1941 WC-1

[Kiwi]

Steve, I tried enlarging and 'sharpening' the Serial Number boss in PhotoShop. If there is anything there it requires a much larger file size as that image becomes rapidly pixilated. Though I don't claim to be an image expert and I am sure there are others here with such skills.

[gpw_42]

Brent, thanks for trying. In a couple weeks I'll try to get a bigger pic of it - this business trip is interfering with my WC work!

Steve

[dogfoot]

Steve,
Your post about your WC-1 is what inspired me to go ahead and buy the WC-1 that I had found.
Are you back form the road trip yet? We want more pictures/update.

Kent

[Ken J]

HA HA, Steve, it's YOUR FAULT Kent bought a truck!!!!

Steve, I tried to enlarge the ser. num. boss, too and no go. There is an outside chance this engine did not get a number, I was talking with an old guy who was a motor pool mechanic in the US Army in Viet Nam and he said one of the old trucks' engines did not have a serial number.

[wc 9 and 12 owner]

someone could have ground it off also. I know a few people are getting P engines and grounding numbers off and making them the numbers on their cards

[gpw_42]

No, I'm still in Tucson...just now about 1/4 through the trip. To add insult to that injury, it looks I'll need to replace the injector pump in my '01 Dodge (204,000 miles), which may put a hurtin' on WC work for another weekend Other than the Pima Museum, can anybody recommend anything else here?

On the upside, I visited the Pima Air and Space Museum here in town the other day - what an amazing facility! I can't say enough positive about it; one of the real highlights for me (besides the B29, B17 and B24 on display, indoors) the patch collection. I started collecting shoulder patches nearly 25 years ago, and don't have anything like the four 4'x8' boards of US patches (USA, USAAC, USN, USMC, state reserve, civil defense, on and on) on display in the museum. I rushed thru the museum with 5 hours' time, and didn't see everything - there are pics on other parts of the board.

Kent, thanks for asking, and good luck with your WC-1! I'm proud to be a vector of OD Fever, to heck with swine flu:)

As for my WC, the posts above bout the engine SN are interesting. I'll try to get a better pic after I get home and get that posted; if its been ground off, I can't see stamping some other claptrap in there. The big issue for me will be figuring out if it's a T207 block or not! I've been doing a little looking into options for replacing/repairing/restoring the gauges and am NOT excited by the potential costs of that possibility, but I've got to do something. Plus, that makes a huge difference to the appearance of the finshed product.

Steve

[gpw_42]

Finally something concrete to post about! I got home from that trip last weekend, worked on the WC some on Sunday, and just felt like I spent the day spinning my wheels. Today, I have some measureable progress!

Recent specific accomplishments:
- removed all 3 drive shafts
- removed the front bumper
- removed the exhaust pipe
- removed the water elbow from the head. That's ugly...
- removed the speedometer from the dash (other gauges are confounding me...)
- I got all the sheet metal off the bed today!

So, that's down to the frame, and I think the front end sheet metal should come off pretty easily, since a bunch of it is just loosely attached, and somebody else removed all (most?) of the 68 year old nuts/bolts. The holdup has been 4 of the carriage bolts which connect the fenders to the sides of the bed...today I got 2 with a hacksaw, and decided that I could worry about the other 2 on another day. Once the sheetmetal was down, I was able to spend a few "flattening" minutes with a hammer/dolly to smooth a bunch of the sheetmetal where the wood in the bed will ride.

No updates on the engine...or photos, yet. I whacked several of the pistons with a 2lb hammer & brass drift, but still can't see any evidence of the engine turning loose (yes, the tranny is in neutral!)...even though the cylinders have been sitting with Marvel for over a month. I did measure the block today - it's 23.5" long, and the deepest cylinder was 4.5" deep (not sure if it's at the bottom of the stroke, but that's all I've got to go by).

Yesterday, the bed kit I ordered from MVM arrived...haven't test-fit it to the truck yet, but it sure looks good! All that white oak, already cut and drilled, will speed up the process for me. Now, I just need to order some paint. Have been looking at TM9's OD#8, but that seems too brown; I've been amazed how much original paint is still lurking in places, and it's AWFULLY GREEN compared to the usual paint I've seen on restored vehicles.

In the shade, it was a cool 96 degrees (36C) this afternoon when I got home from working, and I'd drunk all the water I had with me - when my Camelback went dry, I took off with a purpose!

I'm leaving town for another 2 week trip on Thursday, but will be driving this time. Thus, I'll take the drive shafts, front bumper and perhaps a box full of small parts, so I can go to the auto craft shop at my destination and keep moving forward on the WC, even when I'm out of town. Hope to get the U joints replaced, front bumper smoothed out, and perhaps sandblast/paint the small parts. I may also try to find a place to rebuild the starter and generator for me.

Sorry about writing an essay, but there's a lot to cover! Thanks in advance to JimM!

Steve

[gpw_42]

OK, no essay tonight...received a response from Chrysler Historical, to my build card request - sure not what I wanted to hear. They require evidence that the truck is mine; I don't have a title, and don't yet want to insure it (esp. at California rates!), since it's in tons of pieces, and will stay that way for the foreseeable future! Insureance being the key to a title, I'm up a creek. Given the current mess between Chrysler and their creditors, I'm about tempted to get minimal insurance, so I can get the title and then the build card, while that's still a possibility. UGH!

The TM9 OD#8 I wrote about above is spot on for 50% of the OD I've found on the truck...

Steve

[Flyer]

Hi Steve,
You can get the vehicle titled as a "non-operational", no need for insurance since it will not be operating on public roads. You will only be required to pay tax and a very small "non-operational" fee.
Cheers, Ted

[gpw_42]

Ted, thanks for the tip on negotiating the CA DMV's maze. That place is a nightmare!

Here is a pic of the truck as it sits now, just the chassis cab, as of 10 June. Progress is happening, it's just slow! Gordon, thanks for the tip on taking it down to the chassis cab!

[gpw_42]

And the gauges, before I sent them for restoration on 8 June 09.

This one will be expensive...





I'll post a report once I have them back from restoration.

Steve

[gpw_42]

Well, despite my lack of updating this thread, I haven't neglected the truck for the last 2 months. The only thing I can that's "finished" is prepping the prop shafts - removing all 6 U joints was surely a chore, but all the shafts are now sandblasted and primed. I've gotten a bunch of other miscellaneous chores done as well: working on doors, removing bumperettes, removing facing around the rear window, etc. Still a long way to go, but...

I'm quite pleased with the work Bob's Speedometer Shop (http://www.bobsspeedometer.com) did on my gauges:







They're proud of their work, but if it functions as good as it looks...plus they'll work with you on price, which is a good thing.

I've also spent a bunch of time chasing a functional radiator - I've got some leads, but nothing definite. I'm hoping to pluck the engine soon, but it's starting to like that'll be a little longer than I want.

Steve

[Don]

Steve: You mentioned working in a small garage. I'm working on a WC-12 in a single garage, and short on space. After putting the bed up in the rafters, I built a workbench over the frame.

One of the most useful thing I got was a set of dollies for under the wheels. I can push the truck to one side or the other to get more room to pull out an axle or whatever. When I'm finished for the night, I shove it over to one side. Best part is, it keeps the wife happy.

[Ken J]

GPW_42:

I have had exceptional service and rapid success getting all of my non-registered, non-titled military vehicles and trailers "papered-up" at the Redlands AAA Autoclub. They don't cut corners, they just do the job they're paid to do efficiently and professionally (without copping an attitude!).

If you're not a member, I would offer a friendly suggestion to look into it; for me, the membership is completely worth the vast reduction in irritation and time!

-Ken J

[abn deuce]

Wow gpw-42 that some transformation ! Good to know there's an outfit out there that can do such great work .