Gordon_M

1 hour ago, Mark Ellis said:

Hi

I think 651 was the prototype, and 652 was the production model. Take a look

Ta, will do

She looks very - shiny.    What did you do about securing that back axle a bit better then?  That struck me as the major item in your original posts.

What's the difference between the 651 and the 652 please?   I was tempted by one in Ross of Girvans yard many years ago.

Timing chain jumped?

This is one of those things you just have to know.  I'm not sure where I learned it, either online or maybe from the Master Parts List ( which I would thoroughly suggest getting if you have a WW2 Dodge )

Early 3/4 ton Command Cars came with four bolts, later ones came with two bolts and two eye bolts, apparently there was a retro fit MWO for the early ones.  Eye bolts for tow chains were just thought to be too useful not to have.  Carryalls were the same, in fact I believe early WC 53s didn't even have a tow hook fitted when they left the factory but the chassis were drilled for it.  

Why would you want to tow a Ben Hur with a Command Car or a Carryall?  Well any 3/4 ton Command Car or Carryall could be fitted with a full radio set - the WC 58 had one pre-fitted, and one of the most common, and most useful, Ben Hur variants was the  K-53 Signal Corps Generator trailer - handy for all sorts of radio use, or to keep the lights on in the officers quarters.

Quote

Not quite sure what happened here....

The moulder had to tap the patterns a lot side to side to get them to withdraw, which exceeded the strength limit of the joints.  Could have been avoided by having more taper on the external faces or a stronger joint.  If they were going to run a lot of these castings the normal practice would be to make the wooden pattern way oversize with 'double contraction' and then use that to make an aluminium working pattern.

Good to hear.  It's not like you will be driving it hundreds of miles, after all.

It does look like the sort of thing you could make as a Malleable Iron blank and then drill twice tho'

The Bovington pulley is a classic of poor design.  A rim of relatively thin cross section, surrounding a large even number of straight spokes ( six? ) and a chunky hub which will cool much slower than the rim.  It probably came out of the mould pre-cracked.  It would have been fine if they had made it with three heavier spokes so that there was nothing contracting directly across.

The Banfield pulley is a much better design. Although it has an even number of spokes they are curved so no direct contraction conflict, and note how the curved spokes flow into the rim with no sudden section changes, near prefect.

It may have been covered before, but ...

Straight spokes tend to crack where they meet the rim on cooling / contraction, depending on relative masses and sections.

Curved spokes tend to straighten very slightly - unwind, you could say -  so no stress raisers where spokes meet rim.

Corn Head Grease was suggested to replace the oil in the Dodge steering boxes, when those sector shaft output seals wore out

I was told it was called the 'dash board' because you dashed the reins against it when you were driving a horse drawn buggy.

The second trailer one would be quite popular I imagine, but there is a very limited market for the VK-62-B as Rick Jones has the only known survivor, an RAF Crew Bus.  I know Rick has that manual and I think I have a copy myself, but someone may like to have it.

Excellent work, as usual. People tended to be a bit smaller and thinner back in those days too.  8-)

More research Steve.  You'd be unhappy if you did it one way and evidence to the contrary was out there somewhere.

I'm not convinced sheet metal wasn't used.  Coachbolt heads will pull just fine into sheet metal if it is thin enough.

A simpler answer may be that the holes were to hook in spring ends, to keep the rods in tension and avoid rattle, or something along those lines.

No idea what the ambulance is, but an Austin K6 is towing it.  Did you notice the Morris Quad in the background too?

1 hour ago, Citroman said:

Nice job, wat is the sprocket on the front of the gearbox a sort of PTO?

If you read through the post above from March 30th you'll see is indeed a PTO gear, which they will never use, but because it is an original part they just put it back on.

Command Car        Boot = Trunk lid

Carryall.                   Liftgate at the top and tailgate at the bottom

It is possible to make something to hold up a Command Car top, but the real frame weighs a hundred pounds ( or more ) and is a work of art in itself.  Either of those trucks with those components missing and the value is SEVERELY affected.

1 hour ago, ferretfixer said:

Gordon. When you say 'A Good one'. What are the pitfalls of things to look out for. When potentially buying one of these?

Mike.

If I went to look at one tomorrow, I’d be looking for completeness and originality. Things like non-original tailgate, cobbled up running boards, missing hood frame, generally missing original Command Car specific parts. Radio Ariel brackets and the like can be made, but making a tailgate from stock wouldn’t be easy. Don’t ignore a WC53 Carryall either, but again completeness and originality. 

A good one is great to drive, mine was. They are capable of good cross country performance, but the winch version is worth the extra weight. Reasonably nippy on road, relatively good handling, good brakes if well maintained. Reasonably weatherproof but really needs stored inside, will not fit average tiny garage though. Most mechanical spares readily available.  I never worried about the fuel cost but it was a lot cheaper back then. Should be fine on unleaded but current 10% ethanol fuel may eat pump and carb seals and melt original rubble fuel lines. 

They never made an ugly 3/4Ton Command Car, though the lack of Mr Braden's special accessory may hold it back a little. 8-)

Let us wish for 2023 that the three loose gear teeth came from a previous gear, and not one that is in the box at the minute ...

The US marking ( as opposed to USA ) and the typeface of the Truck No suggests pre-WW2.  

They used to have trip record cards for each truck in peacetime, and this looks like a suitable size to hold those.

I just put in a modest amount to avoid wastage.  You need to check the inside of the frame and remove any metal edges, points, or protruding welds, as you want the glass to sit in the sealant and not against metal.  Small packers of plastic or rubber may be needed.

Yes to everything but the sealant - I tried that and it didn't work.   I had to use black semi-structural panel bonding stuff, that worked a treat.