tamangel
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was looking for something else and stumbled across the Coachbuilt site dealing with Gerstenslager truck bodies.. while reading through found the following info re: trailers they were building during WW2. Thought may be of interest in this thread:
"The multi-year contracts were cancelled at the start of the war and the firm ramped up for wartime production, producing cargo boxes and trailers such as the G569 6-ton shoe-repair semi-trailer and the G518 1-ton cargo trailer. Other unknown types of vehicle bodies were also built by Gerstenslager during the war, for instance U.S. Army Technical Manual #9-2800, Military Vehicles, lists a 1-ton Dodge carryall fitted with Gerstenslager body.
Gerstenslager was just 1 of 28 firms selected to manufacture the G518 1-Ton cargo trailer for the US Army in 1941.
The “Ben Hur” trailers (named after its most prolific producer, the Ben Hur Mfg. Co.) were typically towed behind 2.5 ton trucks but during the war could be found being towed behind 1 ton to 7.5 ton trucks and even some Armored Vehicles. The G518 typically consisted of an 8’ x 4’ steel or wood box mounted on a heavy-duty 1-ton single axle trailer. Most were covered with a wood or metal frame and tarpaulin. Variations of the trailer were used to haul fire pumps, mobile kitchens, generators, and other goods
From 1941 to 1945 G518 Trailers were made by the following 28 companies:
American Bantam, Ben Hur, Century Boat Works, Checker, Dorsey, Gertenslager, Henney, Hercules Body, Highland Body, Hobbs, Hyde, Mifflinburg Body, Naburs, Nash Kelvinator, Omaha Standard Body, PKE, Queen City, Redman, Steel Products, Strick, Transportation Equipment Corp., Truck Engineering Corporation, Willys Overland, Winter Weiss, Baker, Covered Wagon Co., Keystone, and Streich"
from this page:
Gerstenslager Co., Bookmobile, Gerstenslager Bros., Gerstenslager Bookmobiles, Wehe Company - Coachbult.com
enjoy..
Mike W
"The multi-year contracts were cancelled at the start of the war and the firm ramped up for wartime production, producing cargo boxes and trailers such as the G569 6-ton shoe-repair semi-trailer and the G518 1-ton cargo trailer. Other unknown types of vehicle bodies were also built by Gerstenslager during the war, for instance U.S. Army Technical Manual #9-2800, Military Vehicles, lists a 1-ton Dodge carryall fitted with Gerstenslager body.
Gerstenslager was just 1 of 28 firms selected to manufacture the G518 1-Ton cargo trailer for the US Army in 1941.
The “Ben Hur” trailers (named after its most prolific producer, the Ben Hur Mfg. Co.) were typically towed behind 2.5 ton trucks but during the war could be found being towed behind 1 ton to 7.5 ton trucks and even some Armored Vehicles. The G518 typically consisted of an 8’ x 4’ steel or wood box mounted on a heavy-duty 1-ton single axle trailer. Most were covered with a wood or metal frame and tarpaulin. Variations of the trailer were used to haul fire pumps, mobile kitchens, generators, and other goods
From 1941 to 1945 G518 Trailers were made by the following 28 companies:
American Bantam, Ben Hur, Century Boat Works, Checker, Dorsey, Gertenslager, Henney, Hercules Body, Highland Body, Hobbs, Hyde, Mifflinburg Body, Naburs, Nash Kelvinator, Omaha Standard Body, PKE, Queen City, Redman, Steel Products, Strick, Transportation Equipment Corp., Truck Engineering Corporation, Willys Overland, Winter Weiss, Baker, Covered Wagon Co., Keystone, and Streich"
from this page:
Gerstenslager Co., Bookmobile, Gerstenslager Bros., Gerstenslager Bookmobiles, Wehe Company - Coachbult.com
enjoy..
Mike W