CCW Carrier transporter

[David Hardway]

Hi there

Jeff Plowman covered these in an issue of Wheels and Tracks as well

Dave

[Rob Beale]

From memory Jeff Plowman had a single dark image in his first edition of AFV of NZ. Jeff would be the one to describe the conversions done.

A friend who served in Italy, then post war in the NZ regular army, described carrying carriers side ways on the deck of a GMC so they could carry more than one! That was in the days when the Army did its own thing.

I have a Bedford RL which is adapted for carrying a carrier. It has a D ring in each corner for chaining it down, and timber planking on the steel deck for the tracks to sit on. It was done in the 1990's and was certified by a Consulting Enginner for use on the road. It allows for the truck to be stripped down to a flat deck if preferred to reduce weight, but still be within the law.

Rob

[jeff davis]

In no hurry have a look around.
are there very many of these trucks in your part of the world?

[Rob Beale]

There seem to be more in NZ than elsewhere.

The NZ Army had a fair number in WW2 and afterwards into the 1950's.

Many 6x6 were imported from the pacific after the war, and it seems many 6x4 were converted to 6x6 as they were of more use to farmers and contractors.

There are a few in captivity, and one nice one has a dog clutch on the rear drive shaft so as to reduce tyre wear when travelling on sealed roads.

Decks are a problem, as we don't have access to the fleets demobbed in NW Europe. I've seen some with cut down RL Bedford decks (which were once plentiful) and with the GMC side frames and a canopy fitted few notice the difference.

Rob

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Rob Beale

There seem to be more in NZ than elsewhere.

Decks are a problem, ..... I've seen some with cut down RL Bedford decks (which were once plentiful) and with the GMC side frames and a canopy fitted few notice the difference.

Rob

A couple of pics of NZ 6x4 GMCs, first with a GMC deck, and second with another deck (Rob is that an RL deck, or Civvy job?):

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I don't seem to have any British contract numbers for CCW-353 lorries. These are from my notes:

The 5-ton CCW-353 was a 1941 development of the CCKW-353 without the front-drive axle and transfer case partly emptied so that there was no front axle drive shaft and related components. First orders were in 1941 for the U.S.Q.M.C. for Defence Aid: DA-W-398-QM-62 for 2,000 trucks. QM-78 was for 2,100 trucks for British and/or Commonwealth forces in Middle and Far East, delivered 1942. QM-203 was for Lend-Lease [# 7001 to # 11440] during 1942; QM-11595 and W-398-ORD-2597 were for # 11705 to 26400 with bulk delivered 1942 and balance of 265 in January 1943.

CCW-353 5-TON 6 x 4 164 in. W.B. [REAR AXLES 44 in.] [SERIALLED # CCW-353-2003 to 4002; -353-4003 to 6102; 353-7001 to 353-1140; 353-11705 to 353-26400]

CCW-353: ENGINE: 270 CU. IN. [35.34 h.p.]; 5-SPEED CLARK GEARBOX; TRANSFER CASE: ONE-SPEED MODIFIED GMC 591321; I-BEAM FRONT AXLE: TIMKEN-DETROIT MODEL 31116-H-X4 AS USED ON AC-502 AND CC-351; REAR AXLES, BANJO, TANDEM BOGIE WITH TORQUE RODS CHEVROLET 3665609 & 3665610.

[Rob Beale]

The Kiwi made RL deck has a deep box section along the side of the deck, with pockets for the 4x2 box section posts that support the drop sides.

The stores deck has fixed bolted sides, but still on a deep box section.

The give away is the deck floor which has inverted 'V' ribs full length at about 6" centres

The photo shows a stores deck ( 4 hood bows vs 3 on the dropside deck)

Rob