A salute to Gordon Maney

[Gary Weaklend]

Gordon would enjoy....

sitting on the tailgate and hearing the story of the restoration for the PWA.

[aeblank]

Amazing job.
Mine's a '48 too. Can you do it next? =)

You did basically what I want to do. Mostly restored with some improvements for usability. Disc brakes and 12V are both on my list as well.

[Matt Wilson]

Amazing job.
Mine's a '48 too. Can you do it next? =)

Nice-looking truck you've got there. A few scars here and there, but nice-looking overall.

[Dutch]

Ya, very nice. Looks to be in good shape.

To be totally honest, the pics of mine make it look nicer than it is. I didn't do much body work on my bed. Just cleaned it and shot it with new color. I left all the little dings and scratches. Cab was a different story. I was going for a good clean, mechanically reliable daily driver type of truck. I don't want to be worried about every little scratch and such. I plan on using it to have a good time in. It will not actually be my daily driver but its not a trailer queen either.

Only thing so far I would consider changing would be the transmission. I am having a heck of a time getting used to downshifting from 4th to 3rd with the non syncro trans when going around a corner. Double clutching is not bad just can't seem to get the rpm's right. A lot more grinding than I care for. Upshifting is not an issue but that one gear change is giving me fits.

[aeblank]

Nice-looking truck you've got there. A few scars here and there, but nice-looking overall.

Ya, very nice. Looks to be in good shape.

Thanks. The scars are deep. The door is kinked, and flies open. The roof has a huge dent. One fender is a "V" instead of a "U" shape.

want to be worried about every little scratch and such. I plan on using it to have a good time in. It will not actually be my daily driver but its not a trailer queen either.

Only thing so far I would consider changing would be the transmission. I am having a heck of a time getting used to downshifting from 4th to 3rd with the non syncro trans when going around a corner. A lot more grinding than I care for. Upshifting is not an issue but that one gear change is giving me fits.

I agree on the usability and the trans. My trans is so sloppy that I can't even do rolling gear changes before I come to a stop (up or down). I dunno that I have enough skills for actual daily-ish driving. I'd sure like a syncro trans. I don't know if there are drop-in replacements or not, but I'm sure they'd be hard to come by if there were. I bet you'll learn your way to a smooth downshift. Keep at it. Grind 'em if ya gotta.

The pictures sure do look good. Makes me want to get after mine.

So, that musta been a "no" to doing mine then, right? =)

[Dutch]

So, that musta been a "no" to doing mine then, right? =)

The old saying comes to mind- if you have the money, I have the time ;)

[aeblank]

The old saying comes to mind- if you have the money, I have the time ;)

Bummer.
Basement project (finishing it) and second baby in a few weeks have me broke and without time myself.

I *do* hope it'll be a project I can do with my son in another few years. He's turning 6 next month.

I just keep scrolling up at the pictures. I just love it.

This one might be a bit better, but I'd be afraid to use it.
http://www.powerwagonadvertiser.com/...&postcount=210

[DrPepper]

That's not scars.....

....That's history and character, and it shows that there is more to the story than "I was built and I'm here".
Very nice.
DrPepper

[Matt Wilson]

Only thing so far I would consider changing would be the transmission. I am having a heck of a time getting used to downshifting from 4th to 3rd with the non syncro trans when going around a corner. Double clutching is not bad just can't seem to get the rpm's right. A lot more grinding than I care for. Upshifting is not an issue but that one gear change is giving me fits.

The later Power Wagons came with a partially synchronized transmission (transmission model NP420), meaning 3rd and 4th were synchronized, but not first and second. With second gear not being synchronized, I think the benefits of switching to this transmission are limited. Getting used to downshifting from 4th to 3rd was easier than learning how to downshift from 3rd into second, but there are many times when it would be very helpful to be able to do so. Even upshifting from 1st to 2nd can be tricky without synchros, so there could be a benefit in that regard if 2nd was synchronized, but alas, that's not how it is. I think the NP420 came out in '55 or '56 and continued through to the end of the original Power Wagon production run that ended with the 1968 year model. To use the synchro tranny, I believe you have to use a different bellhousing and probably a different flywheel than you have now. The clutch and pressure plate are also different. I believe the NP420 was also used in all U.S. market M37's, but I think the shift handle had a different shape. It might require taking the shift handle out and replacing it with one from a Power Wagon. Hopefully other people will chime in here with info, or to correct me on anything I might have gotten wrong.

I suggest you keep practicing your shifting skills with the non-synchro tranny. It takes some practice, but you will get there eventually.

[Dutch]

My first gear is so low I don't really use it on the road. I start in second pretty easily. I have not had a need to downshift to second except when I come to a stop sign and then its no trouble at all. I don't know if there will come a corner that I will need to go all the way to second but its possible. I will keep practicing. Just need to get the hang of it. I can see why some guys want to re power and change transmissions tho. Don't think I will ever do it but I will not rule it out either.

[Matt Wilson]

My first gear is so low I don't really use it on the road. I start in second pretty easily. I have not had a need to downshift to second except when I come to a stop sign and then its no trouble at all. I don't know if there will come a corner that I will need to go all the way to second but its possible. I will keep practicing. Just need to get the hang of it. I can see why some guys want to re power and change transmissions tho. Don't think I will ever do it but I will not rule it out either.

I agree that second gear is low enough that first is not needed most of the time when starting off from a dead stop, but there have been occasions when I have needed first, mainly when starting on a steep hill with a very heavy load. First is more often used offroad for me, although I don't take my truck offroad very often. Around corners, I try to maintain enough speed to make it adequate to downshift into 3rd, but sometimes that's not possible and I have to go to second to avoid lugging the engine, and that's more of a challenge to me. Not that I don't ever grind gears when shifting from 4th to 3rd, but just not as much as when going from 3rd to 2nd.

[Dutch]

Took it out tonight for a little while after work and I'm getting better at the downshifting. I think it will work out good in the end. This is going to be a fun thing to drive around town. I have already gotten a few thumbs up and head turns while driving it.

[Matt Wilson]

That's good news. Like I say, my downshifts have often been imperfect, even after I got pretty good at it. But as long as you don't try to force it, especially when you hear the gears really protesting, then I think you'll be ok. I imagine the designers of these transmissions knew that people would not get the shifting right a fair amount of the time, and hopefully made up for that in the design and materials used for the gears....but that's just my supposition.

I like the transmission's gear whine in 1st, 2nd and 3rd. It adds a lot of old-time character to the truck.

These rigs definitely turn a lot of heads. Glad you are enjoying.

[aeblank]

You guys are definitely not helping... I'm ready to duck out of work early and start tearing into my truck....

Except I have a basement remodel, multiple birthday parties (lots of house cleanup/organization), kid's school starting, and baby due in a month.

Keep driving it and take some pics to document. I'll live through you for a while. =)