The GMC CCKW is undoubtedly the most famous 6×6 military vehicle from World War II that comes to mind. However, around the same time, Studebaker also produced a 6×6 hauler that is equally as awesome as its more well-known GMC brother.
Despite being manufactured by separate businesses, the CCKW and the Studebaker US6 share a number of characteristics. They share a similar appearance, are powered by inline-six engines, and are virtually unstoppable in muck and snow. Additionally, both were unveiled in 1941 and produced until 1945, at the close of World War II.
The CCKW was notably more popular than the US6. While the latter was built in around 220,000 units, GMC delivered more than a half-million trucks to the U.S. Army and its partners. Most of these trucks were operated in North America and on the Western Front, whereas the Studebaker US6 was exported under the Lend-Lease policy.
Many of them were sent to the Soviet Union, where they were used to haul everything from artillery pieces and anti-tank guns to troops on the Eastern front. The truck became renowned for its ruggedness and reliability, and legend has it Joseph Stalin himself sent a letter of appreciation to Studebaker.
But not all US6s spent their early service years in Eastern Europe. The U.S. military also kept a few trucks, but they never made it on the Western front like the CCKW. Instead, these haulers were deployed for construction purposes, especially in Alaska.
In 2022, the US6 will be a valuable asset in North America. Far more uncommon than the GMC CCKW. Furthermore, the majority of the trucks that have withstood decades of abuse are in extremely poor condition and haven’t been driven in a long time. This 1945 example is one of the fortunate ones that you see here.
One of the US6s that was utilized to construct the Alaska Highway is this transporter. I’m not sure of its more recent history, but it’s currently a part of a bigger collection of vintage and abandoned vehicles. It still operates and drives, in contrast to a lot of WWII rigs available. even though it was completely covered with snow and endured weeks in the bitter cold.
Cold starts are tricky when it comes to engines that date back to the 1940s, but some hot coal under the oil pan got the 320-cubic-inch (5.2-liter) Hercules inline-six to fire up on the second attempt. And that’s pretty amazing, as is the fact that it still has enough oomph to take the US6 for a spin in the snow.
Even though the vintage Studebaker isn’t particularly quick, it manages to navigate rocky, heavily snow-covered terrain with ease. As it was when it was taken out of the factory about eight decades ago. I could be alone in this, but I find it kind of fascinating to witness an antique WWII truck driving across a frozen environment. To watch it in action, click the play button below.