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My Former WC51 "Flying Control Dodge" - A New Chapter


Jessie The Jeep

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Now that the new radio tray is installed, I've moved on to other parts of the installation. The BC-366 switchbox has now been mounted on a bracket under the radio table. To the left, a hook has been fitted for hanging the T-17 Microphone. A cable has also been made to connect the 'Phones' socket of the switchbox to the LS-3 Loudspeaker input jack. With the Wheels & Wings event shortly, I'll be getting some photos of the whole set up.

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Edited by Jessie The Jeep
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  • 2 weeks later...

While away at the Wheels & Wings Show, I picked up a GMC cab canvas that a friend had modified for me to fit the body of the Dodge. It was temporarily hung for the show, but I need to sort out proper fixings shortly. The canvas provides a back to the display, preventing your eyes from drifting all the way through to the cab.

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I also found another friend selling a load of Dodge spares cheap, as he'd parted with his Dodge a year or so ago, but still had the spares lying around.

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On Sunday evening, I drove straight from Elvington to Croft Circuit ( formerly RAF Croft ), and camped overnight there. The following morning was the Press Day for the Croft Nostalgia weekend in August. It was another 40 miles home, and there wasn't much point going home, to come back the following day.

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Another day working on the Dodge! I'm sure it will come to an end soon!!

Today was the start of the rear oil seals. The rear right ended up leaking badly over the Wheels & Wings weekend, so a set for both sides on the rear axle was ordered. It all came apart much easier than we were expecting. Mike started tapping the new seal in using the old one as a drift, until I suggested I make a ply circle to knock it in evenly.

oilseal1.jpg

I could market this!!!

oilseal3.jpg

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All in, complete with circlip. It all seemed too easy!

oilseal4.jpg

and now the outer seal. Mind you, we just got this done when the rain came.

oilseal5.jpg

We only got this side done as Mike's time was limited, and we wanted the oval front drum off to skim and all four front shoes off to be relined, as in places they are almost at the rivets. After Mike left, I got the top on the master cylinder turned around, and the new cab rear canvas fitted then gave the Jeep a quick check over for its MOT on Thursday.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I've started making the doors for the Dodge, following similar lines to the Norwegian doors which are too small ( seen below ). I've been told there was a metal framework at the rear of the door, and I'm guessing a canvas from here to the rear body. I've made my new doors extend the full length of the opening.

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The first picture below shows the right side door, weighted down while the framing dries. The ply is 1/4 inch with a 1 1/2 x 3/4 frame. The bottom of the door is to the right of the picture, with the cut out to clear the body where the Jerry can bracket was fitted.

doors1.jpg

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This picture shows the bottom half of the two part drivers side door. The cut out in this door will have a smaller door in it, which will open to clear the spare wheel bracket as the main door opens. This small door can be seen in the second picture below.

doors2.jpg

I didn't want the doors to be wood painted checkered, as I quite like the look of the current doors, so decided a canvas finish was the way to go. The door is covered in a thin canvas, stapled onto the frame, and then glued down with dilute PVA glue. This will be painted a more appropriate canvas colour once the doors are complete.

doors3.jpg

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This is the top of the drivers side door, with the canvas stretched over and glued in place. The window opening has already been cut out of the wood. Once dry, the canvas will be cut out of the window area, and glazing fitted.

doors4.jpg

Just before starting to post these pictures, I'd checked the glue on the framing of the right side door, which was dry, so that was also covered in the canvas. Only the small spare wheel bracket door to cover now. Next job will be door catches, then ordering some clear polycarbonate for the windows.

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Today's post brought a package from Jeeparts. In addition to manifold gaskets for the Jeep, there were two Footman loops and Jeep Bow Straps for the Dodge cab canvas. I was planning to take the Dodge back to the farm, so wanted the canvas up out of the way for the drive.

The footman loops were screwed to the wood at the back of the cab, where the canvas is fixed. The straps hang free when the canvas is down, and now allow the canvas to be rolled up and stowed while driving.

Stowed canvas viewed from the cab.

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Straps and bolts holding the footman loops.

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Stowed canvas viewed from the rear body.

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Edited by Jessie The Jeep
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The doors are coming along nicely too. Over the last few days, the handles have been welded up from strip steel and a bolt. This screws through the door using two 'T' nuts, and latches onto a wooden frame added at the rear of the cab. The doors use the original hinges from the Norwegian canvas doors.

The canvas effect of the fabric covering has worked pretty well. The close up of the 'T' nut on the handle photo shows the weave which is virtually identical in size to the original canvas doors. They have had one sprayed coat of faded olive drab paint, which is a good match for faded canvas. I ran out of paint before getting the small wheel bracket door painted, so a new tin was picked up today to finish the door and give a second coat overall.

Passenger side door after the first coat of faded olive drab.

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Drivers side door painted, except for the bracket door.

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Part of one of the door handles.

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After over a month at home, following its Spring service and brake maintenance, the truck finally went back to the farm storage where it normally lives.

Before the truck went back, the doors received their second coat of paint, and the handles were assembled on the doors once the paint was dry. The Jerrycan bracket has been moved from the front of the rear body to the step to make space for the door. It or another one has been mounted on the step before, as there were already holes drilled in the step. The door won't open fully when there is a jerrycan fitted, but still enough to get in and out.

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With the paint dry, the right side door was tried into the opening again to see how it all looked. I'm pleased with the colour, texture and look of the new doors. The third picture shows the handle fron inside the truck, latching onto the wooden frame that was attached to the body.

doors9.jpg

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Edited by Jessie The Jeep
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Here we go...

 

The length of the doors front to back is dictated on my truck by the front of the wooden body. Using the Norweigan hinges, the wooden door panel fits tight behind the screen frame tubing. The Norweigan hinges mount to a steel strip bolted up the outside of the screen frame. The wooden frame on the door is set back from the plywood edge by 3/4 inch to allow clearance for the vacuum tube that operates the wipers. Framing is all 1 1/4 x 3/4 timber.

 

The door height is limited by the need to clear the roof canvas when opening, so in the closed position, the door doesn't come to the top of the roof canvas, just slightly above the canvas edge. At the bottom of the doors, the 1/4 plywood overlaps the metal side of the Dodge to help reduce draughts. The wooden framing at the bottom of the door is glued on slightly above the metal frames top edge.

 

 

door1.jpg

door2.jpg

Edited by Jessie The Jeep
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