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, troops and weapons carriers, (radio) command, and reconnaissance cars, ambulances, carry-alls, panel vans, and mobile telephone installation and (emergency) field workshop trucks.

And widening their tracks, while greatly shortening the wheelbase on the main models, plus lowering the bodies' center of gravity, gave them a much more square stance, with a much better break-over angle and side-slope stability.

Although the 3⁄4‑tons improvements meant substantial design changes, they did retain some 80% interchangeable components and service parts with the 1⁄2‑ton models[14] — a vital Army requirement, for field maintenance and operability of the trucks.

Creating vehicles of a common platform in such a variety of designs, with payloads ranging from 1⁄2‑ton to 11⁄2‑tons, had no equal in its time, and is seen as an extraordinary feat of the WWII American auto industry.

Dodge developed their first four-wheel drive truck in 1934, requested by the U.S. Army — an experimental 11⁄2 ton rated model, designated K-39-X-4(USA),[nb 8] of which 796 units were ordered, in multiple configurations.

The Timken transfer case was the first part-time design,[22] that allowed the driver to engage or disengage four-wheel drive using a lever inside the cabin.

[18] All of the 11⁄2-ton Army 4x4s, including the 800 trucks of 1934, rode on a 143 in (363 cm) wheelbase, and the 1938 RF-40 and 1939 TF-40 four-wheel drives were the first for which Dodge moved to separate engineering codes, in the T-200 range (T-200 and T-201 respectively).

Manufacturing of the half-ton Dodge VC-models (SNL number G-505) began in 1940, making these the U.S. Army's first ever light-duty, mass-produced 4-wheel drive trucks.

On the one hand, these 1⁄2‑ton VC trucks proved so successful, that much greater quantities were immediately ordered, and they were further developed into the G-505, 1⁄2‑ton WC models built in 1941.

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.

In the mass-produced cargo/troop and command trucks, the WC-52 and WC-57 are identical to the WC-51 and WC-56, but have a longer frame, extending further forward to the protruding front bumper with front-mounted winch.

At the direction of Major General Courtney Hodges, Chief of Infantry, these G-502 troop- and weapons-carriers were therefore stretched in 1943, with an additional driven rear axle, to derive 48 in (1.22 m) longer 6-wheel drive, 11⁄2‑ton trucks.

[48] Using the same engine, gearbox, and cockpit, and sharing much of the other mechanicals, plus near-identical front-half sheet-metal as the 3⁄4-tons, the new 6x6, G-507, 11⁄2‑tons' main difference was the use of a dual-range transfer-case, sourced out of the prior 1940, 11⁄2‑ton VF-400 models, instead of the single-speed box of the1⁄2-tons and 3⁄4-tons.

[50] The WC-63 was (just like the WC-52) equipped with a longer frame, housing an engine power take-off drive-shaft from the transfer-case forward, to drive a Braden MU2 winch, mounted on a 10 in (25 cm) more protruding front-bumper, reducing the approach angle.

[57] The side-valve engines were mated to drive-trains of four-speed manual transmissions and a single-range transfer case, offering part-time four-wheel drive.

The four-speed gearbox fitted, was a stock option on the civilian Dodges, and so were oil filters, oil-bath air cleaners, and heavy-duty generators.

The 1940 Dodge / Fargo VC models formed the first production run in the U.S. military's G-505 range of half-ton,[nb 11] light four-wheel drive trucks.

Bodywork and sheet metal on the military VC series pick-ups and carryall were the same as the civilian models — however, for the command reconnaissance and radio cars, a new, dedicated open five seater body was created, manufactured by Budd Company.

Wide-open, simplified front and rear fenders replaced the bulbous civilian ones, offering more wheel-travel, and less risk of wheels clogging stuck with thick mud in the wheel-well.

[85] There were also negligible numbers made with civilian style bodywork, similar to the 1940 VC-6 Carryall, with only rear-wheel drive, with the T-112 (Dodge) and G-613 (U.S.) internal codes – six units of WC-37 (1941), and a further eight as WC-49, in 1942.

These models were built as technical service trucks for the U.S. Army Signal Corps, designed to install and repair hard telephone lines.

All four-wheeled models were reinforced and uprated for a nominal three-quarter ton off-road payload; and later, for 1943, a stretched six-wheel drive, 11⁄2-ton rated variant was developed.

[90] Eventually, almost half of the more than fifty different WC series models manufactured – almost 183,000 trucks – were WC‑51 & WC‑52 cargo/troop and weapons carriers — and one third of those with an engine-powered front winch.

The WC-57 Truck, Command Reconnaissance, 3/4 ton, 4x4 w/Winch Dodge (G-502) was identical to the WC-56, but fitted with a Braden MU2 7,500 lb (3,402 kg) capacity winch at the front bumper.

WC-51 and WC-52 The G-502, WC-51 & WC-52: "Truck, Cargo, 3⁄4-ton, 4x4, Weapons Carrier" (T-214; from early 1942), had largely redesigned bodies and frames, compared to their half-ton, 1940–1941 forebears, yet retained mechanically as much as possible — improving what was necessary, while maintaining supply, logistics, and training continuity.

The WC-52 not only differed from the WC-51 by having a power take-off driven Braden MU‑2 7,500 lb (3,400 kg) capacity winch on the front bumper, but to accommodate it, the WC-52 was actually built on its own, longer frame.

The WC-60 chassis, fitted with a bed similar to the WC-61 by the American Coach and Body Co. of Cleveland, Ohio, formed the M2 Emergency Repair truck, 3/4 ton, 4×4 Dodge (SNL supply code G-061), a mobile workshop designed for field maintenance.

[104] A total of 6,344 WC-62 and WC-63 cargo trucks were provided to World War II Allies — 4,074 to the Free French forces, 2,123 to British, and 137 units to Brazil.

[nb 14] Different colors have been used to code groupings for maximum convenience, based on nominal payload rating, model family, and wheels and drive.

In many WW II films, directors would place high-ranking allied officers in Dodge Command Cars, although in reality, the German military quickly realized that personnel riding in the Command Cars were typically prime targets, and Allied generals and dignitaries would in reality prefer to ride in regular jeeps, to prevent advertising themselves as high-profile targets.