My WC-53 project

[WC4DOOR]

About a year ago I had a buddy talk me into going to look at these old doge trucks. I had no idea what a carryall was, but this guy had two of them. He let me have them both for $2500. One had been cut, shortend, rewelded, and other wise kind of messed up. It did have all kinds of extra parts in the back. The second was pretty much all stock. Well I got them home and my first thought was to just keep the good one, and take the good parts out of the messed up one, and then just take the rest to the metal bone yard.
Well I kept them both. One I turned into a 4 door carryall (I used to work at a street rod shop in the sheet metal dept.), and the other is my current WC-53 project.
I just found this forum, and it's great. I hope to pick your brains on this project. Well I did the tear down on the stock one early this spring, and started on the chassis. VIN #81578189, body #4249-4482, and hood # 20165989 (after some very careful sanding). I just found out about a build card, so I have that in the works with Chrysler. I built a rotisserie to put my frame on while sand blasting, painting, and basic ease of moving around. It works pretty good. I hope to have the chassis on rubber by early fall.
Thanks for all the info so far. James
Here are some pics.

[divingrocks]

Great looking projects, thanks for sharing them with us! I think you sold me the long ambulance bench seat!

[WC4DOOR]

Did some more work on my carryall. Blasted axles, primed, painted. Put 12 new spring bushings (no slop), thanks MWM. Starting to reassemble.

[george]

Wow great work I hope you keep on posting more pic's .I know some people that would kill to have two carryall's! This is a great site everybody here has been there and done that. So you won't get lost on here! Have a nice day wc4door.

[WC4DOOR]

It's on rubber. I have balsted, primed, and painted every part that could be unbolted. I have all new bearings, cones, seals, and gaskets in the wheels hubs, and the front end is done. Steering is hooked up. The rig is comming right along. The brakes are next, meanwhile I'll do some body work.



Thanks for looking, James

[Ian Jamieson]

Lookin good James!

Your one lucky guy, 2 Carry-Alls for $2500.00 thats a bargain in anyones language.
Ian

[WC4DOOR]

I did some more work on my WC53. I sandblasted all the front end parts of the body. I used my body hammers, and dolly's to work out some dents in the fenders. I worked to the point of NO filler. They look great. I will have to lead work a portion of the upper radiator shell, and the left running board. I will have the body on the rotissorie this week for blasting, and some welding. I took all the wood, gauges, doors and windows out (hope I can remember where it all goes). Here are a few pics. James

[Gordon_M]

Welcome.

I think a few of us have been following the 4 door progress on the PWA site. I can't think of a better use for that shortened body than turning it into a four door.

[WC4DOOR]

A little more work. My body is on the rotissire. Now I need to weld up all the holes, then onto some blasting.

[WC4DOOR]

A little more work. The two "B" post supports were rotten at the bottom. I pulled the sheet metal back to expose what was left over. I have seen worse in my years. Anyway both sides are sand blasted, and rebuilt with new thicker plate. Now onto the sheet metal. I took a pattern off of the inner support, and will have that welded in Monday. I came home from the fire house to a early Christmas present from VPW. They said they only had two left. Well a little more welding work, then on to the body work.
James

[WC4DOOR]

I put a few patches in. Working on the roof.

http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww21 ... 1295657658
http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww21 ... 1295657717

[Gordon_M]

Nice work.

I found a few leaded-in patches on my WC53, particularly above / around the battery box, where it looked like they had leaded-in a plain panel where the top half of the spare wheel cutout had been on the half tons.
Looked like factory work.


Got some updated shots of the four door? I'm missing those. I was going to go into my garage today but since it is -6 Centigrade I'll not bother

[WC4DOOR]

Hey Gordan, have you heard of the WC53 special? I have a thought of making a third Carryall, but with the smaller fourth door. Also if you have heard of the rig, did they have the smaller fourth on both sides or just the drivers? If four doors, then the battery must have been under the hood? I have access to a 3/4 Carryall frame with no body, just a thought. The four door is in the back garage until this one is back in one piece.
James

[Ray Edsall]

G,Day Gordon . Is that -6 deg c global warming related . Or is it ? maybe some thing to do with the Icelandic volcano that blew up 6 months ago and spewed forth billions of tons of co2 into the atmosphere .You should jump on a plane and come on down under where it is nice and hot . at the moment . Ray

[Gordon_M]

Morning James and Ray.

It's almost above freezing here today - time to get started in the garage.

James, the four door specials had two small ( wood-frramed ? ) coachbuilt doors cut into the original sides, and as you said the battery would have to move. We don't have any pics of the specials that are big enough to be much use, but Jeff Chester has one of these;



I'm sure that in the specials there was a partition between driver and passengers, beds, stuff like that.