General Motors Truck
Yes they say General Motors Truck on the sides and have GMC badges on the top of the rad grille. I always think, as do others it seems, that the '39-40 GMCs look very much like the equivalent Chevrolets with a similar but not identical grille.
The US Army used ACX-453 Models in two chassis lengths. The British Army used diverted French order ACK-353 4 x 4 158" wb trucks, very similar to the Tractor units. However can anyone add anything please about the diesel sets on the trailers? Could they have been AA radar set generators? It appears that the Census lists are wrong and that the Superior Coach trucks were in fact bodied by Superior, on GMC chassis..the GMC Parts Book listing suggests that these were the same as the US military 1940 Model AFKX-352 "Superior Arms Repair Body" so Forward Control/COE 4 x 4. There is a drawing of one of these trucks in the Parts Book. It was a chassis-cowl unit. Support for this suggestion has come from a photo of a cab-less short wheelbase COE GMC with an apparent "home-made" pickup bed, with no roof that was used by General Motors Limited in 1941 at Cleckheaton just after they moved from Southampton. This was apparently used as a towing cum fetchit truck and I have often thought that it was a transit-damaged truck. The Searchlight trucks with the crewcab however had the GMC chassis and front screen so that it could not have been one of those [AFWX-354].
Note that although the Census list quotes 6 x 6 drive, I have seen a photo of a GMC 4 x 4 say ACK-353 towing a van-type trailer with fixed coupling.
I have never seen the contract style "SR/XXXXX/Y" format before...DDs was Diverted Deliveries, and so I a would be grateful for any thoughts on that aspect as well please!
I should add that the 1940 Model AFKX-352 was the only BRITISH order for GMCs before the CCKW-353 etc as all others that were landed were diverted FRENCH orders.
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