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How I discovered Power Wagons
Hi, My name is Tim and I am a dodgeaholic...
I was driving along in Vermont and saw a really rugged looking truck with a plow next to the road, for sale. Turned out to be a 41, 1/2 ton. I had never really noticed these trucks before. I drove it home, no brakes and 1/2 of the transfer case on the floor beside me.
Someone had done something radically wrong and the transfer case literally broke in half. Fortunately, the rear drive shaft was still getting power, but not the front. I put tire chains on the rears and plowed all winter like that. I finally found a transfer case in a military junkyard. when picking it up, I saw an MU-2 winch there. After negotiating a price, I went home to start saving up for it.
About the time I raised the money, I found a 55 Power Wagon wrecker, with the winch, for sale, for the same price as the winch at the junkyard. I drove that home too. If you filled the master cyl. and pumped it up, you got brakes until the fluid was gone, long enough to get me home. I moved the plow to that rig and plowed with that for about 10 years. It was pretty tender in spots.
About 5 years ago, a friend of a friend was at the shop and saw the Power Wagon. He said he had a 57 for sale. Frozen engine, but a dump bed and in decent shape. I bought it sight unseen and had to drive to North Adams Mass to get it. My wife just shook her head when she saw it. There was nothing forward of the firewall except the frame and the axle. The rest was in a heap in the bed, engine, winch, transmission, fenders, hood etc. Got it home to Vermont and spent the winter rebuilding the engine and transmission, and installed them in the spring.
Since then I have rebuilt/restored mechanical components, but other than a new seat cover, nothing cosmetic. I want a truck I can throw firewood into and not worry about the paint. I recently decided to broaden my horizons and actually get it registered. I am in the middle of rebuilding the brakes, rewiring it and running new gas lines. My goal is to drive it to the green mountain power wagon rally Oct. 4th.
Many miles before we sleep...
Thanks for listening, Tim
Hi, My name is Tim and I am a dodgeaholic...
I was driving along in Vermont and saw a really rugged looking truck with a plow next to the road, for sale. Turned out to be a 41, 1/2 ton. I had never really noticed these trucks before. I drove it home, no brakes and 1/2 of the transfer case on the floor beside me.
Someone had done something radically wrong and the transfer case literally broke in half. Fortunately, the rear drive shaft was still getting power, but not the front. I put tire chains on the rears and plowed all winter like that. I finally found a transfer case in a military junkyard. when picking it up, I saw an MU-2 winch there. After negotiating a price, I went home to start saving up for it.
About the time I raised the money, I found a 55 Power Wagon wrecker, with the winch, for sale, for the same price as the winch at the junkyard. I drove that home too. If you filled the master cyl. and pumped it up, you got brakes until the fluid was gone, long enough to get me home. I moved the plow to that rig and plowed with that for about 10 years. It was pretty tender in spots.
About 5 years ago, a friend of a friend was at the shop and saw the Power Wagon. He said he had a 57 for sale. Frozen engine, but a dump bed and in decent shape. I bought it sight unseen and had to drive to North Adams Mass to get it. My wife just shook her head when she saw it. There was nothing forward of the firewall except the frame and the axle. The rest was in a heap in the bed, engine, winch, transmission, fenders, hood etc. Got it home to Vermont and spent the winter rebuilding the engine and transmission, and installed them in the spring.
Since then I have rebuilt/restored mechanical components, but other than a new seat cover, nothing cosmetic. I want a truck I can throw firewood into and not worry about the paint. I recently decided to broaden my horizons and actually get it registered. I am in the middle of rebuilding the brakes, rewiring it and running new gas lines. My goal is to drive it to the green mountain power wagon rally Oct. 4th.
Many miles before we sleep...
Thanks for listening, Tim
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