WDX Fires up


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Posted by David on July 19, 1999 at 14:34:37:

My dad and I had been eyeing this old Power Wagon for the past 3 years at the farm where we go dove hunting wondering what the chances were of us being able to get our hands on it. Not knowing the value of PW's we weren't in a big hurry to aquire yet another project. We finally got around to asking the farmer if he wanted to get rid of the old thing and he gladly said, "Sure, but I don't know why I parked that thing there 25 years ago and haven't touched the thing since." Well we took the wheels off and had some cheep used tires mounted just to be able to get the thing to roll and loaded her up on a flat bed trailer and towed her to our barn. After borrowing spark plug wires and battery from my dad's 53' Chevy, rebuilding the carb, running a gas line from a 2 gal can to the fuel pump, I cranked it over and to my amazement it fired up on the third or fourth crank!! I couldn't believe it, water was spraying all over the place from the old hoses and radiator leaks, there were clouds of smoke from the oil I had poured down the cylinders and there was dust/dirt blowing off of the block and from the radiator...I couldn't see a thing!! but she purred like a kitten, not a miss, not a hesitation, it idled like it was new. The truck is not drivable by any means yet but it is 98% complete. She needs a total restoration, no rust, only the light sandpaper type, needs a new seat, entire body is dent free!! Only body damage is minor and is on the tailgate. Best part is, I got it for $150.00. The truck was last registered in 1953. The father of the guy I bought it from bought it new and it rarely left the farm.
I am looking for advice on what I should do with the radiator, there are two small areas where the fins are deteriorated and both the inlet and outlet necks are cracked badly. where can I get a replacement and what costs am I looking at? Or, should I try to get it repaired?

Joe, thanks for this site, I've been visiting since Jannuary 99 and have learned a lot about these great trucks from everyone.


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