Dodge WC question

[Jan Mostek]

Hi guys,
See the enclosed pictures which show the Dodge WC modified in Russia for using by Czech unit leader as a staff car. Don´t you havy any idea if such body could have been taken over from some (german?) car? Unfortunately, the vehicle was damaged by tank mine in 1945.
Thank you in advance for any comments,
Jan Mostek, Prague, Czech republic.

[gordon]

That's odd.

The back body s not Dodge, windscreen height is right for a Weapon Carrier, RH running board is the correct length for a Command Car but no battery box, left hand running board has no depression for spare wheel.

I'd guess everything to the rear of the windscreen has been altered or adapted, though some of the hood frame could be original.

[Jan Mostek]

Only a short note regarding the Dodge. The unit which operats this particular vehicle reportedly received only WC 52s (from Russians). So there is probably nothing from original WC Staff Car. I wonder if the body is not of German origin.

[Bill Murray]

Hallo Jan:

First, let me thank you for a most rare and unusual selection of photos of a Dodge variant I have never seen before, and I have been looking at Dodges for some 55 years now.

Second, due to my rapidly advancing years and rapidly declining memory, I am now starting to put a number on my sentences responding to questions like this so I do not lose my way.

1. I agree with Gordon, the bodywork up to the cowl/windscreen is 100% original Dodge as it came from the manufacturer. Same for the wheels and the windscreen itself.

2. The style of the doors and the rear of the body are quite typical of a German Kommandeurwagen or a "SuperKubelwagen", but.............

3. I do not believe the Germans captured any number of this WC variant if any and further I do not believe they had the ability to transfer a Dodge from the Russian front to Germany to get this sort of high quality coach built vehicle.

4. The Czech army had in their inventory before the fall of the country some numbers of Skoda and Tatra Kommandeurwagen type vehicles that were at least similar to your photos.

5. While the Czech auto industry was certainly damaged in the earliest years of the war to a certain extent, it was not all that bad and the industry continued to make vehicles for the German military forces for some years.

6. This leads me to believe that the Dodge was re-bodied as a Kommandeurwagen for the Czech forces by a, to me unknown, Czech coach builder.

7. I have in my bookmarks files some websites dealing with Czech coach builders and I will start doing a search to see if I can come up with a match for your Dodge.

Thanks again for sharing these photos with us.

Bill

[Jan Mostek]

Hello Bill,
I am glad that you found the pictures interesting. The commander for which the vehicle was made was col. Svoboda, later general, before Russian invasion to Czechoslovakia in 1968 he became a president of Czechoslovakia. During the war he was a highest commander of Czechoslovak units in Russia, units which were a part of Red Army. So all the stuff they used was either Russian or Lend Lease from Russians(for example they used British-made helmets). It is very unlikely that the basis for the modification was Czechoslovak-made staff car like Tatra or Skoda. I am also 100% sure that it was not modified by Gernans. If the captured German bodywork was used (which seems to me to be the most likely because the modification looks quite sophisticated to be made by Russians) I have no idea which one. Most of the makes I am familiar with have different shapes of doors or are remarkably smaller for a Dodge chassis.
Best regards,
Jan.

[Jeff Gordon]

Hi Jan I have a quick question.
The photos are very pixulated so it is a bit hard to tell but does the profile of the door match the profile of the cowl?
Back in the day a good motor body builder would be able to fabricate a new body quicker rather than mucking around with trying to make something else fit.
Just a thought!