Al Nicholson is an unabashed fan of military history, particularly the 20th century segment when it comes to his vintage military vehicle hobby.
The retired Mountie was always interested in the vehicles that transported troops to the battlefield and is a very knowledgeable owner of a 1942 Dodge WC-56 command car used by the United States army during its military service.
Jim Sutherland
A 1942 Dodge WC-56 was a truck built to shuttle officers into battle zones where roads were not always smooth or safe. It was a heavy vehicle weighing out at nearly 5400 lbs because a WC-56 needed the extra bulk for rough duty in war zones.
Surprisingly, the 1942 Dodge WC-56 command car was powered by a modest 6-cylinder 230 cubic inch flathead engine that only churned out 92 horsepower but, more importantly, the truck had 180 ft lbs of torque and a 5:83 rear end. The torque and ultra-low rear end factors were large enough to provide plenty of low-end power for the WC-56’s needs at the time.
There were very few domestic vehicles that had a 12-volt battery system in 1942, but a Dodge WC-56 was a 12-volt truck because it needed to carry a large amount of electrical equipment, mainly for communication purposes. Outside communication was a vital link for an officer in a war zone and required extra electrical capacity for the radio equipment.
The convertible design of a 1942 WC-56 was not created for the fresh air and sunshine aspect. Instead, it allowed a full field of view of the battle zone for the commanding officer in the vehicle.
His decisions were based upon assessing the conditions, so a panoramic view was a necessity that took precedence over the officer’s personal safety.
Most 1942 Dodge WC-56 trucks that survived World War Two were sold as army surplus, but Al’s military truck was sold to the Swiss army and used by their military service until the early 1970s, according to him.
Then it was shipped back to a US buyer who owned it until 1974 when it was purchased by a member of the Hodgson family, a well-known car guy family from the Edmonton, Alberta Canada area.
In fact, the 1942 Dodge WC-56 truck was driven back from New York to St Albert, a city on the outskirts of Edmonton, even though it was never built for highway use because the truck had a top speed of 54 mph, a figure on the high end of its potential velocity.
Nevertheless, it made the long trek and was part of the Hodgson family’s plan for a military vehicle museum in the greater Edmonton area. Al’s dedication to the vintage vehicle hobby gave him an opportunity to purchase the 83-year-old military vehicle last fall because of his connections to the Hodgson family.
They realized the WC-56 is in excellent hands with Al and will remain that way under his ownership. Al respects his military vehicle’s history and will keep its legacy alive under his watch.
This is a perfect scenario in our opinion here at MyStarCollectorCar.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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