Dodge WC series Information

The Dodge WC series was a prolific range of light 4WD and medium 6WD military utility trucks, produced by Dodge / Fargo during World War II.[nb 3] Together with the ​1⁄4-ton jeeps produced by Willys and Ford, the Dodge ​1⁄2-tons and ​3⁄4-tons made up nearly all of the light 4WD trucks supplied to the U.S. military in WWII – with Dodge contributing some 337,500 4WD units[nb 4] – over half as many of these as the jeep.[nb 5] Contrary to the versatility of the highly standardized jeep, which was mostly achieved through field modification, the Dodge WC‑series came in many different, purpose-built, but mechanically uniform variants from the factory, much akin to the later family of High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles. The WC series evolved out of, and was part of a more extended family of trucks, with great mechanical parts commonality, that included open- and closed-cab cargo trucks and weapons carriers, (radio) command cars, reconnaissance vehicles, ambulances, carryalls, panel vans, and telephone installation and mobile emergency / field workshop trucks.

From 1940 to 1942, almost 82,400 G-505 ​1⁄2-ton 4x4 Dodge trucks were built — initially called the VC series, but the great majority (from 1941) in the WC series, and in more variants. However in 1942, the truck grew into the G-502 ​3⁄4-ton 4x4 Truck (Dodge) and the G-507 1​1⁄2-ton 6x6 personnel and cargo truck (Dodge) — retaining the Dodge WC model code. Although the ​3⁄4-tons featured significant design improvements, they retained some 80% interchangeable components and service parts with the ​1⁄2-ton models.

Dodge was the U.S. Armys main supplier of ​1⁄2-ton trucks, and its sole supplier of both ​3⁄4-ton trucks and 1​1⁄2-ton six-by-six trucks in World War II. With over a quarter million units built through August 1945, the G502 ​3⁄4-tons were the most common variants in the WC‑series.After the war, Dodge developed the ​3⁄4-ton WC‑series into the civilian 4x4 Power Wagons; and in 1951, the WCs were replaced by the very similar ​3⁄4-ton 4x4 Dodge M-series vehicles .

WC was not an abbreviation of "Weapons Carrier", but a Dodge model code – initially W for 1941, and C for half-ton rating. However, the WC model code was retained for both the ​3⁄4-ton and 1​1⁄2-ton 6x6 Dodges – as well as for the subsequent model years.All in all, not counting mechanically related variants, the WC series alone involved 52 model versions (thirty ​1⁄2‑ton 4x4, eight ​1⁄2‑ton 4x2, twelve ​3⁄4‑ton 4x4, and two 1​1⁄2‑ton 6x6 models).

Dodge had been the United States militarys primary supplier of light wheeled vehicles, since before the U.S. joined the First World War. After starting business in 1900, producing precision engine and chassis components for other car builders in Detroit – Ford and Oldsmobile chief among these – Dodge introduced their first car, the Model 30/35 tourer, in 1914. It was stronger and more high quality than the ubiquitous Ford Model T, and in 1916, Dodge cars proved their durability, both in the 1910s U.S. Mexico Border War — the U.S. military’s first operation to use truck convoys, as well as in World War I, when some 12,800 Dodge cars and light trucks were used, primarily as ambulances and repair trucks., but also as staff and reconnaissance vehicles. All the while, Dodge maintained its reputation for high quality truck, transmission, and motor parts they made for other successful manufacturers.

Dodge light trucks were initially based largely on their passenger cars, but later specific truck chassis and bodies were designed. Light- and medium-duty models were offered first, then a heavy-duty range was added during the 1930s and 1940s. Dodge developed its first four-wheel drive truck in 1934 — an experimental 1​1⁄2 ton for the U.S. Army, designated K-39-X-4(USA), of which 796 units were built in several configurations.Timken supplied driven front axles and transfer-cases, which were added to a militarized commercial truck. The Timken transfer case was the first part-time design, that allowed the driver to engage or disengage four-wheel drive using a lever inside the cabin. In spite of the limited 1930s U.S. military budgets, the ’34 truck was liked well-enough that the 1​1⁄2 tonners were further developed. Dodge built the U.S. Army further batches of 4WD 1​1⁄2-ton cargo trucks in 1938, 1939 and 1940. 1,700 RF-40-X-4(USA) trucks were procured in 1938, and 292 TF-40-X-4(USA) in 1939. All of these 1​1⁄2-ton Army 4x4s rode on a 143 in (363 cm) wheelbase, and the 1938 RF-40 and 1939 TF-40 trucks were the first to receive a Dodge engineering code in the 200 range (T-200 and T-201 respectively).

However, Dodge also eagerly pursued military contracts for half-ton four-by-fours at the same time. The smaller size had outperformed the 1​1⁄2-ton 4x4 during testing in 1938, and Dodge had invested greatly in half- to one-ton trucks in prior years. In 1936, Dodges light, car-based trucks had been crucially redesigned — dropping the old car frames and for the first time using modern, truck-style chassis, with side rails welded to the cross members on their half-ton to one-ton rated trucks. Additionally, Dodge had built the all new, very large Warren Truck Assembly plant in Michigan for its light and medium trucks, opened in 1938. In 1939 again, Dodge presented a completely redesigned line of pickups and trucks. The modern looking, "Job-Rated" trucks aimed to fit every job.

Well before the onset of World War II, it was clear that the USA needed to update its military. The Quartermaster Corps (Q.C.), responsible at the time for providing the military with non-combat vehicles, moved to standardize truck designs, and by 1939, as the war in Europe exploded, the Army had settled on five payload-based general-purpose truck classes: ​1⁄2-ton, 1​1⁄2-ton, ​2 1⁄2-, 4- and ​7 1⁄2-ton. By June 1940 the Q.C. had tested and approved its first three standard commercial based, all-wheel drive trucks: the 1​1⁄2-ton 4x4 Dodge, the GMC ​2 1⁄2-ton 6x6 and a Mack 6-ton 6x6. With regards to Dodge however, the U.S. military reconsidered its preferences for the build-up for the war almost immediately after this.

Whereas in 1936, a Marmon-Herrington converted Ford had become the Armys first half-ton 4-wheel drive, and the Army had initially standardized Dodges 1​1⁄2-ton 4x4 truck — following Dodges push for building ​1⁄2-tonners, after mid 1940 it was decided they preferred Dodge to build light-duty four-wheel drives, contracting for a series of half-ton trucks, while GM / Chevrolet was instead going to become the standard supplier for 1​1⁄2-ton trucks. So, when in the summer of 1940 the largest government truck contract awarded went to Chryslers Dodge / Fargo Division, for more than 14,000 (mostly) 4x4 trucks, this was in the midst of the transition, and thus included both orders for ​1⁄2-ton and 1​1⁄2-ton trucks, as GM / Chevy still needed to tool up for the 1​1⁄2-tonners.

Dodge had started developing designs for a 4x4 half-ton in 1939, and began production in earnest in 1940 — both 4x4 half-tons, as well as 1​1⁄2-ton 4x4 and 4x2 trucks. On all 1940 trucks, front sheetmetal was mostly identical to the commercial VC and VF models of that year, with the addition of a big brush guard mounted in front of the grille and headlights. Except for the addition of 4-wheel drive, and custom bodies on the ​1⁄2-ton command cars, the trucks followed the 1939 procurement doctrine, to "use commercial trucks with only a few modifications such as brush guards and towing pintles to fit them for military use."

The first of the ​1⁄2-ton, 4x4, VC series military trucks were based on Dodges 1939 civilian, one-ton rated model TC-series. The military VC models retained the civilian engine and wheelbase, but gained four-wheel drive, and a new internal technical code: T-202. Manufacturing of the Dodge VC models (SNL number G-505) began in 1940, making these the Armys first standard production half-ton 4WD trucks. The soldiers also called the light command reconnaissance vehicles "jeeps", — before that term migrated to the quarter-tons, starting in 1941.A total of 4,640 VC models were built across six variants – mostly pick-ups and reconnaissance cars. These 1/2-ton VC trucks proved successful, but were immediately further developed and succeeded by the G-505, 1/2-ton WC models in 1941. Although obsolete, the VC trucks remained in use until the end of the war.

In 1940, Dodge also built 6,472 four-wheel drive 1​1⁄2-ton trucks, under two U.S. contracts – one awarded to Dodge, and one to Fargo.[nb 6] The models VF-401 to VF-407 (or engine/tech type T-203 by Dodge – and G-621 by the Army), were a continuation of their experimental pre-war predecessors, the RF-40(-X) and TF-40(-X) (or T-200 / T-201), still riding on a chassis of the same 143 in (3.63 m) wheelbase. Production consisted of just over 6,000 closed cab, open bed cargo trucks, plus just under 400 dump-trucks.

Like on the ​1⁄2-ton VC-series, the 1940 VF-400 1​1⁄2-ton models simply used civilian front sheet-metal, based on the 1939 commercial model TE-30 cab, with a brush-guard fitted in front of the grille and headlights — but with a Dodge developed front driving axle, directional, cross-country tires, and a military cargo body. Importantly, one thousand of the VF-400 series cargo trucks were equipped with a power take-off, gear-driven Braden model MU 10,000 lb (4,500 kg) capacity winch — a feature that was carried over on many of the subsequent ​1⁄2-ton and 1​1⁄2-ton WC series models, directly from 1941. And although the light-duty WC models that followed, did not receive the VF-400s two-speed transfer cases, these did return on the 1​1⁄2-ton WC-62 and WC-63. An ambulance model, VF-407, was also designed, but only three units were built, likely experimental.

These proved to be the last of Dodges 1​1⁄2-ton 4x4 trucks for the war. Although the Army had steadily taken the bulk of its trucks in this category from Dodge / Fargo up til then, further production of 1​1⁄2-ton 4x4 trucks was instead awarded to GMs Chevrolet G506, which became the standard in this segment for the rest of the war.

Aside from four-wheel drive trucks, production started for a militarized commercial 1​1⁄2-ton, rear-wheel drive truck in 1940 — initially Dodges model VF-31, cargo (engineering code T-98) under the government SNL number G-618. The 4x2 model VF-31 was succeeded by the model WF-31 (internally T-118) for 1941 (closed cab tractor) and 1942 (cab and chassis) – both on a 135 in (3.43 m) wheelbase – and the 1942 model WF-32, closed cab, stake and platform cargo truck, on a 160 in (4.06 m) wheelbase. After a modest production of 516 units of the WF-31, at least 9,500 Dodge WF-32 trucks were built, mostly for lend-lease to Russia.

The 1940 VC-series Dodge 1/2-ton 4x4s were well liked but considered only an interim solution, because they were essentially a modified civilian truck. At the outset of World War II a more military design was laid out. Dodge replaced the 1940 VC-1 to VC-6 with the equally half-ton rated WC series of military light trucks, produced in 38 model variants, of which 30 were four-wheel driven, in varying amounts — thousands of some models were produced, while only a few of some others were made. Where the military VC-series still used much civilian sheet-metal, distinguished by a brush-guard in front of the grille — the WC‑series came with wide-open, almost flat fenders that prevented mud build-up, clogging rotation of the wheels — as well as a redesigned, sloping nose with an integrated, round, grated grille / brush-guard. A new ambulance with a fully enclosed, all-steel box rear body was designed, on a longer, 123 inch wheelbase; and PTO-driven winches were now fitted to some models.

The ​1⁄2‑ton WC models were the first all-military design Dodge developed in the build-up to full mobilization for World War II, and they were the U.S. Armys first standard light truck – prior to the jeep – when the U.S. formally declared war in December 1941.

Both the Dodge half-ton VC and WC trucks were part of the Army G-505 series. Some 77,750 four-wheel drive ​1⁄2‑ton WC numbered trucks were produced during late 1940 to 1942 under War Department contracts.[nb 2] Additionally, aside from the fully military 4WD models, a small total of 1,542 two-wheel drive units retaining civilian sheet-metal were also supplied to the U.S. military, bearing WC model numbers in this same range. These models carried the SNL-code G-613, and brought the total number of half-ton WC‑series up to some 79,300 units, and the grand total of all half-tonners (VC and WC; 4WD and 2WD) to almost 84,000.

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