WC63 With Fording Kit..... D Day Veteran ?

[tankdriver]

Well, I discovered something new about my WC63 yesterday. I was pulling running board off on the passenger side to replace the wood spacer blocks. So, I pulled the gas can holder off and found a round hole in it. I looked at the cowl, and there is 2 bolt holes in side of it.

So it looks like my truck was equipped with a fording kit. Another interesting thing.... This truck went to Europe. No question in that as it was given to Norway after the war, and they used it till the early 90's. Then it came back to the US.

Since this truck was made on July 23, 1943, went to Europe, and had a Fording kit on it, you have to wonder if it was used on D Day.......

I tried Googling something on photos of the WC with a fording kit, but could not find anything. Does anybody have any Photos? And does anybody have a fording kit parts of a kit, or drawing of the fording kit parts?

[JBizal]

I have never seen a kit for any specific truck. I do have an original WWII manual that shows how to prepare a wide variety of trucks for fording. Most all pieces used were the same between the trucks when you look at the photos.
The hose was fed out of the hood side panel typically by cutting a semi circle of metal out. It also shows that the hose came out the top of the hood.
John

[tankdriver]

Yes you are correct. I found some photos of a fording kit. In David's books on the WC. Came throung the hood and the exhaust run up beside the bed.

Another guy I know suggested that it could be holes for a heater kit. As Norway was using it post war.

Does anybody have any photos of the heater kits installed?

[svaasand]

The fact that the truck came from Norway does in no way guarantee that it was used in the ETO during WWII. The Norwegian army received most of these trucks 1952-1956, and they came from various source. There were ETO veterans, mostly rebuilt in various european factories. Also NOS/rebuilt directly from US. I have also seen vehicles rebuild in Japan, so it is actually possible to have a Pacific veteran coming from Norway!

The holes you describe is probably from the US gas fired personel heater from the early 1950's. The heater kit developed later in Norway was a normal heater using the cooling water from the engine.

In the following link you can see a M37 with the kit installed. WC's used the exact same kit, and I have seen ex-Norway WC's with it:
http://www.2040-cars.com/Dodge/Power-Wa ... al-181002/

Lars, Norway

[tankdriver]

Does not appear to have used that kit.

There is no cut-out in the side of the cowl, no holes in the fenders, no hole in dash for the switch, and fender is not cut off. Also since you show this on a M37, I figure it would have been made for a 24 vt system. My truck is still 6 vt.

I appreciate the information provided, and the link to the M37 kit.

One more thing, There is no rebuild tag on the truck, and it has it's original engine according to the build card.


Any other thoughts?....Anyone...

[svaasand]

The kit was available in 6-12-24, and used on many different trucks, both WWII and M-series.
But with no holes in fenders or cowl, it is not this kit you have holes from.

Do you have any pictures?

[tankdriver]

I have the truck stored a few miles away. I'll post some photos next week.....

[Wc-51OHA]

I've found two pictures of Dodges coming on to the beach at Normandy, a WC-54 and WC-51 by searching google images for "WW2 Dodges at Normandy". Both have hoses connected to the air intake with the air filter removed. The lower right hood is folded under. The hose is then run up the right windshield post being attached with either cloth or tape. No modifications needed.

[tankdriver]

Here's a couple of photos of the floorboard, and the cowl.

On the floorboard, you can see the front inside edge has the hole cut. also you can see where the 4 holes for the gas can bracket was redrilled about 2" over, to move the gas can bracket to the outside where whatever they cut the hole for could pass by the gas can.

[svaasand]

The holes in the cowl looks to belong to the Norwegian winter kit. This was a full canvas enclosure, the hinges for the doors were mounted to the cowl. Do you have similar holes on both sides?

The big round hole in the running board does not belong to any standard Norwegian winter kit.

here is a dodge with the norwegian kit: