Swivel Frame Power Wagon Build

[A.R.C.]

This rig and the War Pig Tow Truck are the 2 best trucks on here. Very cool

[OlYelr]

Okay, if you remember back a ways, the grill on this body has always bugged me. So, I did some more looking at the way the grills actually looked:



Then I got myself some brass rod and bar, cut to length, bent to shape, and notched the bar for the rod to set in:



Soldered everything together:




Painted it:



And then cut out the lexan part of the grill and installed:



It's not perfect, but I think it looks a ton better. Behind the grill I just cut a piece of cardboard and wrapped it in some black nylon material I had laying around. It will do for now. As you can see in the picture, I just set the lexan winch in front, but you can bet I'll be finding a different solution here in not too long...

[2JSC]

Flippin' sweet!!! I love it!

[mir4dor]

Awesome build there !
The grille is hot but the winch is not. I'm sure you'll come up with something nice instead. Keep it going

[microgoat]

The grille is a big improvement

See if you can get a Wild Willy winch in there.

[tjb]

Originally Posted by microgoat

The grille is a big improvement

See if you can get a Wild Willy winch in there.

Or the WW radiator behind it too...... There was a old swivel frame sitting up at a old sawmill where my grandparents used to have a cottage way back...

[cyberhog05]

Nice build I love the old power wagons.

[OlYelr]

Okay, the winch is in the works...

But I also had a jerry can I wanted to put on the side of the bed. Every classic Power Wagon deserves a jerry can.

So, I painted it up, and put it on. I still need to fix the one hole area in the middle of the strap. The can is just held on just by the body post. And for those that have been concerned, this is the only body post staying long (for this reason). The rest of them will be replaced with shorter posts here shortly.

Close up:


Back a little:


(lights are just off temporarily due to other work going on on the front end)

[OlYelr]

Got a couple other things done in my spare time today too.

I finally painted the diff covers black, and I also detailed the wheels.





It's all in the details. It's finally starting to come together in my eyes...

[SnailMail]

WOAH! one sick rig there!

Also, fill in the body where you cut it, would make it look 10X better...

[OlYelr]

Okay, and finally to the winch...

This may sound a little unconventional, but what's the fun of doing the same thing everyone else is? Here's what I used:

One 3/8" x 1.5" bolt
Two 3/8" x 1" washers
One 3/8" Nut
Electrical tape
Black spray paint
One cheesy silver elastic lanyard I got at a trade show for work

I had to notch the washers to clear the front frame cross-member, and then I notched the delrin bumper mount to let the washers slide down in.

I also liked the look of the chain in the picture of the 1:1 above, so I found an old necklace chain to use. Hopefully it's not antique or valuable, or whatever. I'm sure my wife will let me know if she disapproves.

I think it all came together very well:

[OlYelr]

I got a chance to do a little wheelin' with the swivel frame today and was very happy with the performance. I did roll it twice though, but to my surprise, the wood bedsides survived fine. Not even a crack.

I am not sure about the headlights though. The RAM lights seem a tad big on that body as headlights. I'm thinking about using a couple High-Lift lights off the roll bar. I'd take pictures to post for comparison, but I don't have any High-Lift lights. Any thoughts? Anybody got a couple laying around they don't need? :grin:

[chino438]

awesome work bro! great detail man

[microgoat]

Hi-Lift lights would be just the ticket

[XSRCdesign]

the details look great!

[montana.matt]

One of the nicest builds I've seen

[OlYelr]

Well, time finally permitted work on the next stages of this build.

I didn't have any high lift lights, but I did have some extra Clod roll bar lights, so I cut them off, drilled and tapped the bottom, and mounted them up with some Pro-Line headlight decals. I think they look pretty nice.

Then I made some panels out of some lexan sheet (.030) for the front of the bed and the back of the cab. Painted them to match, glued them in, and voila. Much nicer.

Then I cut my body mounts down, and here's what we have:
(Sorry the pictures are still taken inside. I wanted to take some outside ones, but it's 20 degrees and snowing, and I just didn't feel like it. Later.)



I'm still amazed at the amount of flex, or swivel, or whatever you want to call it:



Here's a better view of the panels that fill in the front of the bed and rear of the cab:



Next I'm thinking side mirrors and windshield wipers.

Then I'd like to do an interior, but that would mean relocation of the ESC to somewhere, and a new transmission... hmmmm...

.

[OlYelr]

And here's the windshield wipers and side mirrors.

Windshield wipers were cut from scrap lexan I had laying around from a body that was painted silver and backed with black. Side mirrors are made from some plastic thick wall tube that I cut off, some thick black wire, and that same silver lexan scrap, cut using a paper hole punch.

Works for me!

[jmz6]

Nice.... The scale touches are awesome....

[redneck909]

deffently one of my favorite trucks ever!!!! friggin sweeeet man!!!