Starting CCKW Rebuild......Finally

[D6c]

After having owned this CCKW-353 more than 20 years I finally pulled it into the shop to start a restoration that hopefully won't take another 20 years.

Pulled the cargo box and cab and stored them away in another building so that I can begin with the chassis. The engine was pulled a couple of years ago. It was stuck and needed boring (one cylinder needed to be sleeved.)

One odd thing I ran across after I pulled the cab was a shut-off valve inside the RH frame rail. At first glance I thought it was a fuel shut-off but after a closer look I found it was in the brake line going to the front wheels. This can't be right can it? Did someone connect a fuel shut-off valve into the brake line for some reason? Can't imagine why there would be a shut-off in a brake line.

 

[hndrsonj]

Solid looking truck. Well if you had a brake leak in front, it would allow you to refill the master cylinder in an emergency????

 

[highfavor1004]

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[NDT]

Solid Jimmy! Yup that valve is factory, it is there for running through concertina wire, in case the brake hose is ripped off, you can keep on.

 

[Monkeyboyarmy]

Subscribed

 

[D6c]

I found this truck in Colorado Springs years ago when I was finishing up work on an MB and thought I wanted another project. Ended up never having the time or a good place to work until recently. Now that I've got a new shop it's my intention to put it in one corner and work on it as I have time.

The truck is fairly complete and I have two other trucks (not nearly as nice) that I can rob parts from. It's a little beat up, having been used to haul dumpsters but the only body rust is just a small amount on the lower front tips of the cab. The amazing thing is, this being a Colorado truck, all the bolts turn loose very easily! Apparently it's never seen any road salt....If it had been in Iowa all these years you would have to heat every bolt with a torch to have a chance of getting them loose.

On thing that's confused me is the yellow paint. It seems to be under the OD paint, which has flaked off a lot of the truck. One guy I know that was in the military in the '50's though maybe it was just corrosion inhibiting primer (zinc chromate he thought). He said they used to prime stuff yellow like that all the time.

Anyway, this will probably be a fairly long term project, and I'm sure I'll have a lot of questions along the way.

 

[NDT]

Post a pic of the yellow paint/primer. In your pictures, all I see is the usual faded WWII OD patina. These trucks take a while to restore. Only good thing about that is, you can buy a 7.50-20 tire every few months without killing the budget by buying them all at once.

 

[D6c]

Here are a couple of pics showing the yellow paint. The frame is mostly yellow but the cab is also yellow under the OD, even on the inside. There is even a bit of yellow left on the cargo box floor where a winch boom was mounted. It seems the OD didn't bond very well to the yellow as it was peeling and flaking off quite a lot.

 

[clinto]

Man, I'd really like to have a closed cab CCKW. Really like those things.

 

[turnkey]

Now that is a work in process...best work on that ...dont see many closed cab rigs anymore...

 

[D6c]

The two parts trucks I have are closed cabs too. Fairly early trucks....one is a '42 by the data plate. Too much paint on the data plate to read the other one but it's early enough to have the GMC logo on the front.

 

[mhassett]

Way cool thread. Will enjoy following this.

 

[D6c]

Finished up stripping all the wiring, brake lines, etc off the chassis today. Pretty much ready for sandblasting.

I'll probably drag it back outside tomorrow where it may sit for a while. I've got a lowboy trailer that I need to get in the shop that needs all new wiring plus I may add a pair of jacks so I don't have to block it up when I unhook from the truck. (I posted a few pics of the truck and trailer on the 5-ton forum a while back.) I've got all multi-volt LED lights so I can wire it up for use with either 12v commercial trucks or to 24v military trucks.

This thread may go dormant for a while but I will be back to the CCKW in not too long a time.

 

[nkawtg]

Have to subscribe......luv the closed cabs!!!!

 

[Another Ahab]

I'm in:

- Subscribed.

 

[jrs44jimmy]

This is on my dash ,open cab 1944

 

[muddog]

I'm watching.

 

[wrenchturner6238]

Nice project and good looking truck. I am going to keep up with this thread because I have a short wheel base cckw that at some point i will start to restore. I will need to find a cab though mine is rusted bad at the bead below the rear window.

 

[D6c]

Nice project and good looking truck. I am going to keep up with this thread because I have a short wheel base cckw that at some point i will start to restore. I will need to find a cab though mine is rusted bad at the bead below the rear window.

I will eventually have the leftovers from this restoration which will include the cabs from two other 353 trucks. Don't remember exactly how good they are as they're stored at my brother's place and I haven't looked at them in a while. Neither has a cargo box...one has a commercial flat bed with a hoist and the other is bare back. I'm sure both engines are stuck.

 

[68t]

looks great ' my nephew is working on a cckw 352'