I am old, 81, and in addition to having been around a lot of heavy equipment from very early in my life in the mid and late 50s, I did see modified WWII trucks like this, re-purposed for use in the logging industry. I saw 6x6s modified for every use, from skidders, to a set up similar to what you have, with a small deck, a winch and gin poles. All the ones I saw, seemed to be one off local modifications, and I never saw a set up that looked mass produced like that. My WWII truck story is, that my uncle was a welder, who built and modified logging trucks in the interior of BC. I would go off road, on remote jobs, as his helper, in a modified WWII Power Wagon with a 300 amp Lincoln. Some roads, were unbelievably bad, but we always got to the job done and got back. They might have been slow, but they were great trucks. We referred to that rear axle setup on your deuce and a half, as a walking beam, and it is amazing how flexible that setup was. I have an old, heavy, tandem trailer that is set up like that. I love that you are saving these old trucks.
@@klrmoto So he should be. For being such a simple design they are incredibly efficient for slow off road use. For multi-wheeled vehicles. Almost the perfect example of the military K.I.S.S concept . Keep it simple, stupid!
You saved the old girl. Congratulations. I worked at a wrecking yard a long time ago and we had two of those with the rear booms. We called them boom trucks and used them to pull the engine and transmissions out of cars. After cutting the mounts and exhaust pipe, one yank was all it took. They are work horses. At that time they must have been 30+ years old and had undergone many junk years repairs.
I have to say, James' critical sense is one of the most incredible things I've seen in all my years on TH-cam. the level of knowledge is simply fantastic and as I always say, the humor fantastic. This is one of the projects that, besides distracting me, will definitely teach me a lot. James, once again, thanks for the video and greetings from Brazil.
Eu também não sei quando os vídeos dele passaram a aparecer pra mim, mas são muito bons. Outros canais que assisto podem ter me trazido pra cá, como Diesel Creek e Waldo's World. Abrçs
I'm not one of those guys that says, "YOU MUST RESTORE THIS!!" 🙄😒 I don't tell another man what to do with his property, or spend his money for him. But I HOPE you will just get it running, and put it to good use. 🤞
Trust me he will. He fixes things to a decent level of efficiency while being thrifty and practical. If he paints equipment usually uses Rustoleum and doesn’t worry about winning a trophy 🏆
I wouldn’t say for sure, but Memphis Truck, in Tennessee obviously, did exactly this for decades. They took old military trucks and converted them for civilian use. I owed a M109a3 that had been converted into a GA Department of Transportation off-road truck. It was a Memphis rebuild vehicle. Not sure how you find out for sure but that is an avenue I would explore. Love the vids.
It is hard for me to understand why a truck as good and interesting as this would ever be scrapped , it is very close to the same age as I am and I’m still going 😁
If your wife has recently upped your Life Insurance.... Were I you, I would get nervous about possible plans to send you off to the Glue Factory/Scrap Yard.....
I think a lot of times they're just too bulky, and a truck like this is a very unrefined driving experience that not everyone loves. Plus, half the time old logging trucks like this are abandoned miles deep into the woods. Low-Buck is lucky someone already pulled it out for him.
Been spending all day weeding the garden. Everytime I stopped having fun, I thought of you and changed how I was doing it. Now the wheelbarrow's fixed and working better and I'm taking a beer break before finishing up. Cheers!
Seriously, this is so much better than those rust yard restoration shows. It's a combination of Red Green (except funny and interesting) and West Coast Choppers or Rust Valley Restoration. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS!
Amazing that those WW2 trucks are still getting scrapped. They are heavy, so the scrap value is unfortunately high enough. At the end of WW2 they were sold on the German Autobahn bumper touching bumper and the Swiss and other neutral Armies bought vehicles by length: We bought Jeeps, Dodge WC trucks and the kind of trucks we see here. We called the GMCs. We bought some P51 Mustangs as well. The Swiss put an oilpan with drain plugs and grease points on the trucks. It is said that those trucks were supposed to live only 8000 miles or so. We used them in our Army until the Eighties. They are solid as Hell but they were disadvantages: I did not drive on, but in1985 we had a handful left. The Dodge trucks were sold and gone by 81, most WW2 Jeeps as well. The farmers bought them. My Dad drove them and he said on very narrow mountain roads you had to zig zag to make those trucks go around the most narrow curves. The biggest problem was their extreme thirst for gas. The lowest consumption I have heard was 80 l for a hundred km, (2.9miles per gallon) the highest 180 l! (1.3 miles per gallon). Our last monster would always drive alongside a trailer full of Jerry cans pulled by another more modern truck. But there is a loyal collector fan base in Switzerland. Some crazy guys drive to the landing zone in Normandy every year. They spend thousands of $ on gas alone! I love Army trucks of the Fourties and Fifties and I drove a handful during my Army service. Nothing that solid and reliable will ever be built again.
During WW2 they made enough spare parts for Willys Jeeps to last for another 70 years of normal wear and tear to the vehicles. In the early 70s I owned an ex Marine Corps Willys 1956 MB-3 Jeep. My wife hated it . All I would have to do is to show up in a Jeep and she would divorce me. :-) I grew up in the 50s and 60s and you could still find these things once in a while. In the mid 60's we lived in Florida and I wanted to get a WW2 Dodge power wagon and my Dad said no, because we were moving to Spain. My Dad was in the Navy and we would move every 3 years or so. While living in Spain in the late 60's you could actually see when the Spanish army went on maneuvers, they went in mostly WW2 American vehicles , and would be towing German 88mm anti tank guns behind American made WW2 GMC trucks. 🙂
@@redr1150rwe did a 54 Willy’s pickup truck will it run on our channel and it was a lot of fun. Your right parts was a bit of a challenge trying to find and buy. But it drove amazing turned a little loose lol but it was a blast. Too bad your wife didn’t like em bud. They are a hard to find that’s for sure. We had trouble with the starter and parts
The date of the replacement engine is probably a clue to when it was converted. They built the tow rig on back and replaced the engine at the same time, maybe with Government issue spares that they purchased at the same time as the truck.
Respect for mechanical history, humour, depth of knowledge and a man living the dream. I’m jealous and love your work all the way from South Australia.
"Because Flames!" You Sir are Awesome. You never cease to impress me and amaze me with the stuff you find and get Running. Love your content and Hope you continue to produce it mate. Remember.. if they dont find you Handsome, they sure outta find you Handy. Cheers.
I absolutely love it. Never saw a CCKW fitted with one of these. I own a CCW-353 (6X4) and a Chevy G506 like yours. Same joy you have experienced starting them for the first time - the ejected mouse nests, ford wrenches, and half eaten cheese burgers that come out of the exhaust - simply priceless. When I brought my G506 home it was a pink rolling disaster but it is looking better now. The old fire department red had faded to pink.
I'm inordinately pleased that you saved that beast from the scrap yard. When I was a young guy I worked at a shop that had a pattern burner, a vertical oxy/acetylene torch on a horizontally movable arm that was connected to another arm that would follow a sheet metal pattern. I cut out all kinds of things out of heavy plate, many of which are the kinds of things welded on that truck. We had a big bin full of different patterns.
My guess would be that the modifications were done for logging or oil field work. Since the tank was made in Texas, and its high vis yellow, then its probably for oil field pipe laying or well pipe handling.
The pivots are for some sort of gin pole or A-frame hoist. I wonder if the angles aren't some form of ramp or rails to carry a small heavier load, like a valve, pump or generator from place to place.
Oil field work was my guess too when I saw that Texas gas tank. I’ve seen all kinds of abandoned oil field trucks out in the back roads of west Texas that have similar A frame winch set ups on the back.
It’s an Old Tank Retriever!! But they used them to yank stuff out from anywhere. Really Cool Truck it deserves a rebuild especially those winches that could pull your house down!! Great Videos Thank You 🙏. You really need to get a book on Old Military Trucks.
It isn't a tank retriever... it is a field artillery tractor. GMC built these 2 1/2 ton trucks with two frame lengths: the 352 was the short wheel base artillery tractor, and the 353 was the long wheel base cargo truck. As a 2 1/2 tonner, this truck was too light to retrieve tanks. That role was left to monsters like the Dragon Wagon.
@@majmikecalnan Thank You, I wasn’t a ground pounder I was in the Motor Pool Active Duty in Alaska in the late 70’s till 81. When I saw the back of the truck it sort of reminded me of the old Tank Retreviers from WW2. It’s good to know that someone can point him in the right direction. Was it used for 155’s? Thanks Major!!
1st Gear in the 2 1/2 ton trucks is a granny gear. It is super low, and the max speed in 1st is around 3 mph. Thats why it is out of sequence with the rest of the pattern. Try it in 2nd gear.
During military training, I was told another reason for this pattern is to put the final drive gear (5th gear in this case) in a position where it is out of the way of a soldier sitting in the middle seat during long convoys on the highway.
@@DavidBGleason The military has never cared about the comfort of any soldier, let alone the one lowly enough to have to sit in the middle seat on a long convoy.
@@anthonylautzenheiser3802 You got that right ~ that the military brass isn't concerned about soldier comfort. In the 1980s I used to go on FTXs riding 40 miles in the back of a similar 2-1/2 ton truck. We rode in the back of the truck on a steel fold down plank.
Sending to the scrapyard is the most common outcome these days after having to deal with buyers in 2024 on top of all of the failing algorithms with Facebook Marketplace and the awfully dead Craigslist. There are no alternatives that are better.
Wrong, it’s simply business. They don’t give a flying fuck about selling it or historical value when they could scrap it and instantly get 600$ worth of aluminum, steel, and copper.
@@pauline.denise Would they even get $600? I walked in 172 pounds of steel scrap last week, walked away with $4.50. Honestly should have left it out by the curb instead.
Great vehicle save ! First time watching this guy and loved it, clearly knowledgeable but delivered with a wry sense of humor. I imported a WW2 jeep from the US to the UK. Hadn't run since 1984 and such a moment when it springs back into life. Good luck getting the other cylinders to play ball.
I love this channel because There are a lot of people who just buy old cars and old stuff just to destroy it I don't like that But when i see you trying to get these cars started again that makes me happy. Thank you
One time my Father gave me an old flatbed truck (70's chevy one ton) he built up to move a farm tractor back and forth to a property he had up north. Long story short the property sold at a good profit and he didn't need the truck. I had it for a while but had to store it back at his farm. After a few years he asked me t get it the hell out of there! :) At first I had payed attention to it .. Stared it three times a year, added oil and air put fresh gas in it, but it was sitting idle for 2 years. My Dad was confident it was scap, but I got the booster cables out and it started right up!!! :) I ended up putting new bearings in the bottom end of the engine new 4 barrel carburetor, and all seals, and put the 350 motor and the giant 4 bolt (4.88) rear end in a 1966 Chevy van :) and drove it for years! :)
You saved another cool piece of well engineered machinery from the scrap pile. Can’t wait to see it climbing hills! As always, super entertaining and educational.
It seems kinda weird they are the same colour. Well, if I understand it right it got to know You, realized You´re there to help, brushed out some fleas, gave it some good fluids and even a little brother! No wonder it tried to run, even puked out some varnish. Grandpa´s lightening up. It´s nice it found a new home.
My father was in the REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, UK army) as he says if the REME couldn't fix they'd make sure no one else could, you and he have a lot in common.
I was in the Royal Signals, we had a REME unit on our camp maintaining the heavy comms vehicles. I bought my first car from a REME store-man in 1983 (where the hell did that 40 years go!!!), he told me "never buy anything mechanical from a REME mechanic - they don't fix things, they only make them function!". 😉 I've been enjoying watching a few of this guys videos, and I think you might have proved the store-man correct if you think your dad was similar to this guy, function and fixed are not the same thing! 😄 We also had a tradition - if when you guide a vehicle you get it stuck, you buy the REME reccy mechs a crate of beer. I had a newly graduated hoo-ray Henry (2nd Lt) sink 4 of our lorries before I lost my patience with him told him he had to stop guiding the vehicles because the reccy mechs would be too pissed to get any work done!
@@jaidee9570 My father was REME just post WW2 (regular, not national service) went on to run his own garage and now nearly into his 90s still keeps his hands dirty looking after cars which don't have OBD ports, plastic covers, CANbus, synchro etc.
My friend, I don't know your name, but I stumbled upon your channel last week and am hooked. I'm having engine work done on my 105 year old touring car and watching your videos helps me better understand the basics of how older classic vehicles with work. Case in point, your explanation about piston rings at 27:46. Thank you - you've earned a new subscriber!
*- James, my lady enjoyed this and could feel you cheering back the old truck and joined you.* *- "He has the right attitude so I could watch this and learn. So I joined him."* *- "There is no defeatist attitude in him. like the little engine that could... 'Yes, I can. Yes, I can.'"*
I enjoyed this particular video so much,I saved it to watch again and again. Why your videos stand out from lots of other similar videos, wow,I don't know. I learn from these videos of you,and I'm only 75.Thank you. Don't go away please
Good morning from Cape Cod ⛵ you sir really do some amazing work. Your sense of humor and amount of knowledge keeps me coming back to the channel. The fact that you explain exactly what you're doing and why sets you apart from the rest. I'm looking forward to seeing what becomes of this military truck. 👍✌️🇺🇲
I’m not sure where you’re from, I live in S.E. Texas grew up working in the Logging Woods and Oil Field. I’m 70 plus, there was a oil field company called Mar-Len that made heavy duty A-Frame trucks, as they made more money, they bought newer 3 rear axle trucks and sold the older military units to the Logging Woods guys and after that they kinda looked like what you have there. But the smaller loggers would patch them up and were still using them in early 80’s. Good luck !!!
Mar-Len was located out of the city limits in Jefferson County, between Beaumont and Nederland Texas. They’re not there and longer. I’ll poke around and see if I can find out anything or find some old employees.
Hey man, just wanted to say, please keep making such restoration videos if your budget allows it. I had a bad day and your videos got me through it, so thanks a lot.
A buddy had a 46 the same color in the original configuration with the bed. Probably a good tune up and wires and it might even out. Check to see if the add on is olive drab underneath the yellow paint. It's always possible it a military modification for a heavy recovery truck.
I have a civilian 1942 Chevrolet 3/4 ton. No chrome due to WWII restrictions. One of the last built prior to all production going to the war effort. I believe the military windshield design is to allow a soldier to traverse a carbine across the hood through an180 degree arc for defense in an active war zone. Thank you for saving this from the scrapper and presenting it in this video.
Glad you intercepted her on it's way to the shredder! A piece of history! My Dad went in on first wave Omaha Beach. These trucks helped win WWII. Thanks for the video! ✌👏👍
Hi Jame's: We are kindred spirits. I created and run the Swords and Ploughshares Museum near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. We are a military museum that doesn't restore all our trucks back to their military glory. Some are left as found to help tell the ploughshare side of the story. Good luck with the overhaul of the CCKW!! 🫡🎉🎊👍🍁
I like old stuff and I like seeing old stuff saved. That is an awesome truck no matter what you do with it or it's origins. It may have only ran on three cylinders, but IT RAN!
Amazing the old WW2 stuff still around. I spoke to an Australian veteran of the Vietnam war a few years ago. He was posted to an island near Papua New Guinea in the late '60s. On that island, he said there was an old WW2 warehouse full of P51 Mustang engines.
We need more people like yourself. Kind of crazy but a crafty sense of humor. I do believe I would of used two cycle mix fuel for this start up as the extra lubrication might help in getting stuff lubricated. Sadly I have seen these before but memories are just that. gone fishing I suppose.
Keep these videos coming. Wish I had the knowledge to help find this trucks history, here in Kentucky the rural electric company back in the early fifties used those trucks as pole trucks for setting us new areas to have electric in homes and barns.
I’m really impressed at how much story you uncover on your projects. It adds some investment for me, really appreciate you showing block numbers, factory images, service manual excerpts, etc. These videos are fun and really easy to drink in. Thanks for sharing
Awesome Save brother..she is way too cool and stout to be sitting lonely in a scrap yard. well done.soon as i heard that pop i knew it would run.Great video and thanks for sharing this Rare gem.so cool.
Dude im dying laughing. You have all the humor that other guy HAD till he got rich doing youtube. May you achieve his success too, but never lose the humor!!
Yeah success seemed to go to Vice Grip Garage's (VGG) head pretty fast. He got way less funny pretty fast... LBG seems to be a perfect replacement for my tastes. ;)
You are a Master @ this TH-cam thing, I can’t believe this Channel hasn’t gained traction better than it has You Captivate us Every Episode. It’s only a Matter of Time. I Live Vicariously through You Sir, I’ll catch you on the next One, Keep It Safe Out There Sir
So good to see someone showing the old iron respect, these trucks are part of our National heritage and an example of our "Finest Generation." They're 80 years old now and represent the defeat of Hitler and the Axis powers during WWII. Your CCKW has Timken "Split axles, while many of the GMC CCKWs also used Dana "banjo" axles. We have several of these awesome trucks and yours is in immaculate condition. Just within the last week we rescued a Studebaker US6, - a close cousin to the GMC CCKW with many of the same parts. Make it run again, and Keep'em Rolling!
That was fun, watching you breath life in that iconic old beast ! It brought back some good memories of hauling scrap in vintage rigs powered by those 270 and 302- cubic-inch GM motors. Gas was 39 cents per gallon, scrap iron was worth $100 per ton, cash, at the scale-house. Once we drove the 4X4 version of that truck [ w/ a flat-head Chrysler 6-cylinder ] from San Francisco to Elco, Nevada, to prospect for gold in the desert. It would go 50 mph, but it liked 40-45 better. It would climb anything, and make it's own roads through the sagebrush, and chemise....
All I can say is, thank you for saving that old workhorse!! If you're going to try to research it's post war purpose, start with the region where you found it. Could have been oil fields, heavy hauling, mining, logging, whatever. Great find & I wish you the best. I'd like to see updates.👍
I’d love for you to do a video on the green and white RV in the background that looks to be 4x4. Any 4x4 RV’s really interests me and I’ve never seen anything like it.
Please do a walk through of your 4x4 rv. That rv looks so neat, I bet there are more people that would like to see a rundown of what has been done to it.
It means a lot to me to see an old GMC G-508 CCKW "Jimmy" Truck being saved, as there were many left over after the Alaska Highway was built. My family was part of the Construction with the American Army Next to the Dodge Power Wagon, they were the coolest looking truck ever built and the toughest.
I can't believe there are only 108 thousand subscribers. This is an excellent channel. This episode was pretty exciting. Thanks for going to all this trouble.
James You are realy a nice man, i like to see that you Save this Cool Beauty from Scraping, makes me veery Happy to Watch you.r movie and to know this nicely Truck will be Save in You.r Place .. I Love all the Old Cars and Trucks, and they are Worthy to Restore and Saving them from get Lost .. Many Thx to You and Keep on Rocking.. and pls Poste more Videos about this Truck wath.s going on in his ,,New.. Live ;-)) Thx a Lot ,, Sincerely Maik from Switzerland
Every video you make, I build up my information base from your vehicle ID segment plus I glean at least one tidbit of practical info so I’m always a winner watching you……plus I love the fact that you have saved a bit of history from the scrappers…..bonus
It's good to see that subscriber number steadily creeping upward. Rightly so. It's gone up by 2000 in just the last few days. I'm not surprised. It's one of the best channels on TH-cam.
Your humour, ingenuity, and creativity is what makes me addicted to your videos. You deserve to have at least a million subs and views. Can't wait to see you get there.
Indefinitely really👍👍👍 her body, frame, and chassis are perfectly intact from over 80 years, and that's pretty unbelievable. Plus, the exhaust pipe when she was running, then she gave a little "spit-fire" muzzle flash right out of the pipe.
@floridagunrat1625 Then I guess that it's time that all of us that could seem to afford these magnificent, proud, well-made vehicles in our own soil to good use and bring them back to their own glory days again.
It was awesome not to see water and slime coming out of the pan! Funny seeing the muffler coughing out particles of years of dust. Great old truck!! Love the channel.😆👍
![ลองสุ่มไอโฟน 990 โกงมั้ย? [ โกงมั้ยครับ ep.101 ] | DOM](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bfsWe0j492k/mqdefault.jpg)
Came for $2 Jeep - stayed for mechanical expertise and deadpan humor.
The Hank Hill deadringer voice also is why I'm here.
Same 👍
The Steven Wright deadpan delivery is perfect !
Same, this is a real mechanic
"no cracks in the back window."
I am old, 81, and in addition to having been around a lot of heavy equipment from very early in my life in the mid and late 50s, I did see modified WWII trucks like this, re-purposed for use in the logging industry. I saw 6x6s modified for every use, from skidders, to a set up similar to what you have, with a small deck, a winch and gin poles. All the ones I saw, seemed to be one off local modifications, and I never saw a set up that looked mass produced like that.
My WWII truck story is, that my uncle was a welder, who built and modified logging trucks in the interior of BC. I would go off road, on remote jobs, as his helper, in a modified WWII Power Wagon with a 300 amp Lincoln. Some roads, were unbelievably bad, but we always got to the job done and got back. They might have been slow, but they were great trucks.
We referred to that rear axle setup on your deuce and a half, as a walking beam, and it is amazing how flexible that setup was. I have an old, heavy, tandem trailer that is set up like that.
I love that you are saving these old trucks.
"Walking beam" is what the guy on Edison Motors called it. He is a big fan of walking beam rear end.
@@klrmoto So he should be. For being such a simple design they are incredibly efficient for slow off road use. For multi-wheeled vehicles.
Almost the perfect example of the military K.I.S.S concept . Keep it simple, stupid!
Thank you for your time and your story
Thats a great post - thx for contributing.
I love comments like this. Thank you for sharing these memories.
You saved the old girl. Congratulations. I worked at a wrecking yard a long time ago and we had two of those with the rear booms. We called them boom trucks and used them to pull the engine and transmissions out of cars. After cutting the mounts and exhaust pipe, one yank was all it took. They are work horses. At that time they must have been 30+ years old and had undergone many junk years repairs.
I have to say, James' critical sense is one of the most incredible things I've seen in all my years on TH-cam. the level of knowledge is simply fantastic and as I always say, the humor fantastic. This is one of the projects that, besides distracting me, will definitely teach me a lot. James, once again, thanks for the video and greetings from Brazil.
Another fellow brazilian! Abraço pra vc!
@@grapowski abraços meu querido!
Eu também não sei quando os vídeos dele passaram a aparecer pra mim, mas são muito bons. Outros canais que assisto podem ter me trazido pra cá, como Diesel Creek e Waldo's World. Abrçs
I'm not one of those guys that says, "YOU MUST RESTORE THIS!!" 🙄😒 I don't tell another man what to do with his property, or spend his money for him. But I HOPE you will just get it running, and put it to good use. 🤞
Trust me he will. He fixes things to a decent level of efficiency while being thrifty and practical. If he paints equipment usually uses Rustoleum and doesn’t worry about winning a trophy 🏆
i agree , with both of you ... i hope this truck runs and drives and i have a feeling it will with this feller owning it
@@bymarcatholictinkering Yes, I subbed about a year ago, and he never disappoints.
@@bymarcatholictinkering This needs to be cut up and weighed in as scrap though. What a pile of junk!
@PreservationEnthusiast if James can't get it running, only then should it be considered junk.
Hello from Australia. You can see through the windshield perfectly.. clever.
I'm a simple man. I see a Low Buck video, I click it.
Me too.
Why making a lot of words when everything is said in short. For some reason your comment can be regarded as a wise men's words!
Same
We all got hooked the same way. This guy is sneaky. LOL
You forgot:
I see a Low Buck video, I like it.
You're a hero saving that bit of vintage from destruction. She wants to live!
I wouldn’t say for sure, but Memphis Truck, in Tennessee obviously, did exactly this for decades. They took old military trucks and converted them for civilian use. I owed a M109a3 that had been converted into a GA Department of Transportation off-road truck. It was a Memphis rebuild vehicle. Not sure how you find out for sure but that is an avenue I would explore. Love the vids.
It is hard for me to understand why a truck as good and interesting as this would ever be scrapped , it is very close to the same age as I am and I’m still going 😁
We now live in a disposable society.
And it's parts are more valuable 🤣
If your wife has recently upped your Life Insurance.... Were I you, I would get nervous about possible plans to send you off to the Glue Factory/Scrap Yard.....
I think a lot of times they're just too bulky, and a truck like this is a very unrefined driving experience that not everyone loves. Plus, half the time old logging trucks like this are abandoned miles deep into the woods. Low-Buck is lucky someone already pulled it out for him.
Been spending all day weeding the garden. Everytime I stopped having fun, I thought of you and changed how I was doing it. Now the wheelbarrow's fixed and working better and I'm taking a beer break before finishing up. Cheers!
At least you can play at having aad, some of us don’t play at it….but we still enjoy life
Seriously, this is so much better than those rust yard restoration shows. It's a combination of Red Green (except funny and interesting) and West Coast Choppers or Rust Valley Restoration. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS!
Awesome! Backyard Alaskan will thank you for the save! (He has a bunch of these, Chevy and Studebaker!)
I want that Stude.....bad.
same here
i was waiting to see someone mention him xd
Love those videos
Amazing that those WW2 trucks are still getting scrapped. They are heavy, so the scrap value is unfortunately high enough.
At the end of WW2 they were sold on the German Autobahn bumper touching bumper and the Swiss and other neutral Armies bought vehicles by length: We bought Jeeps, Dodge WC trucks and the kind of trucks we see here. We called the GMCs. We bought some P51 Mustangs as well.
The Swiss put an oilpan with drain plugs and grease points on the trucks. It is said that those trucks were supposed to live only 8000 miles or so. We used them in our Army until the Eighties. They are solid as Hell but they were disadvantages: I did not drive on, but in1985 we had a handful left. The Dodge trucks were sold and gone by 81, most WW2 Jeeps as well. The farmers bought them.
My Dad drove them and he said on very narrow mountain roads you had to zig zag to make those trucks go around the most narrow curves. The biggest problem was their extreme thirst for gas.
The lowest consumption I have heard was 80 l for a hundred km, (2.9miles per gallon) the highest 180 l! (1.3 miles per gallon). Our last monster would always drive alongside a trailer full of Jerry cans pulled by another more modern truck.
But there is a loyal collector fan base in Switzerland. Some crazy guys drive to the landing zone in Normandy every year. They spend thousands of $ on gas alone!
I love Army trucks of the Fourties and Fifties and I drove a handful during my Army service. Nothing that solid and reliable will ever be built again.
During WW2 they made enough spare parts for Willys Jeeps to last for another 70 years of normal wear and tear to the vehicles. In the early 70s I owned an ex Marine Corps Willys 1956 MB-3 Jeep. My wife hated it . All I would have to do is to show up in a Jeep and she would divorce me. :-) I grew up in the 50s and 60s and you could still find these things once in a while. In the mid 60's we lived in Florida and I wanted to get a WW2 Dodge power wagon and my Dad said no, because we were moving to Spain. My Dad was in the Navy and we would move every 3 years or so. While living in Spain in the late 60's you could actually see when the Spanish army went on maneuvers, they went in mostly WW2 American vehicles , and would be towing German 88mm anti tank guns behind American made WW2 GMC trucks. 🙂
I knew they were heavy on gasoline, but that is truly awful. No wonder Patton had so many arguments about fuel allocations with HQ.
@@redr1150rwe did a 54 Willy’s pickup truck will it run on our channel and it was a lot of fun. Your right parts was a bit of a challenge trying to find and buy. But it drove amazing turned a little loose lol but it was a blast. Too bad your wife didn’t like em bud. They are a hard to find that’s for sure. We had trouble with the starter and parts
@@wazza33raceron propane 2 ton trucks i drove in 80s and 90s only got 3 mag tops.
The date of the replacement engine is probably a clue to when it was converted. They built the tow rig on back and replaced the engine at the same time, maybe with Government issue spares that they purchased at the same time as the truck.
Respect for mechanical history, humour, depth of knowledge and a man living the dream. I’m jealous and love your work all the way from South Australia.
"Because Flames!" You Sir are Awesome. You never cease to impress me and amaze me with the stuff you find and get Running. Love your content and Hope you continue to produce it mate. Remember.. if they dont find you Handsome, they sure outta find you Handy. Cheers.
Red/Green !!
@@jimbayler4277 You know it mate :) Cheers.
I absolutely love it. Never saw a CCKW fitted with one of these. I own a CCW-353 (6X4) and a Chevy G506 like yours. Same joy you have experienced starting them for the first time - the ejected mouse nests, ford wrenches, and half eaten cheese burgers that come out of the exhaust - simply priceless. When I brought my G506 home it was a pink rolling disaster but it is looking better now. The old fire department red had faded to pink.
I'm inordinately pleased that you saved that beast from the scrap yard. When I was a young guy I worked at a shop that had a pattern burner, a vertical oxy/acetylene torch on a horizontally movable arm that was connected to another arm that would follow a sheet metal pattern. I cut out all kinds of things out of heavy plate, many of which are the kinds of things welded on that truck. We had a big bin full of different patterns.
Putting oil or ATF in the cylinders really helps build compression and free up the rings.
11:15.
That's what he meant by "we're gonna soak it down for a while".
My guess would be that the modifications were done for logging or oil field work. Since the tank was made in Texas, and its high vis yellow, then its probably for oil field pipe laying or well pipe handling.
The pivots are for some sort of gin pole or A-frame hoist. I wonder if the angles aren't some form of ramp or rails to carry a small heavier load, like a valve, pump or generator from place to place.
That was my guess as well.
Oil field work was my guess too when I saw that Texas gas tank.
I’ve seen all kinds of abandoned oil field trucks out in the back roads of west Texas that have similar A frame winch set ups on the back.
It’s an Old Tank Retriever!! But they used them to yank stuff out from anywhere. Really Cool Truck it deserves a rebuild especially those winches that could pull your house down!! Great Videos Thank You 🙏. You really need to get a book on Old Military Trucks.
It isn't a tank retriever... it is a field artillery tractor. GMC built these 2 1/2 ton trucks with two frame lengths: the 352 was the short wheel base artillery tractor, and the 353 was the long wheel base cargo truck. As a 2 1/2 tonner, this truck was too light to retrieve tanks. That role was left to monsters like the Dragon Wagon.
Bomb disposals for UXBs??
@@majmikecalnan Thank You, I wasn’t a ground pounder I was in the Motor Pool Active Duty in Alaska in the late 70’s till 81. When I saw the back of the truck it sort of reminded me of the old Tank Retreviers from WW2. It’s good to know that someone can point him in the right direction. Was it used for 155’s? Thanks Major!!
He tells you exactly what type of truck it was in its original configuration.
@@majmikecalnanGood info. I built a Lego Dragon Wagon from scratch. I thought this truck may have been a tow truck at some point.
Who ever was about to scrap this beautiful beast is a MENACE
1st Gear in the 2 1/2 ton trucks is a granny gear. It is super low, and the max speed in 1st is around 3 mph. Thats why it is out of sequence with the rest of the pattern. Try it in 2nd gear.
I didn't know but that's exactly what I expected.
During military training, I was told another reason for this pattern is to put the final drive gear (5th gear in this case) in a position where it is out of the way of a soldier sitting in the middle seat during long convoys on the highway.
@@DavidBGleason The military has never cared about the comfort of any soldier, let alone the one lowly enough to have to sit in the middle seat on a long convoy.
@@anthonylautzenheiser3802 You got that right ~ that the military brass isn't concerned about soldier comfort. In the 1980s I used to go on FTXs riding 40 miles in the back of a similar 2-1/2 ton truck. We rode in the back of the truck on a steel fold down plank.
@clutchmanly1147 And that steel really made you one hard ass today
Who in their right mind would send that beauty to the knacker's yard? Thanks for saving it!
I get sick seeing ge,s like this pickups vans. Sub getting gleefully crushed ☹️☹️
Sending to the scrapyard is the most common outcome these days after having to deal with buyers in 2024 on top of all of the failing algorithms with Facebook Marketplace and the awfully dead Craigslist. There are no alternatives that are better.
Wrong, it’s simply business. They don’t give a flying fuck about selling it or historical value when they could scrap it and instantly get 600$ worth of aluminum, steel, and copper.
@@pauline.denise Would they even get $600? I walked in 172 pounds of steel scrap last week, walked away with $4.50. Honestly should have left it out by the curb instead.
"Knacker's"? 🤔 Is that word Aussie, Kiwi, or Limey??
Great vehicle save ! First time watching this guy and loved it, clearly knowledgeable but delivered with a wry sense of humor. I imported a WW2 jeep from the US to the UK. Hadn't run since 1984 and such a moment when it springs back into life. Good luck getting the other cylinders to play ball.
Saving history for everyone to appreciate thanks James.
I love this channel because
There are a lot of people who just buy old cars and old stuff just to destroy it I don't like that
But when i see you trying to get these cars started again that makes me happy.
Thank you
Same here I love saving them and it kinda destroys me watching history just rot or never get a chance at their potential. Tears me up!!
One time my Father gave me an old flatbed truck (70's chevy one ton) he built up to move a farm tractor back and forth to a property he had up north.
Long story short the property sold at a good profit and he didn't need the truck. I had it for a while but had to store it back at his farm. After a few years he asked me t get it the hell out of there! :)
At first I had payed attention to it .. Stared it three times a year, added oil and air put fresh gas in it, but it was sitting idle for 2 years.
My Dad was confident it was scap, but I got the booster cables out and it started right up!!! :)
I ended up putting new bearings in the bottom end of the engine new 4 barrel carburetor, and all seals, and put the 350 motor and the giant 4 bolt (4.88) rear end in a 1966 Chevy van :) and drove it for years! :)
One of the best channels on TH-cam! You are patriot and a sensible man.
You saved another cool piece of well engineered machinery from the scrap pile. Can’t wait to see it climbing hills! As always, super entertaining and educational.
What a beast!
It would have been criminal to scrap it.
It seems kinda weird they are the same colour. Well, if I understand it right it got to know You, realized You´re there to help, brushed out some fleas, gave it some good fluids and even a little brother! No wonder it tried to run, even puked out some varnish. Grandpa´s lightening up. It´s nice it found a new home.
My father was in the REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, UK army) as he says if the REME couldn't fix they'd make sure no one else could, you and he have a lot in common.
I was in the Royal Signals, we had a REME unit on our camp maintaining the heavy comms vehicles. I bought my first car from a REME store-man in 1983 (where the hell did that 40 years go!!!), he told me "never buy anything mechanical from a REME mechanic - they don't fix things, they only make them function!". 😉 I've been enjoying watching a few of this guys videos, and I think you might have proved the store-man correct if you think your dad was similar to this guy, function and fixed are not the same thing! 😄
We also had a tradition - if when you guide a vehicle you get it stuck, you buy the REME reccy mechs a crate of beer. I had a newly graduated hoo-ray Henry (2nd Lt) sink 4 of our lorries before I lost my patience with him told him he had to stop guiding the vehicles because the reccy mechs would be too pissed to get any work done!
@@jaidee9570 My father was REME just post WW2 (regular, not national service) went on to run his own garage and now nearly into his 90s still keeps his hands dirty looking after cars which don't have OBD ports, plastic covers, CANbus, synchro etc.
My friend, I don't know your name, but I stumbled upon your channel last week and am hooked. I'm having engine work done on my 105 year old touring car and watching your videos helps me better understand the basics of how older classic vehicles with work. Case in point, your explanation about piston rings at 27:46. Thank you - you've earned a new subscriber!
*- James, my lady enjoyed this and could feel you cheering back the old truck and joined you.*
*- "He has the right attitude so I could watch this and learn. So I joined him."*
*- "There is no defeatist attitude in him. like the little engine that could... 'Yes, I can. Yes, I can.'"*
I enjoyed this particular video so much,I saved it to watch again and again.
Why your videos stand out from lots of other similar videos, wow,I don't know. I learn from these videos of you,and I'm only 75.Thank you. Don't go away please
I'm new here but I really enjoy seeing someone saving there vehicles. This truck looks like it was made for the oil field
Absolutely makes our day too!! If we could save em all and get the old time back I’m sure that’s exactly what most of us would do. Man great video
Good morning from Cape Cod ⛵ you sir really do some amazing work. Your sense of humor and amount of knowledge keeps me coming back to the channel. The fact that you explain exactly what you're doing and why sets you apart from the rest. I'm looking forward to seeing what becomes of this military truck. 👍✌️🇺🇲
Thanks. I need these kind of videos. I know it must be hard to keep a steady supply of them coming. I appreciate the effort.
I’m not sure where you’re from, I live in S.E. Texas grew up working in the Logging Woods and Oil Field. I’m 70 plus, there was a oil field company called Mar-Len that made heavy duty A-Frame trucks, as they made more money, they bought newer 3 rear axle trucks and sold the older military units to the Logging Woods guys and after that they kinda looked like what you have there. But the smaller loggers would patch them up and were still using them in early 80’s. Good luck !!!
Mar-Len was located out of the city limits in Jefferson County, between Beaumont and Nederland Texas. They’re not there and longer. I’ll poke around and see if I can find out anything or find some old employees.
Post-military, the truck was SUPER WELL-BUILT!
Such a pleasure to hear that old gran pa motor sing again in the end. You're a magician ! Very enternaining video . Cheers from France !
"I'll just spray the entire engine in general. Then it should be working better." Classic garage repair wisdom. Just spray the whole damn thing!
That was a freaking outstanding rescue sir, two thumbs up. So great to watch, thank you!
"Some minor surface imperfections" ! Love that enthousiasm !
Hey man, just wanted to say, please keep making such restoration videos if your budget allows it. I had a bad day and your videos got me through it, so thanks a lot.
Always a satisfying video with a few laughs too! Thanks. I love these big old beasts!
Simple, informative, entertaining and funny, THE BEST for me!! THX
A buddy had a 46 the same color in the original configuration with the bed. Probably a good tune up and wires and it might even out. Check to see if the add on is olive drab underneath the yellow paint. It's always possible it a military modification for a heavy recovery truck.
I have a civilian 1942 Chevrolet 3/4 ton. No chrome due to WWII restrictions. One of the last built prior to all production going to the war effort. I believe the military windshield design is to allow a soldier to traverse a carbine across the hood through an180 degree arc for defense in an active war zone. Thank you for saving this from the scrapper and presenting it in this video.
I love the rundown of the condition at the start of the video - it is practically 'factory fresh' compared to some vehicles you fix.
Glad you intercepted her on it's way to the shredder! A piece of history! My Dad went in on first wave Omaha Beach. These trucks helped win WWII. Thanks for the video! ✌👏👍
I love this, you remind me of my dad & grandpa they both love to tinker with old stuff.
Same watching your videos definitely brings back memories. Thanks man
Hi Jame's: We are kindred spirits. I created and run the Swords and Ploughshares Museum near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. We are a military museum that doesn't restore all our trucks back to their military glory. Some are left as found to help tell the ploughshare side of the story. Good luck with the overhaul of the CCKW!! 🫡🎉🎊👍🍁
I haven’t heard from you in ages, Mike. Good to hear that you are still doing Swords and Ploughshares!
I like old stuff and I like seeing old stuff saved. That is an awesome truck no matter what you do with it or it's origins. It may have only ran on three cylinders, but IT RAN!
Always good to save a old war truck. It wants to run again another you tuber has a collection of these but he lives in Alaska. Great video 👍
Amazing the old WW2 stuff still around. I spoke to an Australian veteran of the Vietnam war a few years ago. He was posted to an island near Papua New Guinea in the late '60s. On that island, he said there was an old WW2 warehouse full of P51 Mustang engines.
We need more people like yourself. Kind of crazy but a crafty sense of humor. I do believe I would of used two cycle mix fuel for this start up as the extra lubrication might help in getting stuff lubricated. Sadly I have seen these before but memories are just that. gone fishing I suppose.
What a terrific project and I like how you talk through all the elements of the truck as part pf your investigation. 👍👍👍
It's lovely to see that old warhorse saved from the scrap torch. Once she's been resurrected she'll be good for another 80-odd years I reckon!
one of the best educational and entertaining small channels on youtube right now
Hi, and your fleet keeps growing ,good going , it runs, some what , good stuff , thanks for the humor .
Keep these videos coming. Wish I had the knowledge to help find this trucks history, here in Kentucky the rural electric company back in the early fifties used those trucks as pole trucks for setting us new areas to have electric in homes and barns.
Awesome CCKW! My Dad was MP SSgt in Red Ball Express.
I’m really impressed at how much story you uncover on your projects. It adds some investment for me, really appreciate you showing block numbers, factory images, service manual excerpts, etc.
These videos are fun and really easy to drink in. Thanks for sharing
Awesome Save brother..she is way too cool and stout to be sitting lonely in a scrap yard. well done.soon as i heard that pop i knew it would run.Great video and thanks for sharing this Rare gem.so cool.
legit, hope you get this ole boy up and running again.
you can see he WANTS to go back to work. he just needs a hand..
Cheers!
Dude im dying laughing. You have all the humor that other guy HAD till he got rich doing youtube. May you achieve his success too, but never lose the humor!!
Yeah success seemed to go to Vice Grip Garage's (VGG) head pretty fast. He got way less funny pretty fast... LBG seems to be a perfect replacement for my tastes. ;)
"An axle on both ends of the springs!" Great info!
You are a Master @ this TH-cam thing, I can’t believe this Channel hasn’t gained traction better than it has You Captivate us Every Episode. It’s only a Matter of Time. I Live Vicariously through You Sir, I’ll catch you on the next One, Keep It Safe Out There Sir
So good to see someone showing the old iron respect, these trucks are part of our National heritage and an example of our "Finest Generation." They're 80 years old now and represent the defeat of Hitler and the Axis powers during WWII. Your CCKW has Timken "Split axles, while many of the GMC CCKWs also used Dana "banjo" axles. We have several of these awesome trucks and yours is in immaculate condition. Just within the last week we rescued a Studebaker US6, - a close cousin to the GMC CCKW with many of the same parts. Make it run again, and Keep'em Rolling!
So glad to see you save such an awesome old truck 👍👍
That was fun, watching you breath life in that iconic old beast ! It brought back some good memories of hauling scrap
in vintage rigs powered by those 270 and 302- cubic-inch GM motors. Gas was 39 cents per gallon,
scrap iron was worth $100 per ton, cash, at the scale-house. Once we drove the 4X4 version of that truck
[ w/ a flat-head Chrysler 6-cylinder ] from San Francisco to Elco, Nevada, to prospect for gold in the desert.
It would go 50 mph, but it liked 40-45 better. It would climb anything, and make it's own roads through the
sagebrush, and chemise....
YES! I think you did save some precious metal and made it very happy in it's new home.
Love your channel !
All I can say is, thank you for saving that old workhorse!! If you're going to try to research it's post war purpose, start with the region where you found it. Could have been oil fields, heavy hauling, mining, logging, whatever. Great find & I wish you the best. I'd like to see updates.👍
It pleases me to see a guy right down the road from me with the same problem......I mean hobby. 😄 Fun as always man.
Ha ha same here in Pa
Lol same issues (hobby). You got that right lol
New subscribers here and for a dang good reason. Love the truck bud. Glad you saved it!!
I’d love for you to do a video on the green and white RV in the background that looks to be 4x4. Any 4x4 RV’s really interests me and I’ve never seen anything like it.
Those metal part wet cut back in the day with a machine called a “FLAMEAGRAPH”
Please do a walk through of your 4x4 rv. That rv looks so neat, I bet there are more people that would like to see a rundown of what has been done to it.
One man's trash is another man's treasure . Sadly being up here in Mo. we do not have those kinds of finds around here
"Anything that cool can't be scrap", amen to that. Love getting old stuff running again.
It means a lot to me to see an old GMC G-508 CCKW "Jimmy" Truck being saved, as there were many left over after the Alaska Highway was built. My family was part of the Construction with the American Army Next to the Dodge Power Wagon, they were the coolest looking truck ever built and the toughest.
I can't believe there are only 108 thousand subscribers. This is an excellent channel. This episode was pretty exciting. Thanks for going to all this trouble.
he had like 5000 subscribers when I first found the channel not that long ago
Thanks to Al Gore's Rhythm, he's getting some exposure now
He now has 124k subscribers 24/8/24. Excellent viewing, just found this channel. PETER LINDOP UK 🇬🇧.
Love seeing old bits of kit being saved and bought back to life!. Also an education for us 'non' mechanical Noddies!. Nice one!, Nuff said!. 🙂🍺
All your videos are GREAT, but this was one of my favorites!
James You are realy a nice man, i like to see that you Save this Cool Beauty from Scraping, makes me veery Happy to Watch you.r movie and to know this nicely Truck will be Save in You.r Place .. I Love all the Old Cars and Trucks, and they are Worthy to Restore and Saving them from get Lost .. Many Thx to You and Keep on Rocking.. and pls Poste more Videos about this Truck wath.s going on in his ,,New.. Live ;-)) Thx a Lot ,, Sincerely Maik from Switzerland
I’m so glad you saved that truck. Cheers, Stuart. 🇦🇺
Every video you make, I build up my information base from your vehicle ID segment plus I glean at least one tidbit of practical info so I’m always a winner watching you……plus I love the fact that you have saved a bit of history from the scrappers…..bonus
That back section looks like possibly a logging rig or pole setter. Good Luck and nice save.
It's good to see that subscriber number steadily creeping upward. Rightly so. It's gone up by 2000 in just the last few days. I'm not surprised. It's one of the best channels on TH-cam.
that old iron must love it when someone comes and revives it!
Your humour, ingenuity, and creativity is what makes me addicted to your videos. You deserve to have at least a million subs and views. Can't wait to see you get there.
I cant believe some DOPE was gonna SCRAP this beast!! Whatta machine!
Indefinitely really👍👍👍 her body, frame, and chassis are perfectly intact from over 80 years, and that's pretty unbelievable.
Plus, the exhaust pipe when she was running, then she gave a little "spit-fire" muzzle flash right out of the pipe.
Unfortunately, it's happening every day all over the country.
@floridagunrat1625 Then I guess that it's time that all of us that could seem to afford these magnificent, proud, well-made vehicles in our own soil to good use and bring them back to their own glory days again.
It was awesome not to see water and slime coming out of the pan! Funny seeing the muffler coughing out particles of years of dust. Great old truck!! Love the channel.😆👍
That’s exactly what my jeep straight 6 sounded like when someone had the firing order wrong. I’d check that
Bad fuel and stuck piston rings. No tuning yet.
@@ChrisWijtmans even so, it should run better than that.
sounds about right for 3 cyls
Love that truck. Great to see it saved. Thank you🙏❤️
Nice job getting this old relic up and running
I like this guy, I love how he describes the damage to the body, e.g this fender looks almost pristine, cracks me up