Posted by George A. Farrier on Monday, March 28, 2005 at 11:58AM :
In Reply to: First Power Wagon-Where Do I Start? posted by Dale L Smith on Sunday, March 27, 2005 at 1:16PM :
I asked the same question when I started to do mine. Best suggestion is to go to the PW rally in Iowa. You'll learn more there in four days than you will in a year at home. Also bring a "parts I need list" with you. Vintage has all the parts you need. Also there is a swap meet at the rally.
Your local hardware store will have every bolt and nut you need in stock. Local auto parts store will have a lot of parts for the PW because some of those parts were generic in a lot of Chrysler products.
In the meantime don't do a thing to the PW unitl you have photographed it to death. Every angle, every part in place.
Then when you start taking things off put the small parts in a labeled plastic zip lock bag. Remember it could be months before you put them back on and the photos will help you relocate where they go.
Get the PW Parts Book from Vintage. That is your Bible of restoration. It has exploded views of where things go. I wore out two of them. I would suggest getting one and taking it apart and putting the pages in plastic sleeves and three ring binders. This will preserve them and keep oil and grease from getting on them.
Lay out a large white sheet under the PW before you start taking things apart. Murphy's law is that anything that falls off the PW will roll to the middle or oposite side you are working on.
Watch your back. PW parts are heavy. Get a floor jack to life stuff.
Buy a case of bandaids.
Order of restoration would probably be this:
1) Engine and tranny.
2) Brakes, tires, battery, etc.
3) Paint job.
4) Interior.
Hope you have an understanding and supportive wife.
Have fun (with the PW and wife).
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