TooTallMike

Hi, There seem to be very few surviving Kenworth M1A1s. I currently know of one in the UK undergoing restoration by an HMVF member, and two in Australia belonging to a different HMVF member. As far as anyone has been able to establish there is no difference between the two makes of M1A1 other than the chassis numbers. At delivery the Kenworth whiffle tree was cast rather than fabricated, but 75 years on that is now no indication of manufacturer! The cast Whiffle tree is shown on an M1 on p37 of the article in Wheels and Tracks no.3. The bumper in the photo is an earlier one which has been fitted to a later truck. Tankograd No.1001 states 1,323 Kenworth model 352 (M1A1) built between 1943-1945. - MG

Looking for a good bulkhead/cab for Dodge WC to save us having to repair all the dents and rust in the one we've got. Cash waiting. Thanks Mike 07747 772838 (I'm near Gatwick but anywhere considered.)

It was certainly still for sale last time I was in there. I put the details on the 'surviving Ablion CX22s' thread on here. - MG

I think there are few few WW2 trucks that have genuine known histories. An awful lot of them have stories attached to them by owners which are not much more than wishful thinking. As Nick says, we believe it was ex-Norwegian and also thought it might have a been a 70's film prop as there was sand paint among the many layers of green. Certainly it has had so much work done to it over the years that it just has to be taken as found. Nothing on it could be used to reliably date it other than the chassis no. Glad you're enjoying it and it looks great with the markings. Regards - MG

Agreed, I have not heard of any equipment being supplied directly to local authorities. In fact the only lend lease vehicles I have come across that were not directly issued to the military were the FWD CU-COEs supplied to timber companies for extraction and transport. There will no doubt be other examples of which I am unaware. It is much more likely that your truck was purchased by the council post-war upon de-mob and then converted. The other one which springs immediately to mind is the ex-Billy Smarts NM at the Bentley Widfowl Trust's Motor Museum in Sussex. There is a forum thread here about it: http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?38516-Billy-Smart-s-Mack-at-Bentley-Wildfowl-and-Motor-Museum You should also speak to Geoff Maskell from Durham who was known as 'Mr Mack' due to the number of their trucks he has had over the years. I can PM you his contact details if you are interested and he will no doubt be able to put you in touch with other owners. Regards - MG

I believe there is a proper tool that engages with the lugs but I've never seen one. Pliers and a rag always work fine. - MG

Hi Paul, Hold the body of the switch behind the dash. Undo the bezel anticlockwise using a pair of water pump pliers and a rag to protect the paint. The switch itself comes out from behind the dash with wiring still attached. Be careful not to earth the live terminal against anything as you bring it out. - MG

No problem, thank you very much for pursuing it. Regards - MG

A while ago someone posted asking for photos of the air plumbing on an M1A1 bulkhead. I cannot find that thread but I promised that when I had time to dig out my spare bulkheads i would take a photo. Below are photos of a very original spare one and my yellow truck. Hope this helps for whoever it was? MG

Hi, As already stated TM 9-801 covers all basic operation, maintenance and repairs If you are likely to do any more in-depth mechanical work it would also be worth considering the following: TM 9-1801 'Power train, chassis and bodies' and TM 9-1802A 'Power plant for 2 1/2 ton...' If you are interested in the historical aspect of the truck especially with regard to accurate restoration the following are very good: "GMC CCKW-352/353" (mixed French/German text) by Becker and Dentzer (very rare book but worth watching out for) "The GMC CCKW Truck in U.S. Service" by David Doyle ISBN 978-0-89747-724-6 "GMC Un Camion de Legende" (French text) by Jean-Michel Boniface ISBN 2-7268-9323-6 (nb. this is a revision of their original English-language book "The GMC 6x6 and DUKW a Universal Truck" ISBN 0-85429-860-6 which has been out of print for a long time but copies occasionally come up for sale) Regards - MG

Thank you Alex, A friend also kindly pointed me towards them too. I now know they sell more than just Jeep parts. I had no idea due to their company name...! In fact we have sourced a working starter close to home which will be fitted this weekend. Regards - MG

Thank you all. This is interesting stuff! - MG

Berliet and yellow peril Ward laFrance will be there. - MG

Uregntly looking for a starter for a GMC CCKW. Any condition considered as I only actually need the nose cone. Cash waiting or happy to do bank transfer. - MG 07747 772838

Starting from cold this morning it went 'ping' and now rattles again. Not surprised, but now I'm after a starter. Any condition considered as I only need the nose. Regards - MG

Once it was all cleaned up I found some sections were cleanly fractured while others were more jagged. I feel that dodgy casting may have been a contributing factor. I welded it back together and it has started 5 or 6 times today without breaking off again. I have been entirely open with the customer and warned him that it will probably not last. The unit spins fine so fortunately is not bent. Regards - MG

Thank you very much for your research. I'm pleased it was more interesting that just baked beans or toilet rolls! I will pass this info on to Dad. Regards - MG

Hi folks, I've been meaning to post this for years but never got round to it. My Dad has a wooden crate in which he keeps my maternal Grandfather's childhood meccano. The crate was found in the attic of my parents' previous house in the mid 70s and Dad covered it with old curtain fabric and fitted it with casters and internal trays to make it more useful. One time when tinkering I noticed that the crate is actually WW2 German. It is in perfect condition which is especially surprising given it's only made of softwood. He thinks the hinges and lock-downs were original. As can be seen there is a swastika-stamped label on the inside. I can see there were 21 items and they were packed in 1943 but the rest escapes me. I have no idea what markings there may be on the outside as it's covered and Dad cannot remember. It is not for sale (unless it's worth millions in which case we can talk) but we would be very interested to know what it was for? Also any theories on how it ended up in such good condition in the attic of a suburban South London semi! Regards - MG

Photo:

Hi folks, So, having dealt with the hideously blowing manifold on a customer's GMC I could finally hear the engine itself and was horrified at a random rattle that became apparent from the moment it was first started. I went through everything I had done (had removed head to drill out broken studs etc.) but all was fine. Using a piece of tube as a stethoscope I was able to narrow it down to the rear right side of the engine but after that it was hard to tell. After much head scratching I thought it might be something loose in the clutch but when I pulled the lower access cover off it was obvious that the nose cone had snapped off the starter and was rattling against the flywheel. I have no idea how long it has been like this as everything is so filthy it's not possible to tell from its condition. I've not seen this before so is it common? I'll post a photo when photobucket starts working again... Regards - MG

Sale agreed. - MG

Is this the truck that came from Army Cars? If you think that's bad I'll post a photo of the birds nest of wiring under the dash of the GMC I'm about to re-wire for a customer! I'm away at the moment so I'll have a look on my truck at the weekend and see whether the buzzer is in the same location as on yours. Hoping to get to my spare bulkheads in the next couple of weeks... - MG

For sale 12 x 12 tent: canvas top, steel poles + liner. Some minor repairs were done to the canvas ages ago and it was re-waterproofed a few years back. Selling due to lack of use. £350. Collection from Gatwick area or delivery by separate negotiation. - MG 07747 772838

Speedy cables in Cardiff fixed one for me with exactly the same problem a year or so ago. Cost about £50 including shipping to and from. - MG

Hi Jeff, I've had a look on my yellow truck and the buzzer unit is on the firewall under the centre of the dash but I thought they were originally to the left of the steering column? If mine sounds correct then I will happily post a photo for you. I have three complete spare cab bulkhead/cowl assemblies which I can look at but it won't be for a few weeks as they are due to be moved once their new storage area is complete. I doubt any still has the unit on there but there should be holes and witness marks. - MG