GMC & Chevrolet officially started production of COE trucks in 1939. The proto types were
designed & built in 1937 & 1938 by Montpelier Manufacturing Company of
Montpelier,
Ohio with the cooperation of GMC & Chevrolet. It Is believed that the first COE built
was for Dodge in 1937. Montpelier offered COEs in the Chevrolet Silver Book. Again it was
Montpelier & H. A. Schwartz who designed the original Cab over engine, COE, or forward
control in the automotive industry. Besure to check out that site link for more history.
Luc Coesens of Belgium, is a military vehicle enthusiast & owns this Truck. Here are some
pictures of an AFKWX that he has restored & use as a "break down lorry". Because he did not
have the original platform, he did not change anything, only had to cut of a piece out the
chassis that he is keeping in his workshop till he can make the truck original again.
Hopefully he'll find a good platform or an example to copy.
Chevrolet introduced the Cab Over Engine (C.O.E.) model truck in about 1939. Early in World
War II, Chevrolet built a few COE's with a front drive axle, most of which went to the
military. At the beginning of WWII there were a few different designs of civvy bodied COE
trucks used by the military. These trucks are extremely rare & it is not know how many
survived. Production figures of COE trucks are unclear, but during the Advance Design era,
about 1,000 were made each year.
Here are photos of an Army 4X4 GMC AFKX352 mobile repair shop with the body by Superior. There
were 10 different shop variations of this truck in use during WWII, this was seen in Ogden Utah.
Normally called Two-Ton Trucks, COE's were rated up to 25,000 lb GVW & run the tried & true
216 cid or 235 cid Stovebolt Chevrolet six cylinder engine. Most came with a 4 speed
transmission & some came with the extra cost option of a 2 speed rear axle.
Advantages of the COE design was greater cargo area for a given wheelbase, more maneuverable, &
the high cab also gave drivers excellent visibility, a real plus in threading a truck city
traffic. Also you could get a shorter truck if you used the same size bed as on regular
truck or with a fifth wheel.
Some of the following pics came from the owners of the trucks, & some are photos taken by myself.
Also there are photos from Hank Suderman & the Collection of
Ken Goudy.
See the links page for their web pages, or click on their name to e-mail them.
Pictures taken in 1940 of Conrad Vogel's family's new 1940 Chevrolet COE, The first picture is of
Conrad's Grandpa Vernon (far left) & some other family members in 1940 with a load of hay.
Second picture is unloading a load of potatoes into a rail car at the railroad loading ramp
in Clark Fork, Idaho, taken in 1947. Third picture is of Conrad's Grandpa (in COE), &
Great-Grandfather Oliver (far right), & a family friend with a load of Certified #1 Idaho
Seed Potatoes from the family farm.
Here are a few more photos of Streamline COE Trucks.
I don't know much about these trucks, but they examples of Art Deco COEs.
The Art Deco COE was seen in St John Idaho.
This old Chevrolet COE stands in front of the Spud Drive-In Driggs Idaho.
This truck is a 1946 GMC COE truck, nicely restored.
This truck is a 1947 GMC COE.
[1939-1947 COE] [1947-1954 COE] ["Cannon Balls"] [1954-1959 LCF] [1960-1966 LCF]
