WC53 - Project Big Band Wagon

From VC-1 to WC64-KD.
Post Reply
Ian Jamieson
Technical Sergeant
Technical Sergeant
Posts: 1458
Joined: Mon Jan 08, 2007 11:43 pm
Location: New Zealand

Re: WC53 - Project Big Band Wagon

Post by Ian Jamieson »

Hi,
Thanks for that and yep, I can understand all of those points. Given that we're in a drive on the left country I will not be fitting a spare wheel carrier over the door on mine, and I do note that the left door hinge pins are worn so I suspect the carrier has been missing for some time.

The no inside opening handle on the tail gates is also a very valid point, one waould want to bail out pretty quickly when under fire and there's no way I would squeeze out of a window!!!

Cheers

Ian
1942 WC57 Command Car
1942 WC-53 Carry-All
1941 Willys MB
FrankUSMC
Technician 3rd Grade
Technician 3rd Grade
Posts: 336
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2006 1:15 am
Location: Newport, N.C.

Re: WC53 - Project Big Band Wagon

Post by FrankUSMC »

Never heard the comments on the spare tire being in the way or about the rear latch.
First, the Carry All breaks one of the biggest rules in combat....NEVER make yourself look important!! Picture yourself, as a young Luftwaffe pilot flying in the warm air of North Africa. Below you, you spot an American convoy! You only have enough ammo for one pass, do you go after the cargo trucks? or that nice 4 wheel drive carry all, that most likely has officers or radios in it?
At this point, in action in North Africa, the Army knew, the Carry All drew way to much attention, it was hard to ship, and it was fragile. The army at this point, moved them to the rear, to be used as admin vehicles and air crew busses. They also, stopped production of them, as they did not need to be spending that kind of money on an admin vehicle. The marines were offered the extras, and we used them also as admin vehicles and air crew busses.
The good news for us collectors, a lot of them, because of North Africa, never shipped out with there units and were lift stateside. Because they were a 4 wheel drive carry all after they were sold as surplus, they were used BUT NOT abused like cargo trucks (read used to death), so to be a truck only made for 1 year, a good many survive.
One more note on the Carry All, up into the 1950s, they were still being used on some bases as aircrew busses by the Air Force. In the 1950s, there was a "light update kit" for the carry alls still in service. The kit had big head lights that replaced the little head lights for more light. If you find a carry all with big head lights on it, do not think our buddy "Bubba" is to blame. My carry all had the light kit on it when I found it.
Ok, one more item, in the photos I have and have seen, the spare tire carrier was removed when the carry all went to the rear. If you had a flat on the air field, they would just send a wreaker out to fix it.
Alx64, I would not mind sharing the photos I have with you.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET.
Ian Jamieson
Technical Sergeant
Technical Sergeant
Posts: 1458
Joined: Mon Jan 08, 2007 11:43 pm
Location: New Zealand

Re: WC53 - Project Big Band Wagon

Post by Ian Jamieson »

Thanks Frank, all good info! I would also love some good photo's of the WC 53's as their ultra rare here in New Zealand.

Cheers

Ian
1942 WC57 Command Car
1942 WC-53 Carry-All
1941 Willys MB
User avatar
Alxj64
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 134
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 6:55 am
My garage: 1942 WC53
Location: Chesapeake, Va

Re: WC53 - Project Big Band Wagon

Post by Alxj64 »

Here are some pictures of a Carryall that I rescued locally. Frank, this one still had the Cherry point logo on the door and also it appears to have had the big lamp upgrade. I kinda wish I hadn't sold this one but I don't have time to work on the one I have much less have two of them.

Image

Image

Image
'42 WC53
User avatar
Alxj64
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 134
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 6:55 am
My garage: 1942 WC53
Location: Chesapeake, Va

Re: WC53 - Project Big Band Wagon

Post by Alxj64 »

Image

Image

Well I've started to plate the frame. I've reduced the amount of torsional deflection (lift the driver's front corner of the frame until the drivers rear corner lifts) from 3.5" of total deflection for the length of the frame down to 5/8". Thats pretty darn snug. In the eyes of many, this truck is now ruined. I used 3/16" plate with Monel Copper Nickel filler with GTAW for all of the welds. This rigidity should eliminate most of the door popping, gate popping, creaks and groans, etc that are common to the Carryall.

Along the way I have also repaired the frame in a few places where extra sections where torched out that are actually needed. I welded those back and then also installed bolted back up plates in the same areas just incase I ended up with a dissimilar metal fatigue crack.

Image

Image

Image
'42 WC53
Ian Jamieson
Technical Sergeant
Technical Sergeant
Posts: 1458
Joined: Mon Jan 08, 2007 11:43 pm
Location: New Zealand

Re: WC53 - Project Big Band Wagon

Post by Ian Jamieson »

Love your work!!!

Ian
1942 WC57 Command Car
1942 WC-53 Carry-All
1941 Willys MB
User avatar
Alxj64
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 134
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 6:55 am
My garage: 1942 WC53
Location: Chesapeake, Va

Re: WC53 - Project Big Band Wagon

Post by Alxj64 »

Getting some more work done... Finally getting my hands on this rear cross member build over the axle. The slits are for the upper shock tabs to go in and through and the back side will be the mounts for the fuel tank mount / skid supports etc.

Image

Its just hanging on the clamps at the moment, I still need to close in the bottom... (box shape is stronger in torsion than an open C-channel) and I am debating if I feel like fighting the bottom plate with the flared holes or just drilling drains and being done with it. The flared holes make the material SOOO much more rigid. Plus I dig the aircraft look. This is all from 1/8" hot roll. Planning on having the whole frame acid dipped when its all said and done.

Image

Image
'42 WC53
RiflemanD
Technician 4th Grade
Technician 4th Grade
Posts: 110
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 5:30 pm
My garage: '42 WC52
Location: Flat Rock, Mi
Contact:

Re: WC53 - Project Big Band Wagon

Post by RiflemanD »

Just out of curiosity, did you make sure to wrap the corners on your welds? If not, that would be the first place for it to start to fatigue and crack. Great looking work so far!
Friendly fire, isn't.
User avatar
Alxj64
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 134
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 6:55 am
My garage: 1942 WC53
Location: Chesapeake, Va

Re: WC53 - Project Big Band Wagon

Post by Alxj64 »

RiflemanD wrote:Just out of curiosity, did you make sure to wrap the corners on your welds? If not, that would be the first place for it to start to fatigue and crack. Great looking work so far!
I did where I could, like at the ends of a plate run where I could tail it down... thats a habit even with the MIG. I'm a bridge inspector for a living and do a fair amount of fatigue detail classification and risk analysis. I used as much of that knowledge when detailing these frame repairs as I could. Details like no intersecting welds, reduction of cross section along approximate neutral axis, and even preventing a flat fillet weld by doming up a little extra filler to allow for flattening during cooling and tension loading.

The TIG really gave me a good view of how much trash is actually in the steel of this old frame. I could clean and grind and clean and prep the steel to every level of correct cleanliness for the TIG welding process and two dabs into the weld I could watch the impurities pool to the top of the puddle. I did my best to leave them on top and behind as I moved along. Every now and again it would be more than I could deal with and a stop, brack grind, and repair would be necessary.

I am planning to completely assemble and operate the truck to debug it for a period prior to tearing it all back down. If I don't end up with a crack somewhere or decide to change something on the frame I will be absolutely amazed.

Thanks for the compliments on the work. I am enjoying doing it and feel like I am making progress again. I had to basically stop doing side work for other people so that I could focus on getting this truck done. It deserves the attention and to be finished. I'm also running out of places to daydream about driving it so I really want to actually drive it!
'42 WC53
User avatar
Alxj64
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 134
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 6:55 am
My garage: 1942 WC53
Location: Chesapeake, Va

Re: WC53 - Project Big Band Wagon

Post by Alxj64 »

Moving along.

Frame plating is done and the motor is back in.

Used some star washers on my modifications. Just because... The zinc will be removed during the acid dip so they won't be so darn shiny.

Image

Image

Rear cross member is done and it bolts in place so that it can be removed. The slits are for the shock tabs / pass through to rear for fuel tank supports.

Image
'42 WC53
June J
Technician 3rd Grade
Technician 3rd Grade
Posts: 382
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 4:27 am
My garage: 1942 Dodge WC 53
1941 Willys MB
1960 M38A1 Nekaf
Location: New Zealand

Re: WC53 - Project Big Band Wagon

Post by June J »

Mate, I am sooo envious of your skills!

Ian
1942 Dodge WC 53
1941 Willys MB
1960 M-38A1 Nekaf
User avatar
Alxj64
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 134
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 6:55 am
My garage: 1942 WC53
Location: Chesapeake, Va

Re: WC53 - Project Big Band Wagon

Post by Alxj64 »

June J wrote:Mate, I am sooo envious of your skills!

Ian
Thanks Ian, but I am just learning as I go and hoping things work out. I plan and plan and plan everything before I start each portion but usually things still end up changing on me.

Started my fuel tank build. 30 Gallon

Image

Image

Image[/QUOTE]
'42 WC53
User avatar
Alxj64
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 134
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 6:55 am
My garage: 1942 WC53
Location: Chesapeake, Va

Re: WC53 - Project Big Band Wagon

Post by Alxj64 »

More on the fuel system.

Probably not needed but I snagged it anyways. Fuel sump test setup that is used on aircraft. East enough to install in my system now.

Image

Image


Roll over vent at furthest point from filler inlet.

Image

And fuel temp sensor came in from Cummins. Since my stock filter assembly is missing where it would normally mount I am making an adapter that picks up the fuel temp off the back side of the ECM. Still waiting on my M14-1.5 to 1/2 NPT adapter fitting.

Image

More fuel tank stuff.

Image

Return manifold.

Image

Image

Image

Image

And started routing my fuel hoses.

Image
'42 WC53
User avatar
Alxj64
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 134
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 6:55 am
My garage: 1942 WC53
Location: Chesapeake, Va

Re: WC53 - Project Big Band Wagon

Post by Alxj64 »

Still working on this thing even though a lot of folks were hoping no news was good news. I've managed to get kicked out of a few Facebook groups because of my non-discretionary modifications.

Body is back on, engine is back in, transmission is in. Working on the details of the cooling system, packing it all in without modifying the grill shell, grill, or hood in any way. A/C compressor mounted to engine and belt routed. Interior floor built and even built a custom driver's seat that is adjustable but will appear mostly period correct.

Image

Image

Image
'42 WC53
tazou
Technician 5th Grade
Technician 5th Grade
Posts: 21
Joined: Sat May 30, 2015 8:20 am
My garage: Dodge wc 54

Re: WC53 - Project Big Band Wagon

Post by tazou »

Hello Alxj64 ;
Rivet typifies aviation?

Magnificent restoration, bravo :thumbup:
Post Reply