1941 GMC CCKW 353 Restoration Project

[Frank USMC]

I used Jim Carter for my Chevy G506.....I would give him a D minus to an F
Ordered the wrong part, as his catalog was hard to navigate, I found after I ordered the part, it was the wrong one.
TRIED FOR WEEKS...leaving messages on his web site, e-mails and phone messages....never heard nothing. Just gave up trying and put the unopened box in my barn.
The part, to this bay is still in my barn unopened because I found out the web site one was wrong, if you had his catalog it was correct.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

[jesse]

Never had a bit of trouble navigating their site, or communicating with them. I would give them an “A”. Dealing with parts dealers is always the worst part of restorations. There are a few that are enjoyable to deal with. Jim Carter is one. I have no affiliation with them.

[70th Division]

Hello,

Another step in the right direction on the GMC project !!

The winch is here now, after a 1000 mile road trip.
My brother and friend were driving through and were able to pick it up and bring it home.

This will really be a huge step on the road to full restoration soon.

Now I have to still get some rear frame sections to extend the frame rails back to where they should be.
Once I get those, the truck will be pretty complete for parts to get in put back together.

Some other parts from LWD are on the way from Holland via France, and also some additional parts from France like a battery box cover and such.
Here are some pictures of the winch and frame extensions for it.

I am excited about getting this Garwood CCKW Winch here !
One more big piece of the GMC CCKW puzzle, coming back together
I will cut and weld the frame extensions onto the riveted on extension section still on the truck.

The drive shaft for the winch was cut, so I am hoping it can be welded back together too !

Best Regards,
Ray

[kw573]

A winch is an excellent addition.

Regarding the drive shaft, I have discovered that they are a fairly standard engineering design and the parts can be purchased from an agricultural engineering type business surprisingly easily.
The same holds for chain-drive parts. The end-of-winch-cable chain is the same size as the cable, i.e. 1/2".
I 'make' my own chains by adding end fittings to modern chain. Hardest part is finding the correct hook.

But I'm not in USA.

My 2 cents.

Sam.

[mudflap]

Hi Ray,

Nice find!

Gar Wood winches were made here in Detroit - not too far from where I live.

As Sam mentions, once you get the winch mounted, it shouldn't be too difficult to get the drive shaft back in business.

I'm sure there must be a clutch / driveshaft shop somewhere near you. You could either search online, or maybe ask any Jeep/4x4/off-road truck enthusiasts in your area. They frequently need drive shaft work done, either to lengthen existing ones, or fix broken ones. They should be able to steer you in the right direction.

If you totally strike out down in your area, and don't mind paying for shipping, there is a really good place up here in MI that I can recommend.

TTYL

Best Regards...

Bob

[W. Winget]

Don't neglect PTO shafts for tractors are often identical to winch shafts. They can be ordered online in sorted lengths and components, or maybe a local Tractor Supply store.
V/R W. Winget

[70th Division]

A winch is an excellent addition.

Regarding the drive shaft, I have discovered that they are a fairly standard engineering design and the parts can be purchased from an agricultural engineering type business surprisingly easily.
The same holds for chain-drive parts. The end-of-winch-cable chain is the same size as the cable, i.e. 1/2".
I 'make' my own chains by adding end fittings to modern chain. Hardest part is finding the correct hook.

But I'm not in USA.

My 2 cents.

Sam.

Hello Sam,

Thanks for the great advice !!
I will be on the watch for a hook for the winch

The fitting for the winch end is there for the drive shaft, but not the one to connect it to the PTO under the truck.
Here is what it looks like on the PTO box end :

Plenty of grease and gunk caked on since 1941 !!
The shaft looks like new so that is nice !
I packed the blob of grease back onto the shaft .

My friend Thiery in France is looking for one, so that will be great !
He is sending me a battery box cover that I am missing.
A few other parts arrived yesterday from LWD that went to France then to here.
He is also looking for a chain and hook, likely will be French, as there, most US hooks have been replaced by the French Army.

It is fun collecting all the missing parts that are needed for a full restoration !

Best Regards,
Ray

[70th Division]

Hi Ray,

Nice find!

Gar Wood winches were made here in Detroit - not too far from where I live.

As Sam mentions, once you get the winch mounted, it shouldn't be too difficult to get the drive shaft back in business.

I'm sure there must be a clutch / driveshaft shop somewhere near you. You could either search online, or maybe ask any Jeep/4x4/off-road truck enthusiasts in your area. They frequently need drive shaft work done, either to lengthen existing ones, or fix broken ones. They should be able to steer you in the right direction.

If you totally strike out down in your area, and don't mind paying for shipping, there is a really good place up here in MI that I can recommend.

TTYL

Best Regards...

Bob

Hello Bob,

Thanks for great ideas on repairing the shaft, and I will keep that mail order repair idea in mind !!
Hopefully I can find a place down here that can weld it back together.

The Garwood winch is a great find, tipped off by Frank USMC, which was great !
I am amazed at what Detroit produced during WW2, and before.
I am saddened at what happened to the city and its industrial capacity in more recent years.

Now if Frank can find me an all steel 1941 353 bed, that would be icing on the cake
There would be a huge savings in lumber right off the start !!

Then I could save my 1945 bed for an open cab someday.


Best Regards,
Ray

[70th Division]

Don't neglect PTO shafts for tractors are often identical to winch shafts. They can be ordered online in sorted lengths and components, or maybe a local Tractor Supply store.
V/R W. Winget

Hello LTC. Winget,

That is a great idea as well, there is some sort of mini shaft system added going to the rear where the farmer had a grain box on the back.
All that will be removed, but pretty interesting.

This truck is coming back together, piece by piece

I love it !!


Best Regards,
Ray

[70th Division]

Hello,

An update of
Good news !!

A fellow G member contacted me and said he had some CCKW frame rail sections available to repair my shortened rails.
These came from a 1941 GMC as well, that had been well used and turned into some time of home made tow truck.
From his great generosity, this truck will now be able to be repaired !!
Not only were they free, he even delivered them here to Florida as his Family lives very close in the next town over.

Thanks Rob, this is an awesome gift, I greatly appreciate it !!!
Good luck with your great restorations as well !!

Here are some pictures of the rail sections I can cut to fit and weld into position on the Jimmy :

My plan of attack on this is after I remove the welded in sections of bubba steel, I will trim a small section off of the front facing ends, and weld to the rear facing ends, to restore the actual end of the rail where the bumperettes bolt on along the sides of the frame rail.

If some GMC owner, here on the G, could provide me with the measurement from the center, or edge, of the rear most bumperette holes, to the very end of the frame rail, that would be great !
I would be able to repair these to fit !
Also since the new repair sections have the 3 little triangular holes in each rail that the pintle V brace attaches to, it will be pretty straight forward to cut the patches to fit the frame, because my truck frame still has those same holes .
The perfect fit can be made

I love it when a plan comes together !!

With these sections and the new winch and frame rails, we are really getting somewhere to get the project started !!

Best Regards,
Ray

[70th Division]

Hello,

Here are some additional new parts for the GMC, thanks to my good friend Thierry in France and LWD parts in Holland.

The number 1 part I am exited about, is the NOS door handle,
so I can now try to open the passenger side door for the first time in who knows how long !!!

Here is an NOS French fan belt, from Kleber-Colombes ,which is great !!

Here a great Kleber-Columbes calendar cover from 1952
This company started out as B.F. Goodrich in France early in the 1900's.
Factory was first bombed in 1942 through 1944.
Opened back up in 1944, and is now owned by Michelin.

This is an NOS rubber gas pedal for the closed cab CCKW, which I certainly need on this truck !
It came in its original box, as pictured.
Clark is the US forklift company, sold to a South Korean Company, by Ingersoll Rand in 2007. Clark is now owned by Hyundai.

Thierry also sent me 2 nice CCKW hood hold down latches

Thanks Thierry !!!!


Best Regards ,
Ray

[D.R.H.]

Looking good Ray. I've been talking with a good friend of mine in San Diego Ca. who has quite a few seals and other trinkets for the CCKW. I don't know if you would need them, but I might be able to put you two together and over the phone and you may come to an arrangement. Dave.

[70th Division]

Looking good Ray. I've been talking with a good friend of mine in San Diego Ca. who has quite a few seals and other trinkets for the CCKW. I don't know if you would need them, but I might be able to put you two together and over the phone and you may come to an arrangement. Dave.

Hello Dave,

Thanks !!

Yes that would be great , if you want to send me a PM, I would like to talk to your friend about the CCKW items.

I am always happy to find good parts !


Best Regards,
Ray

[D.R.H.]

Hi Ray, I hope that You're doing well. I talked to my friend about some Jimmy parts that He has and He is willing to speak with you. Please send me a P.M. with Your phone number so I can forward it to Him. I asked and was told that it is okay to give out his number and best time to talk, but only through P.M.

[ragnar]

Ray.
Just wanted to throw out some cost saving advice. I was looking at the pile of parts that you received from the Europe. You can find some of these parts here in the states. The fan belt is available commercially, NAPA or AutoZone. Be careful ordering things like paper gaskets and canvas items from Europe or anywhere. I learned early in my restoration endeavor that fifty plus year old paper and canvas shrinks. Even some of the metal parts from Europe are an issue. Everything that I have purchased from Holland, you have mentioned some of them, is top notch. The only issue with the stuff from Holland is that the shipping is beyond ridiculous. I am very cautious what I buy from France. I do not know what it is about, but almost all of the stuff that I have purchased from France looks like it was stored outside, rusty. Due to this I have avoided purchasing machined metal parts, things like trans and transfer case gears, from France. I just don't see the point of shipping scrap metal across an ocean. Frank's CCKWs in Canada is a great source for parts. Frank travels to the US occasionally, and I have travelled to Canada to visit Frank. I can always pick up stuff for you when I there. There are other great dealers here in the states and I am not intentionally omitting them. I feel that I am the king of moving CCKW stuff around the world on the cheap. I got four demountable banjo brake drums out of Switzerland for a little over $150.00, and a set, left and right, of running boards from Australia for free. I know that there are other reputable CCKW suppliers here in the US and I am not intentionally omitting them.

Your 41 CCKW looks great. I am so glad that you picked it up and are making the effort to restore it. Go to the hilt with it. Do not listen to the people that suggest corner cutting. I look forward to your updates during your restoration process. I have been working on an open cab 1944 airborne transportable CCKW for about 12 years now. Slow restoration process between deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. PM me if you are looking for parts or technical advice.