Finally, a complete truck

[frippe123]

Some more images

[frippe123]

Sin, Sin Sinner, we are all sinners
　
So unfortunately nothing much has happened with my 49. The shingles in my left eye resurfaced, been having it on and off for two years now, feel it every day. Then summer ended and I had to reprioritize as something else came into my life (picture) . Ok, I admit I do have an addiction. The vehicle in question is listed in the transport administration database as "Truck Weapons Carrier". I do not know what it started as but maybe someone here can shed some light. I believe it was converted to tow truck in 1949 because that is when the database states that it is manufactured. It has lived a hard life. When the clutch broke the previous owner did a teardown and started restoring it around 2005. Then his life took a turn and he moved to Thailand. So everything is in pieces which in turn meant that I have spent the large part August ferrying parts.
　
Before the teardown the truck had front and rear facing winches. The crane and towing boom are hydraulic. How all this was connected is still unclear. I noticed that the transmission PTO has a shaft facing foward and a flange facing backwards. On the right side of the transmission is what might be a second PTO, could this be correct?
　
According to the supplied manual the truck has a wheelbase of 98 inches. Measurements however show that the wheelbase is 126 inches which would either indicate that it has been lengthened or it is the same type of frame i have in my 49 and in my white chassis. Either way, the frame is heavily modified, it is stengthend in several places and seems to be a two inch solid piece of steel where the crane was mounted.
　
Have not decided how to rebuild it. My first priority during winter is to try and repair the cab which has rusted through on many of the lower parts. Rear floor is missing due to snow and salt. There is alot of small and large dents and the crane has not been very kind to the backside of the cab.

[Matthew Welcher PWA]

I love the Speedometer shot, I have never seen a KMH speedometer for the early truck before.

I had to look more than twice I must say.

[frippe123]

I opened the speedometers to give them a good clean and some lubrication. One of them was stuck but now they are smooth. Someone have tried to refurb one of them once before as the pointer metal ring was completely missing. I ordered a new pointer from DCM which is not looking great but I can live with it. Observe that the left speedometer is not for high speed applications, it's just in km/h (came out o my white chassis).

[frippe123]

Great,

guess I have to make some sort of plate to make the head light switch fit in the leftmost hole.

I have one panel light switch sitting in one of my chassis. Is it a screw on knob on all of them? I tried to unscrew the knob but am afraid to use more force than I did. I noticed that the panel light switch has a small rectangular hole in the knob.

Mounted new headlights today but there is bad ground to the left headlight. Thinking about maybe using a ground strap between fender and frame. How do you solve ground issues on these trucks?

[CSCameron]

The headlight switch goes in the first hole, then the choke, Ign., then
The panel light switch.
The fifth hole was not there from the factory.
However someone drilled it to add the heater switch, which
depending on heater models were in various location.

I have no idea if the switch placement mentioned is 100% correct,
But this is how my 47 was/is and the majority of trucks I have seen.
Tom

Interesting Tom, my 55 had the panel and choke reversed from yours, not that it really matters. My truck had been modified in many ways so the switch placement could have been rearranged too.

Clark

[Tom Petroff]

The headlight switch goes in the first hole, then the choke, Ign., then
The panel light switch.
The fifth hole was not there from the factory.
However someone drilled it to add the heater switch, which
depending on heater models were in various location.

I have no idea if the switch placement mentioned is 100% correct,
But this is how my 47 was/is and the majority of trucks I have seen.
Tom

[bilfman]

2 holes in my 47 have one labeled 'panel' which is a separate switch for the dash lights and the other is 'choke'.

[frippe123]

After some more inspection it showed that the hose that I thought was connected to the rear axle was only resting on the axle housing. The contraption is actually a AC Spark Plug fuel pump. Problem solved.

I also think I have solved the issue with the alternator power draw. After a lot of researching I believe terminals 1 and 2 need to be swapped. Not sure but will give it a try.

The driver side taillight was in a terrible state. Bought a pair of new ones from VPW when I bought the truck. Unfortunately they do not have a number plate lens as the regulations stipulates. Did some cutting and mounted a glass number plate lens together with a red glass lens. The original dodge script glass lenses acquired at a swap meet did not fit.

Have started to rewire the truck. The headlight switch I have is made to fit in a slotted hole. My dash has five holes. At the moment the holes are fitted from left to right: empty, headlight, ignition switch, choke, heater. The problem I have is apart from it is very crowded between the ignition switch, headlight switch and the hood vent lever is that the the "HEAD" text is upside down. The obvious reason for this is that the headlight is upside down. The problem is that it is impossible to keep it in the same slotted hole and turn it 180 degrees because then the terminals will hit the bracket holding the hood vent lever adn short everything. How is it supposed to be? Where should things be? Do I have the wrong headlight switch?

[53Crusher]

Interesting!

Maybe it's connected to the vent on top of the axle and would help keep water out of the axle during deep water/mud crossings?

[frippe123]

I will double check tomorrow but I am quite sure one hose is connected to the rear axle and the other to nothing.

[53Crusher]

Filter?

The one my truck had was very similar looking. It held a replaceable drop in fuel filter canister. Does this go to your fuel tank?

[frippe123]

By the way. A newbie question. What is the contraption in the attached image? I first thought it is was a fuel pump but upon closer inspection it seems to be connected to the rear axle. Pardon the bad image quality.

[frippe123]

Yesterday I removed all electrical cabling except that needed to run the engine. The majority of the cables were spliced about every foot and twisted together with a bit of electrical tape. I do have one issue with the current setup draws 0.3 Amps when the ignition is off. If I remove the circled connector on the alternator which is permanently connected to 12 v the power drain stops. I'm wondering if the alternator setup is not connected as it should. Any ideas or does anyone have a wiring diagram for a 12v alternator setup?

Been working all day today removing the hitch setup. Man they really destroyed the rear cross member mounting that thing. The welds had no penetration at all. They also pulled way to heavy stuff with it. I managed to heat and hammer it a little bit into shape (images). Will weld the rear part and hammer on it some more. The horizontal front crack was more than one inch wide. There are also many vertical cracks on the underside.

[Roald]

Hi Roald,

I have actually been to Denmark to look at a truck but it was unfortunately in a much worse condition than advertised. A 1200 mile roundtrip wasted. Well not completely wasted thanks to the excellent danish beer and food. :) The truck you posted looks quite interesting. Most trucks seems to be open cab. Where do I find parts and trucks in Denmark? I biweekly search on dba.dk and veteranposten.dk.

Yes, I intentionally wrote "spareparts" instead of truck, they are often rusty and the open cab model.

You can try www.dmkf.dk or www.milklub.dk (there is more activity on their facebook page "militærkøretøjs klubben"

When you search on dba.dk or guloggratis.dk, you'll have most luck with just searching after "Dodge" as most people overheres does not know what a powerwagon or wm-300 is :-)

Some time ago I found 3 tons of spareparts for around 700$ and a rusted but repairable closed cab truck for about the same, so they are around.