Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

Ghostrider5211 · Post by **Ghostrider5211** » Sun Jul 29, 2018 7:26 pm

Hi everyone,

I am a little inspired and I'd like to try to keep a log of sorts on this forum, as there are many individuals here that are not on Facebook.

Today my dad and I took delivery of two trucks, both of which are WC-21s. One is a 1941, and the other is a 1942. Purchase price for both was $6,750. They came with 4 spare wheels, and 4 spare 9.00x16 tires for our 3/4 ton project.

It took my friend Joe and I 12 hours total to move both trucks from where they were sitting in a barn to their new homes. One will be sitting at my dad's house, and one will be sitting at mine. The truck with the cab is a donor truck for the other for any missing components or ones that need swapped out. At this time, the donor truck doesn't look like it's going to be restorable. I hope someone with experience can offer a second opinion, as I always wanted a chance to have an old warhorse in my garage that works...

The truck without a cab is the real prize between the two. It was bought out of service 2 owners back. It was used on the family farm, and then to the oil fields, where it carried pipes in the makeshift holders you see on the front and back. It was put up on blocks in 1967 and not seen or heard from again until the previous owner purchased it 5 years ago. The truck was driven to his barn and again laid away until the last two days, when my dad and I bought it up.

The truck is a treasure trove of parts and is the most complete specimen I've ever seen, including a bullet hole in the lower front cab area. If you follow the line it goes into the passenger's lower seat pan with no exit hole. Plenty of Olive Drab still hiding under that red brushed paint. The truck still has its original T-215 engine.

I hope you all will enjoy this log as I keep it. Right now we are working on a Dodge 3/4 ton and that truck has the priority until we are finished with it, but we will be removing things here and there from "Ol' Red" and "Fab Cab Special".

70th Division · Post by **70th Division** » Sun Jul 29, 2018 8:03 pm

Hello,

Congratulations on finding those wonderful beauties in such good shape !!!
What a nice find ,
this looks like it is going to be a great and informative thread about your WC-21 !!!

Please keep the pictures and updates coming, great looking barn too !

Best Regards,

Ray

mdainsd · Post by **mdainsd** » Sun Jul 29, 2018 9:04 pm

Great find. Be very careful with that fuel gauge that says "gas", very rare and VERY pricey!

wc56daveyboy · Post by **wc56daveyboy** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 5:13 am

Are these the pair sold out of Ohio? I seen a listing last week on these sent by a freind.

Where is "home" for them now being 12 hours from their old location?

Great project trucks for sure!

Good luck. There is a wealth of experience from all of us who have restored 1/2tons recently on this site that you can tap into for any questions that you may have!

Ghostrider5211 · Post by **Ghostrider5211** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 5:28 am

Between stopping for gas and bites to eat plus loading/unloading and such it took up the time. The trucks were located about 2 hours from us.

These are the trucks that were listed for sale in Ohio last week. We were the first to call about them. They are still located in Ohio.

wc56daveyboy · Post by **wc56daveyboy** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 5:49 am

Well very good!

So you stated one doesn't have a cab?

Pictures look like Both have cabs? One original with its correct bucket seats, the other looks like a home made top, or cover over the cab.

The original cab isn't on that truck?

Ghostrider5211 · Post by **Ghostrider5211** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 8:29 am

Both vehicles are open cab pickup WC21s. The one that has the correct seats was slightly modified to accept a plywood hardtop cab roof that never got completed per the previous owners maintenance notes in the manual. The other one was a county plow truck and had a metal hard top and rear window welded/bolted to it. I'm cutting that hardtop off of it.

Ghostrider5211 · Post by **Ghostrider5211** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 8:30 am

My misunderstanding. Both have cabs. One has that stupid metal throwtogether hardtop.

Ernie Baals · Post by **Ernie Baals** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 11:21 am

Great project!!
Looks like you have almost everything you need
If you need any help. info or parts i would be happy to help
Ernie

Ghostrider5211 · Post by **Ghostrider5211** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 11:47 am

Thanks Ernie! I really want to give the parts truck a chance as its own restoration. It is just in such bad shape but I have truly seen worse. I will get some pictures of it tonight. I would make it my Navy truck, despite the OD lurking under the red paint. If I recover hood numbers...that will change the ball game. I will definitely keep you abreast of any parts I need should I decide to do a proper restoration.

Ghostrider5211 · Post by **Ghostrider5211** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 5:59 pm

I had enough daylight tonight to get out and give the Fab Cab Special a good lookover tonight, and there were some positives, and many negatives. I can see why this truck was being sold for its parts, but I just have a nagging feeling it could be saved...

...I just have all the heart, and none of the skill.

The pictures that follow are of my walkaround in the garage. It was getting dark quickly so I had to use my flash a lot. Some interesting things came to light.

: DSCN4419 (Small).JPG (115.59 KiB) Viewed 5376 times

The engine is older than the truck. It's a D11 engineering code, which belongs to the 1939 Dodge Super Deluxe car.

: DSCN4423 (Small).JPG (74.54 KiB) Viewed 5376 times

The starter is a MAW 4029. I believe this also predates the truck.

: DSCN4409 (Small).JPG (88.76 KiB) Viewed 5376 times

I have no idea what the fuel pump vintage is.

: DSCN4369 (Small).JPG (95.97 KiB) Viewed 5376 times

The cab is screwed into the original cab in some spots, and poorly welded to it in others. It is a ramshackle piece of welded junk that I simply cannot wait to get rid of. I literally loathe it.

: DSCN4374 (Small).JPG (83.66 KiB) Viewed 5376 times

I think I'm gonna call this truck either "Peaches" for the name scrawled in the cab, or "Patches" for the amount of patchwork done to this poor thing!
The running board has patchwork on it because it literally has a 1 foot long rust hole in it...

: DSCN4371 (Small).JPG (86.27 KiB) Viewed 5376 times

Another "GAS" marked gauge! That's nice I suppose.

I really wish I could get some guidance and thoughts as to how to approach a restoration of this vehicle, if it's even worth it. You can see it's been very badly treated, but I know some people have started with worse. I'm going to start this project with what I know how to do best... disassembly and cataloging everything!

Ghostrider5211 · Post by **Ghostrider5211** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 6:01 pm

More pics

70th Division · Post by **70th Division** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 6:25 pm

Hello GR,

Your trucks look great , they are really in great shape.

Pick one truck to start with when you are ready.
Take things an inch at a time, and complete sections like that.

I would recommend NOT taking things apart and storing them as such.
Take one piece off, restore it, and put it back on, and keep going like that.
It keeps you motivated, and you learn as you go.

Too many projects get completely disassembled and become overwhelming and get abandoned over time.

Start by getting rid of all non original add ons.
Then restore some easy things to get started like the dash area, then the grill, then the nose cone, etc.
Get safety equipment, safety glasses, hearing protection, gloves, etc.
Makes things much nicer

Get a wire feed welder, a grinder, sandblaster if you don't already have them.
Not too big of an expense at all.

Prime and paint as you go, and pretty soon you will really like what you have accomplished.

Best of Luck on your restoration, you can do it,
as I said your truck looks way ahead of the game compared to many others who have done great things with their restorations.

Vintage Power Wagons, and Midwest Military are two great suppliers of a universe of parts.

Your gas gauges and ampere gauges are very desirable and sought after,
they are the same as the Slat Grill Willys MB Jeeps use !!!

Thanks for posting all the additional pictures !

Best Regards,
Ray

Ghostrider5211 · Post by **Ghostrider5211** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 6:37 pm

I really like that idea!! I may approach it that way. Take a piece off... fix it. Nothing else. Just that. Then, prime and paint it. Put it back on or into storage. Debubba is priority 1.

70th Division · Post by **70th Division** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 7:05 pm

Hello GR,

Yes, you can't go wrong with that approach.
It keeps things nice and easy, and you will be surprised at how nice it goes !
No stress, and take it one part at a time as you go, on your schedule.

Your earlier engine is great, and if it is in good shape, keep it rolling !!!!!
I have a postwar 1950 Dodge Power Wagon T306 engine in my WC-12.
I am keeping it in there, as it actually is the same basic engine, much like your early engine.

Best Regards,

Ray

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