1941 dukw

[wadefreedomvehicles]

So we just bought a DUKW. It is delivery date 11-41. It is in really good conditions and we got it for a good price. Looking for any more info on it, this is our first big WWII vehicle. It will be participating in all of Freedom Vehicles association's (freedomvehilces.org) events and such. Any help would be much appreciated, such as, why it is 1941 and what it may have potentially done. SN of 35316258.

 

[Flyingvan911]

Very nice!

 

[bigmike]

All I can is WOW! Great find.

 

[wadefreedomvehicles]

Thanks we are pretty proud of it, and in my home town too!!! So no major transporting. We changed one of the tires on it, because it has say like this for 20+ years, and so we switched it for the pare and on Friday we are going to go and see if we can get it running easily, if not we are gonna flat tow it with a M923.

 

[Steve Greenberg]

Hello,
Very nice looking DUKW. It cannot be a 1941 DUKW since they did not start production until 1942. S/N 16258 makes it a late 1944 or early 1945. What other info. are you looking for?
Steve

 

[wadefreedomvehicles]

My buddy found some research and told me that they did produce a few hundred dukws in 1941, and then in 1942 they went into full blown production, but if that is the correct sn, then the numbers shouldn't lie, I will get better pics of the plates and post them up.

 

[dmetalmiki]

That is a wonderful and very special vehicle. Good luck on the restoration. It will be nice to the see the pictures and write ups of the progress.

 

[wadefreedomvehicles]

Thanks, now we have two amphibious vehicles DUKW, and Gama Goat.

 

[magerdgr]

They only produced a couple of prototypes at the end of '41 for testing. Actual production began in late '42. The serial is in line with late '44 production so it's likely that the date stamp was a light strike and combined with age looks like 11 41 instead of 11 44.

 

[wadefreedomvehicles]

Well went out to do some work on it today to try and get it to start to drive home, but come to find out the engine is more than likely seized. Luckily with the purchase came another DUKW engine. So now we get to do an engine swap.

 

[tommys2patrick]

Still a pretty cool vehicle and all of the green iron will keep you busy. Sounds like your set up to tow anyways. Changing engines will give you a good shot to inspect, lube r&r other things as well. If it ran it might be too tempting to road it before you went thru it thoroughly. Keep us posted-did I mention its way cool!

 

[waayfast]

WOW, that is about the nicest DUKW I can recall seeing. Looks to be complete. Good score thanks for saving her!
Jim

 

[wadefreedomvehicles]

Yeah thank you all for having interest. We are way excited to have it, I cant quite say when we will do the engine swap on it, but it will be quite an experience, and it is a big draw vehicle. Thanks.

 

[SCSG-G4]

Definitely a later DUKW, because it has the sloped front windshield, which did not start till after the first several thousand were produced. It's covered in David Doyle's comprehensive book on them.

 

[wadefreedomvehicles]

Yeah, we looked up the sn, its is definitely a 44. and the hood underneath has marine green.

 

[LanceRobson]

If you flat tow it with a medium towbar you'll have to extend the legs about as far as they'll extend and take wide turns. The overhang on the DUKW is pretty far out past the shackle points. Wide turns help preserve the DUKW's sheet metal.

Nice looking machine. While you have the engine out you may want to fill it with water to find any leaks before you take it swimming (just saying....)


Lance

 

[wadefreedomvehicles]

good Idea, I dont have a tow bar so we will be using a heavy duty tow strap. more flexible and safer than a chain.

 

[kubotaman]

I agree with the suggestion above, go get a copy of David Doyle's "The complete DUKW", here is his website, you might be able to get it signed too at check out.

http://www.daviddoylebooks.com/Detail-80001-DUKW-1.htm

 

[wadefreedomvehicles]

Well on Tuesday, we towed the DUKW home using our 1991 M923 5 ton. WE went about 8 miles an hour on average and it took an hour to get home. We went so slow because the DUKW didn't have hardly any brakes and we didn't have time to get them to work. Overall, it was a very good recovery. It now sits in front of my house, waiting to move again.

 

[red]

Replacement engine is installed, waiting to be plumbed/wired in now