Since GMC management did not anticipate significant market demand for vehicles of this type, no large orders were expected, and no substantial production capacity was set aside for them. Most interestingly, Soviet estimates put GMC’s production capacity on a par with that of the entire Soviet automotive industry.
The widely known military model entered mass production in January 1941, reaching a phenomenal number of units produced. These vehicles were designated as “COE” (Cab-Over-Engine) types. In September 1941, a contract was signed for the production of trucks featuring a different engine housing, with the cab positioned behind the engine. This configuration provided better weight distribution across the axles and improved operational performance. Due to high demand, it became necessary to expand production to other facilities; consequently, the production documentation was forwarded to the Studebaker Corp. of America.
By 1943, production at GMC facilities was running 24 hours a day, with a new vehicle rolling off the assembly line every four minutes. GMC produced the ACKWX-353, AFWX-354, CCKW-352, and CCKW-353 models for the military. These were based on civilian designs, featuring cargo beds with sideboards for transporting personnel and supplies. The CCKW-352 and CCKW-353 models differed in their chassis, with wheelbases of 145 inches and 162 inches, respectively.
The ACKWX-353 model had a payload capacity of 3 tons, while the other three models had a capacity of 2.5 tons. The CCKW-353 model featured drive to all three axles.
All models produced by GMC featured a drivetrain equipped with an auxiliary transmission (transfer case). Some models were fitted with front-mounted winches. Every GMC model was equipped with standard U.S. Army towing provisions, including hitches and related gear. The CCKW-353 truck was powered by a 140 hp GMC 270 engine, capable of a maximum speed of 45 mph, with a gross vehicle weight of 5,175 kg. For on-road driving, the front-wheel drive could be disengaged.
In 1943, an open-cab design became the production standard, introduced to simplify manufacturing and conserve raw materials. Many vehicles originally built with the earlier enclosed cab were subsequently retrofitted to this more austere standard.
Standard transport variants were fitted with one of three types of cargo beds: all-steel, steel with wooden sideboards, or all-wood. Each of these types featured folding benches capable of accommodating up to sixteen fully equipped soldiers; when folded away, the space could be used for hauling cargo.
Additionally, the standard chassis could be fitted with a variety of specialized body configurations in place of the cargo bed, including equipment for transporting bombs, a dump body, livestock transport fittings, fuel or water tanker units, and a vehicle equipped with a lifting mechanism (for aircraft servicing). Van-type bodies with specialized equipment—such as mobile workshops, blood bank units, artillery repair shops, or communications vehicles—were also fitted to these chassis.
The GMC truck was used extensively by Allied forces on the Western Front, as well as by the Red Army on the Eastern Front. These vehicles reached the USSR by sea under the Lend-Lease agreement.
In total, more than 800,000 of these trucks were produced, with 562,750 units manufactured at GMC plants.
Engine: GMC 270 type, gasoline, inline 6-cylinder, OHV, liquid-cooled
Fuel system: carbureted, naturally aspirated
Displacement: 4420 cc
Maximum power: 102 hp at 2750 rpm
Transmission: manual
Drivetrain: front-mounted longitudinal engine, 6×6
Tires: 7.5×20″
Length: CCKW 3520 – 5865 mm (6220 mm with winch)
CCKW 3530 – 6509 mm (6864 mm with winch)
Width: 223.5 cm
Height: 236.2 cm
Wheelbase: CCKW 3520 – 3683 mm
CCKW 353 – 4166 mm
Ground clearance: 250 mm
Weight: CCKW 352 – 4695 kg
CCKW 353 – 4785 kg
Fuel tank capacity: 151 l
Maximum speed: 72 km/h (on-road)
Range: 480 km
Gradient climbing ability: 54°
