Question on CMP 3-Ton Break-down Lorry (Wrecker)

[Chris Preston]

Greetings All,

We working on our Museum's CMP 3-Ton Wrecker (Museum link: https://www.facebook.com/Friends-of-...9752694888399/), repairing some oil leaks in the transmission and clutch assemblies, and while taking a break, were examining the Towing Pintle and Roller Fair-leads bolted to the rear frame. It looks like a previous owner has cut approximately 6" off the rear of the frame, and drilled new holes to allow the pintle and fair-lead assembly to be bolted further forward on the frame and under the body. This effectively prevents you from using the pintle as it's now hard up against a cross member.

Could anyone more knowledgeable with this vehicle advise if our suspicions are correct? if so, could you also provide some photos and dimensions of what the correct configuration is supposed to be so we can make the necessary restorations to the frame? We're also looking for a list of the required "In Service" kit carried by the vehicle, including mechanics tools, chains, and other hardware.

I've tried posting photos of the vehicle and area concerned but am unable to export them over, but they can be seen on HMVF.

Sincerely,

Chris Preston,
Victoria, BC,
Canada

[Niels V]

Here are your pictures

[cordenj]

Hi Chris,

Good to see another Garwood wrecker.
These are some photos of my truck and you can see the differences. Let me know if you'd like any close-up shots:

[cordenj]

and a close-up

[Lynn Eades]

Niels, can you invert the brackets inside your chassis??

[Bob Carriere]

What you have at the museum is the typical C60 rear fairleads.....with two horizontal rollers.

The one on the second wrecker is shared with the early CGT gun tractor...... the brackets are totally different and only uses one horizontal rollers. The special brackets allows the whole assembly to stick out a couple of extra inches.

The following picture is from a very early cab 11 CGT.......

..... the only difference is that the side plates do not have the extra extension and hole for the wreckers' hook.

cheers

PS...... taken 7+ years ago near Sault Ste Marie.

[Lynn Eades]

So Bob, how come there is no room at the tow hook? Is the body sitting too low and needs some packers put back in?

[Grant Bowker]

To my eyes, Chris' hook spring is tucked well inside the frame ends using brackets typical of a (later) GS truck while John and Bob's photos show the spring about inline with the end of the frame rails (or perhaps even a bit further aft?).
Both wrecker bodies do seem to be sitting tight to the frame rails. Perhaps to keep them secure against odd loads and provide clearance under the booms?

[Chris Preston]

All,

Very Many Thanks for your replies and the photos from John Corden - they're most helpful.

For John Corden - John could I take you up on your offer for more detailed photos of the rear frame and dimensions, etc?

Cheers,

Chris Preston
Victoria, BC

[cordenj]

Hi Chris,

Here is another photo of the rear of a C60s Wrecker. This in Hendrik's in the Netherlands. AS you can see it is the same as my set up.



Will take some detail photos of mine truck today for you.

[cordenj]

Close up photos:

[cordenj]

Some more and a diagram with dimensions of the end plates and length of absorber leaf springs:

[cordenj]

Chris,

I have been looking through my photo collection and found that there appears to be two types of rear used on the Chev C60s Wreckers.

Below are a photos found on internet and you can see the two clear variations.

Both seem to show a set-up similar to yours.

[Ilian Filipov]

Probably I'm not quite right but it looks to me that three of the quartet above are 4G2 bodies on SWB C60S and the one on the left below is body 5L1 on LWB F60L.

[Bob Carriere]

Thanks for the pictures John.

It does seems like both style of rear fairleads were used on wreckers..... I stand corrected.

Cheers

[Chris Preston]

Very Many Thanks John,

That's exactly what we're looking for - very helpful and much appreciated.

Cheers,

Chris, in Victoria (BC)

[cordenj]

Hi Chris,
To complete the set, here are some photos I took of the C60s Wrecker in the REME museum, formerly at Arborfield.

It has the same "underslung" hitch design as yours:

[Frantisek Nachlinger]

Few bad pictures of our Garwood Wrecker.. seems to be modified, too.

[Hendrik van Oorspronk]

As far as I know were the "long" chassis used before the short ones. A friend of me here has one with the short chassis and its serialnumber and DoD are later then mine.
As far as I think the short ones are all the BRKD 5 model and from one single contract.

Greetz Hendrik

[cordenj]

Originally Posted by Frantisek Nachlinger

Few bad pictures of our Garwood Wrecker.. seems to be modified, too.

Hi Frantisek,
That's an interesting modification.
It looks like the original hitch has been replaced with a post-war one that can be rotated.
Do you know the post-war history of your Wrecker?

[cordenj]

Originally Posted by Hendrik van Oorspronk

As far as I know were the "long" chassis used before the short ones. A friend of me here has one with the short chassis and its serialnumber and DoD are later then mine.
As far as I think the short ones are all the BRKD 5 model and from one single contract.

Greetz Hendrik

Evening Hendrik,
The Arborfield Wrecker with the "underslung" hitch was built in December 1943, while remember yours with the single roller and extended side brackets (also like mine) was February 1943, so it would seem that during 1943 the multiple rollers and "underslung" hitch was introduced.

Chris: what was the build date for your one in the Ashton Armoury?

[Frantisek Nachlinger]

Originally Posted by cordenj

Hi Frantisek,
That's an interesting modification.
It looks like the original hitch has been replaced with a post-war one that can be rotated.
Do you know the post-war history of your Wrecker?

My father bought it from Pilsner Urban Transport Company in late 1970's. Just overpainted the red paint with green to use it in movie industry. (So there's most probably original paint under those 2 layers) It still has a beechwood blocks between the springs and frame not to turn over when it was transporting heavy trolleycar railroad switches. They have over 3 tons each! So the hitch was probably modified in the UTC workshop? I do not know where the UTC got it from - most probably from UNRRA, I still don't have any informations that the Czech Independednt Armoured Brigade Group ever had any C60 Garwood wreckers. But it would be cool to find a CIABG marking under the red paint
Here are few oldschool pictures of my father's CMPs, Wrecker included
http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=4514

Frankie

[Hendrik van Oorspronk]

Originally Posted by Frantisek Nachlinger

Few bad pictures of our Garwood Wrecker.. seems to be modified, too.

I am collecting contract and serialnumbers of the wreckers, are the dashplates still there?

Hendrik

[Frantisek Nachlinger]

Originally Posted by Hendrik van Oorspronk

I am collecting contract and serialnumbers of the wreckers, are the dashplates still there?
Hendrik

I am pretty sure they are present, I will try to find a picture, if I won't find it I'll reply you a number as soon as I go to the garrage.
There is one more Garwood in Czech, do you have the number?
F

[Hendrik van Oorspronk]

Originally Posted by Frantisek Nachlinger

I am pretty sure they are present, I will try to find a picture, if I won't find it I'll reply you a number as soon as I go to the garrage.
There is one more Garwood in Czech, do you have the number?
F

I have the contractnumber, but can you find out the other numbers? I have now about 16 survivors I know of and there are at least another 5 in Norway.

Hendrik

[Frantisek Nachlinger]

Originally Posted by Hendrik van Oorspronk

I am collecting contract and serialnumbers of the wreckers, are the dashplates still there?

Hendrik

Hendrik,
I have the plate photograph, but it's very poor, the numbers are:

C-60444-M(?)-RT
13
3844233736
PR3371901
LY 1702
APR 7 44

hope that the big one is sufficient, if you needed anything else, let me know ( for sure it'S a BRKD4 )

I have the dataplate on the crane superstructure, too...

Frankie