Military Vehicles, December 1996,: Re: Weapons Carrier

Re: Weapons Carrier

Auke Dijkstra (auke.dijkstra@pi.net)
Sat, 14 Dec 1996 22:57:38 +0100

Shon & LaDonna Elliott wrote:
>
> Hello All,
>
> Iam looking for some information,
>
> I wrote a week or so ago about part of an ambulance I was looking at for
> $500 to $750. I got some great advice and decided to wait and keep
> looking. BINGO!!!! I secured my first military vehicle today!
>
> I obtained a 1941 Dodge Weapons Carrier, I actually got enough to almost
> build two, only missing the frame of the other. Both a military cab
> with bucket seats and a Closed cab. I obtained all for just $600.
>
> My question is I need a motor. Is the flat top 6 cylinder for this year
> a 230? I don't think so, I think it was a 90 hp, 213-216 or something
> like that. How can I tell if I find one in a wreck if it is the right
> one?
> P.S. Is this year actually designated as a 51 or 52 or was this prior
> to that? It does have a tag of delivery to the military, stamped
> 3/20/42.
>
> Thanks for any information any one can give.
>
> Shon Elliott
> Amarillo, Texas

Hi Shon,

I think you probably bought a WC-51 or 52 (WC-52 has a winch in the
front bumper, also has a longer chassis because of the winch).
The WC-51 and 52 are much lower and wider than the 1/2 ton Dodges
(WC-1 to WC-43), the WC-51/52 have T-214 engines, the 1/2 ton
Dodges have T-207,211,215 engines. The engines are not that much
different. The clutch-housing and engine-mounts are not the same on
the 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton Dodges, they also use other carburators,
air-filter and a few other small things. I put a M-37 T-243 engine
in my 1/2 ton WC-12 pick-up, I removed the "T-243" on the engine
and marked it as a T-215, it's very hard to see the difference.
When your Dodge is a WC-51/52, then it is a very early production
one, so you should have 2 the same headlight-guards on either
side and the big black-out-marker-light should be almost on top of
the head-light on the driver side. So, most Dodge T-2?? engines will
fit in your WC you only have to be aware of Canadian Dodge engine's,
they look the same, but they are a bit longer, so they don't fit.

Best Regards,
Auke Dijkstra
Holland-Europe