FS 1945 Dodge WC64 Knock Down Ambulance Project

Forgotten Field · Post by **Forgotten Field** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 2:21 am

Dodge WC64 KD (Knock Down) Ambulance Project. Possibly returned from Europe, it travelled a long distance before we got it. The engine is a T-214 which may not be able to be rebuilt. The WC64 KD is one of the rarest of the WWII Dodges. The design was innovative, mirroring future ambulance compartment designs of the succeeding 50 years. The design was intended as a replacement for the standard Dodge WC54 ambulance, and 2-3 KD ambulances could be shipped cribbed and stacked in the space taken up by one WC54. Most people (including me before I owned one) think that the sides can be folded down for shipment but this is not so; the rear body is modularly constructed so as to be taken apart, or "knocked down," and placed into shipping crates. When the un-constructed ambulance arrived at its overseas destination, it was assembled into field use configuration. I like to think of this ambulance as the one built to invade Japan.

This project includes mostly complete rear box. Missing are the upper stretcher racks, spotlight stanchion, spare tire carrier, passenger seat, and rear step. Price is $2500 and will be sold with notarized bill of sale. Truck is located near Baltimore MD. It can be stored at my location in outdoor storage for up to three months if paid in full. PM here or call 443-250-9037.

http://www.fortsusquehanna.com/sales/ve ... C01428.JPG
http://www.fortsusquehanna.com/sales/ve ... C01429.JPG
http://www.fortsusquehanna.com/sales/ve ... C01430.JPG

divingrocks · Post by **divingrocks** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 4:29 am

Yeah, it's been knocked-down alright!

Johan WC52 · Post by **Johan WC52** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 3:22 pm

$250

Forgotten Field · Post by **Forgotten Field** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 12:00 am

I always love all the expert advice given here on this forum. For those who are interested in this ambulance clinically (no pun intended) I thought I'd post more about how the box goes together with some additional photos of components.

These photos show the sides, front bulkhead, and top piece for the WC64. Other than the lower box (which is the easiest part of the rear body to find) these parts are what make up the patient compartment. The first photo is of the inside wooden framework of the left side of the patient compartment. The wooden stakes on the top side of the side insert into stake pockets on the lower body and are carriage bolted into place. In the finished production ambulance, this side would be full of insulation in the voids between the wooden pieces, and covered with masonite board which was painted OD. The second photo is the right side of the body, with the original masonite board still in place worse for wear but good for pattern. The third photo shows some of the striker plate mechanism (the piece in the middle of the u channel below the top two carriage bolts) for the outside latch of the upper stretcher rack. Below that, at the bottom, is the rubber bumper which supports the upper stretcher rack when it is lowered to receive a casualty. The fourth photo is the front bulkhead of the patient compartment. On the left and right of this piece, above the hat channel re-inforcement piece, is the mounting point for the forward hinge of the upper stretcher rack. This piece bolts to the forward edge of the lower body. This bulkhead mounts a door which opens inward so a crew member/ambulance attendant can access the compartment in emergency. The sides of this piece are fitted with weld nuts which attach to the side mount angles on the compartment sides of the first and second photo. The fifth photo shows the top piece of the patient compartment. This piece is made up like the sides- wooden formers with insulation in voids with masonite covering. The wooden framework is pretty complicated. The steel cover is actually really simple, made of 7 pieces spot-welded together. The sixth photo shows the corner where three of the seven pieces come together. The seventh photo shows how the other corner is a mirror image- no compound curves like on the WC54. The last photo shows the inside of the steel. It was sprayed with some type of mastic- probably for prevention of infection.

These are the hard parts of the WC64 to find. They are part of the project. If you are a fabricator, you can see that $250 wouldn't buy the pattern to make the roof metal, much less the complicated wooden framework which supports it (which I have). But then again, I'm just not quite the expert on this ambulance like other people seem to be...

http://www.fortsusquehanna.com/sales/ve ... C01608.JPG
http://www.fortsusquehanna.com/sales/ve ... C01609.JPG
http://www.fortsusquehanna.com/sales/ve ... C01610.JPG
http://www.fortsusquehanna.com/sales/ve ... C01611.JPG
http://www.fortsusquehanna.com/sales/ve ... C01612.JPG
http://www.fortsusquehanna.com/sales/ve ... C01613.JPG
http://www.fortsusquehanna.com/sales/ve ... C01614.JPG
http://www.fortsusquehanna.com/sales/ve ... C01615.JPG

Post by **wc 9 and 12 owner** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 12:37 am

$300? Good luck with the sale wish you were closer as I hate shipping things and like to go look at it in person

divingrocks · Post by **divingrocks** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 2:57 am

Just noticed the WC54 rear door sitting on top...I think Ed is looking for a set

12th Air Force · Post by **12th Air Force** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 11:19 pm

Puuh - what a "pile of work"...

Good ones look like this one from the Netherlands:

http://www.military-vehicle-photos.com/ ... ber357.asp

Forgotten Field · Post by **Forgotten Field** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:57 am

Nice ambulance. Did you restore it yourself? The restoration is nearly as much fun as the operation if you know what you are doing. The one I have for sale has all the potential to be one like that- I just don't have good photos of all the components. I have nice doors, door stanchions, and lower stretcher racks that go with it but am still waiting on arrival of my last body to see what I have for upper stretcher racks. You don't know if the Dodge M43 upper stretcher racks are same as on the WC64?

The more time I spend with this ambulance, the more I like it!

snowdad · Post by **snowdad** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:14 pm

Unlike some of the others on here, I see plenty of potential. Plenty of money to restore and time and effort to do it, but not scrap in my opinion. Unless it is melted down or blown to smithereens, it is restorable. Remember no one is making these anymore and the only ones we will ever see are the ones that are left.

12th Air Force · Post by **12th Air Force** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:47 pm

snowdad wrote:Unlike some of the others on here, I see plenty of potential. Plenty of money to restore and time and effort to do it, but not scrap in my opinion. Unless it is melted down or blown to smithereens, it is restorable. Remember no one is making these anymore and the only ones we will ever see are the ones that are left.

You are right: most important is that you have all the essential parts of the XXL-Kit. Condition of the bits is not too bad - but at the end of the day you have the investment on one side and the "market value" on the other...

To use that picture: you can have a totaly rotten KDF Pre Production Volkswagen from 1938 and a rotten MG Midget from 1968 from Hawai or Belize - both will need the same amount of work, time and money to be fixed to nearly as new condition.
The Nazi Beetle is then worth something between 250.000 to 400.000 Euros - the MG not more then 20.000 Euros.

So the point is not "is it possible" - the point is simply "who has the money" for that long journey to bring this Dodge back to the street.

I hope that sounds not too negative and would be glad if you find someone for a "second chance" for this Dodge.

Joakim

Forgotten Field · Post by **Forgotten Field** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 6:01 pm

So...! Did you restore it, or buy it that way?

12th Air Force · Post by **12th Air Force** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 10:17 pm

Forgotten Field wrote:So...! Did you restore it, or buy it that way?

Oh no - thats not my 64KD (- who came up with that idea?).

- It's just a sample for what this sad one could look like, if it is repaired to original factory condition.
But thats a long way from my point of view (and I 'm from my origin a Coachbuilder - so I know what I'm talking about).

Forgotten Field · Post by **Forgotten Field** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 3:08 am

It's always good to have people who know what they are doing on the sidelines, watching a vehicle get saved, restored, or operated. You can always use an expert to tell you what to do. There never seem to be enough people like that around. If you were here, and in coach-building mode, you could supervise!

12th Air Force · Post by **12th Air Force** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 6:44 am

Forgotten Field wrote:It's always good to have people who know what they are doing on the sidelines, watching a vehicle get saved, restored, or operated. You can always use an expert to tell you what to do. There never seem to be enough people like that around. If you were here, and in coach-building mode, you could supervise!

Feel free to ask - thats why we all are here around: share informations and having fun with our old 4x4 toys.

Joakim

12th Air Force · Post by **12th Air Force** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 12:35 pm

12th Air Force wrote:Puuh - what a "pile of work"...

Good ones look like this one from the Netherlands:

http://www.military-vehicle-photos.com/ ... ber357.asp

Another one from Belgium was taking part in the MV parade last Sunday in Bastogne.
It should be picture no. 14:

http://www.steel-toys.com/BP12/

Even here in "old Europe" veryvery rare.

Joakim

FS 1945 Dodge WC64 Knock Down Ambulance Project

FS 1945 Dodge WC64 Knock Down Ambulance Project

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Re: FS 1945 Dodge WC64 Knock Down Ambulance Project

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Re: FS 1945 Dodge WC64 Knock Down Ambulance Project

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Re: FS 1945 Dodge WC64 Knock Down Ambulance Project