Popeye-pics at last...

[GoranWC51]

Have managed to get pictures small enough to send to the forum.

My WC51 has a Carter Ball&Ball ETW1 carb, were these placed in the last models?

We've changed the fuel-line and re-routed it to clear the exhaust, as I've been having problems with my Dodge stalling in stop and go traffic in warm conditions.

It's got a pretty rough exterior, but I've had veterans praising it (!) as it looks to be in "battlefield condition".

I still need more info - and pictures - of WC51's used as ambulance vehicles.

How are the Arnhem celebrations? Thinking of maybe going as I missed D-Day (Rats!!!!) due to a busted knee. (I also sit in a wheel-chair)

DODGE4EVER

Goran Noren, Stockholm, Sweden

[GoranWC51]

Popeye pic2

One more!

[GoranWC51]

Popeye pic3

One more...

[Terry Newton]

Motor Pool Reconditioned.

That is what an old motor pool sergeant said they called it.

IOW, it runs good enough to get there, and looks good enough to be shot at.

That is a great looking truck.

If you find any further info on the use of stock WC trucks as dedicated ambulances please post it here as I would like to see that.

Thanks for the pics.

[GoranWC51]

"Motor pool reconditioned"...

Popeye is actually in a very good mechanical shape. The only major item I have changed to date is the gearbox. Some Norwegian soldier must have put it in revere while travelling forward at speed. The box contained quite a lot of metal remains and the reverse gear was pretty "toothless".
Got a replecement from the military museum, sight unseen, it had just been removed from a scrapped WC52. Turned out to be in A-1 condition. And the good part is: I payed 50 SEK (aprox 7 USD)!!
for it. I wish all parts were that cheap.

I'm enclosing a side pic taken at the same time.

DODGE4EVER

Goran Noren, Stockholm

[Terry Newton]

What other types of military vehicles?

Goran,

Are you allowed to own other types of military vehicles, for instance vehicles with armor? Armored cars, tanks, armored personnel carriers?

We can own anything here that can be legally purchased, up to and including Main Battle Tanks. However, all weapons have to be "demilled." In other words, they must be "permanently" disabled to prevent further use.

I say permanently, but most weapons are simply welded up somewhere in the muzzle area, and also the breech block. You would think this would ruin a vehicle, but I have spent much time grinding down these welds and putting the weapons back into action while working at the Patton Museum. Of course, the bad thing is that we cannot do anything with live ammo, only blanks and special effects.

[GoranWC51]

Armor in Sweden

Terry,

You're allowed to own any type of MV in Sweden. Armor is not very common, however. I know of a M10, imported from Denmark, one or two Scout Cars, a handful of halftracks, one Daimler Dingo (!), and some others. The main interest seem to be in soft-skins. Quite a few MB/GPW, WC and deuce-and-a-half were imported from European surplus stocks. Mainly fire departements, farmers, etc.

I bought my WC51 in 1994 from Norway and a lot of WC's (51, 52, 62, 63, 64) came into this country from the mid 80'ss to the mid 90's. A few Studebaker M29's and a bunch of GMS's.

I drove my Dodge from the auction after having changed sparkplugs and after checking oil-levels etc. 640 kms non-stop!
I got a canvas top from Worthing's in the UK and took off for Normandy a month after the purchase. 3500 kms in 2 1/2 weeks!
I drove from Stockholm, Gothenburg by ferry to England, ferry to Ouisterham after 3 days in Portsmouth. Then by way of Belgium and Holland to Amsterdam, and ferry back to Gothenburg. No trailer in sight....

I enclose a picture of a Brazilian (!) ambulance WC51 from the BEF (Brazilian Expeditionay Force). They fought on the allied side in the italian campaign from late 1944 to wars end in 1945.
Fascinating story that I just have started to look into. I'm planning to mark my WC as a Brazilian vehicle and a uniform with Brazilian marking.

DODGE4EVER

Goran Noren, Stockholm, Sweden

[Terry Newton]

I am certified to operate an M10!

I take pride in the fact that many people will never be able to say that!

Keep us up to date on the restore.

BTW, do you have any experience with the Sig 550 that is being used by the Swiss military?

Do you have any Swiss Victorinox knives you would be interested in getting rid of?

Terry
newtont@usfilter.com
m37@bellsouth.net

[MoparNorm]

Terry,
You mention the Patton Museum in a lot of your posts. Do you travel all the way out here to SoCal, or was that in a past life?
MN

Pattons in Berlin

[Kurt Hirte]

Hey Norm, I met Terry out here a couple of years ago when he was out here for biz. I think there must be more than one Patton Museum.That "magnificint *******"(Patton) got around :-) Kurt

[Terry Newton]

Fort Knox, KY.

http://www.generalpatton.org/

The Patton Museum I have referred to is the one on Fort Knox. I have volunteered there many times, but have not had the opportunity to return in awhile.

They have an M48A5 that is in excellent shape that I have certified on, but I have to operate an M60 or M113 variant. I weep every time I see some tracks at a VFW post. :)

I saw a stick the other day that said "Keep on Tracking!" I have to get one of those.

There is an M60 variant at the musem with the 152 mm Shilelagh. Is that the A2? I could not even get through the gunner and loader's hatch. never did get to drive it.

BTW, I need to move out there. Kurt said all y'all do is sit around sipping on martinis, lay around on the beach, and argue about the next flat fender trade.

[MoparNorm]

OK,
Now I get it, THE Patton Museum that I was thinking about is the one at Cabazon, east of Indio, CA. It was Pattons HQ while he trained the first American troops to see combat in North Africa. They actually recreated areas in the vast SoCal desert into replicas of Northern Africa and Silcily. When the real action came they were almost on familiar ground.

By the way, we don't drink martinis' out here, it is margueritas! ha!ha!
MN