MVPA Judging guide for Dodge WC 1/2 ton trucks. (1st draft)
The WWII Dodge ½ ton WC were produced in 3 series from fall of 1940 to May 1942.
The first series are the T207 engine code, models WC1 through WC11
The second series are the T211 engine code models WC12 through WC20
The third and last series are the T214 models WC21 through WC43.
There are gaps in the model numbers and numbers that are not 4x4 trucks.
This standard will only be dealing with the 4X4 models
The various 4X4 models are as follows
WC1, WC12, WC40 Closed cab weapons carrier
WC3, WC13, WC21 Open cab weapons carrier WO/W
WC4, WC22 Open cab weapons carrier W/W
WC6, WC15, WC23 Command Car WO/W 6 volt
WC7, WC24 Command Car W/W 6 volt
WC8, WC16, WC25 Command Car WO/W 12 volt radio
WC9, WC18, WC27 Ambulance
WC10, WC17, WC26 Carryall
WC20, WC21 Closed cab and chassis
WC5, WC14 Closed cab pickup, WO/ troop seats. The bed on these trucks were never drilled for either the cross seats, or the longitude seats.
WC43 Closed cab W/telephone body
WC11, WC42 Panel.
There are a few items that are standard through all three series.
All were equipped with 750 X 16 directional or non directional tires. (show pictures of both type of tires)
The wheels have a narrow lock ring, and are dated to the year of the truck. (show picture)
All the 6 volt trucks were positive ground. 25 amp systems.
On all the 6 volt trucks, the battery is mount under the cab on the drivers side inner frame rail..
On the 12 volt truck the battery is mounted in a box on the pass side running board.
All could have any of the following for seat cover material.
Leather; tan, brown, olive drab
Leatherette; brown, dark green, olive drab.
Canvas; olive drab
The steering wheel is black Bakelite with a unmarked round horn button.
All the closed cab trucks had a windshield that swings out from arms on either side, like a jeep. ( Show picture) NO ½ ton military 4X4 truck had a w/s that cranked open from a center regulator., or cowl lights.
The door glass on all the closed cab trucks have a metal surround to protect it.
The military cabs have a metal glove box, not pressed board.
The door panel plate and the kick panels are metal, not pressed board.
Only the open cab weapons carriers and command cars were available with a winch.
There were no closed cab trucks from the factory that had a winch on them.
The winch is a Braden “MU” with the cable release handle on the pass side.
The cargo bows are one piece steam bent oak, with a ridge board running down the center.
The 12 volt radio trucks did not have a ampmeter in the stock location, they had a Stimson (spelling?) ampmeter and voltmeter in the center of the dash.(show picture)
The 12 volt radio trucks also had a metal shielded wiring harness.
All the open cab weapons carriers had cross mounted troop seats. (Show picture of both style troop seats)
All the closed cab weapons carrier had the longitude seats.
All the closed cab weapons carriers, pick up and cab and chassis had a screen grill over the rear window for protection.
The rear wheels are held on by a stud and nut to allow the mounting a duel tires.
The wheel studs on the left hand side of the vehicle are left hand threaded.
The studs on the right hand side are right hand threaded.
The coil is mounted in the center of the firewall, with the poss side conection to the coil under the dash..
None of the models came from the factory with a black out driving light, these were all added as field kits.
There is a slide out map board under the glove compartment.
The carryalls, ambulances and panel trucks had a dome light mounted on the roof, right behind the front headliner, The command cars had one in the trunk, mounted on the upper panel..
The horn is an Autolite 2 post, mount on a brkt that bolts directly to the head.
The oil filter is narrower than the military standard and had a T handle to take of the top. (show picture of horn and oil filter)
(Show pictures of location of data plates and serial number for engine and truck.
Also show location of body data plate for the cab and bed)
Engine and tranny color is silver (exact color number} late truck may be gray.
The following items are black.
Fan blade, voltage regulator, oil filter, horn, generator, starter, coil, air filter. Radiator. Wiring junction block (on models equipped)
The chassis was painted black from Budd, but was repainted od with the rest of the truck,
The fuel pump and carb are not painted.
Hose clamps are period band type.
Items unique to the T207 series
T207 engine
11 inch brake drums front, and rear.
Civilian gauges.
Front b/o marker lights hang off the head lamp assm, they are not bolted to the fender.
All came with the blue louvered front marker and tail lights. (show pictures)
There is no wiring junction block on the fire wall.
The distributor has a vacuum advance.
No oil can brkt on firewall.
The tie down rings on the weapons carrier and pick up beds a “D” rings, not hooks.
The trailer socket assm, is cast steel, and some have an offset screw instead of a stud to hold on the wire cover..
The dash control knobs are the civilian style, ( show picture)
The head lamp switch may hang below the dash on a small “Z” brkt.
The carb should be a DTA1 or DTA2. Or equivalent..
The governor has 2 drilled ports, one goes to the carb, one goes to the dist vacuum advance.
The early T207s (first 3000 or so) used the standard Dodge u joint, not the mechanics type.
The early command car has a tin shield that attached to the tail light bezel.
The early command cars and ambulances had 2 styles of lower rear panel. The fist style was lower and wrapped around the frame, the second style was cut higher and square to the frame. (show pictures of both styles)
On the open cab weapons carriers, the cab floor and the skirt around it all but touch the front of the bed.
The transmission only allows for the mounting of a pto on the drivers side.
.
Items unique to T211 series
T211 engine
11 inch brake drums on front, 14 inch on rear.
Civilian gauges.
Standard military blackout marker and tail lights.
Black out marker light mounted directly to fender.
“J” hooks for tie down points on bed and tail gate.
Wring junction block on drivers upper fire wall .
Mounting brkt for oil can on pass side fire wall.
On the open cab weapons carriers the cab floor stops about 4 inches before the front of the bed, and there is a metal shield riveted to the frame to keep dirt from coming up.
Early T211s had a vacuum advance, later ones did not.
The trucks with a vacuum advance has a governor that is drilled and tapped for metal lines, The trucks without a vacuum advance, the governor is not drill for any vacuum lines
A pto may be mounted to either side of the transmission.
All T211 used the mechanics u joints .
Items unique to the T215
T215 engine
11 inch front and 14 inch rear brake drums.
Wiring junction block and oil can brkt on fire wall.
Same cab floor as the T211 for the open cab weapons carrier,
“J” tie down hooks on the bed.
The dash uses the standard military 5 round gauges. (show picture of all 5 guages)
The speedometer has a long needle and the mileage only has marks of 5 mph increments
The fuel gauge is marked “GAS” not fuel.
The ampmeter goes from 30 to 30.
The bezels may be brass on all 5 guages. ( a few of the trucks I have turn apart, a WC40 and 2 WC21 have had gauges with brass bezels, while other have not?
Standard military lighting, same as T211.