Staff Writer

John Cliche rebuilds history in his garage.

The Arundel native during the past 10 years has rebuilt four military vehicles that he shows at local and national conventions and drives in area parades to honor veterans.

“It all started out as a father-son project,” Cliche said of his passion.

Cliche, a self-proclaimed “gearhead,” first rebuilt a hot rod pickup with his eldest son, Jared.

His passion turned to military history in 2000, when his youngest son, Tregg, was 14.

“He’s the one that came up with it, really,” Cliche said. “We went to a military show in New Hampshire, hopped into this military vehicle – a 1942 Chevy Canadian Military Pattern – and that was it.”

Cliche said both he and Tregg were “hooked” by the historical aspect of riding in the rebuilt vehicles.

“It was the thought that we were riding in something that had participated in a real significant point in history,” he said.

Cliche and Tregg soon began rebuilding a 1942 Chevy cargo truck from World War II. Since then he has rebuilt three World War II-era military vehicles: a 1944 Ford M20 armored utility car, a 37 mm anti-tank gun and a 1943 Dodge WC61 telephone maintenance and installation vehicle.

Cliche harvests parts from old cars, buys individual parts or builds historically authentic pieces in his garage. Each vehicle takes between 700 and 1,000 hours to rebuild.

Cliche said World War II vehicle history fascinates him because it was the first time America’s vehicle manufacturing capacity was completely turned over to military production.

“Studebaker, Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, you name it. All plants went to making weapons, making parts of military vehicles. Almost overnight the entire manufacturing process was geared to one production: war material,” he said.

Cliche attributed the effort to the war’s popularity.

“That was a war that everyone was for. Evil had a face during that war and so everyone was for producing stuff for Uncle Sam,” he said.

Cliche said the diversity of World War II production makes each vehicle unique.

Each manufacturer built war vehicles that mimicked their civilian cars. It wasn’t until the end of the war that the country began producing generic parts for military vehicles, he said.

“To this day all our military weapons and vehicles look identical. They are all built using the same everything. But back then they each had an identity, they each had character,” he said.

Cliche said he can only guess whether his four vehicles saw combat during the six-year war.

Cliche said rebuilding the vehicles and attempting to surmise their role has made him a “student of history.”

Cliche said all research – be it through old photographs, personal accounts or manufacturers’ information – are just hints into the vehicles’ histories.

“We found a 1928 French franc once,” he said. “It was wedged into the seat pan of the Chevy we restored. But even with that, even when you find something like that, all you can do is guess what it means. Did the truck go to Europe? Who knows? Did a serviceman who’d been to Europe sit in it? Was he just keeping it as a good luck charm or was it change from a purchase?”

Cliche also connects his interest in World War II to his father’s role in the war.

Val Cliche, now 89, was a paratrooper in the 82^nd airborne and jumped in several operations throughout Europe.

Cliche said he grew up listening to his father’s stories of the war and the pride with which he served his country.

Neither Cliche – who did not become draft eligible until near the end of the Vietnam War – nor his two sons, who are in their 20s, served in the military.

“I was never pushed into serving and I never pushed my sons. It was whatever they wanted,” he said.

Cliche said he reserves a lot of respect for people in uniform.

“Often times I feel kind of bad that I didn’t serve because I consider it an honor to be part of that group. But it was a decision I made at that time. Each war, each choice, is different,” he said.

“I do think that maybe some of the motivation that I have to keep doing and displaying these vehicles is trying to make up for the fact that I didn’t serve,” he added.

Cliche said he believes his non-veteran status has allowed him to honor military history and veterans’ sacrifices.

“There are veterans that collect this paraphernalia, but there is a large percentage of GIs who, when they are done with their service, they’re done. They want to put it all behind them,” he said.

Cliche honors history and veterans at conventions and parades each year.

He travels to local and national Military Vehicle Preservation Association conventions where he shows his vehicles, connects with history buffs and collectors and buys parts for works in progress.

Throughout the years he has taken home several awards for the quality and authenticity of his restorations. He returned last week from the national convention held this year in Dayton, Ohio. More than 3,000 members – and around 300 rebuilt vehicles – attended the convention.

Cliche also keeps history alive and honors veterans at town parades. Each year since 2001 he has driven in Kennebunk and Kennebunkport’s Memorial Day parade. This summer he drove down Main Street Kennebunk during the Old Home Week parade.

“It was embarrassing the first couple of times of course because there are all these people looking at you and smiling, but you just have to keep your mind on why you are there. It’s to represent and be a reminder of the sacrifices that veterans have given. They did it in these vehicles, these literal vehicles,” he said.

Staff Writer Rachel H. Goldman can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.