Zeph's Dodge VC1 Command Car Restoration

[70th Division]

Thanks Ray,

Yes, I have to pinch myself sometimes. It'll be nice to have some extra room. Wish I could of done a lot of this when I was younger and didn't have to work, but I guess it was worth the wait.

lol...yes, that was my wife. I didn't realize that comment was in there initially. Funny.

The tail lights look much like the military bucket with a civilian lens retaining ring. However, smaller at 3 1/2 inch diameter vs. the Dodge WC style which are 3 3/4 inch in diameter. They also only have one wire connector/bulb. I know they are super rare. Only used on the VC's, so not a lot made:

Hello Zeph,

Ok I now know which one you are talking about

Maybe you can modify a later one and make one to match, with your skills, it should be a fun project


What is that canister looking assembly in an earlier above picture ?



Best Regards,
Ray

[zepher11]

Hello Zeph,

Ok I now know which one you are talking about

Maybe you can modify a later one and make one to match, with your skills, it should be a fun project

What is that canister looking assembly in an earlier above picture ?

Best Regards,
Ray

Hi Ray,

I'm sure I will have to find a civilian tail light housings and modify by drilling the holes for the black out covers. Those are the canisters in the photo.

The cannisters will not fit the larger Dodge WC tail light housings. Here's a photo of a Dodge VC1 in the wild with the canister covers installed:

Black out tail light covers

[70th Division]

Hello Zeph,

Ok I now know which one you are talking about

Maybe you can modify a later one and make one to match, with your skills, it should be a fun project

What is that canister looking assembly in an earlier above picture ?

Best Regards,
Ray

Hi Ray,

I'm sure I will have to find a civilian tail light housings and modify by drilling the holes for the black out covers. Those are the canisters in the photo.

The cannisters will not fit the larger Dodge WC tail light housings. Here's a photo of a Dodge VC1 in the wild with the canister covers installed:

Command Car 307.jpg

Hello Zeph,

Ok to clear it up, the tail light actually has a canister cover around it that is as shown in the VC picture ?

I think that I have 1 of those but it is a canister like the picture you posted of that VC.

It was with a half ton Command Car that I rescued several months ago.

I put it away for safe keeping, now can't find it !

But I knew it was a strange looking tail light, as I had never seen one like it.

Once I find it, I will get you some pictures and you can determine if it is what you need , hopefully it is !!

Best Regards,
Ray

[zepher11]

Hello Zeph,

Ok to clear it up, the tail light actually has a canister cover around it that is as shown in the VC picture ?

I think that I have 1 of those but it is a canister like the picture you posted of that VC.

It was with a half ton Command Car that I rescued several months ago.

I put it away for safe keeping, now can't find it !

But I knew it was a strange looking tail light, as I had never seen one like it.

Once I find it, I will get you some pictures and you can determine if it is what you need , hopefully it is !!

Best Regards,
Ray

The early Dodge WC Command Cars had the cannisters/covers as well. They were a little different as they were inset a bit due to the mounting locations inside the body for the tail lights.

Here's a photo of an early Dodge WC Command Car with the covers:

Dodge WC tail light covers

[70th Division]

Hello Zeph,

Ok to clear it up, the tail light actually has a canister cover around it that is as shown in the VC picture ?

I think that I have 1 of those but it is a canister like the picture you posted of that VC.

It was with a half ton Command Car that I rescued several months ago.

I put it away for safe keeping, now can't find it !

But I knew it was a strange looking tail light, as I had never seen one like it.

Once I find it, I will get you some pictures and you can determine if it is what you need , hopefully it is !!

Best Regards,
Ray

The early Dodge WC Command Cars had the cannisters/covers as well. They were a little different as they were inset a bit due to the mounting locations inside the body for the tail lights.

Here's a photo of an early Dodge WC Command Car with the covers:

Command Car 167.JPG

Hello Zeph,

That is a great picture there !!
I have also found one of these type canisters in the back of the early CC !
Once I find that other canister I will let you know. I can't believe I have forgotten where I put it for safe keeping only about 6 months ago !!

It was definitely smaller diameter, and looks like the one you pictured.


Looking forward to your updates on the VC CC and the barn !!!!


Best Regards,
Ray

[70th Division]

Hello Zeph,

Ok I now know which one you are talking about

Maybe you can modify a later one and make one to match, with your skills, it should be a fun project

What is that canister looking assembly in an earlier above picture ?

Best Regards,
Ray

Hi Ray,

I'm sure I will have to find a civilian tail light housings and modify by drilling the holes for the black out covers. Those are the canisters in the photo.

The cannisters will not fit the larger Dodge WC tail light housings. Here's a photo of a Dodge VC1 in the wild with the canister covers installed:

Command Car 307.jpg

Hello Zeph,

I hope you are doing well out there !!

Any updates on your Command Car, and the new barn ?
Have you moved your other project vehicles there yet ?


It must be nice

Best Regards,
Ray

[zepher11]

Hello Zeph,

I hope you are doing well out there !!

Any updates on your Command Car, and the new barn ?
Have you moved your other project vehicles there yet ?

It must be nice

Best Regards,
Ray

Hey Ray,

Not a lot on the Command Car. Been busy. I did get the new shop final inspection approved, so it's done! So excited. I have decided to paint the floor with epoxy since I will be primarily parking vehicles in there that leak. They saw cut the concrete in ten 12' x 15' sections. I have to clean all the dust and dirt out of there. I tried to hose it out, but all 10 of those sections are bird baths and the door is at one end. I've spent a few days trying to wash it out and then squeegee all the water out. What a workout.

Then I etched it in small sections and then tried hosing all of that out. Another major workout. I let it dry and it still has dust and dirt on the concrete, so I'm thinking of trying a pressure washer next. It's taken a lot of time, but hopefully I can get it clean where I can actually paint it.

Plus, now that the shop is done, I'm starting a kitchen remodel, and converting the attached garage into a craft room for my wife. It's the least I can do, eh?

I did finally get another VC radiator from John B. at Midwest Military. Had it shipped out and the radiator shop was able to use the upper tank off of it. They used one of the original cores I had brought in with this tank and now have a sealed radiator! They said don't put over a 2lb radiator cap on it as it's a little sketchy, but it's a radiator for now. They had mercy on me for all the time they spent on it. I think overall was only out about $600 for everything.

I stuck the radiator that on the core support of the VC chassis today. Immediately noticed that it's amazingly taller off the ground to the top of the tank than my half-tons and the 3/4 ton Command Car in the background in the one photo below. Plus that 3/4 ton is on jack stands! The VC must be a beast. I measured it and I think the front grill cover will be about 10-12 inches higher than my half-ton Dodge WC's. That's pretty cool:





Also, spring time here, so been mowing my property as well as a few others. With the lack of rain, everything is dried out about a month sooner than normal. Need everything mowed due to fire danger. Just a part of life here. Wouldn't be so bad if they could stop people from setting fires. Fingers crossed for a decent fire year this year.

Take care,

[chibobber]

John,
Nice up date. Glad you and the misses are doing well.
Be safe,
Bob

[70th Division]

Hello Zeph,

You certainly have been busy !!!!
Plenty of work to do, always !

You remind me of that old GMC or Chevy truck ad on tv, where a guy is at a party and someone asks him what he does ?
He then flashes back to 101 adventures he does before most people get moving, and doesn't really have an easy answer to what he does
I especially liked the catching of a lobster


Sounds like your daily routine !!

The VC radiator looks great, and that is a really high profile with here, it is going to be an awesome vehicle to enjoy that is for certain !

Happy V-E Day 2022 to You and all the G503 !!



Best Regards,
Ray

[zepher11]

John,
Nice up date. Glad you and the misses are doing well.
Be safe,
Bob

Thanks Bob. Yes, all is well. My wife still can't walk around the block, but she has met me and the dogs on our morning walks on our return leg a few times. Still hobbling a bit. Hopefully, she can get back at it soon.

Hello Zeph,

You certainly have been busy !!!!
Plenty of work to do, always !

You remind me of that old GMC or Chevy truck ad on tv, where a guy is at a party and someone asks him what he does ?
He then flashes back to 101 adventures he does before most people get moving, and doesn't really have an easy answer to what he does
I especially liked the catching of a lobster


Sounds like your daily routine !!

The VC radiator looks great, and that is a really high profile with here, it is going to be an awesome vehicle to enjoy that is for certain !

Happy V-E Day 2022 to You and all the G503 !!

Best Regards,
Ray

Thank you Ray,

That's funny about the commercial analogy. It really does seem I knocked out more on a Saturday when I was working than I do all month now. Getting pulled in so many directions it seems. Hoping to get the shop floor painted in a few days. Need it dry and it's been cool in the mid 70's. Will be in the mid 90's again in a couple of days. If the moisture content in the concrete is ok, I think I'm good to go.

It seems that the floor is fairly clean of dust now that I pressure washed it. It's a long way to the doors to get the dirt out...not that there is aything wrong with that:

[70th Division]

John,
Nice up date. Glad you and the misses are doing well.
Be safe,
Bob

Thanks Bob. Yes, all is well. My wife still can't walk around the block, but she has met me and the dogs on our morning walks on our return leg a few times. Still hobbling a bit. Hopefully, she can get back at it soon.

Hello Zeph,

You certainly have been busy !!!!
Plenty of work to do, always !

You remind me of that old GMC or Chevy truck ad on tv, where a guy is at a party and someone asks him what he does ?
He then flashes back to 101 adventures he does before most people get moving, and doesn't really have an easy answer to what he does
I especially liked the catching of a lobster


Sounds like your daily routine !!

The VC radiator looks great, and that is a really high profile with here, it is going to be an awesome vehicle to enjoy that is for certain !

Happy V-E Day 2022 to You and all the G503 !!

Best Regards,
Ray

Thank you Ray,

That's funny about the commercial analogy. It really does seem I knocked out more on a Saturday when I was working than I do all month now. Getting pulled in so many directions it seems. Hoping to get the shop floor painted in a few days. Need it dry and it's been cool in the mid 70's. Will be in the mid 90's again in a couple of days. If the moisture content in the concrete is ok, I think I'm good to go.

It seems that the floor is fairly clean of dust now that I pressure washed it. It's a long way to the doors to get the dirt out...not that there is aything wrong with that:

Hello Zeph,


I was told that it is a good idea to keep your concrete wet with water for about a month while hardening.
I did that with my floor, and also kept heavy things off it for a month or two as well.

It will help prevent cracks, or so they say.
I still have thin spider web cracks, but nothing like a crack.
I also had them add the fiberglass strand reinforcement to the concrete and ordered a high psi mix.

But who knows what they actually do here in Florida ?

The sealing of the floor will be great, and if any little spider web cracks appear, will seal them up as well.
I hope to seal mine in the future.
Here in Florida, they use crushed limestone as base component, which to me is far less desirable than actual sand and gravel, as limestone is soft and crumbles, unlike stone based materials.


It is looking great , keep us posted !!


Best Regards,
Ray

[fernando mendes]

[zepher11]

Finally bit the bullet and rolled out all of the two-part epoxy on the new shop floor yesterday. Took me six hours with no breaks. I'm used to my upper back acing, but man my lower back was aching when I was done. Today felt it in my legs. No wonder the local place charges $18,000 for this. Thankfully, it only cost me about $1,400 which wasn't too bad. My wife's office had the local place do it and it's shockingly expensive, but they probably do a better job than me.

When I ordered the Epoxy kits, I wasn't planning on using the confetti and didn't think the kits came with, but I kind of liked it and went ahead and added it. Happy I did as overnight the Epoxy bubbled up in a lot of places. Not sure why. When I popped the bubble they leave a crater in the Epoxy. The confetti helps hide the craters. Hoping this helps in cleaning up the leaked oil from the WWII trucks:









Today it wasn't tacky, and I was able to walk on it after 24 hours. 36 hours until one can drive on it. That will be Sunday. So happy to have this little project competed now:

[superdave]

That looks great, I like the look of it and looks quite shiny. The additional shop look really nice and will be great to house all of your finished projects. How is the surface with the epoxy paint as it looks slippery ??

[zepher11]

That looks great, I like the look of it and looks quite shiny. The additional shop look really nice and will be great to house all of your finished projects. How is the surface with the epoxy paint as it looks slippery ??

Thanks Dave. You know, it is shiny, but it isn't slick at all. I think the confetti helped to give it a bit of grip. Really hoping the Epoxy sticks well to the concrete and repels oil. Happy to have it completed. I'll start moving some stuff in there tomorrow and get it scuffed up a bit.