1948 power wagon project

[Todd M]

Finally found the front fender welt hidden in my garage. Do not know what the easiest way to get a straight object on a curved edge used my pick to keep it in place as I worked on the previous split rivet.

I will I’ll have to remove the passenger side fender to install it as I have already mounted it

while installing these split rivets I also installed the cab and cowl hood lace. Love the drive rivets? Used on the cab.

Side note brake pedal finally has pressure after the third bleeding of the brakes. No air in any of the lines. The result came from an old thread I read where Gordon mentioned moderate pressure of the pads vs the light pressure I had on them. Fortunately my son was here to help jack up each wheel so the cam could be adjusted while rotating the wheel. It is killing me not to take it out for a ride but it is down pouring here and even though the truck needs a wash I would like to keep the wood dry.


31EEF319-B25C-47E5-9542-9A4D42BB87F7.jpeg

[Matt Wilson]

Todd, I hope you and everyone on the forum had a Merry Christmas!

[Todd M]

Merry Christmas to everyone.

Thanks for for all the help from everyone on this forum.

[texcwa]

We all have these days, and it is so true that the closer you are to the first test drive the more things that will break and or go wrong.
Have faith that one of the best things about your Power Wagon is that it will never be completely done and you will never be bored.
Good luck and have fun!

TRUE STATEMENT. Six years into my build and I still can not see the light at the end of the tunnel!! I did get my seat bottom and back torn appart, blasted, painted and recovered. First time doing upholstery work and came out great with the help of Jens at VPW.

[Todd M]

Still no test drive. Went to the garage and found brake fluid beneath the master cylinder. Seems to have been a leak at the brake signal switch. Tighten up the connections- one may have been considered loose but I will wait another day to make sure it has ceased.

Went on on to other things like powder coating some small items - running board bolts, draft pad retainer pieces, and the old battery box base. Will attempt the glove box tomorrow and if lucky that test drive.

20EDB9A8-4914-4928-8F91-F0FAFBDCF13D.jpeg8D0C2626-0C4A-4CC8-B7B3-C971FE5397D0.jpeg

[Matthew Welcher PWA]

We all have these days, and it is so true that the closer you are to the first test drive the more things that will break and or go wrong.
Have faith that one of the best things about your Power Wagon is that it will never be completely done and you will never be bored.
Good luck and have fun!

[Matt Wilson]

Sometimes it seems that one simple task turns into one major hassle. Fill the radiator turns into

1- tighten the nuts to the engine block for the engine temp gauge as they are leaking - simple.

2- radiator hose needs to be tightened; fortunately it is on the upper hose, however the clamp breaks and I now have a huge one on that will be replaced sometime in the future - simple but annoying.

3- heater shut off valve leaks. I am unable to get this valve to stop. Well just remove it and install a plug as the heater is not ready. Well of course it breaks in the process of removing. So it becomes a task and a half. Well after removing the piece and retapping the threads the plug is in. - Frustrating.

May be tomorrow I’ll get it on that test drive Always tomorrow.

Sounds like many of my days working on stuff, especially the Power Wagon. I feel your pain. I'm enjoying reading up on your progress, though.

[Todd M]

Sometimes it seems that one simple task turns into one major hassle. Fill the radiator turns into

1- tighten the nuts to the engine block for the engine temp gauge as they are leaking - simple.

2- radiator hose needs to be tightened; fortunately it is on the upper hose, however the clamp breaks and I now have a huge one on that will be replaced sometime in the future - simple but annoying.

3- heater shut off valve leaks. I am unable to get this valve to stop. Well just remove it and install a plug as the heater is not ready. Well of course it breaks in the process of removing. So it becomes a task and a half. Well after removing the piece and retapping the threads the plug is in. - Frustrating.

May be tomorrow I’ll get it on that test drive Always tomorrow.

[Todd M]

Lesson learned today

ensure there is enough room on the side to remove the axle. Had to rearrange my chest freezer and the refrigerator beside it to make room. Fortunately I had one one of my sons helping me today.

Finished the remaining 2 wheels today and have bleed the brakes. I hope to take it for a short ride around the block tomorrow once I fill the radiator and figure out how to temporarily hold battery onto the chassis. No battery box as of yet - deciding to either create one a have it in the original location or mount it beneath the flat bed

[Todd M]

With help from Matthew I was able to redo the passenger side brakes and replace the seals. One step of many to get this back on the road.

there is still the adjustment of the brakes that I have to do.

822B312E-278A-4A3E-AC69-6CFCA72205A6.jpeg485612CA-8285-47EB-BD69-5A7926CFF574.jpeg

[Todd M]

FB2BBF48-C830-4542-98B8-4D5B60B6462B.jpeg

Todd, Just a bit of advice from someone who just finished installing glass in wing vents (and had to do it over again), take a measurement from end to end (outside edge of vent glass frame) before you set the glass (if using sealant). I did not and set the glass into a bed of sealant only to find that after sealant had cured and I set the glass and frame back into the vent and gasket that it had opened up just enough so that I could not close and latch. Had to cut out glass and reset.

Texcwa
Thanks for the heads up. After my last use of sealant on windshield I was more than happy to try this channel tape. First one was very tough and needed lots of persuading with a rubber mallet. The second I decided enough of this **** and applied a little silicone to the tape. It went in with a tenth of the persuasion that the first required but still required hits of the mallet. Even with this channel tape I recognize what you were saying but a tap of the mallet from the top on the frame and the edges closed down on the glass to never reopen again.

Hope to track down the required fasteners to get them installed on the doors tomorrow. I have several parts that require paint before I can install the windows. I will paint them later with my sons Bronco top to minimize the clean up of my painting equipment. Hopefully the end of the week if we get his top prepped.

[texcwa]

Todd, Just a bit of advice from someone who just finished installing glass in wing vents (and had to do it over again), take a measurement from end to end (outside edge of vent glass frame) before you set the glass (if using sealant). I did not and set the glass into a bed of sealant only to find that after sealant had cured and I set the glass and frame back into the vent and gasket that it had opened up just enough so that I could not close and latch. Had to cut out glass and reset.

[Todd M]

0D48B42E-A6CE-4CB8-9DF7-68249EB00D20.jpegE31D83CC-E0E8-4330-B5A6-717C17C1AA79.jpegA360B934-B02A-45D2-8114-06E73BA28191.jpeg Putts around on the truck today. Took the passenger side wheels apart to bearing nuts. Socket is due to arrive shortly so I can finish last items on the brakes - replacement of wheel cylinders, springs and shoes.

Installed wing vent gaskets for both windows. Installed the first one incorrectly. Will look at installing the glass tomorrow in them.

[Todd M]

Thanks guys this has helped out a lot. I have been able to get the linkage correct and have made some adjusting the idle speed so it does not run fast at startup.

[Matthew Welcher PWA]

Here are some origanal linkage pictures