My '42 CCW-353 GMC was delivered new into the N.Z. Army on 4th December 1942 as part of a consignment on the ship Joaquin Miller. Fortunately the N.Z. Govt still holds record of these transactions, & I was able to get details through a private military museum.
It spent about 10 years in the Army and was then sold for civilian use. An earthmoving contractor bought it & had it in storage for quite a few years, slowly converting it to 6x6 & R.H. drive. My father worked for this contractor during the late 50's but never saw the truck used. Eventually it was set up with a low-loader to transport a D6 Caterpillar - Generous load on NZ hills!
Sometime around 1970 it was fitted with a Ford 6 cyl diesel & worked until the contractor retired in the late 70's, then went back into storage once again with only 79,000 miles on the clock.
Around '95 my father decided to hunt it down & buy it, eventually wondering what he had done! One day he said to me -"Take it if you can use it, otherwise it goes"
I HELPED OUT!!!
I've since taken it back to original from bare chassis rails (except for the shortened wheelbase while being a tractor unit). I've re-fitted the 6x4 front axle (original & much better lock), a 270 engine with a re-conditioned head, new clutch, waterpump, fuel-pump etc.
The engine itself had no bore or bearing wear at all, so went in at low total cost.The chassis is now driveable, mainly just panelwork to go.
When the restoration is finished, I'm fitting a hydraulic gib crane to the truck to handle steel & machinery in our engineering business - plus some regular road trips!
Meanwhile it's giving a huge amount of pleasure & interest to me, my 11 year old son, & lots of customers. Even my ex-Navy wife likes it!
Happy Trucking!
