Zeph's Dodge WC26 Carryall Restoration

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zepher11
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Zeph's Dodge WC26 Carryall Restoration

Post by zepher11 » Mon Jan 08, 2018 7:08 pm

Well, thought I would go ahead an document the restoration of this 1941 Dodge WC26 Carryall. Likely will be the most difficult restoration that I will ever undertake. Very rusty and beat up for one thing, and lots of window work to tackle:

Had to go up near Bremerton, Washington to retrieve this rig. The famous Tacoma Narrows bridge:

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All I could think about when crossing this was it tearing itself apart in one of the most famous engineering disasters in 1940. Here's a video of Galloping Gertie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-zczJXSxnw

Anyway, I made it across and home after a 22 hour round trip by myself:

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Not used to buying things that run, but it was nice to drive it up onto the trailer. Also came with a lot of extra parts:

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Came with an extra drivers seat that I believe one can make into a second seat. Missing the third seat, but just recently acquired one:

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I didn't realize until I made it home that the steering linkage is really bizarre. I don't quite know what's going on here. A couple of tie rods welded in there with what appears to be a Jeep drag link:

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Roof. Lots of holes in the roof for some reason that will need patching:

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Both fenders are really rusted out. Someone tried to repair them with fiberglass:

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Came with all new window cranks which is kinda nice:

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The gauges appear to be in pretty decent shape:

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One can see all the rust spots around the top cut out which are actually all holes to be welded closed if the metal isn't too thin here:

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The Carryall came with a T310 engine. I was tipped off that there was a T215 engine available in Bakersfield. Well, down and back in one day burned 12 hours. Of course, this coming a week or so after the Washington trip pretty well confirmed to my wife that I am totally crazed with OD fever...that is, if she was doubting it at all.

Anyway, this old fella had one bitching forklift. It was massive:

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I stripped the T215 engine down yesterday:

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Getting queued to go into the shop:

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Cleaned up the shop and made space to tear this thing apart:

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Almost forgot, came with the buildcard:

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I was going to set a goal to get this completed in a year. I only get to work on my projects on Saturdays and some Sundays, so I figured 70 days work time. Well, I had to revise that yesterday after really looking it over. If I can get it done in two years I think that would be more reasonable based on all the metal/rust repair that will be required...It's good to have a goal...
Zeph

'42 Script GPW Restoration Thread: CLICK HERE!

'41 Dodge WC16 Restoration Thread: CLICK HERE!


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Re: Zeph's Dodge WC26 Carryall Restoration

Post by 70th Division » Mon Jan 08, 2018 8:30 pm

Hello Zeph,

Congratulations on this most excellent new Dodge Carryall post !!!

You do such excellent and important work saving, restoring, and preserving our WW2 History :D :D :D :D
It is a Great Crusade, to save these these wonderful vehicles !
Remembering through restorations, the struggle and sacrifices it took winning and securing the Victory in WW2 ,
of the Free World over tyranny, the likes of which had never been seen in this world.
You honor all, our beloved Veterans, who won and secured that Victory.
They restored the World to Peace, you Honor them All with your hard work !

Thanks for sharing with us your great efforts, looking forward to this new restoration. :D :D :D :D

Best Regards,

Ray

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Re: Zeph's Dodge WC26 Carryall Restoration

Post by superdave » Mon Jan 08, 2018 11:21 pm

Looking forward to your adventure on a new project :D

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Re: Zeph's Dodge WC26 Carryall Restoration

Post by Fabrizio » Tue Jan 09, 2018 1:12 am

Very nice project; that's a lot of sheet metal!
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Re: Zeph's Dodge WC26 Carryall Restoration

Post by twinflyer17 » Tue Jan 09, 2018 6:30 am

Looking good, Zeph! Thanks for starting the thread :wink:
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Re: Zeph's Dodge WC26 Carryall Restoration

Post by chibobber » Tue Jan 09, 2018 8:15 am

WOW Ray,I can here the stirring martial music in the back ground! :lol:

Zeph, I shutter to think what you could accomplish if you had another set of hands.Good luck on your new journey.Now the Zeph fan club has something to look forward to.
Bob

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Re: Zeph's Dodge WC26 Carryall Restoration

Post by DDTrustee » Tue Jan 09, 2018 10:03 am

Nice starting point for a WC26 restoration – good-looking body, rust can be fixed if not too far gone! My WC26 is only two weeks newer than yours, Dec 1, 41. Do not work the window cranks too much until you have R&R’ed the window regulators – they can break internally and are hard to find and repair. The top looks good – just paint if no holes are in the canvas. Restoration Specialties has all the floor bolts and window channels you may need as well as the weather-strip for the rear glass and side windows. My seats were originally canvas – remnants were on the seats in back when I got the vehicle. The seats bolt to ‘keyholes’ inletted in the floor and are held in place with large wingnuts on carriage bolts (also available at Restoration Specialties). Fun truck.
I’ve had mine to the Trinity Site and parked in front of the McDonald ranch house where the first atomic bomb was assembled on white Sands Missile Range, NM (the site is open twice a year on first Saturday of April and Oct (even though the first bomb was set of in August. The carryall was the favored vehicle at the Trinity Site – photos show more them than jeeps….
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Re: Zeph's Dodge WC26 Carryall Restoration

Post by zepher11 » Tue Jan 09, 2018 7:06 pm

70th Division wrote:
Mon Jan 08, 2018 8:30 pm
Hello Zeph,

Congratulations on this most excellent new Dodge Carryall post !!!

You do such excellent and important work saving, restoring, and preserving our WW2 History :D :D :D :D
It is a Great Crusade, to save these these wonderful vehicles !
Remembering through restorations, the struggle and sacrifices it took winning and securing the Victory in WW2 ,
of the Free World over tyranny, the likes of which had never been seen in this world.
You honor all, our beloved Veterans, who won and secured that Victory.
They restored the World to Peace, you Honor them All with your hard work !

Thanks for sharing with us your great efforts, looking forward to this new restoration. :D :D :D :D

Best Regards,

Ray
Thanks Ray. I'm honored and enjoy restoring and maintaining these great pieces of history!
superdave wrote:
Mon Jan 08, 2018 11:21 pm
Looking forward to your adventure on a new project :D
Hey Superdave, hope to see you down in Petaluma in April.
Fabrizio wrote:
Tue Jan 09, 2018 1:12 am
Very nice project; that's a lot of sheet metal!
I was thinking the same thing!
Zeph

'42 Script GPW Restoration Thread: CLICK HERE!

'41 Dodge WC16 Restoration Thread: CLICK HERE!

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Re: Zeph's Dodge WC26 Carryall Restoration

Post by zepher11 » Tue Jan 09, 2018 7:14 pm

twinflyer17 wrote:
Tue Jan 09, 2018 6:30 am
Looking good, Zeph! Thanks for starting the thread :wink:
No problem.
chibobber wrote:
Tue Jan 09, 2018 8:15 am
WOW Ray,I can here the stirring martial music in the back ground! :lol:

Zeph, I shutter to think what you could accomplish if you had another set of hands.Good luck on your new journey.Now the Zeph fan club has something to look forward to.
Bob
I can't tell you how many times I wanted just one extra hand! My head has doubled as a third hand on more than several occasions over the years...
DaninNM wrote:
Tue Jan 09, 2018 10:03 am
Nice starting point for a WC26 restoration – good-looking body, rust can be fixed if not too far gone! My WC26 is only two weeks newer than yours, Dec 1, 41. Do not work the window cranks too much until you have R&R’ed the window regulators – they can break internally and are hard to find and repair. The top looks good – just paint if no holes are in the canvas. Restoration Specialties has all the floor bolts and window channels you may need as well as the weather-strip for the rear glass and side windows. My seats were originally canvas – remnants were on the seats in back when I got the vehicle. The seats bolt to ‘keyholes’ inletted in the floor and are held in place with large wingnuts on carriage bolts (also available at Restoration Specialties). Fun truck.
I’ve had mine to the Trinity Site and parked in front of the McDonald ranch house where the first atomic bomb was assembled on white Sands Missile Range, NM (the site is open twice a year on first Saturday of April and Oct (even though the first bomb was set of in August. The carryall was the favored vehicle at the Trinity Site – photos show more them than jeeps….
Great photo. Yes, the rust repairs on this Carryall will be tricky. Lots of repair needed on the sections of the body all along where it meets the rear fenders. Someone collected a bunch of floor keys for the seats. Do you know how many I need? I think there are like eight or more. I didn't know that they used wing nuts to secure the seats, but makes sense how you describe. If you have a good photo of a wing nut holding the seat frame down, I would appreciate you posting it when you have time.
Zeph

'42 Script GPW Restoration Thread: CLICK HERE!

'41 Dodge WC16 Restoration Thread: CLICK HERE!

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Re: Zeph's Dodge WC26 Carryall Restoration

Post by DDTrustee » Tue Jan 09, 2018 11:12 pm

Will do.....the MASTER Parts Catalog for Dodge vehicles calls out the exact nuts and bolts you need for the carryall.....if you don't have one - get one from Portrayal Press......has a lot of exploded views of tings that make reassembly a cinch. I can send you a diskette of Dodge pictures if you send me your address.......I believe there are two keyholes per seat rail....so rear seat has four keyholes . There are four more for the middle seat too even though it is shorter. Front seats are mounted to metal cab floor so they don't use the keyholes. Do you have the dome light for the ceiling? (white lens, oval shape).
I have a slightly bent rear frame member where the pintle hook mounts....still trying to figure out how to bend it back and bolt the pintle on....can't heat with a torch - too close to the gas tank....not sure how to got bent - was that way before I got the truck.
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Re: Zeph's Dodge WC26 Carryall Restoration

Post by Johan WILLAERT » Tue Jan 09, 2018 11:59 pm

Looks like another great project! Good Luck and many bruised knuckles... ;-)
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Re: Zeph's Dodge WC26 Carryall Restoration

Post by zepher11 » Wed Jan 10, 2018 8:09 pm

DaninNM wrote:
Tue Jan 09, 2018 11:12 pm
Will do.....the MASTER Parts Catalog for Dodge vehicles calls out the exact nuts and bolts you need for the carryall.....if you don't have one - get one from Portrayal Press......has a lot of exploded views of tings that make reassembly a cinch. I can send you a diskette of Dodge pictures if you send me your address.......I believe there are two keyholes per seat rail....so rear seat has four keyholes . There are four more for the middle seat too even though it is shorter. Front seats are mounted to metal cab floor so they don't use the keyholes. Do you have the dome light for the ceiling? (white lens, oval shape).
I have a slightly bent rear frame member where the pintle hook mounts....still trying to figure out how to bend it back and bolt the pintle on....can't heat with a torch - too close to the gas tank....not sure how to got bent - was that way before I got the truck.
I have SNL G-657 Master Parts List. Lot of good view of Carryall parts. Which they spell as Carry-all. I couldn't find a picture of the seat floor plates or the wing nut bolts. Of course, sometimes it takes me a few times through to find what I'm looking for.

My e-mail is: zepher11@yahoo.com

I have the same problem with the pintle hitch mounting. I think I'm missing a part of the frame back there as well as the pintle hitch. Need to pick one of those up. I may have a spare in the boneyard now that I think about it.

Good advice on the window mechanisms. I'll have to look those over carefully when I remove them.
Zeph

'42 Script GPW Restoration Thread: CLICK HERE!

'41 Dodge WC16 Restoration Thread: CLICK HERE!

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Re: Zeph's Dodge WC26 Carryall Restoration

Post by zepher11 » Wed Jan 10, 2018 8:10 pm

Johan WILLAERT wrote:
Tue Jan 09, 2018 11:59 pm
Looks like another great project! Good Luck and many bruised knuckles... ;-)
Thank you Johan!
Zeph

'42 Script GPW Restoration Thread: CLICK HERE!

'41 Dodge WC16 Restoration Thread: CLICK HERE!

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Re: Zeph's Dodge WC26 Carryall Restoration

Post by jeepfinger » Fri Jan 12, 2018 6:27 am

zepher11 wrote:
Mon Jan 08, 2018 7:08 pm
I made it across and home after a 22 hour round trip by myself:
What, you never took the dogs with you for a nice ride out :roll: Have you still got all 3?
Seriously, you have got ANOTHER nice motor there :mrgreen: Looking forward on your progress, and of course the excellent work that you do :) Zeph, are you doing the Carrayall and the Commamd Car at the same time?

Dave
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Re: Zeph's Dodge WC26 Carryall Restoration

Post by zepher11 » Fri Jan 12, 2018 4:10 pm

jeepfinger wrote:
Fri Jan 12, 2018 6:27 am
What, you never took the dogs with you for a nice ride out :roll: Have you still got all 3?
Seriously, you have got ANOTHER nice motor there :mrgreen: Looking forward on your progress, and of course the excellent work that you do :) Zeph, are you doing the Carrayall and the Commamd Car at the same time?

Dave
Hi Dave,

Yes, we still have George, Gracie and Ralphie boy. They get their share of rides believe me. 8)

I will only concentrate on one project at a time. May pick up needed parts for a pending project, but overall I find it better to stick to one project and not get distracted. However, I reserve the right to pull off for a small project of short duration as I do get bored during a long project at times.
Zeph

'42 Script GPW Restoration Thread: CLICK HERE!

'41 Dodge WC16 Restoration Thread: CLICK HERE!


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