ww2dodge.com Forum

To start a new thread for nitpickers, can anyone advise which brand of open-end wrenches and other handtools were supplied by GM in the CCKW toolkits.

I have the jacks, hub & wheel nut spanners etc but none of the original hand tools.

Does anyone have any original tool sets (ie., factory-suppplied as opposed to motor pool sourced) or other information on factory-supplied tools - the stand-alone ORD 7 manuals usually had the best info on these collectable bits and sometimes listed makers numbers - was there a stand-alone ORD 7 for the GMC's. The sizes of the tools are listed in the usual manuals but not their makers.

I understand Vlchek was a supplier to GM pre & post war so maybe they supplied CCKW tools.

The jeep fanciers seem to have done a lot of work researching jeep toolkits but I don't recall any similar articles on GMC's.

Robbo:

Do ya get Supply Line magazine? I seem to recall someone selling all different type tool bags with tools. I think I saw CCKW in the list

Later

Most of the tools including that bag are standard 41W/41S Series Army Contract tools. with 562,000 CCKWs produced, there may have been a variety of contractors.
I have a bunch if NOS flat handled hydraulic jack handles for the CCKW that I will offer sometime next year. We have had them since the 40s.
If one wants to be nitpicky 65 years into the game, the GI Can Bracket Number would be stamped beginning with 42B. Many of the brackets on the CCKWs from Europe may not have originals.

The Walker jack I have has the letters "GM" in a square embossed in the side of its body - the Hein-Werner may also be similarly marked: I'll have to have a look at them again to confirm that.

Ugg,

I was a member of the MVPA for many years until the recent issues convinced me to not rejoin. Until there is some reasonable evidence of correct tool suppliers, I have not bothered to collect the hand tools for the GMC - people selling tools often say they are the right ones but are they??

Robbo:

Politics aside, it still is a great source of info & resources. However, ANYTIME ya buy something (personal) sight unseen, you take a chance. I'm a member just for those resouces. That reminds me, I need to renew.

Later

I see Portayal Press are now offering a copy of Ord 6 SNL J-16 Tool Sets for Field and Depot Maintenance for GMC.

Anyone seen or bought one of these - does it cover vehicle-issued toolkits or obly higher echelon tools.

http://www.portrayal.com

The tools are also listed in the TM10 maintenance Manuals and the TM9 manuals dealing with Engine and Powertrain. One has to realize that there is no department stor shopping for the 1940s tools used in WWII GM products, many of them are gathered up at yard sales and the sad thing is that there are some who will advertise their discoveries as authentic WWII kits. I have found that it is best not to look too hard for the special tools, and to let them sort of just pop up when least expected. I find many of the special tools at old shops and by asking older mechanics from the 40s-50s.

While not the tools themselves one thing I got when my Dad passed was his book by GM on hand tools and their correct usage and care dated 1943, it deals with all tools and not just automotive ones.

Some of these seem to be the right sizes from Vlchek:

http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.ph ... ff67fc1c8c

Some discussion here also suggesting Vlchek as "right" for GMC:

http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.ph ... ff67fc1c8c

One will really never know for sure. If only the GMC CCKW factory specs were available. The only recognizeable tool in the CCKW manuals is the IRWIN Screwdriver. Perhaps someday when the MVPA will find the GMC data when it catalogs the TACOM WWII records that the Army turned over to them. It will be a while though.
That other site has been beating on tools for years and has not turned up much proof.

If there was a GMC Part Number assigned to a tool, it will have a drawing. The Army had a 41 Series spec for vehicle hand tools and tool manufacturers of the 40s met those specifications. It is easier to work on the CCKW than come up with tool information.

The 10 Series manuals assign a GMC Factory part number to all tools that are supplied as OVE (On Vehicle Equipment) to the CCKW. Now all that one has to do is to locate the WWII CCKW factory Drawings and cross over the GMC Part No. to the tool that is listed. It will list the brands that match each GMC number.

I am confident that this topic will be a feature article in the MVPA Army Motors magazine in the future.

Here's a bit more information to add to the matrix:

In the GMC training films available from Vintage Video, the wrenches have a shiny plated finish not the dark parkerized finish on the tools in the link above - the trucks in these films are early models though and the finish or the supplier could have changed as the war progressed.

The tool bag in the real early trucks had the closure flap on the narrow end whereas later trucks used the familiar toolbag with the flap on the long side.

I believe the early trucks used slightly different sizes on some of the wrenches.

One can compare the differences of the Tool sets furnished with the CCKW by checking the lists in the various TM10 Parts Manuals that were printed for the CCKW contracts. Again all have GM part numbers, which means a drawing existed that would list the various manufacturers that supplied CCKW tools and the finishes required. I am confident that some serious collector may have a copy of the drawings.

Here's an interesting site that lists the sizes of the number of various wrenches:

http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifact ... rench.html

Actually, the whole Alloy Artifacts site is great for tool collectors.

Are you hinting Ranger that someone is actually going to write up an article on the tools or just wishful thinking on our part??