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Dodge WC51 - buying help. Pictures!!!!


Chris Warne

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I have a 'first option' on a ex-Norway WC51, but need to decide yes/no by this afternoon, so would appreciate comments from those who know more than I!!

It's a straight WC51, runs/drives/stops, minimal rust anywhere (only surface rust), and has a Frame Number of 81697618 which I worked out makes it early 1944 build? Can anyone verify I have this correct?

It has the correct type of rear body as far as I can tell, but there are 3 things I spotted that are from earlier WC trucks: Steering wheel (early plastic/rubber type), Drivers side step/wheel support does not reach far back enough so is from an early 'long bodied' WC, and the seats are the high side 'bucket' seats - again from an early truck.

Is there anything else that doesn't 'fit' for a late WC51 that I've not spotted?

I'm 90% sure I'll go for this WC51, but ultimately want to get it correct (as far as reasonably possible!) so would I struggle to find a correct drivers step, steering wheel and seats - dealers, trade/swap with other WC owners who have late fittings?

All advice would be appreciated before I take the plunge!

51a.jpg

51c.jpg

 

51e.jpg

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Looks straight enough. They are always a bit of a salad when it comes to parts as they were (like the french jeeps) dismantled and rebuilt when serviced / overhauled. Mine has the access body but a short step too and i know of 2 others that are the same. I also knew of a 6x6 that had the opposite ie a step that ran too far under the body... We were gonna swap till i realised that I couldn't be arsed :)

Brakes will be crap and will need sorting ~(they always are!)

Check oil pressure and check for smoke etc... but they pretty bomb proof

Recon on about another 300/600 for canvas, mirrors, servicing bits brake stuff etc and around 500 for bar tread tyres (if you want to go that way... I ran mine on cloverleafs for years and had a nice stockpile of them from people swapping over to BT's) I only swapped when i found a set od NOS bt's badly listed on ebay n got 'em for nowt) To be fair though this is a gradual outlay, not all at once

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Thanks for the reply. It's a complex deal on this truck as it's already sold (along with 2 others + parts) but I spoke with the buyer and he is happy to sell this WC to me 'direct' (it will never be delivered to him). The current 'owner' therefore has no problem giving me the full lowdown on the truck as he's already sold it - it is the best of the 3, runs perfectly, no smoke, good pressure, absolutely 99% rust free, and he had planned to add this one to his collection, but now has too many other trucks so is thinning down. He might be able to 'help' with some later seats and middle top bow. He's been extremely helpful and we have some mutual friends as it transpires, so I'm as sure as I can be this is a solid truck.

Does 81697618 sound right for an early 1944 build? I searched the serial listings and I think I've dated it correctly.

 

Chris

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My Dodge is 817**99 she was built according to card October 24th 1944. Yours is somewhat earlier then? Gordon has a list of numbers on the Dodge Forum. The vehicle looks a nice truck. Don't worry about brakes, they are quite straight forward, just do them by the book! The manual is available as a CD from Military Media, that has full instructions. The only thing that makes brakes awkward is the position of the master cylinder, under the sterring coluom. They were always designed to filled via a pressure bleeder. I use a modified Gunson. The fittings for the top of the cylinder were bought from the local plumbers merchants, an 8mm tube fitted and just pushed over the Gunson tube. No other hiden nastys I can think of. Ex Norwegian trucks are normally very sound, a lot of preventive maintience was done on them.

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