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6x6 Power Wagon Project

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  • Greg! Glad to see this thing making good progress again! I'm rooting for ya for sure! Can't wait to crawl all over this cool thing!
    1942 WC53 Carryall in progress.

    Comment


    • Alex, are you going to be at the Rally this year? I'm going to do my best to be there.
      Greg Coffin
      Unrepentant Dodge Enthusiast

      1951 Dodge M37 - Bone Stock
      1958 Dodge M37 - Ex-Forest Service Brush Truck
      1962 M37-B1 - Work in Progress
      1962 Dodge WM300 Power Wagon - Factory 251, 4.89s
      1944/1957 Dodge WM500T 6x6 Power Wagon - LA318-3, NP435, 5.83s, Power Steering, Undercab Power Brakes
      1974 Dodge W200 - 360/727, Factory Sno-Fighter Package

      Comment


      • Originally posted by Greg Coffin View Post
        Alex, are you going to be at the Rally this year? I'm going to do my best to be there.
        Negative good sir. It was the intention last fall, however the hand I drew over the winter set me back a good bit. I will make it to one of them, eventually! I always drool over the photos that come streaming back though.
        1942 WC53 Carryall in progress.

        Comment


        • Saw your wiring picture over on the other board! Looks really good Greg!
          1942 WC53 Carryall in progress.

          Comment


          • You guys both do fantastic work and i really enjoy keeping up with your builds. Thanks to you both for all you do.
            1967 W200.aka.Hank
            1946 WDX.aka.Shorty
            2012 Ram 2500 PowerWagon.aka Ollie

            Life is easier in a lower gear.

            Comment


            • Electrical Progress

              Thank you both! I'm enjoying this little spurt of progress, hopefully it will continue as spring rolls in. Having the truck in the garage over the winter was a huge help in keeping the momentum up.

              Here's some of what has happened lately:
              Firewall pad installed
              Engine bay wiring 90% complete
              Chassis wiring 60% complete
              Cab wiring 25% complete
              Choke cable installed
              Throttle cable layout in progress
              DODGE POWER WAGON emblems sent to be rechromed
              New horns ordered!!! You can listen to them here
              Power steering hoses ordered - should be ready Tuesday




              On the horizon:
              Heater installation
              Battery installation
              Horn installation - can't wait to hear them!
              Clutch master cylinder rework
              Transmission case replacement
              PTO installation

              Now off to run some more wires in the cab!
              Attached Files
              Greg Coffin
              Unrepentant Dodge Enthusiast

              1951 Dodge M37 - Bone Stock
              1958 Dodge M37 - Ex-Forest Service Brush Truck
              1962 M37-B1 - Work in Progress
              1962 Dodge WM300 Power Wagon - Factory 251, 4.89s
              1944/1957 Dodge WM500T 6x6 Power Wagon - LA318-3, NP435, 5.83s, Power Steering, Undercab Power Brakes
              1974 Dodge W200 - 360/727, Factory Sno-Fighter Package

              Comment


              • Wow! Looks great Greg, it's really coming along now...

                Clark

                Comment


                • Impressive work Greg! Can't wait to see it on the road!
                  Tim Ellis

                  1953 B4 PW
                  2013 Dodge 2500 Diesel

                  Clean fingernails, free weekends, intact knuckles and financial stability are totally overrated.

                  Comment


                  • Thanks Tim, I can't wait to drive it to your house!
                    Greg Coffin
                    Unrepentant Dodge Enthusiast

                    1951 Dodge M37 - Bone Stock
                    1958 Dodge M37 - Ex-Forest Service Brush Truck
                    1962 M37-B1 - Work in Progress
                    1962 Dodge WM300 Power Wagon - Factory 251, 4.89s
                    1944/1957 Dodge WM500T 6x6 Power Wagon - LA318-3, NP435, 5.83s, Power Steering, Undercab Power Brakes
                    1974 Dodge W200 - 360/727, Factory Sno-Fighter Package

                    Comment


                    • A bit about the horns....

                      Over the years I've had a few close calls driving my old Power Wagon in traffic; absent minded pedestrians, bicyclists, stoned drivers, and now we have texters on the road. I find that the original-style beep-beep horn does not do an adequate job of releasing the inner tension that is created when dealing with these situations. So I decided to "up the ante" a bit with these new horns.

                      I had originally planned to have an on-board air system on the truck, and run a pair of Grover Stuttertone horns (be still my heart), but the system got too complicated and expensive for what was really a toy. These marine horns will hopefully satisfy my need for self expression when meeting one of today's many distracted drivers. I call the system the MMD - the Moron Mitigation Device.

                      I'm going to mount the horns on the outside of the frame rails, about 8" behind the front bumper. There is a beautiful amount of room along the frame because the truck has the old knee action shock absorbers. The bumpers will shield the horns from road spray and debris, and still give them ample breathing room for me to express myself through the art of noise.

                      If nothing else, it will be fun to let them fly in the tunnel going up Boulder Canyon - an old family tradition.
                      Greg Coffin
                      Unrepentant Dodge Enthusiast

                      1951 Dodge M37 - Bone Stock
                      1958 Dodge M37 - Ex-Forest Service Brush Truck
                      1962 M37-B1 - Work in Progress
                      1962 Dodge WM300 Power Wagon - Factory 251, 4.89s
                      1944/1957 Dodge WM500T 6x6 Power Wagon - LA318-3, NP435, 5.83s, Power Steering, Undercab Power Brakes
                      1974 Dodge W200 - 360/727, Factory Sno-Fighter Package

                      Comment


                      • New Clutch Master Cylinder

                        My original plan for the 6x6 was to run the winch hydraulically off the power steering pump (like the Mile Marker winches), since I did not have a PTO opening on the driver side of the NP435. After doing lots of research and buying the major hydraulic components, I started getting cold feet about the system. Some guys were telling me that the system would work fine, and others were telling me that they tried it and were disappointed with the results. Since this is going to be a work truck and get heavy off-road use, I need a winch that I can count on 100% of the time. So I made the decision to run the winch off a PTO.

                        So 2 things had to happen to mount a PTO:
                        1) Buy a new NP435 case with a PTO opening on the driver side
                        2) Move the existing clutch master cylinder to make room for the PTO

                        The first master cylinder bracket protruded about two inches into the space needed by the PTO, so it had to move. Also, I was never quite happy with how the master was likely to catch water spray when driving on wet roads, so I was happy to have it mounted higher. I tried several configurations to see if I could mount the Dodge master up out of the way of the PTO, but I was never happy with the results. So I decided to find another master that was smaller and might fit in the available space.

                        After a little web surfing I found a nice Wilwood master cylinder that looked like it might work. After I received it I found that it fit very nicely in the space between the clutch pedal and the bellhousing, much like the original clutch push rod. I fabricated a stout little bracket and mounted it up by the bellhousing, and so far I'm very happy with the results.

                        This master uses a remote reservoir, so I will mount one of these on the firewall. Though not cheap, I think it will last a long time and look nice. I will also have to lengthen the clutch pedal shaft by 1" so that the lever arm lines up with the push rod for the master. But this new master is a vast improvement over the last one I was using. And now I have enough room for the PTO.

                        Next on the agenda:
                        Swap out the transmission cases and mount the PTO
                        Attached Files
                        Greg Coffin
                        Unrepentant Dodge Enthusiast

                        1951 Dodge M37 - Bone Stock
                        1958 Dodge M37 - Ex-Forest Service Brush Truck
                        1962 M37-B1 - Work in Progress
                        1962 Dodge WM300 Power Wagon - Factory 251, 4.89s
                        1944/1957 Dodge WM500T 6x6 Power Wagon - LA318-3, NP435, 5.83s, Power Steering, Undercab Power Brakes
                        1974 Dodge W200 - 360/727, Factory Sno-Fighter Package

                        Comment


                        • Everything fits so cleanly and nice! Looks amazing Greg!
                          1942 WC53 Carryall in progress.

                          Comment


                          • Thanks Alex. It just kind of fell into place there!
                            Greg Coffin
                            Unrepentant Dodge Enthusiast

                            1951 Dodge M37 - Bone Stock
                            1958 Dodge M37 - Ex-Forest Service Brush Truck
                            1962 M37-B1 - Work in Progress
                            1962 Dodge WM300 Power Wagon - Factory 251, 4.89s
                            1944/1957 Dodge WM500T 6x6 Power Wagon - LA318-3, NP435, 5.83s, Power Steering, Undercab Power Brakes
                            1974 Dodge W200 - 360/727, Factory Sno-Fighter Package

                            Comment


                            • Last month I noticed a wet spot under the left rear wheel - a leaking wheel cylinder :( My son and I pulled the drum to see what was going on. There was rust on the bore all around the piston. These are brand new cylinders, that have zero miles on them. Granted, they have spent the last 3 years outside, but I did not expect the cylinders to be affected by the weather. Something had to be done about it.

                              I've done a lot of research and found that over the years different car and motorcycle mfgs have used red rubber grease on their brake components - Chevy, Subaru, and Triumph to name a few. The grease is designed not to degrade rubber parts, and is compatible with DOT 3, 4 and 5 brake fluid. It is used extensively in England and Australia, but not very much in the US anymore.

                              After a lot of searching I bought a 500g tub from a vendor in England through Ebay (though this morning I found a US vendor on Amazon). I'm going to go through all the wheel cylinders and hone the rusty ones, and add the grease to all the outer bores in hopes that I can avoid this problem again. I'm also going to check the brake master cylinder and the clutch system and grease them as well.
                              Greg Coffin
                              Unrepentant Dodge Enthusiast

                              1951 Dodge M37 - Bone Stock
                              1958 Dodge M37 - Ex-Forest Service Brush Truck
                              1962 M37-B1 - Work in Progress
                              1962 Dodge WM300 Power Wagon - Factory 251, 4.89s
                              1944/1957 Dodge WM500T 6x6 Power Wagon - LA318-3, NP435, 5.83s, Power Steering, Undercab Power Brakes
                              1974 Dodge W200 - 360/727, Factory Sno-Fighter Package

                              Comment


                              • First Drive

                                Just a quick note to show you the latest on the 6x6. This is actually the third time I've taken it out of the garage. It's lots of fun to drive, and the 318 has tons of power. Here's a quick list of accomplishments:
                                - The charging system works very well. Keeps the battery at 14.0 volts no matter the load.
                                - The steering wheel is mostly centered now. I'll check it again on the highway once I get it registered.
                                - The electrical system seems to be working very well - a minor miracle
                                - All the gauges work as expected
                                - The tach works well and looks good (still needs paint)
                                - The clutch master cylinder works great, and the clutch is very smooth
                                - The brakes are smooth and strong. I need to adjust the brake shoes to get rid of some of the free pedal throw.
                                - The PTO on the NP435 transmission just barely fit into place (1/4-1/2"), but it fits.
                                - The power steering is a giddy joy to use.

                                Next things on the to-do list are:
                                Shorten and rebend the gearshift
                                Install front lockout hubs
                                Assemble and install the windshield
                                Build and install the wiper motors
                                Install the new exhaust system
                                Install the winch PTO shaft
                                Get the front lights installed
                                Doors
                                Etc.....

                                Thanks for watching.
                                Greg
                                Attached Files
                                Greg Coffin
                                Unrepentant Dodge Enthusiast

                                1951 Dodge M37 - Bone Stock
                                1958 Dodge M37 - Ex-Forest Service Brush Truck
                                1962 M37-B1 - Work in Progress
                                1962 Dodge WM300 Power Wagon - Factory 251, 4.89s
                                1944/1957 Dodge WM500T 6x6 Power Wagon - LA318-3, NP435, 5.83s, Power Steering, Undercab Power Brakes
                                1974 Dodge W200 - 360/727, Factory Sno-Fighter Package

                                Comment

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