Wooden cargo beds... more than one type

[pfarber]

Ever notice that things LOOK the same UNTIL you actually LOOK at them? Take wooden cargo beds for the GMC CCKW.

A September 1942 AM article states that full scale conversion/production of the wooden beds by the cargo bed manufacturers took place in September 1942. And CCKW trucks started to roll of the line with them that month.

Here is a factory photo of a CCKW wooden cargo bed, note the highlighted support. The white line is the stake pocket. The red line is a wooden side support. It is between the middle angle support and the middle stake pocket. This image is the stock ID photo from TM9-801 April 1943. The top image is of the 353, the 352 is below it.. but the extra support is missing.

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So what you say? Well, let look at some further photos.

From the Tankograd Publications Page 33. This picture is EXCELLENT as it shows the support is GONE and the picture is DATED! Sept 16, 1944.

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The added support is gone? Well, the Tankgrad has this excellent picture on page 13. It's both enlightening and confusing.

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Two open cab CCKWs, one WITH the support (right side) one WITHOUT (left). The only idea on production dates is the running boards. The Early/Mid 43's had NOTHING mounted on the running boards. The CCKW on the left has a fuel can mount on the running board, that is a clue to a LATE (September-ish) model. Also the CCKW on the right has a gas can mounted on the read splash guard. The 1942 AR850 notes that there should be a National Symbol (Star) on that gaurd....so again, an early 43 or even LATE 42. Since the photo was snapped in 1945 that would explain the late type canvas doors, they were replacements.

So what about the 352 wood body? I could not find a picture WITH the extra support. I did fine this picture of a G506 wood body.. note the extra supports. Could the 1.5 ton need the same supports as a 2.5 ton cargo bed? The Chevy wood bed looks like a shrunken 353 body... extra supports and all!

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Here is a picture of my wood bed mounted on the truck before disassembly. The DoD is 4/43 and the frame SN was 166943-B1 It was a classic early 43.. bare running boards, Type 1 hydrovac, wood bed.

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So, did original wood beds have the extra support? Was it a manufacturer thing? The 4-43 Tm9 shows the support, but I have the bed off a 4-43 truck WITHOUT the support. If you said that there are no LATE war truck pictured with the support here is a very late production (tool mountings on running boards)

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My guess is that yes, either will do. But 352s didn't seem to have this extra brace, but Chevy 1.5 tons did.

[retro-roco]

Paul,

any chance this would have anything to do with the "air transportable" trucks, that were chopped into sections so they could be moved by plane?

[deadline]

I will admit that I never considered the airborne modded CCKWs.

I don't see how the wood bed would be at all suitable for the airborne mod. The one I remember seeing had a bolted steel bed.

The first pic of the 353 at the top of the thread is straight out of the April 43 TM9-801. I don't think the airborne trucks were even around in early 43/ late 42.

From what I remember, the bed is partially disassembled. I think the cross sills had a cut and were held together by a plate and some bolts.

The former Marshall Museum in the Netherlands used to have a few good pics of one but I could not find it.

If you have any information it'd be great to read it. But in all honesty I think it was more of a manufacturing issue than a specific modification. The sides of the wood bed where the Achilles heel and there are many photos of the sides bulging under load.

[deadline]

Here's an airborne dumper:

http://www.british-cars.net/mg-midget-s ... 188685.htm

A video of an airborne dumper:

http://www.busireland.net/353/gmc-cckw-353-h1

Another airborne with a steel bed ( another dumper)