GMC AFKX 354 (french Contract)

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

This is from my notes:

The first letter indicates roughly Model Year, so “A” was 1939-40, “C” 1941, “D” 1942; the next “D” indicated Diesel engine, the following “C” indicates that the truck was Normal or Conventional Control, or “U” for “Unconventional Cab” or “F” Forward Control/Cab-over-Engine. “K” indicates “front-wheel drive”, “W” “6-wheels [or 2 x rear axle drive]”; “X” SPECIAL WHEELBASE LENGTH, the “X” being dropped February 1941.

G.M.C. Trucks ordered by the French Government and then diverted to the Ministry of Supply, all l.h.d. were Models:
AC-504 and ACX-504 4 x 2 with GMC 278 cu. in. engine.

All with GMC 248 cu. in. engines: ACK-252; ACKX-252; AFKX-352; ACK-353; ACKX-353; ACKWX-353; ACKWX-353; AFWX-354. The ACK-252 and ACKX-252, and ACK-353 were a 4 x 4 version of the standard AC-252 or -353; the ACKW-353 was a 6 x 6 normal control version with Thornton conversion, and AFWX-354 the Thornton 6 x 4 Forward Control chassis with extra “crew-cab”, and ACKX- was 4 x 4 with twin rear wheels, and ACKWX- was 6 x 6 with twin wheels on rear axles.

British orders for G.M.C. were for the Model AFKX-352 4 x 4 with the 248 cu. in. engine, all l.h.d. it is believed. Later U.S. supplies of G.M.C. military trucks were of the 1941 Models CCW-353 5-Ton 6 x 4; CCKW-352 50 cwt./2½ Ton 6 x 6 145 in. wheelbase, and CCKW-353 same capacity 6 x 6 157 in. wheelbase. In addition there were supplies of the amphibious “Duck”, 1942 Model DUKW-353 2½ Ton truck, based on the CCKW-353 chassis. These all used the GMC 270 cu. in. engine. Engine #s: 270-xxxxxx e.g. 270-637537.

Our new book on Pearsons' of Liverpool has photos of ex-French GMCs post-war, virtually as received and rebuilt.