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Posted by Jeff in San Diego [192.212.253.8] on Wednesday, June 09, 2010 at 15:40:38 :
In Reply to: Power Wagon Woodie project posted by Joe Cimoch [68.116.181.98] on Monday, June 07, 2010 at 19:30:52 :
I started that project in 1995 and I think it was Fall 1995 or early 1996 when I saw the first Power Wagon forum using dial up from Taiwan. Thanks Joe!
The woodworker did an excellent job, is still working away, but keeps saying he won't do another one. The cast bronze brackets holding the wood together and the door latches are excellent craftsmanship as well, made by an expert machinist. A few minor flaws in the wood are fixable/coverable. Needs to be varnished too, a big expense if you don't do it yourself.
The big problem was with the guy who made the platform the wood sits on and was supposed to complete the bodywork and drivetrain. On the platform, the rear wheel wells are not to the arc of the power wagon rear fenders, which were provided to him for exactly that reason. Which means the wood is not to the shape of the rear fenders because the woodworker made the wood to fit the fender wells. Also fender wells are not the shape of a dodge truck fender well, more like a car fender well. He just made it up as he went along. Lot more flaws in the platform, too thin, needs reinforcement points where seats would mount, bad welds, etc. And that is more than one professionals' opinions. I trailered that thing around to many other reputable custom rod shops and they all said the same thing, the wood needs to be lifted off and the platform scrapped and remade.
He had also quadrupled his original estimate on his portion of what it was to cost for him to complete after I had already paid more than the original estimate while I was out of the country. He said the money I paid him went to design engineering. He and his business partner bought it back only to avoid court.
If anyone considers bidding on it, it is doable, especially for someone who makes their own floorboards, otherwise, for reference, I got a qoute many years ago for $3000-$5000 to put on a new correctly made floorpan. Rest of it is straightforward body and drivetrain work. I would put the value in the truck at the cost of the woodwork + about $1000 (you should be able to find a frame/cab with no drivetrain or bed for around a $1000, then just need rear fenders). See how much Cincinnati Woodwork wants to do the wood and this one is worth about that, although I think these guys want more, especially with the crate hemi engine.
By the way, it was made to look like a Cantrell, not a Campbell-bodied wagon, just like the one in Don Bunn's book and the one up in the weeds in Canada but with small details found on 1940 Ford woodies which look really great as opposed to the plain trim details found on commercial use bodies. The extra details are the headliner above the dash and the trim piece that runs the length of both sides.