Frequently Asked Questions about CCKW's

so far...

 

1. How much does one cost?

   CCKW's range in price from "get it out of here" to over $20,000. Of course the condition and rarity of the model will help dictate the price.

    

2. Are they hard to find?

   That depends upon how much you want to spend and how much time you have. If you look in one of the military vehicle magazines such as MV magazine, Supply Line, you will usually find some for sale. Many times you can still find them in someone's back yard or being used by some Town or State agency. You cannot get them from the US government. They got rid of them in 1956.

    

3. What kind of bodies can they be equipped with?

   The most common is the cargo body. The most common other types include dump cargo, shop van, and water or fuel tankers.

    

4. Are they hard to drive?

   Not really. They are not as big as they look. They are narrower than a more modern deuce. You will need to learn how to double-clutch to shift the transmission. This is easily learned, especially with the Clark 5-speed transmission in the CCKW. They are long and doing a U-turn must be well planned. They steer quite easily while moving and with two hands when stopped.

    

5. How comfortable are they?

   They are fairly comfortable. Being a truck, they are sprung to carry heavy loads and when empty will give a rough ride on a bumpy road. The closed cab is hotter in the summer than the open cab. The open cab is colder in the cool weather. The closed cab is somewhat dryer in the rain.

    

6. Are they expensive to operate?

   That depends upon you definition. A CCKW will get from 3 to 12 mpg depending upon conditions. Conditions that greatly affect mileage are hills, load (both carried and towed) and stop and go driving. Most parts are readily available. Tires run about $135 each and the 8 rears will last about 30,000 miles. The fronts will only last about 5,000 miles.

    

7. How hard are parts to find?

   Many parts can be purchased at your local auto parts store; bearings, seals, U-joints to name a few. Other parts such as engine gasket sets are till made. That series of engines was made from 1939-1962 in the US. Some parts are more specific and have to be purchased from a military vehicle parts dealer.

    

8. What are the hardest parts to find?

   Rear bodies for any model are hard to find in the US. In Europe, where we left thousands, they are more readily available. So if you get a 'great deal' on a chassis and cab, consider the cost of the rear body.

    

9. What rear cargo-type bodies can be fitted?

   One expedient while looking for a rear body is to use a M211/M35 modern deuce cargo body. These are 8" wider but the same length and look quite similar.

   For original WW2 rear cargo bodies; take care. Watch out for a bed that measures 70" inside width by 108" long and looks similar to the CCKW-352 2½ Ton bed, except the outside dimensions look different where it supports the side walls of the all steel bed. It's from a Chev 1½ Ton.

   Confusing? Here is an excerpt from an 'Army Motors' article, "Nit Pickers Guide to World War II Cargo Truck Bodies", by Bryce J. Sunderlin of Lansing, Michigan: "The most common glitch is the short, 108" long body for the Chevy 1½ Ton, 4x4 (G-506) and the short wheelbase GMC CCKW-352 2½ Ton 6x6 (G-508). Both bodies are 108" long. But, the body for the Chevy 1½ Ton is only 86" wide overall, versus the 88" overall width for the GMC CCKW-352. For some unknown reason the sides of the Chevy body were set in further, being only 70" inside width, while the GMC body offers an 80" inside width. Don't ask me why this is, it just is."

   This should answer the question concerning the dimensions, 86" x 108" with 70" inside dimension.

   Q - "What I need is basic info about the bed's construction: how many "ribs" are there in the floor, what are they made of, what size are they, what size is the metal in the side of the bed?"

   A - "The Chevy 1½ Ton bed and the CCKW-353 2½ Ton bed have a large section in the front, just behind the front of the body and under the floor where there are no stringers that ride on the frame. This is to allow the spare tire, on its holder to pivit (hinge) on the frame, and go in between the underside of the cargo body and the top of the frame rails. You must be careful moving these bodies. If you drag them and the front gets hung up, you will probably bend the front of the body."
   [cut from MV Mailing list Mar 2 1999]

    

10. Are 'Deuce and a Halfs' hard to work on?

    No, actually they are in many ways easier to work on than a WW2 Jeep. They have a 'modern' engine in that it has overhead valves unlike most WW2 era vehicles. The parts are larger, heavier and you will need a slightly heavier duty floor jack (3 tons min). Remember Safety First with anything you work on.

     

11. Do I need special tools to work on them?

    The only special tools are a heavy jack and jack stands capable of 3 tons. In addition, an axle nut wrench is recommended which can be purchased at an auto parts store or fleamarket.

     

12. How fast can you drive them?

    This is a subject of great debate. The dash plate says 45 mph maximum. Remember, these are long stroke engines and the only new thing in them is the oil. If you exceed 45 mph consistently, you will eventually throw a connecting rod, usually number 1. If you must go faster there are other ways.

     

13. How easy are they to stop?

    They stop exceptionally easy. They have a very powerful brake booster similar in function to that of a passenger car.

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