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Deluxe Cab, Air Ride Seat, Spot light, Doo Ray Fog lamps, a GEMCO '400' Engine Heater, 5.83 gearing, ash tray with 30 year old butts still in it (Randy Baker and Matt T. aka ccsammy have both verified), and a nice Arm Rest - Thanks to Chris McK. Also original Jack, budd wheel wrench, wheel bearing socket,& Hand Crank (thanks Norm). Turn signals and little backup lights (switch on dash so they can be used to light up hitch area) switch bracket also has little red light to let you know the backup lights are on (Norm's work). the latest addition is a set of original 1948 Idaho "Baked Potato" license plates (2G 292)
truck now registered in Idaho with the vintage 1948 plates
06/15/2007 door signs "Western Line Construction"
10/2007 replaced engine heater with a "KATS" as the GEMCO died
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First a big thanks to Phil Street for this great site !!!
This truck might be one of the nicest original (un-restored & un-molested) T137s anywhere.
it is now over 70 years old (having been built on the 15th of January 1948 )and still looks much the same as it did back when it was delivered.
quick note: I had been looking all over (the usa) for a PW and this one was right where
I was told by My Friend Martin Swig (car collector)i would find one - within 20mi or 20min from the house.
We are the 3rd (really the 2nd) owners, we purchased the truck from Norm Kaufman in 2000
he bought it from his father-in-law in 1948 when it was new (it was too much for his father-in-law) so Norm bought it from him. So the Old Girl has really only had 2 drivers
which accounts for the condition. Norm used (and took very very good care) of her for 52 years and 400,000 plus miles (according to Norm) which might be a PW record. I talked with Norm on 12/16/2006 asked him about
his longest trip - he told me 1955 from Austin,Texas to
Dutch Harbour, Alaska he was towing a 35ft Prarie Schooner trailer home (he was with SAC) . Norm & I are still very good friends and I send him my PWAs after I read them. The winch & rear A-Frame bumper were added
by Norm sometime in the early 60's and came off of TEX (the 52 that I also got from Norm). The "Old Girl" had
been in continuous (weekly/daily) use with continuous maintenance since 1948 which also accounts for her
condition.
The build card shows it was built Jan 15,1948 and shipped to Roswell NM. (hand written in.
Aberdeen, SD printed on card & lined out)then shipped to Reno,NV where Norm's father-in-law bought it. engine no. same as on build card
I swapped wheels from TEX and mounted the 9.00x16 NATO tires I got from Paul Mierop.
We use the truck as a work bench/work truck on our property all the time and for trips to Franklin's building supply and also D&B Ranch Supply..
The "Old Girl" is UNMOLESTED and all original and as shipped (other than the winch,rear bumper, diamond plate over new wood in the bed, & 12volt conversion)
I did have the seats recovered, the Gas Tank boiled out, put in a new headliner, clutch & brake draft pads, and a transmisson draft pad. And we have NO Intentions to Restore or Modify in any way - just maintenance
A special thanks to Vintage Power Wagons aka VPW for having everything we have needed.
one further note - when i came across the old girl & met Norm I asked him what he wanted
$wise for her - he gave me a price (he knew what she was worth & that was his price) I
asked him "are you sure?" he said yes & I said OK and the rest is history
he later told me that over the years many people had wanted to buy her but when he gave
them his price they made a lower offer so he told them to leave!
Aug 2006 - replaced the Head/Head gasket along with a new oil pan (thanks VPW) after one
of the old head gaskets let go (Norm had put on 2 50,000 miles back because when he had the head milled it had to be milled too much and double gaskets were a common practice to
reduce the compression back to a useable ratio) runs fine now did get a carb kit from VPW
and i will do a carb clean job one of these days
I buy ALL the parts i need from VPW as should we all - without VPW we would be in deep VOODO for parts - great service - Thanks
June 15th 2007 Original Western Line Construction Co (My Dad's Old Company) Signage on the
old Girl - been waiting a long time for this
Western Line was active from 52 to 57 in the North West building Transmission lines
with the 55 Stevens Pass job being the biggest (this job was a joint venture with Macri
construction (Seattle Sewer Contractor) & Montgomery Electric (Portland)
Oct 2007 KATS Engine heater set on timer and activated for the winter
I am on the left in the 2nd picture along with Jack & Noah (our two grandsons) and our Son Martin is on the right
I added pictures of the door logo, "potato plates", and one of me sitting on my new best power wagon friend Janie's 48 taking a break from my
car show judging schedule (I did of course give Janie "best 4x4" for which she gave me a very nice thanks)
it was a day of power wagon nice firsts for her ; first Parade driving her new PW ; first car show ; first "FIRST PLACE" in her first car show all in all a very nice day
had a "valve job" done in July 2011 Scott did it at the place replaced the guides what a difference she runs very smooth. I took her to the Joe Mama's car show here in Jerome in August let kids climb in and play PW driver got an award for being a different kind of rig
Sept 2019 put the old girl up for sale with the first listing on Joe's power wagon page. Have not driven her in over 2 years so the time is right. If she does not sell will put her back in her "Power Wagon House" with her C5 corvette friend behind her.
another thanks to Daniel Woodland who found a bad ground cable and got her fixed last month (Aug 2019)
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