VIN, Serial Numbers, Body Tags, Build Cards etc.

VIN / FIN Vehicle Identification Number Dodge WC

Bodytag number of a Dodge WC

Located on the lid under the hood on the drivers side on open cab bodies.

Commander still has his original VIN 81546650 and the original body tag attached

showing the matching number 4229/933

42 = 1942 for the year the model was introduced by the manufacturer (and not the year of manufacturing)

29 = Dodge body model number for Radio Reconnaissance Command

933 = Body number, number in production line

Special to Command Cars is a 4 or 5 digit number which can be found stamped into the engine

compartment side of the firewall. This appears to be a Budd serial number which is used only on

Command Car bodies. It does not match the body tag number as the same bodies were used to produce

WC56 and WC57 Command Cars (body model 19) and WC58 Radio Command Cars (body model 29).

USA registration numbers were painted on the hood:

How Many Command Cars Were Build Between 1942 - 1944:

WC 56 Reconnaissance w/o winch: 21.156 in total

WC 57 Reconnaissance with winch: 6.010 in total

WC 58 Radio: 2.344 in total

Detailed info on annual production from four different resources:

The picture shows the scan of the build card from "Commander George" received from the Chrysler archives.

The card shows the original model and exact body of the Dodge with that serial / VIN number,

here VIN 81546650 built with body 933 on 25th of July 1942 as a body model 29.

Other Body Model Numbers:

10 = Flat faced cowl

12 = Closed cab

13 = Panel Van (also first hand-converted VC6 Carryalls)

19 = Reconnaissance (Command Car)

29 = Radio Reconnaissance (Radio Command Car)

39 = Ambulance

49 = Carryall

56 = Closed cab (half ton)

62 = Closed cab

66 = Express body with transverse rear seats

76 = Express body with no rearseats

86 = Gun motor carriage

90 = Flat faced cowl with bucket seats