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Restoration of my 1941 Dodge WC16 Radio Command Car


zepher11
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Zeph,

 

I LOVE the updates. That gas tank looks brand new from the factory. Those drums looks very nice too.

 

I understand about how restorations tend to go in bursts. Some days it seems like you get lots done and some days it seems like you have been working on the same area for weeks.

 

...Kat

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Zephyr11 - just found this and it's become my favorite thread on the forums. I've never restored a military vehicle, but did a full frame rebuild on a 60s Datsun 1600 with a friend, and it wasn't half the work this was. But enough so I can understand some of what you are going through and also really appreciate some of your ingenuity, like the rotisserie. And your dogs are awesome, too. The level of your craftsmanship is outstanding, I am really glad you are giving this thing a new lease on life, it has been a real joy to read the thread the entire way though.

Looking forward to seeing what comes next!

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Thanks - that was a great read as well. Exceedingly impressed with the quality of his efforts, and the threads are just great reading. It's not often you can read 25 pages of a forum thread online and enjoy every one of them, seeing the support and encouragement of forum members all along was great too.

Whatever happened to that Dodge 1/2 ton truck that showed up somewhere in there? Is that still pending, moved on to another collector, or is there another thread I need to find in that sub-forum?

 

Hey,Wolfhound if you liked this one you should look up Zeph's Jeep thread.

 

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Zeph,

 

I LOVE the updates. That gas tank looks brand new from the factory. Those drums looks very nice too.

 

I understand about how restorations tend to go in bursts. Some days it seems like you get lots done and some days it seems like you have been working on the same area for weeks.

 

...Kat

 

Hi Kat,

 

I know, I have had days where it seems like I worked my butt off, yet it appears I made no progress. That's okay though, as it's just nice to be out in the shop! :)

 

Zephyr11 - just found this and it's become my favorite thread on the forums. I've never restored a military vehicle, but did a full frame rebuild on a 60s Datsun 1600 with a friend, and it wasn't half the work this was. But enough so I can understand some of what you are going through and also really appreciate some of your ingenuity, like the rotisserie. And your dogs are awesome, too. The level of your craftsmanship is outstanding, I am really glad you are giving this thing a new lease on life, it has been a real joy to read the thread the entire way though.

 

Looking forward to seeing what comes next!

 

Thank you Wolfhound. I appreciate the nice comments. If you did a full frame rebuild of the Datsun, you have an appreciation that's for sure.

 

Thanks - that was a great read as well. Exceedingly impressed with the quality of his efforts, and the threads are just great reading. It's not often you can read 25 pages of a forum thread online and enjoy every one of them, seeing the support and encouragement of forum members all along was great too.

 

Whatever happened to that Dodge 1/2 ton truck that showed up somewhere in there? Is that still pending, moved on to another collector, or is there another thread I need to find in that sub-forum?

 

 

 

Yes, that GPW was a workout. I have the 1/2 ton dodge in the queue. It will be a somewhat rare WC22. Only made 1900 of these I believe. I have a WC21 that will donate the cab and engine as well as some extra parts from a WC13 that will come in handy. I can't decide which to do first after the Command Car, the WC22 or the Dodge WC63. Evidently, I have some time to ponder it.

 

In my down time over the past month or so, I had a friend help me complete the top bows so I could install the canvas for my WC52. He's a wood worker, so I bought some oak planks and he helped me plane them down to the WWII era dimensions. Here's a couple of photos for you:

 

CC_0225.JPG

 

CC_0323.JPG

 

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WC_52_04.JPG

 

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WC_52_11.JPG

 

WC_52_09.JPG

 

Ta Da!

 

WC52_01.JPG

 

I think the back of this truck will be my sleeping quarters when I go down to the MV shows at Tower Park now.

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Hi Zeph,

 

Man that was some fast work! Looks great, as usual.

 

RC

 

Thanks RC! It always looks like it happened fast after it is completed. B)

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Zeph,

 

The canvas turned out amazing looking! Is there anything that you CAN'T do when it comes to restoring a military vehicle? :)

 

...Kat

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Zeph,

 

You make it look so easy!

 

RC

 

 

Zeph,

 

The canvas turned out amazing looking! Is there anything that you CAN'T do when it comes to restoring a military vehicle? :)

 

...Kat

 

 

Amazing restoration.

 

Erwin

 

 

That you! I just received word that my engine is ready for pickup. For the price, I think I am going back into rebuilding my own engines from now on... :blink:

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I think I found my markings for the command car. Some may recall that my 90 year old cousin Iris's husband Bill was in the 101st AB during WWII. However, he enlisted in the army at 17 in early 1940. I have a lot of his paperwork, and he was in the 16th F.A. Btry B. I wasn't sure how they marked the prewar vehicles, but have found a few examples now. This is the closest I have found to a marking of his original unit:

 

Command_Car_Marking.JPG

 

After the war broke out it was interesting that he was promoted about every three months up to staff sergeant. That is up until he and a friend got a little loopy and drove off with a Greyhound bus with passengers leaving the driver behind. Well, busted to private and given the choice...hard labor or Airborne. Airborne it was. That is how he ended up in the 377th PFAB of the 101st AB. He left the service in 1946 as a T/5 after hanging out at the Eagles Nest.

 

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  • 1 month later...

I think I have been neglecting to post here, so I thought I would get caught back up. Picked up the engine back at the beginning of April. The shop thought they were doing me a favor painting it a dark OD, but I fixed that:

 

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Also received the 12 volt data tags for the regulator and generator that I had made:

 

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CC_149.JPG

 

Found out my engine mount was bent after I had sandblasted and painted, so found another:

 

CC_157.JPG

 

I noticed my starter/flywheel ring gear was a bit chewed up, so had to replace:

 

CC_173.JPG

 

Knocked one off another flywheel I had:

 

CC_183.JPG

 

Figured, I better get to blasting the other engine mounts and some other stuff:

 

CC_193.JPG

 

In the meantime I installed the generator data plate:

 

CC_203.JPG

 

Engine starting to take shape:

 

CC_23.JPG

 

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More sandblasting:

 

CC_222.JPG

 

While researching engine details, I found this neat photo of Dodge military engines all ready to go. Don't see any 12 volt set ups, however:

 

Command_Car_Engine_WC16_2.JPG

 

I went to the military vehicle show at Tower Park and noticed that a WC16 had a block out plate for the ammeter gauge. I had sent my gauges in to be restored, so I was lucky that the guys restoring my gauges were there! I had to send another gauge down to get the block out plate installed and remove the ammeter gauge that I had sent with the set:

 

CC_0236.JPG

 

While looking at the gauges at the show, I thought "hey that could be my speedo." It was:

 

CC_0137.JPG

 

Time to work on the clutch. Scored this clutch kit at Tower Park for $20!

 

CC_0334.JPG

 

Had to replace some bushings in the bell housing:

 

CC_0433.JPG

 

Changing the pilot bushing:

 

CC_0532.JPG

 

Time to clean up the oil filter housing. After I sandblasted, noticed a number of rust holes in the bottom. JB weld time:

 

CC_0629.JPG

 

Finally made the love connection. These two have been eyeing each other for months:

 

CC_0237.JPG

 

CC_0138.JPG

 

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Last weekend I finally was able to get the engine in the chassis:

 

CC_0335.JPG

 

CC_0533.JPG

 

Intake and exhaust manifolds:

 

CC_0630.JPG

 

 

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Today I installed the exhaust system:

 

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Water pump and genny installed:

 

CC_1210.JPG

 

Pedals as well:

 

CC_1112.JPG

 

I still need to get the body in to the sandblaster. Been trying for about two months now and can't quite get it together with the scheduling. Hopefully, I will have time in three weeks to give it another go.

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Zeph,

 

I have been missing your updates and you post so many at once that I am overwhelmed! :D

 

You have made some amazing progress. Very interesting about the data plates you had made. The engine looks amazing! Thanks so much for giving me another "fix" of your updates! :lol: I do love to watch your progress.

 

...Kat

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Looking great Zepher, can't wait to see the next update!

 

Thank you Wolfhound!

 

Zeph,

 

I have been missing your updates and you post so many at once that I am overwhelmed! :D

 

You have made some amazing progress. Very interesting about the data plates you had made. The engine looks amazing! Thanks so much for giving me another "fix" of your updates! :lol: I do love to watch your progress.

 

...Kat

 

The updates are a little slow in coming as work has been keeping me busy, and I haven't been able to get a lot of time in on the project. Little spurts of work here and there that doesn't seem like much, but after a while I have a collection of update photos that I like to get on here.

 

If I can get it together and get the tub sandblasted, it will really start coming along. Stay tuned! :)

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Pleasanton? As in Pleasanton California? You folks go and display there? Maybe for the Highland Games over Labor Day weekend? I'm in San Jose. I haven't been to the games in years, but if you plan on being there I may just have to go this time!

Mikie

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Johan Willaert

Pleasanton? As in Pleasanton California? You folks go and display there? Maybe for the Highland Games over Labor Day weekend? I'm in San Jose. I haven't been to the games in years, but if you plan on being there I may just have to go this time!

Mikie

Just google MVPA convention Pleasanton, CA for more info

 

Dates are 11-13 August 2016

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Thanks Johan. Come hell or high water this command car will be at Pleasanton! May not be under its own power, however.

 

Mikie, you should definitely pencil in this MVPA show in August. It's right in your backyard, and I don't think you will be disappointed.

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Thanks Johan. Come hell or high water this command car will be at Pleasanton! May not be under its own power, however.

 

Mikie, you should definitely pencil in this MVPA show in August. It's right in your backyard, and I don't think you will be disappointed.

Hi,

I've saved the date and look forward to going. Thanks for the heads-up. I had no idea about this event. It looks awesome! I look forward to checking out the command car and saying hi.

Mikie

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Hi,

I've saved the date and look forward to going. Thanks for the heads-up. I had no idea about this event. It looks awesome! I look forward to checking out the command car and saying hi.

Mikie

 

Right on. Please do stop by and say hello. It should be a lot of fun!

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