor intensive.

If this is a feature to the K-53, it is hidden away with the specifications for that vehicle. The SNL does not list a special hood for those vans, only standard CCKW Hood is listed. The agency responsible for procurement of the Vans would have it written into the specifications if the CCKW were to be equipped with a special Hood. I have no Idea what has been turned over to MVPA by TACOM in the way of files, either Art or John Pope is in charge of them, and it will be quite a while before there will be a way for all to access 100% of the records.

Now we have a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

The anwser may be in how the K-53 in the photograph was being used.

Can anyone figure out the bumper markings:

ELMS-S-AIR-SIG-ST3


The AIR and SIG are easy, but the rest?

Later,

What about the rest of the bumper, how is it marked?

No other markings on the bumper, but the same markings are on the left and right side of the K-53 Van body.


look to the rear of the van past the GI removing the sealing tape, same markings.

Here's a rear view of the same CCKW.


Note the "tripod like" brackets on the roof.

I give up, I just ppent an hour trying to untangle the unit markings. I do know where to go in day time tho.

Hey Guys,

My CCKW has the same reinforcements on the hood. I thought it was crazy when I first saw it but figured it had to be done for a reason. I still don't know the reason but it was mentioned in one of the earlier replies that it might had something to do with Air Force requirements. My truck was also assigned to the air force. If it makes any difference mine is a closed cab.

I remember a letter to Army Motors many years that had the same type of hood re-inforcement with rivits and the CCKW had RCAF markings on the side. There-in might be part of the answer.