Skeletal mesh not rendering in UE5

Question

I am trying to follow along with a tutorial that was designed for UE4. However, I was wanting to play around with UE5 (since it just came out). I was able to find some info in order to change some of the objects around to be compatible with UE5. But, I cannot seem to get the skeletal mesh to render either in the editor or in the game.

(I included the plugin for Chaos Vehicle)

Here is a copy of the C++ code for the vehicle class:

VehiclePawn.h

// Fill out your copyright notice in the Description page of Project Settings.

#pragma once

#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "WheeledVehiclePawn.h"
#include "VehiclePawn.generated.h"

/**
 * 
 */
UCLASS()
class FOODTRUCKTURFWAR_API AVehiclePawn : public AWheeledVehiclePawn
{
    GENERATED_BODY()
    
public:

    AVehiclePawn();

    virtual void Tick(float DeltaTime) override;

    virtual void SetupPlayerInputComponent(UInputComponent* PlayerInputComponent) override;

    // Control vehicle movement
    void ApplyThrottle(float ThrottleValue);
    void ApplySteering(float SteeringValue);

    // Control camera movement
    void ApplyLookUp(float LookUp);
    void ApplyLookRight(float LookRight);

    // Handbrake controls
    void OnHandbrakePressed();
    void OnHandbrakeReleased();

    // Primary Fire Controls
    void OnPrimaryFirePressed();
    void OnPrimaryFireReleased();

    // Secondart Fire Controls
    void OnSecondaryFirePressed();
    void OnSecondaryFireReleased();

    // TurboBoost Controls
    void OnTurboBoostPressed();
    void OnTurboBoostReleased();

    void UpdateInAirControl(float DeltaTime);

protected:

    UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = Camera, meta = (AllowPrivateAccess = "true"))
        class USpringArmComponent* SpringArm;

    UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = Camera, meta = (AllowPrivateAccess = "true"))
        class UCameraComponent* Camera;
};

VehiclePawn.cpp:

#include "VehiclePawn.h"
#include "Components/SkeletalMeshComponent.h"
#include "GameFramework/SpringArmComponent.h"
#include "Camera/CameraComponent.h"
#include "Components/InputComponent.h"
#include "ChaosWheeledVehicleMovementComponent.h"

static const FName NAME_SteeringInput("Steering");
static const FName NAME_ThrottleInput("Throttle");
static const FName NAME_Handbrake("Handbrake");
static const FName NAME_LookUp("LookUp");
static const FName NAME_LookRight("LookRight");
static const FName NAME_TurboBoost("TurboBoost");
static const FName NAME_PrimaryFire("PrimaryFire");
static const FName NAME_SecondaryFire("SecondaryFire");

AVehiclePawn::AVehiclePawn()
{
    UChaosWheeledVehicleMovementComponent* VehicleMovComp = CastChecked<UChaosWheeledVehicleMovementComponent>(GetVehicleMovement());
    
    //Torque setup
    VehicleMovComp->EngineSetup.MaxRPM = 5700.f;
    VehicleMovComp->EngineSetup.TorqueCurve.GetRichCurve()->Reset();
    // Starting at 0 RPM we will have 400 lbs of torque
    VehicleMovComp->EngineSetup.TorqueCurve.GetRichCurve()->AddKey(0.f, 400.f);
    // Starting at 2000 RPM we will have 500 lbs of torque
    VehicleMovComp->EngineSetup.TorqueCurve.GetRichCurve()->AddKey(2000.f, 500.f);
    // Starting at 5800 RPM we will have 400 lbs of torque
    VehicleMovComp->EngineSetup.TorqueCurve.GetRichCurve()->AddKey(5800.f, 400.f);

    //Adjust The steering
    VehicleMovComp->SteeringSetup.SteeringCurve.GetRichCurve()->Reset();
    // Max Steering at 0 Mph is 1
    VehicleMovComp->SteeringSetup.SteeringCurve.GetRichCurve()->AddKey(0.0f, 1.0f);
    // Max Steering at 40 Mph is 0.7
    VehicleMovComp->SteeringSetup.SteeringCurve.GetRichCurve()->AddKey(40.0f, 0.7f);
    // Max Steering at 120 Mph is 0.6
    VehicleMovComp->SteeringSetup.SteeringCurve.GetRichCurve()->AddKey(120.0f, 0.6f);

    //Differential Setup
    VehicleMovComp->DifferentialSetup.DifferentialType = EVehicleDifferential::AllWheelDrive;
    VehicleMovComp->DifferentialSetup.FrontRearSplit = 0.65;

    //Automatic Gear Box Setup
    VehicleMovComp->TransmissionSetup.bUseAutomaticGears = true;
    VehicleMovComp->TransmissionSetup.GearChangeTime = 0.15f;
    VehicleMovComp->TransmissionSetup.bUseAutoReverse = true;

    SpringArm = CreateDefaultSubobject<USpringArmComponent>(TEXT("SpringArm"));
    SpringArm->SetupAttachment(RootComponent);
    SpringArm->TargetArmLength = 800.0f;
    SpringArm->bUsePawnControlRotation = true;

    Camera = CreateDefaultSubobject<UCameraComponent>(TEXT("ChaseCamera"));
    Camera->SetupAttachment(SpringArm, USpringArmComponent::SocketName);
    Camera->FieldOfView = 90.0f;
}

void AVehiclePawn::Tick(float DeltaTime)
{
    Super::Tick(DeltaTime);

    UpdateInAirControl(DeltaTime);
}

void AVehiclePawn::SetupPlayerInputComponent(UInputComponent* PlayerInputComponent)
{
    Super::SetupPlayerInputComponent(PlayerInputComponent);

    // Bind Steering and throttle controls
    PlayerInputComponent->BindAxis(NAME_ThrottleInput, this, &AVehiclePawn::ApplyThrottle);
    PlayerInputComponent->BindAxis(NAME_SteeringInput, this, &AVehiclePawn::ApplySteering);

    // Bind Camera controls
    PlayerInputComponent->BindAxis(NAME_LookUp, this, &AVehiclePawn::ApplyLookUp);
    PlayerInputComponent->BindAxis(NAME_LookRight, this, &AVehiclePawn::ApplyLookRight);

    // Bind Handbrake controls
    PlayerInputComponent->BindAction(NAME_Handbrake, IE_Pressed, this, &AVehiclePawn::OnHandbrakePressed);
    PlayerInputComponent->BindAction(NAME_Handbrake, IE_Released, this, &AVehiclePawn::OnHandbrakeReleased);

    // Bind Turbo Controls
    PlayerInputComponent->BindAction(NAME_TurboBoost, IE_Pressed, this, &AVehiclePawn::OnTurboBoostPressed);
    PlayerInputComponent->BindAction(NAME_TurboBoost, IE_Released, this, &AVehiclePawn::OnTurboBoostReleased);

    // Bind Primary Fire Controls
    PlayerInputComponent->BindAction(NAME_PrimaryFire, IE_Pressed, this, &AVehiclePawn::OnPrimaryFirePressed);
    PlayerInputComponent->BindAction(NAME_PrimaryFire, IE_Released, this, &AVehiclePawn::OnPrimaryFireReleased);

    // Bind Primary Fire Controls
    PlayerInputComponent->BindAction(NAME_SecondaryFire, IE_Pressed, this, &AVehiclePawn::OnSecondaryFirePressed);
    PlayerInputComponent->BindAction(NAME_SecondaryFire, IE_Released, this, &AVehiclePawn::OnSecondaryFireReleased);
}

void AVehiclePawn::ApplyThrottle(float ThrottleValue)
{
    GetVehicleMovementComponent()->SetThrottleInput(ThrottleValue);
}

void AVehiclePawn::ApplySteering(float SteeringValue)
{
    GetVehicleMovementComponent()->SetSteeringInput(SteeringValue);
}

void AVehiclePawn::ApplyLookUp(float LookUp)
{
    if (LookUp != 0.f) {
        AddControllerPitchInput(LookUp);
    }
}

void AVehiclePawn::ApplyLookRight(float LookRight)
{
    if (LookRight != 0.f) {
        AddControllerYawInput(LookRight);
    }
}

void AVehiclePawn::OnHandbrakePressed()
{
    GetVehicleMovementComponent()->SetHandbrakeInput(true);
}

void AVehiclePawn::OnHandbrakeReleased()
{
    GetVehicleMovementComponent()->SetHandbrakeInput(false);
}

I also am using the "City Sample Vehicles" pack from the marketplace and I have assigned the vehicle skeletal mesh in the blueprint:

As you can see the truck is not rendering in the viewport. It also does not render when I play the game. I know that the skeletal mesh works because it comes from a blueprint that works fine. I have tried to compare my code to the BP, but cannot find anything that could be causing it (that being said there is a LOT of stuff to compare, so I very well might be missing something).

Any help would be MUCH appreciated.

thanks in advance,

Brunke