WWII Truck Parts Supply Depot

2005 - Volume #29, Issue #5, Page #26

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Try to find a part for a WWII 1 1/2-ton Chevy or 2 1/2-ton GMC truck, and you'll probably end up at Bob Muller's website, Vehicles of Victory. Muller says the website and business are a labor of love.
"I get to meet really neat people and learn the history of these trucks," says Muller. "It is fun to help people who have just started with their first truck."
Muller is a self-professed history buff with no initial interest or training in mechanics. Starting a parts business grew out of necessity. A student of World War II, he jumped at the chance to buy a truck from that time period, even though it needed a new engine and other parts. In the process, he found another similar truck that needed a new body, and he found himself searching for parts.
"I figured, what a shame for others with WW II trucks to go through the same process of trying to find parts," recalls Muller.
He soon started chasing down information on WW II Chevy trucks, labeled by the company as "Vehicles of Victory." About 150,000 Chevy 1 1/2-ton trucks were manufactured, with some going to the Army and Army Air Corps, but the largest share being sent to Allied forces, particularly Britain and Russia. This has made finding the trucks and parts harder.
The Chevys were equipped with 4-WD, four-speed non-synchromesh transmissions and 83 hp, 235-cu. in. engines. They were used for everything from towing artillery to firefighting and hauling troops and supplies, with special body configurations for special tasks.
Less was known about the GMC trucks even though nearly 600,000 2 1/2-ton, or deuce and a half, GMC's were built during the war.
The 6-wheel drive GMC "Deuce" was equipped with a 91.5 hp, GMC 270 (269.5 cu. in.) 6-cyl. engine. The transmission had five forward and one reverse gear with a two-speed transfer case.
He also learned that the trucks were a mixture of durability and vulnerability. Designed for what everyone hoped would be a short-lived war, body parts were often constructed without drain holes, encouraging rust and deterioration. And yet mechanically, they wouldn't quit. In fact, many European armies were still using the GMC deuce and a half as their major transport vehicles as late as the 1980's and early 1990's, in the case of the Norwegian army.
"No other truck has run so well for so long. They were in use for nearly 60 years," says Muller. "Parts were still being made for them 20 years after they were first manufactured."
Even after being retired from the various armies, the trucks found homes on farms as silage wagons and manure wagons. Today, they are sought-after collectors' items in Europe as well as in the U.S.
Muller started by making reproductions of hard-to-find and often missing items like stake pockets, tailgates and mud flaps for his own trucks. Soon it developed into a niche market as he began making and selling them and other parts, as well as buying and selling trucks.
"From that, I started running into people at shows who had parts for sale," explains Muller. "I just had a guy call me. He said his dad had lots of old GM parts in his garage and asked if I could use them."
Today, he estimates he is one of the largest outlets of WW II GMC and Chevy truck parts around. Though parts are getting hard to find, an occasional treasure trove still exists. Muller recently bought Chevy and GMC parts from a company in Chicago that had two warehouses loaded with parts, including Diamond D, Studebaker and others. The owner had bought them as surplus parts after the war and never touched them since.
The website has grown from a parts and specifications listing to include background information on Chevy trucks, technical tips on restoring the trucks, a photo gallery and a free listing of vehicles for sale and vehicles and parts that are being sought. Muller also posts informational pieces on WW II trucks and the men who drove them and sells some promotional items.
"I hear from collectors all over the world," says Muller. "Neither the Germans nor the British had anything equal to these trucks. They were well-engineered and certainly ru

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WWII Truck Parts Supply Depot TRUCKS Miscellaneous 29-5-26 Try to find a part for a WWII 1 1/2-ton Chevy or 2 1/2-ton GMC truck, and you'll probably end up at Bob Muller's website, Vehicles of Victory. Muller says the website and business are a labor of love. "I get to meet really neat people and learn the history of these trucks," says Muller. "It is fun to help people who have just started with their first truck." Muller is a self-professed history buff with no initial interest or training in mechanics. Starting a parts business grew out of necessity. A student of World War II, he jumped at the chance to buy a truck from that time period, even though it needed a new engine and other parts. In the process, he found another similar truck that needed a new body, and he found himself searching for parts. "I figured, what a shame for others with WW II trucks to go through the same process of trying to find parts," recalls Muller. He soon started chasing down information on WW II Chevy trucks, labeled by the company as "Vehicles of Victory." About 150,000 Chevy 1 1/2-ton trucks were manufactured, with some going to the Army and Army Air Corps, but the largest share being sent to Allied forces, particularly Britain and Russia. This has made finding the trucks and parts harder. The Chevys were equipped with 4-WD, four-speed non-synchromesh transmissions and 83 hp, 235-cu. in. engines. They were used for everything from towing artillery to firefighting and hauling troops and supplies, with special body configurations for special tasks. Less was known about the GMC trucks even though nearly 600,000 2 1/2-ton, or deuce and a half, GMC's were built during the war. The 6-wheel drive GMC "Deuce" was equipped with a 91.5 hp, GMC 270 (269.5 cu. in.) 6-cyl. engine. The transmission had five forward and one reverse gear with a two-speed transfer case. He also learned that the trucks were a mixture of durability and vulnerability. Designed for what everyone hoped would be a short-lived war, body parts were often constructed without drain holes, encouraging rust and deterioration. And yet mechanically, they wouldn't quit. In fact, many European armies were still using the GMC deuce and a half as their major transport vehicles as late as the 1980's and early 1990's, in the case of the Norwegian army. "No other truck has run so well for so long. They were in use for nearly 60 years," says Muller. "Parts were still being made for them 20 years after they were first manufactured." Even after being retired from the various armies, the trucks found homes on farms as silage wagons and manure wagons. Today, they are sought-after collectors' items in Europe as well as in the U.S. Muller started by making reproductions of hard-to-find and often missing items like stake pockets, tailgates and mud flaps for his own trucks. Soon it developed into a niche market as he began making and selling them and other parts, as well as buying and selling trucks. "From that, I started running into people at shows who had parts for sale," explains Muller. "I just had a guy call me. He said his dad had lots of old GM parts in his garage and asked if I could use them." Today, he estimates he is one of the largest outlets of WW II GMC and Chevy truck parts around. Though parts are getting hard to find, an occasional treasure trove still exists. Muller recently bought Chevy and GMC parts from a company in Chicago that had two warehouses loaded with parts, including Diamond D, Studebaker and others. The owner had bought them as surplus parts after the war and never touched them since. The website has grown from a parts and specifications listing to include background information on Chevy trucks, technical tips on restoring the trucks, a photo gallery and a free listing of vehicles for sale and vehicles and parts that are being sought. Muller also posts informational pieces on WW II trucks and the men who drove them and sells some promotional items. "I hear from collectors all over the world," says Muller. "Neither the Germans nor the British had anything equal

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