Locolines Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 I have a round ally plate on the side of my GMC which was bolted on, apparently doing nothing. The light shining in a certain way upon it caught my eye, and I noticed that there once was a large number "8" painted on it in a squarish style. it was sort of etched into the original yellow primer. Has anyone seen anything like this before , or know what it could signify ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gas 44 Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 I could be wrong as i often am but that sounds like a bridge plate to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locolines Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share Posted July 25, 2013 Possible i suppose But it's on the side of the truck bed .. Not seen a bridge plate there before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZIL157 Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Sounds like a bridge plate to me as well, is it the same as this one on my truck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally dugan Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 HI It sounds like a bridge plate but l unstood that the Americans followed the British way with bridge plates by fixing them to the front of vehicles seems strange to put it on the side but l bet someone knows why Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 The post war Norwegian way? Not seen a wartime plate attached in this position, and markings are not wartime pattern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locolines Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Sounds like a bridge plate to me as well, is it the same as this one on my truck?[ATTACH=CONFIG]80028[/ATTACH] yes its identical ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 After a quick photo search I'm certain this is a Norwegian marking - it was also also painted on open cabs on right side at rear behind cut-out. They used a classification of 8. The common wartime bridge plate should read 9/7 which is 9T laden with trailer (4.5T tare + 2.5T load + 2T laden Ben Hur) / 7T laden without trailer (4.5T tare + 2.5T load). You can find other numbers on bridge plates of restored CCKWs - 8 and 10 for example. Has anyone found evidence of anything but the 9/7 in wartime use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally dugan Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 As far as british use of GMC 352/353 in all my books on bridge plate numbers used between 1939 and 1945 it states the number 8 as the one to be used and thank you for explaining the number 8 in the picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Interesting, Wally. I must admit my wartime photo research has been limited to U.S. trucks, I had assumed the British used the same system. Off to the back of the class again :blush: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locolines Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Thanks for clearing up my mystery of the plate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Some time spent looking through a lot of published photos of GMCs (in U.S. army service) yields the following observations: WW2: + Bridge Plate use restricted to England / Europe + Only a minority of GMCs were fitted with bridge plates. + Of those fitted with plates, the majority show 9/7, but there are also a few 8, 6 (D Day loading), 9 (Studebaker),10/8 (ACKWX laundry unit), 7 (fleet of shop body trucks), 10/7 (Fuel tanker). + Red Ball Express trucks - majority not fitted with plates, all are painted out (were they red or green? No colour photographic evidence found yet). Post War Europe: France 10 (and just a few 9) Norway 8 Belgium 8 European Preservation: Most fitted with bridge plates! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally dugan Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 l SEE l am not the only one looking up American bridge plates after this l found a site which gave lists of vehicles and bridge class numbers if it is correct two and half ton GMCs where class 10 I Have always said do not know much about American trucks but love DODGES so you may not be on your own at the back of the class Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 I know just what you mean, Wally. It's one of those things you just assume you understand, but once you start digging you quickly realise you don't!! the 2 1/2 T loading should give a 9/7 rating, but this quickly became meaningless once they started loading the trucks up to maintain front line resupply. Are you looking at a British classification list? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally dugan Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 No its one on AMERICAN WW2 VEHICLE MARKINGS there is a section on bridge classification numbers and vehicle type may be like the british system lots of amendments over 4/5 years l have been looking at a differant subject on british markings and came across this quote this system is well covered by the regulations but still personal are using there own ihterpretation may be the yanks had some british signwriters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.