COE double cab 6X6

[sapper740]

Here is an interesting picture taken in Ft. Bliss, Texas in 1943 of what appears to be a COE double cab. I've never seen a double cab/crew cab configuration on any WWII 6X6 before and I wonder if this was very rare and perhaps only seen on bases in the U.S. during the war. I know before the war there were commercial "three door" trucks, such as the Montpelier bodied COE's which had space behind the front seats for a sleeper or another row of seats. Another interesting item to note is the large radiator outside of the grill to provide additional cooling for the very hot Texas summers. Anyone have any pics of such a cab configuration in an operational area?

Thanks, Derek.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

The French ordered GMC AFWX-354 6x4 chassis with crew cabs, and most of these were diverted to the UK and ended up initially as Searchlight lorries. From late 1941 they were rebuilt, possibly as G/S lorries, and possibly transferred to essential civilian users.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Here's a pic! AFWX-354 with Hercules Cargo Body.

[Steve Guthrie]

Hi there

This is a 1939 Federal model 75K131 2 1/2 ton 6x4, It was originally purchased for the US Army Coastal Artillery as Searchlight Carrier.

It's a long way from the coast!

Steve

[gordon]

I'm reasonably sure that's the standard radiator guard, and the radiator is where it should be - behind the sheet metal.

I've seen a few factory shots of this type in Fred Crismon's excellent "US MILITARY WHEELED VEHICLES" and I found one crew cab GMC searchlight truck in Scotland a while back, now melted.

I think only the extended cab GMC searchlight trucks made it out of the continental US, not aware of any exceptions to the rule that they were transport trucks too, and all 6 x 4 with no driven front axle for tactical work. Main uses were things like searchlights, cavalry, and the like.

Another relative would be the Ashby's WK60 COE Dodge 6 x 4, but that has the ordinary COE cab rather than the extended one. COE's were seen as being too high (visibilty-wise) for tactical trucks but fine for transport units.

[cliff]

Here is a photo of one from the Van Dusen files held on the American Memorial website.