Purchasing a WC54

[Matchless]

I am looking at purchasing a WC54 that came out of Norway. It seems in very good mechanical and structural state which I guess figures if the Norwegian Army looked after it. Engine is smooth and quiet and it drives and stops, V5c and running on the road. The bodywork has a little rust in what I gather are the usual places....cab door bottoms and sills under (not too bad with a little filler) plus windscreen surround strip. Cab and rear compartment fairly original and unmolested. Main issue is that the rear body has large square panels that have been very neatly pop rivetted on......we are talking about half of each side. Also the nearside rear curved corner piece is new metal pop rivetted on. Its a very sound and workmanlike repair, again, I guess done by the Norwegian workshops and it does not bother me too much, but surely affects the value? The private vendor is looking for £12k. Hard for me to judge, with not many recent sales to go on (asking prices aint selling prices!) but I think £12k is too rich. What does the panel think?

[Gordon_M]

If it had no rust at all, and no pop-rivetted panels, then a price in five figures might be reasonable.

You'll have to balance the facts that it is available, registered, and reasonably good to go against the price and the condition, but I wouldn't rush.

In particular the price of everything peaks between now and the end of the show season, then plummets a little over winter. I'd probably give serious consideration to looking harder and longer.

[Matchless]

You are probably right, Gordon, although the encouragement to buy now is that I have a buyer lined up for my Ricardo 2Para Defender 90. Alas, the Defender I can park on the driveway, unlike the WC54 which is just too long and wide, so if anyone knows of any storage going in the Ashford, Kent area, do let me know!!

[Richard Starr]

I agree with Gordon. Make sure it has a T214 engine too, and the frame number is visible and is appropriate. Even better if it has original data plates or at least a late 1940's/early 1950's rebuild plate.

I would not be too put off by those patch panels: my ex-Norway WC-54 had six, two had just dents underneath, although two on the rear doors did hide some (repairable) rusty door bottoms. The other two are rounded and part welded onto the rear corners, it has been so well done that I have left them.

Check the lower windscreen for rust - a difficult, fiddly repair, and replacements are almost impossible to find.

Also the plates at the rear of the front wings tend to trap water and rust, but an easy repair.

I would either hold back (hard to do I know), or offer £10k and if not accepted, take time over the summer (e.g. W&P) to gain more intel and buy in late Sep/Oct.

BTW, the WC54 is not much wider than a normal car (a 6'6" width limit is no problem) but it is tall and long.

Finally, shameless plug: I am I think the only person in Europe with the correct length exhaust pipes for the WC54/64/59/61 chassis (£50).

[Matchless]

Richard, see my post above re the "Royal Signals WC54". I did as you suggested and looked over a few 54s at shows and kind owners showed me what to look for. In the end, after a Want Ad on the HMVF, Iain Mulley at IJM Restorations contacted me to say he had bought a battered 54 as a project for himself, but I could have it and they would finish off the resto'. I Went up to look it over and it was easy to assess being stripped doen as far as was wise, with various panels being remade as IJM have a lot if experience in panel work. So all rot is going and everything put back properly, except lad area is over to me for fitting out to camp in and carry a motorcycle or two. Only fly in the ointment is that its original engine was robbed out and it now has a Power Wagon motor, but that really does not bother me as long as it is reliable. As you can see from my other post, it will be a bit of a "special" anyhow, but its nice to be a bit different and I am sure there are enough really pukka WC54 ambulances already.

[Richard Starr]

Very interesting - always good to see something a bit different. I keep being asked if I want to sell my ambulance, such is their popularity these days.

I agree the engine does not matter too much, although the T214 is very reliable, the Powerwagon one will undoubtedly make the same noise.

Enjoy it when you get your hands on it!

[wc 9 and 12 owner]

I have a few spare ambulances in the colony's over here and quite a few parts I would let go of.