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Restoration of Dodge WC52


NuttyNick

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Here are afew photos of the restoration of my Dodge. The works was mainly carried out by a mate and myself with the occasional help by a few other friends who turned up at the wrong time! The engine, gearbox and transfer case were rebuilt by other people as we didn't have time to do these ourselves.

 

We started work at the beginning of January 2006 and we had to get it ready for the end of July 2006 as she was going to be used as a wedding vehicle for my friends.

 

Total hours working on the dodge was about 750.

 

This is how she looked near the start of the works.

 

width=640 height=426http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/StartJan06.jpg[/img]

 

We started by removing the engine which was then sent off to be rebuilt.

 

width=589 height=442http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/EngineReadyJan06.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/CleaningengineJan06.jpg[/img]

 

width=634 height=476http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/ChassisbeforerubbingFeb06JPG.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/FloorpanJan06.jpg[/img]

 

Following removal of the engine we encountered a fair bit of rot in the cab floor. This was removed with relative ease only to find that it was in a worse state than we first thought!

 

Underside of cab.

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/CabaftercleaningMarch06.jpg[/img]

 

Then it was off with the back body!

 

width=640 height=481http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/BackremovalFeb06.jpg[/img]

 

Ww could now set to with rubbing down the body, chassis and cab.

 

More photos to follow soon!

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Joris - Dodge's certainly do rule!!!!

 

Here's a few more pics.

 

We placed the rear body on some stands so that we could clean and prepare the underside in relative safety. It was a bit tight getting it all in the shed!

 

width=519 height=389http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/BodyonstandsMarch06.jpg[/img]

 

After rubbing down the rear body we found that one of the previous owners had been rather heavy handed with filler! There were a number of areas (the usual rust spots on dodges) that had rotted through and were subsequently filled in with filler. We sent the body off to a local friendy steel fabricator to cut out the rot and replace the panels.

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/BodyofftoCliffMarch06.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/BodyonlorryofftoCliffMarch06.jpg[/img]

 

The same fabricator also repaired the cab floor.

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/CabbackfromCliffMarch06.jpg[/img]

 

width=600 height=800http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/ChassisreadyforsprayingMarch06.jpg[/img]

 

With the repairs carried out on the rear body and the underside treated and painted we lifted it back onto the completed chassis.

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/ReplacingrearDodgebodyApril06.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/RearbodyonchassisApril06.jpg[/img]

 

It was now mid April when we had got to this stage and we could see the end in sight!

 

Bearing in mind that I had never done anything like this before I was pleased with the way it was going. However, Beltring was getting ever closer!

 

 

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Great Job Nick....i also have been there and done that with my old (ex) WC52 which was originally a WC55 GMC serial number 81529098 .A total strip down and rebuild before i sold it for a Jeep.... :shake:

 

which incidentally i also had to strip down and restore after being sold a "pup".. :?

 

Keep up the good work mate

 

Regards

 

Lloyd

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Hi Nick,

 

Looks good! I've just bought another WC,a late 44 WC-51. Not much left but the chassis is sound so eventually it will be completed,I'll strip the few good parts left on the WC-56 you had the gearbox and xfer case from.

 

All the best,

 

Matt.

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Bodge my old mate..i think you are right....the man "upstairs" really tried my patience with that "piece of sh)........... :shake: sorry most authentic WW2 jeep you will ever see ...hundreds spent on restoration......blah blah blah...... :cry:

 

 

Just cant shake it.....might also be considering a M43 Ambulance for the missus so the Dodge bug aint gone yet..... :-D

 

Regards

 

Lloyd

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Thanks for the words of support guys. I was a bit "stiched" when I bought this one. Its amazing how filler can make a vehicle look OK! :nut:

 

Matt-best of luck with your WC51, sounds like you're going to need it! :-o

 

One thing I did find out about this one was that it was originally a WC51 but at some point (I guess it was the Norwegians) added the winch.

 

The final few photos of my dodge.

 

The rear woodwork is original and is fairly warped (as can be seen) so we decided it best to leave it all in-situ as I'm sure it wouldn't have gone back together quite as well if we took it apart!

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/Cleanedrearbody1April06.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/Cleanedrearbody2April06.jpg[/img]

 

The underside of the cab was repaired, primed, painted and treated with waxoyl prior to putting back on the chassis.

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/UndersideofcabpaintedApril06.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/InstallingcabApril06.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/InstalledcabApril06.jpg[/img]

 

Over the end of May Bank Holiday we finished re-wiring and installed the engine, having it all running on the Monday morning. The end really was in sight now, although its amazing how long it takes to finish off replacing the final panels, prop shafts, etc.

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/PuttingengineonchassisMay06.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/FinishedengineMay06.jpg[/img]

 

We had her driving for the first time mid June and spent quite a while getting the clutch adjusted properly and tweeking the brakes which were also overhauled.

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/FirstdriveJune06.jpg[/img]

 

A mate of mine who's got his own coachworks company, sprayed a final coat of olive drab and baked it in the oven. This is how she looked upon her return from the spray shop.

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/AftersprayingJuly06.jpg[/img]

 

All she needed now was to be stenciled up, data plates replaced and the final few bits an pieces added.

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/CabwithdataplatesJuly06.jpg[/img]

 

We finally finished her the week before Beltring and more importantly she was ready for the wedding.

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/Dodge3.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r183/NuttyNick06/Greenmachines/InDodge3.jpg[/img]

 

Whilst I appreciate that many people have restored Dodge's in the past and it was not exactly the most challenging of restoration projects I am extremely pleased the way it went, (with it being my first serious exploration into restoration) and I am now well and truely hooked on restoration! I'm now ready to take on the 6x6 dodge and Jimmy! I'll keep you posted on how they go!

 

I hope you have found some of the pics of interest. :-D :banana:

 

:thankyou: :wave:

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Hi Nick

 

Thoroughly enjoyed your restoration photo's on here and it brought back good memories of when I used to actually take a vehicle apart AND put it back together again!

 

Sadly in more recent years the taking apart comes easy then the momentum slows, then it stops, then all the restoration work that you have done to date gradually starts to undo and then all work ceases and finally the vehicle remains in many bits :-o

 

Therefore its so nice to see a project like yours from start to finish - Its truely a credit to you and your helpers.

 

The first vehicle I ever owned (even before a car) was a GMC 353 which I bought in 1993 at the age of 18. I did a fairly major rebuild on it, but was spurred on by the fact that my brother was also restoring one and my father and uncle were restoring one as well - Therefore we had 3 jimmy's all in various states of disrepair in one building and spent every weekend we could beavering away on the projects. It was great fun and good times and I look back on those times with genuine appreciation of all the enjoyment we had working as a good team.

 

We got all 3 jimmy's finished and had them on the road for the 50th Anniversary of D-Day in June 1994. Since that time I have overhauled my Dodge WC-56 with the help of other friends and have had that on the road extensively for the past 4 show seasons. Its looking a little tired now though and could do with another lick of paint.

 

Maybe you would be interested in a WWII vehicle event that I am organising next Summer in East Anglia. The Dodge would look great in a large convoy with all its older brothers! Check out the event details at - http://www.redballexpress.co.uk

 

Keep up the good work and maybe one day, i'll post some pics of my own WWII vehicle restorations, if I ever finish it:-(

 

Cheers

 

Cds

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Sounds Good Nick. Last year we had an IMPS convoy come up to Gathering of Eagles in Wiltshire that I organised.

 

There was a GMC 353, Dodge and a couple of Jeeps if I remember correctly. The contact was Andy Foster I believe - not sure if you know him?

 

Keep in touch - Cheers Clive :lol:

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