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1918 Dodge Light Repair Truck and clone


bobs1918

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Thanks for those period images Kevin.

 

I notice those shots show six lugs on the front, like the civilian, but eight lug rims on the back. I'm assuming those are factory reference shots as it looks brand new and I don't see a USA number

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The rear tires are a larger tire on a smaller diameter wheel, much like the Ford TT 1 ton truck. Even the Ford ambulances had two different sized tires in the beginning, making it necessary to carry two spares rather than one.

This is a very nice project.

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The pictures are artists renderings are the same as in the manual for the light repair truck. The reality was that both front and rears were the same on production trucks and on my original truck there are 7 lug wheels front and rear. .1 spare was carried on the side. The manual also states that only one size wheel/tire combination was to be used on the truck.

Edited by bobs1918
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The tailgate was made up with welded angle iron surrounding 12 ga steel plate with a second piece of 1/4 plate in the center to support the mechanics vise carried on the truck. These rivets were counter sunk so the tailgate when lowered would be a flat work station for the driver.tailgate2.JPGbob

tailgate1.JPG

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The pictures aren't an artist's rendition. They started with actual photographs and whited out the backgrounds, airbrushed details on either a negative image or a positive print and made copies. I have some before and afters of certain pics and it does make them look semi cartoonish. I think it may have had to do with having to print the photo on an offset printing press. In the early eighties I worked with printing a little bit and we used various half-tone screens on pictures to make them printable. What did they do in the 30's and 40's? I don't know. I have various pics of different military body styles and they all show the same wheel configuration. You have two very nice trucks there! Kevin Clause

012 - Copy.jpg

013 - Copy.jpg

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The tailgate posed some difficulties in replicating the original hinges and latches. For the hinges I started with a large old strap hinge and modified it by adding a second layer of steel and shaping correctly.I built up the other end of the hinge similarly.18j.JPGThe original is on the right. See earlier post for final tailgate result.

bob

hinge10.JPG

hinge20.JPG

hinge30.JPG

Edited by bobs1918
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The pictures aren't an artist's rendition. They started with actual photographs and whited out the backgrounds, airbrushed details on either a negative image or a positive print and made copies. I have some before and afters of certain pics and it does make them look semi cartoonish. I think it may have had to do with having to print the photo on an offset printing press. In the early eighties I worked with printing a little bit and we used various half-tone screens on pictures to make them printable. What did they do in the 30's and 40's? I don't know. I have various pics of different military body styles and they all show the same wheel configuration. You have two very nice trucks there! Kevin Clause

 

Thanks I always thought they were due to the lack of sharpness. Thanks for the correction Now the photos that you have posted are easily recognizable for the repair truck . It is probably one of the first of the line . Note that the kerosene headlamps are not installed neither is the canopy top.Also I see that the data plates have NOT been riveted on

bob

Edited by bobs1918
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On this Anzac Eve may I say what a "Top Job" you have done. Had a similar experience moving and re-riveting a chassis cross member on an Aust. version of a CMP Artillery Tractor to accommodate a winch. Look forward to the finished vehicle..... Rod

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Do you have the Dodge light repair truck handbook? If so, are ther drawings that you could share? This is an interesting projest and I'm enjoying following it. Keep up the good work . . . both in the garage and on the forum.

 

Bosun Al

 

Al

yes I have a copy of the original manual which was loaned to me from a member of the Dodge Brothers Club.

I will post some of the interesting pictures found there in asap

thanks

bob

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Bob,

 

Masterful work! I gather then you know Mark Ounan (I wrote the AutoWeek article and rode with him some of the time on the TMC reenactment). What a pity you couldn't have driven your Dodge on that event with him! Have you checked the serial number of your "real" car to see if it was one of the ones on the original TMC (Transcontinental Motor Convoy)? We checked Mark's because his had been surplussed out west and it wasn't a big leap to hope it might have been on the original as well. But, alas, no joy. I have a copy of the list of vehicles on the original TMC and I see one Light Repair Truck listed; hood #111422, chassis # 303822, engine # 351400.

 

Again, superb work and thanks for sharing all the details!

 

BTW that pic of his car was taken on a bridge that was built in 1919 and miraculously survives on a military reservation in Utah.

Edited by 4x4Founder
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Bob,

 

Masterful work! I gather then you know Mark Ounan (I wrote the AutoWeek article and rode with him some of the time on the TMC reenactment). What a pity you couldn't have driven your Dodge on that event with him! Have you checked the serial number of your "real" car to see if it was one of the ones on the original TMC (Transcontinental Motor Convoy)? We checked Mark's because his had been surplussed out west and it wasn't a big leap to hope it might have been on the original as well. But, alas, no joy. I have a copy of the list of vehicles on the original TMC and I see one Light Repair Truck listed; hood #111422, chassis # 303822, engine # 351400.

 

Again, superb work and thanks for sharing all the details!

 

BTW that pic of his car was taken on a bridge that was built in 1919 and miraculously survives on a military reservation in Utah.

 

Jim

yes Mark and I have met several times We actually met at the PA Military museum to get a first hand look at the Light Repair truck in their collection. That was done before I began the build and before I had bought my original truck. BTW the engine on my original truck is 315745.

I also have a 1916 restored as is Mark's. Although not originally used by the army it is a very good approximation. hp6.JPGHere it is at Hyde Park NY home of FDR

thanks for your comments

bob

Edited by bobs1918
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In order for the acetylene spotlight to be supported by the dash board two reinforcing steel plates had to be made. The plates were on the back of the dash and on the fire wall. They are braced with two bent steel strips. I made an aluminum prototype to get the bend right before fabricatinglamp1.JPG the steel supports.

braces1.JPG

braces2.JPG

braces3.JPG

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The rear fenders on the repair truck is the only component bolted to the body. They were designed to be an additional flat work surface for the repairman/driver. The angle iron on one side was ct and filled like the gas tank cradle. The other side we simply heated and bent to the proper curve.The sheet metal was then formed around the angle iron and riveted to place. rearfender1.JPG

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  • 2 weeks later...

The original dodge front fender needed to be modified by removing the headlights and the mounting brackets. The original repair trucks used stock Dodge fender with a steel plate replacing the fender mounted headlight bracket...Pretty simple modificationfrontfender.JPG. These fenders would require some work prior to the final paint job.The clone is on the top original is below

bobfrontfender3.JPG

frontfender2.JPG

Edited by bobs1918
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