The Liberty Truck

written by Adrian Winget
VMPA Treasurer

This is our Liberty Standard B series I "USA Truck", which we acquired from a collector in Massachusetts in August of 2008. It had been sold from an old miner's collection out West when he passed away and came with a hoist, but we are not certain the hoist is an original issue item.

We have posted the Liberty series manuals in .pdf format on our VMPA maintenance pages for download, should anyone come across an old girl in need of loving restoration, or want them for historical research. You can view those manuals by following this link (coming so.

The primary differences between the series I and series II trucks are as follows:

Series I

  • Battery and generator, in addition to the magneto
  • Spring clip to hold starting crank, vs. ball under spring clamp
  • Primarily wooden spoke wheels vs. more robust steel wheels (to be confirmed)
  • Single hold-down radiator cap
  • Electric side lights
  • Single dash-mounted fuel tank
  • No fenders (perhaps only prototype models were fender-less, seeking evidence)

Series II

  • Magneto only, no battery or generator system
  • Gas spot/driving light in the center of the dashboard
  • Gas side lights (possible transition from electric as they dropped the battery system)
  • Spring-mounted oil fill caps raised to vertical level for easier filling
  • Oil filler for engine added (to be confirmed, only photographic evidence so far)
  • Radiator uses flip-type cap with hinge to rear
  • Fenders
  • Second fuel tank under passenger seat
  • Fuel tank pump for transferring from rear tank to primary tank (co-driver job)
 
It is my full intention to reassemble the body work with help from other VMPA members. We've already received plans from our Allied friends in England! Eventually, I hope to get her back on the road, within approximately two years. Unfortunately, the current war is calling and I'm off to Afghanistan, so perhaps I can locate an old FT-17 parts tank to drive alongside her. In the meantime, we'll continue doing research and try to locate parts for the final rebuild.

Please see my photo albums with her progress here.



Photo of the Liberty Truck from the manual - hopefully, ours will look like again this some day!


Parts Wanted

  • Floorboard center sections, top and bottom
  • Steering wheel
  • Gear-driven generator for Waukesha engine
  • 2 primer cups
  • Wires
  • Rear tail light
  • Rear pintle (similar to a CCKW in WWII, I think)
  • Front left bumper hook (again, likely similar to a CCKW)
  • Side head lamp parts (reflectors and a bezel retaining ring, primarily)
  • Magneto/battery switch
  • Headlamp switch
  • Shift linkage tower (ours is missing a chunk of aluminum)
  • Press-on wheels (we'll likely use a forklift service company to rebuild what we have)

The specific details of the Liberty series truck and Transportation Corps history are available on the following web page, presented by our nearby neighbor, Fort Eustis, Virginia, and the US Army Transportation Museum. The truck in their collection is a Standard B series II truck, which is almost identical to ours. Click here to see theirs.