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  #1  
Old 19-02-18, 10:54
Lang Lang is offline
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Default Alcan Highway Vehicle

I thought I might ask the Canadian and American people if they can throw any light on the markings found on my Dodge WC53 Carryall. Any suggestions at all
on what they mean.

Area Engineer Whitehorse is visible plus something underneath in white that looks like???? Pool.

Open to all guesses.

Unfortunately the person who took the photos did not go further than this and made no attempt to fully decipher everything. By the time I got there it had all been sanded off and painted.

Lang
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Dodge Alaska markings7 (Medium).JPG   Dodge Alaska markings2 (Medium).JPG   Dodge Alaska Markings4 (Medium).JPG   Dodge Alaska markings3 (Medium).JPG   Dodge Alaska markings9 (Medium).JPG  

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Old 19-02-18, 11:04
Lang Lang is offline
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I have the hood number OK. A bit different to usual with small lettering and the prefix (with dots between letters) U.S.A. 20163304 - S
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Dodge Alaska markings1 (Medium).JPG   Dodge Alaska Markings5 (Medium).JPG  
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  #3  
Old 19-02-18, 11:41
David Herbert David Herbert is offline
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Shame that it wasn't fully uncovered but you have a lot more than most people. I must admit that I can't see the white xxxxpool but the obvious thing would be 'motor pool'.

Great truck, David
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Old 19-02-18, 12:15
Lang Lang is offline
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David

The "POOL" is under the MWD. Can't get the preceeding word but not "MOTOR"

Lang
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  #5  
Old 21-02-18, 12:24
Snowy Snowy is offline
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Looking at it magified and inverted and mucking with the luminosity settings, it looks like ??RA POOL
Which could refer to the PRA, the Public Roads Administration. In summer 1943 at the peak of construction the army had over 3000 vehicles at work on the highway, and the Public Roads Administration and private contractors had as many more. Well that's according to my Alcan Highway book ('Highway to Alaska' by Herbert Lanks) this is one of a dozen references to the PRA in the book's index.
But that's just a wild assumption, who knows.
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Old 21-02-18, 19:16
Lang Lang is offline
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Thanks for that Steve

It is a better guess than anything so far.

Lang
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Old 21-02-18, 19:20
Lang Lang is offline
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Thanks for that Steve

It is a better guess than anything so far.

It looks like it might have been repainted in service a couple of times. The ??POOL looks like first layer possibly when it was newly arrived before issue to the Area Engineer. The main writing looks like it has been done at least twice.


PS Could it be AREA POOL?

Lang

Last edited by Lang; 22-02-18 at 06:57.
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Old 21-02-18, 20:02
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Robert Bergeron Robert Bergeron is offline
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That begs the question : What in the h.. is an Alcan highway truck doing in Australia ?

seems far from the Alascan highway , doesn't it ?
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  #9  
Old 21-02-18, 22:31
Lang Lang is offline
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Robert

It was driven here over the AustraLiaCANada (ALCAN) Highway before global warming melted the ice bridge.

Another explanation might be I bought it in USA and did a lot of work at a friend's place in Texas before shipping it home.

Lang
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dodge carryall 0031.jpg   Dodge TX work.jpg  

Last edited by Lang; 22-02-18 at 00:04.
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  #10  
Old 22-02-18, 00:16
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Robert Bergeron Robert Bergeron is offline
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That would explain it indeed.

A beautiful truck btw.

Absolutely awesome and with a great history of service .

The AlCan highway was a great human endeavour and is still in use today as the main land link to Alaska through Canada.

War is not always about destruction , pain and suffering .

Cheers.
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  #11  
Old 22-02-18, 00:23
Lang Lang is offline
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Robert

Bev and I drove the ALCAN Highway a few years ago in something smaller than a Carryall.

Photo of the finished Carryall below.
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  #12  
Old 22-02-18, 17:38
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Robert Bergeron Robert Bergeron is offline
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Absolutely awesome ! Both the trip along the AlCan and the Carryall .

I have to do that one day.

Cheers.
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