WC-51 Restoration or Bust!!

[m1010plowboy]

Rust

Subscribed but C'mon Tinman, have a heart.........share some more pictures.

Love watchin' these builds, when I'm not paying, so thanks for 'photo documenting' as much as you can. There is so much to learn. Congrats on the DMV success.

Had to post up Gunfreaks electro...rust go away remover thread because it's got pictures and a nice description on how to build one. He also options the cel charger as a power source.
Surplusrifle Forum • View topic - How to make and use an electrolysis tank *PICS*

WC-51.........Can you imagine the first day you get to take it for a drive!

 

[papabear]

Good things happen to good troops when they are trying to do good things!!

Dangit man! That sounds kinda poetic!

 

[panshark]

whatcha got planned for the front bumper?

 

[Tinwoodsman]

I have cut off the heavy pipe that had been welded on the frame ends and am now prepping it to accept the original bumper supports that I obtained from Midwest Military. I have the used bumper and original tow hooks so it should be back to original soon. Removing the heavy welds without doing to much damage to the frame ends is a real chore. Combination of cutting torch and grinder. Pictures coming soon.

 

[Tinwoodsman]

After a full day of cutting, grinding, welding patches and, what I am sure is a pending case of black lung, I removed the pipe bumper and temporarily installed the WC-51 bumper. Not purty yet but I promise it will be when done.

This one is for your Panshark!!!!

 

[papabear]

After a full day of cutting, grinding, welding patches and, what I am sure is a pending case of black lung, I removed the pipe bumper and temporarily installed the WC-51 bumper. Not purty yet but I promise it will be when done.
This one is for your Panshark!!!!

You are doing excellent work TWM

Not being too nosey I hope...but have you been taking lessons from Zout??opcorn:

 

[Tinwoodsman]

Yes PB. I took Zout 101 and 102 and am enrolled in 201 (first semester 2012). He has forgotten more than I will ever know and he is very fast. I am like the turtle. I go staight and slow......

 

[nattieleather]

Slow and steady wins the race they say. If that's true I may be slower than you... You work looks fantastic! Great job putting that back to original.

 

[Tinwoodsman]

Back to the project today. Started with cleaning all the sandblasted combat wheels and then applying primer. With the rims being 65 years old, it has taken a lot of work but I sprayed the first one OD to see how it will look. The next shots will be an assembled new 9.00x16 NDT on the painted combat wheels. Can't wait to see that.

Then I tackled the first rusted rear corner of the cargo box. I needed to repair some rust holes in the cargo box frame and then treated the area with rust preventative and primer. Then I stitch welded in the first patch panel and sanded down the area for now. I will apply Duraglass once the remaining 2 corners are done.

So far I think it is going well. This is the most extensive patch panel work I have tackled to date and I proclaim myself "Mini Zout". Enjoy the photos and more to come.

 

[Tinwoodsman]

Finished painting the blasted and primer rims and mounted the new NDT's. Still have the spare to do but assembling gives me more room in the shop.

 

[Danger Ranger]

They look great, I can only imagine what the rest will look like.

 

[papabear]

Finished painting the blasted and primer rims and mounted the new NDT's. Still have the spare to do but assembling gives me more room in the shop.

It may just be my eyes but it looks like that NDT tread is going the wrong direction

 

[Tinwoodsman]

Yuk! Yuk!

 

[onegmjack]

Looking Good Kent,keep the pictures coming for us lookers.

 

[Tinwoodsman]

PB, I didn't want to disappoint you so I took all the tires off and turned them around for you.

 

[bigugh20]

Those Combat rims look great Kent! You are doing a heck of a job!

 

[nattieleather]

ooooooohhhh!!! New green paint and everyting! I love the look of the combat rims!

 

[Tinwoodsman]

Removed the seats today to make more room to work on the cargo bed frame. The front passenger side box which house the 12V battery has corroded over the years and I need to patch one of the cross members before I put in the patch panel and new floor for the box.

Overall the seats are not in too bad of shape but I don't know if the seat bottom springs can be salvaged. The seat pans need some patch work and I need to fabricate a fascia strip around the seat pan so I can fasten the new upholstery with hog rings. I may just fabricate new seat bottoms with high density form glued to the wood base and screw the base to the pan. I will look for a source that has the seat formed if available.

The seat frames and backrests are in decent shape and I can refurbish them. Will definitely take some work though. But isn't that what this is all about????

 

[CatMan]

WC-51 Restoration or bust

I know all about the seat options. We went back and forth on the seat rebuild in our WC21 about two monts back. I had original springs and had them blasted and epoxy primed but had to replace several broken coil springs. The original coil springs are bouncy and the 70 year old coils are likely to fail and stab you or soldier B in the butt in the future. Several people told me of this happening to them with old Dodge seat springs

We went with new automotive foam in the seat bottoms. Attached by staples to a fabricated plywood bottom. Better than hog ring technology. And added seat belts so soildier B doesn't fall out.

The new seat covers are from Mona at New Life and fit great. We reused the original seat back springs. I'm happy with the change and glad I went with the foam bottoms. The foam is not cheap, but worth the price.

Cat Man

 

[rchalmers3]

Hey there Tin Man,

Great work on the vehicle, you are saving a piece of the past for a future generation to appreciate and I thank you for that.

The first photo of the truck on the driveway looks like you are near the coast. Just wondering where you are working such that that incredible view is visible from in the shop!

Rick