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Restoration of my 1941 Dodge WC16 Radio Command Car


zepher11
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How does one with military vehicles get involved with parades? Do you contact VFWs, local chamber of commerce, etc?

Typically, once you have a vintage MV, and attend a couple of car shows with it, one will get some invites. Also, if you know of a specific parade, many have online applications that can be filled out indicating type of vehicle and description one would like read at the parade. The organizers are usually very happy to have vintage MV's and will place your vehicle with other MV's or a similar class.

 

There are about seven or eight parade within a half hours driving time from my place, so it is pretty handy for me. Once you attend a few, they'll want you back.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Here is our WC-12 on the way to a 4th of July parade in Round Top TX.

While I know the 3/4 ton is more typical for WWII you can't beat the look

of the 1/2 Ton! Good lick on your resto.

Ours came from Langtry, TX(as in Judge Roy Bean) where it was used

as a ranch truck. We lierally aired up the tires, put fresh gas and a new

battery in it and drove it up on the trailer. A littlt rust on the floorboards

but not much. It even had a rifle rack vertically mounted on the passenger side!

post-8015-0-33209800-1430224017.jpg

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RustyCanteen

Well, I took a break from the Command Car today. Instead I worked on replacing the brake shoes and adding an original sloped master cylinder to the WC54. A lot of parades this month, and since the brakes were getting a little sketchy, I thought I would get them in shape. I cleaned and honed the wheel cylinders as well...they needed it. Hopefully, she will be like brand new when I get done:

 

4-4-2015_01.JPG

 

 

 

Beautiful!

 

Are the WC-54 pads bonded or riveted?

 

RC

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That car sure has seen better days, but I'm looking forward to you taking it back to that condition. Seems like a lot of work, but also very rewarding, keep it going! :)

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Here is our WC-12 on the way to a 4th of July parade in Round Top TX.

While I know the 3/4 ton is more typical for WWII you can't beat the look

of the 1/2 Ton! Good lick on your resto.

Ours came from Langtry, TX(as in Judge Roy Bean) where it was used

as a ranch truck. We lierally aired up the tires, put fresh gas and a new

battery in it and drove it up on the trailer. A littlt rust on the floorboards

but not much. It even had a rifle rack vertically mounted on the passenger side!

Very nice! Your CC looks great. I too really like the look of the half-ton trucks. I picked up some of the rarer radio components this past week at the Tower Park MVCC show in Lodi, CA...among other things.

 

A gentleman that just completed his radio command car gave me some parts left over from his restoration. I now have the coil box, an original coil that goes in the box, an original 12 volt regulator, and the junction box that goes inside the car for the radio power., Some are in rough shape, but happy to have them:

 

post-24058-0-99963300-1430454011.jpg

 

Also found some King Bee reflectors. Figured I would get a matched set while available. The other reflectors I had found earlier:

 

post-24058-0-10522600-1430454303.jpg

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Beautiful!

 

Are the WC-54 pads bonded or riveted?

 

RC

Thanks RC! The pads are riveted. I finally finished the job and all is good other than I will need some additional help to bleed the brake lines. Hopefully, someone will stop by to assist shortly.

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A little off topic but have to ask. Is Gracie a Vizsla? My son has a Vizsla, named Kaiser. Great dogs.

Yes, Gracie is a Vizsla. We also have George as well. We really enjoy them a lot. They are great. Here they are out on an excursion:

 

post-24058-0-54145300-1430455052.jpg

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That car sure has seen better days, but I'm looking forward to you taking it back to that condition. Seems like a lot of work, but also very rewarding, keep it going! :)

Thanks! Yes, quite a bit of rust damage here and there, but just have to bite off a bit here and there. Slow and steady wins the race B)

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I have been trying to pull the body on the command car the past few weeks, but just too busy. Finally had a little time to pop the cork this evening. Pulled the rear fenders trying to protect the studs on the body. They were a little snug after being on there for 74 years:

 

CC_051.JPG

 

CC_061.JPG

 

I also built a little support to ensure that the body would stay rigid upon lifting:

 

CC_Lift_01.JPG

 

I ended up using my engine crane. I just couldn't come up with a better alternative to lift the body:

 

CC_Lift_02.JPG

 

CC_Lift_03.JPG

 

CC_Lift_04.JPG

 

I missed removing the splash shields for the battery compartment on the passenger side, so I couldn't really fit the body onto the dolly I built it to sit on. I ran out of time, so I will remove them tomorrow and place it on there correctly:

 

CC_Lift_05.JPG

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I also found some goodies at the recent Tower Park MV event. Some 1/2 ton command car doors. Need some work, but hard to find. Found a full set:

 

Loot_05.JPG

 

Also found some of the rare 12 volt radio command car parts. Most WWII era Dodges were 6 volt. The radio command cars were 12 volt:

 

Loot_04.JPG

 

Found a full set of King Bee reflectors that would be original to this command car:.

 

Loot_01.JPG

 

Now, just need to get to work.

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Had a full day to start striping the body yesterday. It was a long day removing those 74 year old bolts and instrument gauges. Having the body on the cart was nice as I could sit on the floor under the dash and work on removing the gauges. When I removed the fire extinguisher holder, it provided a good look at what the original OD paint looked like. Hard to believe that the whole vehicle looked like that at one time. Sadly, I snapped off a couple of the studs that hold the gauges to the inside of the dash. I will need to figure out how to fix those. Very tight in there, and the studs are very small. So welding may not be an option. I may have to install form the front side of the dash by drilling, inserting, and welding a screw stud from there. Something to think about:

 

CC_081.JPG

 

This conduit ended up taking a few hours to remove. I didn't have a wrench that large of nuts, and it was rusted together pretty solid. Working by myself, it is very difficult to hold on the inside while trying to remove at the bottom side. My arms are not that long. I almost fired up the grinder to cut it out, but I finally prevailed:

 

CC_091.JPG

 

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Nice project. You'll have to keep your eyes open for an MP-46-A antenna mount. It looks like this:

 

 

 

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Nice project. You'll have to keep your eyes open for an MP-46-A antenna mount. It looks like this:

 

 

 

MVC-192S.JPG

MVC-193S.JPG

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Nice project. You'll have to keep your eyes open for an MP-46-A antenna mount. It looks like this:

 

 

 

Thanks for the photo Robin. Yes, I will be keeping my eye out for one of these brackets. Slowly but surely...

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AAF_Collection

It looks like a good starting point for a rebuild, I hope that one day I'll make a proper start on my early (August 42) 3/4 ton Command Car, though the rear body on mine is far worse than yours.

 

I'll look forward to seeing your progress!.

 

Matt.

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It looks like a good starting point for a rebuild, I hope that one day I'll make a proper start on my early (August 42) 3/4 ton Command Car, though the rear body on mine is far worse than yours.

 

I'll look forward to seeing your progress!.

 

Matt.

 

Thank you Matt. I like the 3/4 ton CC's as well. Just have to dive in there and get started! :)

 

Zeph

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Hello Zepher11,

 

I was an attentive viewer and enjoyed seeing the whole process that turned a beaten car into a very nice jeep !!

 

... and now I'm glad you started a new project, be sure I'll follow all the stages ... thanks for giving us this opportunity B)

 

E

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Hello Zepher11,

 

I was an attentive viewer and enjoyed seeing the whole process that turned a beaten car into a very nice jeep !!

 

... and now I'm glad you started a new project, be sure I'll follow all the stages ... thanks for giving us this opportunity B)

 

E

Thank you for the kind words. I really appreciate it! Really looking forward to getting the command car disassembled, so I can start putting it back to together. :)

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We have a new inspector on the job. I collect OD, so now it looks like my wife is collecting Vizslas. Say hello to Ralph:

 

Ralph_02.JPG

 

Ralph_01.JPG

 

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We have a new inspector on the job. I collect OD, so now it looks like my wife is collecting Vizslas. Say hello to Ralph:

 

Ralph_02.JPG

 

Ralph_01.JPG

 

Floppy ears and wrinkly skin...reminds me of my Weimaraner when he was that age

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Floppy ears and wrinkly skin...reminds me of my Weimaraner when he was that age

Yes, the Vizsla is closely related to the Weimaraner. Both are high performance!

 

Strike the pose. :lol:

 

Erwin

He does seem to be a bit of a poser! :)

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We have a new inspector on the job. I collect OD, so now it looks like my wife is collecting Vizslas. Say hello to Ralph:

 

 

 

I am in love! :love::love: He is too cute! Look at the size of those paws!

 

What do Gracie and George think of their new little brother?

 

...Kat

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