1940 Federal 606 C2 Wrecker

[sbshafer2]

I recently bought this 1940 Federal 606.
I have found extremely limited information on it and would like to start with finding DETAILED information on the wrecker equipment. It was driven 32 miles home and runs beautifully with the original Hercules HXD.
Had to save it from going to the scrap yard. A beautiful diamond in the rough in my opinion.

Thank you all!

 

[ridingshotgun]

Nice! Welcome to the site. Wish I could help you out with some info, but all I can do is admire your find! Hope you put tons of pictures on here of all your progress.

 

[Matt1970M35A]

Hay its got my name painted on it!

 

[1965M151A1]

The fact that you drove it home is the best part! I am helping a friend restore his 1942 International Crash Truck, there is very little information on this, but that has not stopped him. I am sure you will find a lot of support here and the information will come when needed. Good luck and I always like to see more pictures!

 

[sbshafer2]

Thank you! It will definitely be an adventure! I will take plenty of pictures when I can. S- Cam air brakes work great and so do the horns and steering powered by an air ram. All three pto's and six wheel drive! Even the vacuum windshield wipers. It's pretty rough on the bad country pavement but runs pretty smooth in the fields! I have managed to find enough to get started at any rate.

 

[insanejecke]

That is awesome man wish you best of luck.

 

[clinto]

That's a great score, good on you for saving it. Although finding the right rear body will be difficult.

I wish I could help, but my knowledge of these is near non-existent.

 

[NDT]

Welcome to this site and the WWII heavy club. There are some C2s around for parts, one in MI I have heard of. Jaap Riesveldt in Belgium has knowledge and parts. I have some HXD parts. Good luck and let me know if you want to sell her!

 

[sbshafer2]

Thanks NDT! I have heard of similar trucks in Michigan in at a place called Sweeny's but I haven't made the drive yet. As far as the engine I don't think it needs anything accept an exhaust manifold. If I can't find one I can probably have it made.

 

[sbshafer2]

Ahh! As far as selling her goes I think she may be something I hold onto my whole life! haha! Any idea how much a truck like that is worth though? Just out of curiosity. I don't think I could find a single picture or mention of a 1940

 

[1965M151A1]

We posted some pictures of the 42' restoration to the SAVOY 6 page on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/SAVOY-6/380827175348863 it will show you that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[maddawg308]

Value of an uncommon truck like that is hard to determine. And just because something is "rare" doesn't mean it's worth more either. What is it worth? What is it worth TO YOU? I've seen people hold onto POS cars because they have a memory attached to it, to them the car is priceless. A vehicle is worth what folks are willing to pay for it. So, short answer is, what did you pay for it? Then, whatever it is, that's the value.

It's a neat looking vehicle, I can't ever remember seeing another one like it. The fact that it runs great make it all that much more cool. Most vehicles from WWII era are found in basket-case condition and take YEARS to get running again. You already have a head start!

 

[1965M151A1]

Checking my library, I found a picture of the truck on page 156 of World War Two Military Vehicles Transport & Half-tracks, by G.N. Georgano. The picture shows it functioning as a prime mover for a 4000 gal tanker.

 

[1965M151A1]

Example picture

Here is the picture of the truck.
It doesn't look like you will need much to put it back to this condition, most of the major parts are still present, looks like you would need a brush guard and some lighting and mirrors.

 

[maddawg308]

The wrecker bed will be a PITA to try and find, I doubt you will ever find it. Perhaps you would consider putting an early deuce bed onto it and making it into a one-of-a-kind truck to bring to rallies? Maybe putting a 5th wheel plate on it and make it into a tractor, as shown in the book of 1965M151A1's.

 

[73m819]

Here is the picture of the truck.View attachment 426064
It doesn't look like you will need much to put it back to this condition, most of the major parts are still present, looks like you would need a brush guard and some lighting and mirrors.

That is a early 605, a F1 tractor, you can see one of the spares sticking out behind the cab,
If I had the truck, I would convert it to a 605, it would be easier then finding the aircraft recovery wrecker bed/crane/equipment

 

[sbshafer2]

Hmm that is a good picture! The Federal 605 and 606 are nearly identical , however, the 605 has a 5 foot longer wheel base. I kind of love the how the C2's look with the old cable cable style wreckers I thought I could make one if i got enough pictures and measurements. I am looking for a large pto winch to use on it as well. Everyone harasses me about this baby because "it's not practical" ask me what I am going to do with something like that. I tell them what can't I do with it! The gentleman that had it before me used it to pull his 36 foot Chris Craft around on a trailer with locked axles. His plan was to put an old deuce bed on it.

 

[Wolfen]

Nice find!

 

[clinto]

Everyone harasses me about this baby because "it's not practical" ask me what I am going to do with something like that.

No toy on Earth is practical. Antique cars, sports cars, boats, airplanes, etc. They're all expensive and the only way to do a cost/benefit analysis is to somehow quantify the joy you get out of them.

 

[91W350]

What state are you from, the site requires that be filled in, instead of just the United States. It really does not matter to me, except that I took a phone call about an early 40's Federal truck not far from Wichita, Kansas. I was going to go look at it and see if I could find the owner a buyer, too much project for me. The guy that called me said it still had booms and winch on it. Glen