Posted by Fred Coldwell on September 01, 2000 at 21:46:47:
In Reply to: Body tags and serial numbers posted by michael kirby on September 01, 2000 at 10:28:09:
Michael:
Thanks for sending me the photo. The truck is a 1941/42 Dodge 1/2 ton WC-____ 4X4 military truck. The very long frame rails up front tell me this 4X4 military truck originally had a winch, so it was either an open cab weapon carrier or open cab command car. None of the Dodge WC 1/2 ton military closed cab trucks 4X4's ever came from the factory with a winch or with the longer frame used only on WW II Dodge winch trucks.
Sometime during the past 60 years, someone removed the open cab and replaced it with a 1947 civilian closed cab, most likely to be more comfortable (a relative concept with respect to old Dodge 4X4s). The cowl mounted parking lights identify this as a civilian cab. It should also have a hole in the sheet metal just behind the driver's door for a gas tank filler neck.
The person who installed the civilian cab probably did not have a title for the 1941 military truck but likely had a title for the 1947 civilian truck, so he just titled the vehicle (or kept it titled) as a 1947 civilian Dodge truck. Looking at it another way, he kept the titiled '47 civilian Dodge truck but replaced the frame, drive train and all sheetmetal (except for the cab) with military Dodge truck parts to convert the 4X2 into a 4X4.
In any event, by joyful this truck has a title. Use it and enjoy it, but don't sweat the details too much. Incidentally, the correct winch that mounts up front between the extended frame rails is a Braden model MU, somewhat difficult but not impossible to find. Good luck and have fun!