Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

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zepher11
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Re: Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

Post by zepher11 » Tue Feb 12, 2019 5:39 pm

Those springs look good. Yes, I have had some pins worn pretty good on some projects. In fact, so worn that they started to eat into the frame mount which had to be replaced and/or repaired as well. Might want to verify that the frame brackets are still in good shape. Lack of grease and/or lacking the willingness to change out the pins is likely to blame. I guess a lot of these pins are 77 or 78 years old and never replaced which is pretty remarkable if so.
Zeph

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Re: Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

Post by 1943Willysgpw » Wed Feb 13, 2019 7:40 am

Great work you are doing. It will be so worth it when you drive it into town and get all the looks.
"None of us are as smart as all of us"

1942 GPW 1871 DoD 2-27-42 Dallas Plant
1945 GPW 247890 DoD 1-26-45 Louisville Plant
1942 GTB 136166 DoD 9-18-42
1942 GTB 135938 DoD
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Re: Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

Post by Ghostrider5211 » Wed Feb 13, 2019 9:06 am

1943Willysgpw wrote:
Wed Feb 13, 2019 7:40 am
Great work you are doing. It will be so worth it when you drive it into town and get all the looks.
Thanks a bunch! I'm so thankful that things are coming together on this truck.

Zeph, the front spring mounts are wollared out a little, but only on one side. I'm hoping I can find a way to shim it and walk away. I'm not cutting any more brackets off. I've got new pins and two new frame bushings coming for the front springs. I managed to save all the grease zerks and castle nuts from the old pins (pinching pennies, gotta save EVERYTHING I can). Spring shop already put new bushings and center bolts in the front springs. All that's needed is two more coats of paint and they are finished and ready to reinstall.

The frame got blasted last night! I inspected this morning. Main frame members look good, no cracks. Front crossmember has some cracks around only one of the rivets. The cover plate over one of the rear crossmembers that usually gets riveted in place is destroyed. It was rotted out beforehand. So, I have my buddy welding up the cracks (not big cracks, but still getting it all fixed!), filling in a hole that got torched in the rear most crossmember, cutting off the rotted cover plate entirely and throwing it out, reinforcing the rotted corner on the rear crossmember, pulling out one stupid bolt I couldn't get out, and then it's time for prime and powdercoat! Should have the frame back Saturday morning!! Pics to come. Boy did they sandblast that frame CLEAN!!
1942 WC-21
1942 WC-24
1942 WC-55/52
1943 Ford GPW
1952 M37
1952 M38A1
1955 M152CDN

RIP Adam R. Lang 10/2/87 - 9/8/16

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Re: Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

Post by Ghostrider5211 » Wed Feb 27, 2019 6:47 pm

Sorry guys! Forgot to update here!

So the frame was successfully delivered to my garage on the 23rd. The guys at work did an outstanding job with cleaning and powdercoating the frame. As you can imagine, I have been rather giddy about starting the rebuild, but it's been a little cold. Today, it broke 40 degrees, and I decided I had had enough of waiting!

So, July 30th, 2018, this old WC rolled into my garage, with plans in place to pick it apart and sell off the rest to scrap or to part out. August 1st, I found the hood number and decided to go after restoring the truck. October 30, 2018, I had the truck stripped to bare frame.

And now I add February 27, 2019 to the next big day for this project... the first parts are bolted back on the truck!!!

And they look great and match the powdercoat color A LOT CLOSER than I thought they would!

I'm happy as a clam tonight!! Rebuild underway!
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1942 WC-21
1942 WC-24
1942 WC-55/52
1943 Ford GPW
1952 M37
1952 M38A1
1955 M152CDN

RIP Adam R. Lang 10/2/87 - 9/8/16

Ghostrider5211
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Re: Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

Post by Ghostrider5211 » Sun Mar 03, 2019 1:15 pm

The project is moving forward slowly. I have begun the restoration of the bumper a friend gave me from one of the wrecked 1/2 ton frames he has. I have brought a box of flanges and brackets that need sandblasting up to dad's house for blasting in our cabinet, and 6 wheels and lock rings currently sit with the blaster at OGI, awaiting their turn. I have yet to take my rear hubs for cleanup, so I dedicated Friday night to starting the front bumper restoration. The piece is reasonably straight enough, but nasty weld beads remained on the front surface, so I spent a good long evening with a grinding and flap wheel to remove the beads. I went over the whole piece with a wire wheel, and some remnants of original paint surfaced. This week I will take the bumper to the 80 ton press at work and straighten out the bad bends in the flanges, then have sandblasting clean the piece... should hopefully have the bumper done by the end of the week and ready to rock!
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1942 WC-21
1942 WC-24
1942 WC-55/52
1943 Ford GPW
1952 M37
1952 M38A1
1955 M152CDN

RIP Adam R. Lang 10/2/87 - 9/8/16

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Re: Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

Post by Ghostrider5211 » Thu Mar 14, 2019 5:55 pm

The last few days have been great temperature wise, so I got to working on the rear hubs and installing the brackets for the bumper, in anticipation of its return from the sandblaster.

I used paint stripper, followed by vigorous rubdown with a metal scraper to get the worst of the paint and crud, then spent about an hour with the wire wheel on my grinder and just cleaned the outside of the hubs as best as I possibly could. I then sprayed the hubs with degreaser and wiped with a rag, then hit spots that I missed with the wire wheel again. I'm pleased with my results. It honestly looks great to me.

No, it's not a professional job, but it's a hell of a lot better than it was. Going to work repacking and installing the bearings and oil seals, and these hubs are ready to be reinstalled!

The rear axle assembly is going to have the same treatment done to it... once I get some more free time. Gonna need some help getting the front bushings out of the frame... they're being very stubborn.

I got my fuel tank back from the radiator shop and they did as best a job as they could on it... except priming revealed two tiny pinholes in the bottom of the tank they missed... debating to solder them shut or take it back to them and make them fill them in. They really are the tiniest little holes.
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1942 WC-21
1942 WC-24
1942 WC-55/52
1943 Ford GPW
1952 M37
1952 M38A1
1955 M152CDN

RIP Adam R. Lang 10/2/87 - 9/8/16

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Re: Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

Post by Ghostrider5211 » Sun Mar 31, 2019 6:40 pm

Well gee willickers, I finally got something done...

I took delivery of a 1952 M37 two weeks ago, and my time has been spent getting it going so I can reposition it on the parking pad in order to put up a pop up garage around it. But yesterday my dad came by and we worked on driving two stubborn bushings out of the frame rails. We were successful! With that out of the way, I got all the pieces together and mounted the front springs! Yet another few bits to back on the truck!!

I will be working with some friends to move my rear axle housing outside for cleaning, as I have decided against taking the thing to my company for blasting. They are now behind schedule on regular jobs and I have yet to receive back any of my wheels or front bumper. As such, I'll be doing the rear springs myself and will find a way to chemically clean the rear axle.

I'm really loving how this truck is coming back together! And EVERYONE write this down. The center pin is NOT in the geometric center of the springs! There is a long and short side to the front springs. About 18" on one side, 20" on the other. The LONG side, as verified by several friends measuring their trucks, goes towards the REAR of the vehicle, NOT towards the front of the vehicle.
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1942 WC-21
1942 WC-24
1942 WC-55/52
1943 Ford GPW
1952 M37
1952 M38A1
1955 M152CDN

RIP Adam R. Lang 10/2/87 - 9/8/16

IvorGPW
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Re: Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

Post by IvorGPW » Sun Mar 31, 2019 8:45 pm

How about some pictures of the M37. Love the job you are doing on the Dodge. How is preparation for the new baby going?
Tate Christensen
1944 Ford GPW #234613 USMC Radio jeep
1943 Willys MB #263100
1945 Willys CJ2A #10226
1941 Ford GP #9687
1941 Willys MB #100161

Ghostrider5211
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Re: Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

Post by Ghostrider5211 » Tue Apr 02, 2019 5:54 am

Hi there IvorGPW,

Ill get some pictures up of the new M37 tonight or tomorrow; look for a new thread. Im trying to keep track of this thread and its hard as it is haha!

Thanks! Im really trying to apply all the skills Ive learned so far and its paying off better than I anticipated. Once the undercarriage is back under the truck, I am debating restoring the truck front to back, or back to front. Really a hard choice as theres lots of fun things to work on on both sides of the truck!

My little girl is due in July and the honey do list gets longer. I balance it all out and as long as wifey is happy, Im doing well. Allison was found to have a missing kidney, but the other one is present and developing nicely, as well as the rest of her. We are very excited to meet her!
1942 WC-21
1942 WC-24
1942 WC-55/52
1943 Ford GPW
1952 M37
1952 M38A1
1955 M152CDN

RIP Adam R. Lang 10/2/87 - 9/8/16

Ghostrider5211
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Re: Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

Post by Ghostrider5211 » Sat Apr 06, 2019 4:49 pm

The last few days I've been fighting a cold, but I felt well enough to at least keep things moving. Grab the primer and get to it!

I spent 6 hours behind a paint gun today, shooting all the latest batch of cleaned and primed parts that I'm going to be needing soon as I progress on the WC-21. I shot two coats of paint on each part, and I'm quite pleased with the results. Tomorrow I will be putting forth an effort to bolt some things onto the frame, if I can gain the strength.

My main objective is to get the M37 running long enough so I can park the truck farther back on the concrete pad. This will give me enough room to set up a space where I can get my heavy duty degreaser and paint stripper to work on the -21's rear axle housing. I'll have all kinds of wire wheels purchased and standing by to aid me in getting that puppy cleaned up.

I'm *very* pleased with how these parts turned out, considering their condition and me being a complete novice at painting. But I'm going to get better, and hopefully the lessons I'm learning will pay off in at least a half decent truck.
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1942 WC-21
1942 WC-24
1942 WC-55/52
1943 Ford GPW
1952 M37
1952 M38A1
1955 M152CDN

RIP Adam R. Lang 10/2/87 - 9/8/16

Ghostrider5211
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Re: Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

Post by Ghostrider5211 » Mon Apr 15, 2019 6:01 pm

Work slowly continues on the truck. I have installed both rear spring hangars using bolts and Nylock nuts. They are nice and tight. I don't expect to have any issues with function of the piece, or anyone else except with stitch-Nazis and rivet counters. I'm not a riveter. I'll keep an eye on it as I go. Shouldn't give me any issues.

The fuel tank hangar support bar is bolted back in place as well. Looks really nice debubbaed, even if it is a little bent.

The bumper went on much better than I thought. It actually looks straighter now that it's been bolted down for a few days. Starting to look like a truck again.

Yesterday I took on the task I've been putting off for some time... cleaning the rear axle housing. I got my degreaser out, sprayed the piece down, and hooked up to the shop crane for moving to the front of the garage, where I have better light and, more importantly, fresh, circulating air. It's not the perfect or ideal conditions, but I'm making it work. The new wire wheels I got from Harbor Freight are working nicely to remove the old paint. I love the shiny steel underneath... shows me my hard work is paying off.

If you haven't tried Evap-O-Rust, go get some. It removed ALL the surface rust from my Ubolts!! It removed so much rust that all the nuts that were stuck on some of the bolts I was able to twist off BY HAND. I have brushed the bolts off and am letting them soak some more. Bottle says I can clean up to 300 pounds of metal with one jug so we'll see what happens. It didn't harm the original OD paint!

I got to excited that I'm performing a little experiment. I recovered an original push-pull light switch from the hulk of a WC-7 I got from Bean and it's completely locked up. With nothing to lose, I've thrown it in the bucket to see if it can help rescue the switch. I know that electrolysis saved the switch in our WC-55... I'm wondering what Evap-O-Rust will do!

Keepin' up the good fight. Hope to have the axle back underneath the truck by the end of May.
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1942 WC-21
1942 WC-24
1942 WC-55/52
1943 Ford GPW
1952 M37
1952 M38A1
1955 M152CDN

RIP Adam R. Lang 10/2/87 - 9/8/16

wc56daveyboy
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Re: Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

Post by wc56daveyboy » Fri Apr 19, 2019 2:37 am

I've successfully removed paint and rust off of steel parts using a mild solution of muratic acid and water.

MUCH cheaper to purchase in large qty than evap-o-rust.

I bought a large plastic bucket from tractor supply (feed bucket) and filled up with solution and was able to even fit one wheel at a time.

I would rather sandblast everything but sometimes distance for me to a sandblaster makes this a better alternative.

Besides it works better for a bunch of small parts you can just throw in the bucket.

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Re: Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

Post by Ghostrider5211 » Mon Apr 22, 2019 6:45 pm

Pushing ahead on the rear axle, slowly. The main part of the housing and shafts are pretty much cleaned up except for a very few spots where I can't get the wire wheel into.

I managed to get the broken stud out of the housing and will have a new one coming in shortly. After that I'll put the new gasket on and lock it all in. The differential looks beautiful, with no rust or broken teeth or damage anywhere to be found. A real blessing.

Hope to have the axle back up on the work table for reassembly by the end of next week. Also got one set of rear spring leaves primed and painted. They'll be ready for reassembly this week at the shop.
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1942 WC-21
1942 WC-24
1942 WC-55/52
1943 Ford GPW
1952 M37
1952 M38A1
1955 M152CDN

RIP Adam R. Lang 10/2/87 - 9/8/16

murano3
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Re: Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

Post by murano3 » Thu Apr 25, 2019 1:46 am

Superb work

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Re: Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

Post by mdainsd » Fri Apr 26, 2019 11:51 am

Great progress!
52 M38 2X, '52 M37, '44 WC51, '42 WC 56/57, '50 CJ-V35(U), '42 GPW, '44 M3A1 Scout Car, 2010 M-Gator


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