Where to find CMPs?

[Bob Carriere]

Interesting discussion.

Too each his own after all it will be your truck..... if you want a old looking vehicle that will handle, perform and generally drive like our modern pick em up truck I would suggest you get a wrecked modern pick up.....strip the body work and transplant a CMP body box on the modern power train....... in the long run it will be cheaper and run well

Reality dictates that the CMP was designed in a rush in the late 30s using vehicle technology of the period. Roads were not like our main highways and they expected to drive the trucks cross country.

CMPs were designed for a top speed of approx. 45 mph flat out in fourth gear using a 85 to 90 HP engine with state of the art brakes (circa 1935 design) and a steering and suspension to match that speed. Tires and rims were also design for endurance not for speed.......

I had a chat with the mechanic that owns the cab 11 Ford in Alexandria a few years ago..... he up graded the flat head V8 with a later Mercury engine and had it goosed up slightly.... he claimed the truck could do 65 mph but was ridiculous to handle needing both half of the country lane to drive at that speed.

As other custom designers have said and shown in US magazines..... anything can be done and re engineered if you have enough money/time but to try to up grade an over weight over designed cast axle to take better brakes is doable but then what about the suspension.... OK air bags.... and special aluminium billets machined rims to look like CMP rims..... and special thin wall 9 x16 custom made bar thread tires to handle the speed.

CMP are like elephants...... if you enjoy large klunky nostagic vehicles you are in for a treat....... if you need a daily driver as fast and dependable as today plastic computer cars....... it ain't the thing for you.

,,,but there is nothing wrong in designing the CMP of your dream.... and would love to see your progress documented with pictures on MLU.


Bob