Dodge Weapons Carrier

[Ryan]

Picked this up today along with 5 new 9.00x16 tyres. She's not pretty, in fact she's damn right ugly, but I had to have her.

[Ryan]

Two spare diffs, original transfer case and windscreen were loaded up separately.

[Ryan]

Yeah, it's a mess, but you have to start somewhere.

[Ryan]

Loaded up.

[Ryan]

It was used by its previous owner for carting wood out of the Brisbane Ranges before it became a National Park. Shot of the engine bay.

[Ryan]

So your all probably thinking, ' Christ, why bother', but it only set me back $400. And better than a garden gnome.

[Keith Webb]

Well saved, Ryan!

[Keith Orpin]

Well done Ryan, it reminds me of the state my Dodge was in when I dragged her home, all those years ago. That's an interesting conversion from LH drive to RH drive. Are you going to put her back as LH drive ? Looking at your pictures I would guess she is relativily late weapons carrier, say 44 or 45, as she has the wood for the inner sections of the rear body. Still well worth saving, keep us informed of progress
Keith

[Ryan]

Back to LHD? Don't know yet Keith. Would be good though. Here's a couple more pics. This stencil was found under the RHS bonnet ( are they called bonnets?).

[Ryan]

Windscreen.
Kind of makes you sea sick looking at this. Sorry.

[Ryan]

Original transfer case. This was swapped out for a post war case that was fitted with a low range.

[Keith Orpin]

You're right about the picture of the windscreen, which interestingly, still retains it's original interior mirror bracket, although the mirror has long since been replaced, and wiper motor. I'm still fascinated by the conversion from left to right hand drive. That must have been a lot of work. It also looks like the exhaust manifold had a pipe exiting near the radiator and not next to the buckhead, again probably due to the conversion. Are there many Weapons Carriers in your part of the world ?
Keith

[sapper740]

Originally posted by rynoki
Picked this up today along with 5 new 9.00x16 tyres. She's not pretty, in fact she's damn right ugly, but I had to have her.

Naw, she's a beaut! And well worth saving. Here's a resto you can aspire to...and one that gives the name "Weapons Carrier" a whole new meaning! Enjoy your new MV!

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by rynoki
Windscreen.
Kind of makes you sea sick looking at this. Sorry.

All well & good, but how does the cat manage to sit like that on a vertical surface?

[cliff]

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
All well & good, but how does the cat manage to sit like that on a vertical surface?

As it is an Aussie cat and more used to the sensation of being upside down you can tell from the relaxed happy look that it is enjoying a 'lie down' for a while

[cliff]

You have the inportant parts there especially in the rear body which are almost impossible to find in any condition.

You also got a bargain as the Dodge Weapons carriers at Kingaroy in most cases worse then yours, started at $1500 with most at $2500.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by cliff
You have the important parts there especially in the rear body which are almost impossible to find in any condition.

Christ, I thought you were talking to the cat for a second there... then I thought you were talking to me, and I was about to give you a smack...

[Ryan]

Originally posted by Keith Orpin
You're right about the picture of the windscreen, which interestingly, still retains it's original interior mirror bracket, although the mirror has long since been replaced, and wiper motor. I'm still fascinated by the conversion from left to right hand drive. That must have been a lot of work. It also looks like the exhaust manifold had a pipe exiting near the radiator and not next to the buckhead, again probably due to the conversion. Are there many Weapons Carriers in your part of the world ?
Keith

Hi keith,
I don't know about Australia as a whole but this is the first I've come across in my area, they're certainly not like Blitz's. John Belfield in Melbourne has a number of them I believe.
Here's a pic of the opposite side of the engine. You can see the exhaust exiting on the far side.

[Ryan]

And if you look carefully you can see the exhaust pipe coming up just before the rear tub, in the gap after the step. The piece of pipe next to the driver's seat is unattached and just sitting there.

[Ryan]

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
All well & good, but how does the cat manage to sit like that on a vertical surface?

Cat is not amused. By the way he's name is Ben. Hope I'm not offending anyone here? Do we have any Ben's?

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by rynoki
Cat is not amused. By the way he's name is Ben. Hope I'm not offending anyone here? Do we have any Ben's?

Ok, I have a question for you.... does Ben really follow you all over the place like that, or are you orchestrating his online appearences for our sake?

BTW, we have three members here calling themselves 'Ben'... so far none are pouting, so you're clear!

[phoenix]

Nice WC!! I know a bloke down here that has a couple. Great vehicles, and quite useful.

Plenty of information and sources of parts in the US as well.

[Ryan]

Hi Geoff,
No posing with Ben, I think he believes I'm buying him new toys. He's over them in a flash.

[Mike K]

Compared to CMP's , 3/4 ton Dodges have always been a little thin on the ground here . During the early Pacific war , just going by photos , the 1/2 toner was far more numerous in places like New Guinea .

There was a Melbourne based firm selling 3/4 ton Dodge weapon carriers just after the war . Canadian Cycle Company ..

I have been told that some were imported from the ETO and used by various state Govt. agencies , railways , SEC etc, in the 1950's . 99% of them you see are the bog standard WC51 with the odd winch model here and there .

I pasted this article on to the VMVC web site ages ago

http://www.geocities.com/vmvc1au/caroll.html

Mike

[david moore]

Ryan
You will find the engine model and number stamped on the small flat on the block casting just above the generator on the oil filter side - near where there looks like half a brick lodged in! And you should find a data plate on the bulkhead inside the engine compartment on the (present) drivers side with the body number and maybe vehicle number.

There are web sites with lists of Dodge numbers matched to date of manufacture etc. I can't recall the site addresses right now but probaly could track them down.

Maybe Gord in Scotland can add more if you are out there Gord?

[Ryan]

Couldn't see any data plate in the engine bay and will need to do more cleaning to pick out the chassis # properly but here is the engine# = T2-17227

[JackM]

Ryan,

The paint residue looks a little like the Australian cam pattern of the late WW2 period, ie Khaki Green and Light Stone. If so it would be the first Dodge I've seen in this livery and lend weight to the likelihood that these vehicles served in the Australian Army.

I've never seen a picture of any in the Aust Army though there is a drawing of one (in camouflage colours), in the WW2 Directorate of Motor Vehicles publication - see attached photo.

Do you think it may have a cam paint job ?


Jack

[cliff]

Originally posted by JackM
Ryan,
If so it would be the first Dodge I've seen in this livery and lend weight to the likelihood that these vehicles served in the Australian Army.

Do you think it may have a cam paint job ?


Jack

Jack I have the odd photo or two showing Dodge Command cars being dilivered to the RAAF here in Australia so some of the Dodge WC's did serve with Australian Forces.

The first photos Ryan posted do appear to show the Australian 2 tone cammo paint job.

[cliff]

Here is two AWM photos of Australian WC Dodges. The first a weapons carrier captioned 'Australian Chemical Warfare Research and Experimental Section, 1944'

[cliff]

The second I believe due to the interior roof shape may be a RAAF command car and captioned 'VIVIGANI, GOODENOUGH ISLAND, PAPUA. 1943'