Thread: Power Wagon build

Originally Posted by JDNSW

The one I was driving did not have the chrome grille, nor the linework. I can't remember for sure whether it had the cast steel wheels or disc wheels - we had both. I expect it had that sort of signalling device, although I don't specifically remember it.

I remember them (the hand signals) in general use - the buses I travelled to school on had (most of them) a somewhat more elaborate sliding setup, where the hand slid out of a black box, and there was lift up stop on the handle that allowed it to go further, tipping the hand to horizontal for a turn signal. This made a distinctive noise, which could be heard the full length of the bus.

That one wouldn't have had any chrome, pinstripes or superfluous lights, in 1967 either.

Originally Posted by V8Ian

That one wouldn't have had any chrome, pinstripes or superfluous lights, in 1967 either.

Yes, that did occur to me as well!

Speaking about me replacing the 4 speed crash box with a synchro 5 speed , An old fart in the HCVC said " It's not a Power Wagon anymore Put it back and Learn to drive " Irony is Old Mate wouldn't know what a PowerWagon was if he bumped into it , The Amount of people that mis identify a Dodge WC as Power Wagons is staggering , There was a previous post years ago where someone posted a photo of a Power Wagon wanting to know what it was and same bloke identified it as a WW2 MackEH .

If only he knew what other parts I had to use in my build , but don't want to upset old mate, we keep this to ourselves.

Power Wagon substitution Parts Not including many countless other parts I made from scratch.


2 speed cable drive wipers
MGB Wiper arms & blades
Nitro 4.3 diff gears ( in place of 5.83)
Range Rover body mount rubbers
Toyota BJ74 Fuel Tank
Kia Sorrento intermediate steering shaft
Holden Astra power steering pump
CPP power steering box
Landrover Series3 interior mirror
LandRover V8 electric fuel pump
Toyota FJ40 Brake & Clutch pedal assembly,
FJ45 1-1/8 master cylinder
Holden LJ Torana Fuel neck & cap
Holden FJ filler neck grommet
Weber 32/36 DGV Carby
Langdon HEI distributor
Iveco Daily 4x4 Shockers
Toyota FJ60 Alternator
Mitsubishi Magna heater core
Jeep CJ Door handles
Chrysler Caravan volt gauge module
2x Ford Mustang clutch pedal boot
Chev SBC Valves and guides
Ford Model A Tail lights.
Toyota HiLux Seat
Triumph Herald interior light
Home made delrin horn button
Home made dash knobs
Suzuki Jimny front drive shaft for winch drive shaft

Ford F1 Stake pockets
Ford F1 Steering wheel
Fargo 58 door lock control
Chrysler 318 thermostat cover
Home made tub / bed
Home made running boards

Home made head lining and door cards
Mu2 converted to Electric
Home made bumper and winch mounts
Home made mirror arms and hinge brackets
NP540 transmission
Nissan G60 gear lever boot
VAG HiTorq starter
AAV4x4 17x9 tubeless rims

Originally Posted by V8Ian

I was only a kid too, I think white and yellow were the go.
I do recall sitting behind the school bus driver and being fascinated by the more sophisticated mechanism than fitted to trucks.

The height of sophistication of these devices ended up as the electrically operated "trafficator" which early LR's amongst other vehicles had. The semaphores are the little black boxes in the top corner the windscreen. 1949' Land Rover Series 1 for sale. Wales (classicmoto.rs)

Yes, commonplace on UK cars here in the immediate postwar period - but never legal to use in any Australian state.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Yes, commonplace on UK cars here in the immediate postwar period - but never legal to use in any Australian state.

Interesting, LHD PowerWagons imported for use on the Snowy Hydro had a semaphore retrofitted to the right side roof, operated by driver on left.
This one belongs to Howard in Canberra who has kept the semaphore on it. Mine had the holes in the roof which I filled in.

83929511 a.jpg IMG_0249.jpg

Originally Posted by goingbush

Interesting, LHD PowerWagons imported for use on the Snowy Huydro had a semaphore retrofitted to the right side roof, operated by driver on left.
This one belongs to Howard in Canberra who has kept the semaphore on it. Mine had the holes in the roof which I filled in.

83929511 a.jpg IMG_0249.jpg

That looks like the tin hand, similar to what was fitted (compulsorily?) to LHD army Jeeps.
trafficator.jpeg
Semaphore also called trafficators.

Originally Posted by goingbush

Interesting, LHD PowerWagons imported for use on the Snowy Hydro had a semaphore retrofitted to the right side roof, operated by driver on left.
This one belongs to Howard in Canberra who has kept the semaphore on it. Mine had the holes in the roof which I filled in.

83929511 a.jpg IMG_0249.jpg

That is the tin hand referred to earlier, and exactly the same as the ones I referred to on buses in my childhood. They are different from the illuminated semaphore signals, and were legal because they had a hand shaped and sized signal that could be displayed either up right for "stop" or horizontal for "right turn". The semaphore did not meet these requirements.

Worth also noting that until around 1960 stop lights were not a legal substitute for hand signals.