The WC53 Carryall thread .

[Bruce in BC]

Alex got an angle for you - Alxj64

That rear lower bracket that you are working on .
15 degrees .
The outer skin is not in place in this photo ... I have a sweet looking new one to replace the old smooshed one .

take care
Bruce

edit - Dan Shockleys old WC53 is for sale on ebay . Lets see what it goes for .

[Alxj64]

^ Thanks Bruce! I had actually already made my jig frame and cut my parts out based on my drawings and used 15º as my number when I calculated my cut lengths and curve. Glad to know that the truck is popping back into its original shape! Didn't think I would be using this much Trig while working on an old truck. Thank goodness for the arc segment formula and using a constant radius for the rear curve. I am hoping to try and build my curves for where the lower cross member transitions into the vertical legs of the gate opening tonight. I goofed up a little and the bottom seam for the weather stripping and gate recess is deeper than the existing side seams... so, its going to be a little adventuresome making that transition. I figure I can bend it deep and then trim for the transition. As for making those transition panels, I think I may have a nifty trick up my sleeve. Shall see if it works out or not.


Also, I have drooled over that truck in the past. I think it was listed on the Dodge Power Wagon classifieds section or something back when I was the hunt for my WC.

My favorite part of his Ebay add... "This is an old, mechanical, primitive truck. Lots of gear noise, spots the driveway but nothing serious, slow, non-synchro transmission, manual brakes and steering. Your wife would hate it."

[Bruce in BC]

" Your wife would hate it "

When i first saw the ad for my carryall I thought " ****n that thing is so ugly it is cool " For some reason I asked my wife to come look at the picture . I do not think i had ever asked her to look at a picture of a vehicle before . My daughter told her " Yah mom you should see this thing it looks like a dad vehicle "
I can still remember my wife coming in from the living room . i am sitting in front of the computer . She puts her hands on each of my shoulders , her head besides mine and after a few moments she says
" You should buy that truck , it is you " i explained how hard it was to ship and the boarder problems and her response was " Just buy it , you will figure it out " there was more said of a personal nature but within seconds she ran off a list of reasons why I had earned the right to buy the truck . After leaving the room she said " You belong in that truck , buy it "

Who am I to argue ?

Bruce

Yep that is a great ad

[Alxj64]

When i first saw the ad for my carryall I thought " ****n that thing is so ugly it is cool " For some reason I asked my wife to come look at the picture . I do not think i had ever asked her to look at a picture of a vehicle before . My daughter told her " Yah mom you should see this thing it looks like a dad vehicle "
I can still remember my wife coming in from the living room . i am sitting in front of the computer . She puts her hands on each of my shoulders , her head besides mine and after a few moments she says
" You should buy that truck , it is you " i explained how hard it was to ship and the boarder problems and her response was " Just buy it , you will figure it out " there was more said of a personal nature but within seconds she ran off a list of reasons why I had earned the right to buy the truck . After leaving the room she said " You belong in that truck , buy it "

Who am I to argue ?

Bruce

Yep that is a great ad

^ Sounds similar to when I told my wife I found the one I have now. I told her about it and she said "Buy it!". Same goes for the engine and transmission. She has always heard my friends and I talking that the ideal modern 1 ton pickup would have Dana Axles, (60F and 80R), Cummins Engine, Allison Auto, and be in a Ford quality chassis/interior. So when she heard me say "Cummins/Allison factory combo" she says "Its your pefect truck! Buy it!"... Okay! Its good to have the support of a good woman... Today is actually my 4 year anniversary. Married on 10-4 so it was easy to remember... And yea, only 4 years... She just turned 26 last month.


On a different topic... Quick dumb question... Originally, the Carryalls never had the pioneer rack on the back did they? The prev owner had attached a pioneer rack to the back of the gate, I think to help hide some of the blemishes. What do you guys think about putting it back? I am hessitant to because:
1) its going to make the gate that much heavier.
2) It might actually get used once a year on camping trips.
3) Last thing I want is some kid snagging an ax out of it and deciding to practice swinging at my truck or nearby vehicles.

[Bruce in BC]

Military add on

The rack is on some and not on others Carryalls. They were also located above the rear fender , you pick which side . At one point I was going to indent the rear tailgate in the shape of each tool and place the tool in its holder . To avoid theft and what not , the tools would be locked in place . It would look real neat but the work involved kind of makes that plan a no go . A similar stunt could be pulled on the running board .
My wife is a concert grade musician . ( She did not like the life and chose to do other things ) Vehicles are about as interesting to her as the composition of concrete . She has not complained at all in the last few months as the mess has taken over the front drive way ........ which is amazing .
Four years .. I got 33 or 34 in so far . Still is not dull .

I got the rear end in place , sure looks like I need to cut off all the brackets and rotate the rear up 5 degrees .

Bruce

[Bruce in BC]

Axles are sitting under the springs

The axles are not bolted down . My pinion angle on the rear is not correct . By rights it should aim right at the transfer case output . But at that angle the pinion bearing is higher than the fill plug . If the spring pads were not welded in place I would rotate the axle up and to compensate for the bearing I would over fill the rear with a few extra litres of fluid .
But I am just a little bit tired of doing these mods . My trash truck does not use a double cardon joint , the angles are all wrong and according to the drawings I have found the angles in the trash truck should vibrate like crazy .
Runs fine . This could easily be the case with the existing set up in the carryall and the carryall uses a double cardon joint .
I do not want to go back and change it later if it vibrates ...... but I do not feel like doing it now either , and chances are it will be fine .
that is it . Time for bed .

Bruce

[Alxj64]

I've run into your driveshaft angle situation many time in my "playing with Jeeps" experience.

If its a Double Carden, ie CV yoke head at the T-case output then you certainly want the axle pinion pointed about 2º low from being directly aiming at the T-case output. It may not vibrate harshly to make you uncomfortable but it will devour universal joints and you will certainly feel the vibration when you are under a heavy acceleration load. Reason being is that the acceleration and deceleration of the U-joints have to cancel each other out. If the axle joint is more angular than the combined angle of the CV, then you are going to get a vibration. The two joints in the CV are always at complimentary angles and thus acceleration and decelerate evenly. The axle yoke then should see minimal movement, and the 2º angle is simply there for lubrication of the joint to prevent it from siezing from never moving; granted on most leaf spring suspensions the axle cycles in a flat motion vs a link suspension will give you differing arcs based on link length and link end position.

Here is something to consider... your pinion angle is not right but are the springs going to compress when you put all of the truck back together? Don't forget that the pinion angle is set at ride height under normal operating load. It would make sense for the yoke angle to be too shallow with no chassis load and then when the springs settle for the axle to compress and become more inline with the t-case output.

Lastly, the 14 bolt is rather forgiving when it comes to the oiling of the pinion bearing. From messing around in the Jeep world I have seen those axles take abuse that I would imagine nearly impossible. If it was a Dana 70, or low pinion Dana 60 I would be much more concerned, but with the 14bolt you have lots of oil in there and that ring gear slings the oil right past the third bearing support and right into the snout galley.

[dieseldude4bt]

door latches

Well after almost 2 years of no progress I am working on my WC 26 again, and while taking the doors apart for another round of media blasting I thought that it would be nice to put bear claw latches in.
Looking back over the thread Bruce posts a pic in #162 that has a latch. Do you have any more pic's or install info on this Bruce?

[Bruce in BC]

Door latches

i will look for pictures . I can make it easier for you , I moved my handles but it is now possible to do the change and keep your old handles , and in the stock location . There are several kits out there that now make it possible to use the latches and your stock door handles . The original manufacture and design of these latches was done in the USA , most that you now see are copies . The latches are found on rescue trucks and custom body suppliers . Buy the kit , it will save you time and time is one of the big killers on a project like this . Carolina Custom is the source for the kit and it looks perfect to me . There are stamped panels for the doors and door frame as well . Another source would be Rocky hinge - but the kit from carolina looks like it would work a little easier . .

take care
and post some pictures of your truck .

Bruce

Try making a dip tank - I did my doors that way and it worked great . The doors get stripped inside and out .

[Gary Weaklend]

Keep Working on your Carryall It's All Worth It

I went to a car show and cruise this past weekend where there was around 1500 vehicles. I heard a lot people say they had never seen anything like it and was surprised when the Carryall received a trophy for being one of the top 10 favorite vehicles. Made my day.

[dieseldude4bt]

Congratulations, you deserve it!

[dieseldude4bt]

Bruce there are some photos of my carryall over on the 4BT Swaps site under the 42 Dodge WC26 Carryall thread. I will try to get some here and update both with more.


That seemed to work, I'll get some new ones soon.

[Alxj64]

Congrats Gary! Your truck truely is a great vehicle so there is no questions why so many enjoy it!

Dieseldude4bt, do you have any current pictures of your project? Any more details on engine placement, engine mounts? etc?

I've been tinkering with mine some more in the evenings after work.

Got the bottom of the cross member skin tacked.



Here is a picture of the inside of the frame showing how I gusseted it as to tie the body mounts directly to the hinges to help carry load of the tailgate and minimize twisting of the body.



Fitting it into place.. its rotated forward some and I still need to trim it back some to clear the radius transitions for the recess for the gate. It looks like a dent there in the middle but I think its just the light/reflection from the stuff on the shelf behind the truck.

[Alxj64]

Speaking of the gate radius transitions... I knew that they were going to be a pain to try and brake, seam, etc by hand so I went about it a different route. I took some 1/4" HR that I had floating around the shop and made a template and copied that a few times over and then plug welded them all together. I then used the outside pieces and trimmed them back a little and did the same. Two studs for an alignment, and what I don't have is the picture of the top plate that I clamped to the die to help keep the die flat. I did a few test pieces and tweaked the die set a little but for the pieces of steel that I wanted, I think this was still the cleanest and strongest way to go about making it.

Here is the stamp set. And I didn't use that hammer, I used my 20 ton Hobo-Freight shop press. Use it like once a year so it was nice to get something from it for the space it consumes.



Holding it up against the back the gate frame... Going to take some trimming to get the piece of the stamp that I want but it works out because the wrinkled spot will be cut out and tossed in the "oops" pile anyways.



Also, I started to line up my gate hinge locations. I had already marked for my holes on the frame, so I drilled through from the backside and attached the hinges with some long bolts. This way I can trace where I want them and then cut out the openings for them to recess into the body. Does anying think I should drill a few drain holes in the bottom of the rear gate skin? Just to keep moisture from standing inside from driving in the rain?

[Bruce]

Nice

Weep or drain hole sound good & maybe bad? I think the tail-gate is high enough off the ground you might be OK. Clogging could be an issue, will the panel itself have an examination/removal opening on the interior? Your welding looks superior!