The WC53 Carryall thread .

[Alxj64]

So then I need to re-create the chain hook tabs. So to bend them the way I wanted I used the Plasma cutter to cut a slash in the tabs for where I wanted to break the tab, then I bent them with a hammer in the vice and the welded the slice back open.





And then welded them into the gate frame.

[Alxj64]

Then I set up a piece of plate on some jack stands to get the gate frame where I could work the skin onto it.

Then started to get the skin on.. ohh yea, before I pulled the gate out of the truck I put a diagonal piece of angle on it to keep it from warping or racking out of plane.



Started to get the skin on.

[Alxj64]

Started to work out the skin onto the gate and so far so good. Then test fit it onto the truck and this is all I have done so far. There are a few spots that pulled/warped a touch that I will need to stretch out with the dolly and hammer but nothing critical... Still working out the details on a few things too. Its certainly a work in progress.

[Bruce in BC]

Tail gate buck

I plan on beating the top radius into the skin , then welding it on .
Your door looks darn strong to me . Bit like a wing in fact .

The buck is made from high density particle board or "ranger board ". It is easy to shape and will take a bit of beating .

Bruce

[Alxj64]

I've been doing some realistic soul searching and decided that I am going to go ahead and sell that other Navy Carryall that I rescued. As much as I tell myself I would love to restore it, I don't see me having the time in the next 5-10 years and thats not fair to the community for me to sit on it like that.

So if anyone is looking for a restorable WC53, give me a shout, I have one located in Virginia.

Edit... Nevermind. Already have a buyer for it.

[dieseldude4bt]

progress has been slow but I will post some pics because I know I like to other peoples pics. This is before the blaster incident.


here you can see that I mover the rear axle back 7" to center it in the well

[dieseldude4bt]

My power steering mount

trans

fire wall clearance

[Bruce in BC]

darn it Alex

I was hoping to buy the rear lower hinges off the thing ....... The poor guy buying the truck could then look for the hinges . I do have a pair of cut hinges but I am not too sure about welding them up . I was thinking off having several sets cast , but I need some nice virgin hinges . Casting hinges from welded up ones seems a bit silly .

Diesel dude - what axle are you running in the front ?

Edit , COMPOUND TURBOS ............tell us more

[dieseldude4bt]

Need the room for this

compounds

when removing loose rivits at the rear front fender hanger I found cracks at the holes so I ground them out welded and then plated the frame

[dieseldude4bt]

I also did the rear for looks mostly but will tie the receiver hitch in to them as well.

this brings me up to current state.

[dieseldude4bt]

Bruce I'm running a 60 and 70 from a 93 dodge as well as the 205 w/pto for the power wagon winch.
My turbos are compound not twins, meaning one blows through the other, they are an HX30W on top and an HX35 on the bottom. the lower turbo is very close to where it was with the low mount manifold. I have pipe and flanges comming to finnish up so more pics soon , I hope.

[Alxj64]

I was hoping to buy the rear lower hinges off the thing ....... The poor guy buying the truck could then look for the hinges . I do have a pair of cut hinges but I am not too sure about welding them up . I was thinking off having several sets cast , but I need some nice virgin hinges . Casting hinges from welded up ones seems a bit silly .

Diesel dude - what axle are you running in the front ?

Edit , COMPOUND TURBOS ............tell us more

Oops... Sorry bruce. I evidently am also giving the truck away. I put a price of $2800 on it and I had a phone call and a commit to buy in about an hour. I didn't expect it to sell that fast and honestly its making me feel bad for some reason. Truck needs a good amount of work, but then again there are a lot of parts there too. I wish you had spoken up sooner about the hinges.

When you say, "Cut" what do you mean? When it comes to welding them, I have some Nickel Alloy Monel TIG rods I could send your way. Do you have a TIG? If not you can send the hinges to me and I can TIG them for you using my buddy's machine. I kept it in my shop for a few years while he was in Afghanistan so I became proficient at welding Cast with it using those specialty rods.

Dieseldude! Awesome on the compound setup. I saw you bumped your post on 4btswaps but didn't get a chance to thumbs up it! I too get to chase a few cracks in my frame but had intentions of boxing mine in. What thickness plate are you using? Is it hot roll?

Anyone know what grade of steel was used for the frames on these trucks?

[Bruce in BC]

2800 is a good price

Yah done good . The price is fair , in fact it is 500 more than I thought you had it up for . I got mine for $2200 and the body was pretty much dead perfect . You may have had to sit on the truck for months or years before it sold . I know what you mean about feeling bad - this comes from suspecting that maybe you made a mistake or are being taken advantage of .
Trust me - you did not make a mistake , the price is perfect .
I have been hitting wall after wall with my build over the last 2 weeks , got a bit going on today . Very frustrating couple of weeks . Lots of stuff not quite working out and suppliers not able to provide the simplest thing .
But the pictures here have helped and I am working on some pieces that I can do .
Out to the shop .

Bruce

[dieseldude4bt]

I am using 3/16 plate same as the outer frame, combined with original inner and outer, it's now 1/2 thick back to the transfer case crossmember. I honestly don't know if it's hot or cold rolled, they cut drops for me.
It's all bolted not welded used mostly existing holes.

[Alxj64]

I am using 3/16 plate same as the outer frame, combined with original inner and outer, it's now 1/2 thick back to the transfer case crossmember. I honestly don't know if it's hot or cold rolled, they cut drops for me.
It's all bolted not welded used mostly existing holes.

Since its all bolted, its not a huge concern. I do a lot of bridge Rehab design work and I know that welding metals of different vintage's from differing grades that see fatigue stresses, ie frame rails and suspension components, tend to propogate cracks very quickly. The bolted connections are the correct way around that! Thumbs up!


Also, Bruce in BC.. a new aquaintence of mine, Bradford Zielinksi from Texas, told me to tell you that you are just as well off to run the battery cable back to the frame rail. Said he tried grounding to the frame like you are doing and said it still led to issues when he went to use the winch. He daily drove a 4bt M37 for quite some time. He will probably be joining our group of builders here soon as he is picking up a WDX and going with a 6.0GM,4L80E, 60/60 Atlas drivetrain swap and basically building a new/old daily driver.

I tried to work on my carryall this weekend, but had shop-air issues and then sold some parts that I needed to build a crate for so I spent zero time working on my tailgate. Hopefully a few evenings this week I can get out to the shop and get some work done as the day job is keeping me local for a week or two.