# Some pics and vids of the Pontiac plow wagon



## wagonman76 (Jan 31, 2005)

http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y38/wagonman76/Plowing%2012-29-07/

This is the 4th season with the little plow and it still works good. For this season I found these cable chains at the Salvation Army for $4, shortened them to fit my tires, and installed them.

These pics and vids are from last weekend. The wife was borrowing her moms fancy camera and we got a storm so we figured lets try a little bit of video.


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## Supper Grassy (May 31, 2007)

looks good


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## Yaz (Apr 13, 2005)

That thing is just amazing.


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## bribrius (May 5, 2007)

so you going to bid on some commericial work with it? get some contracts?


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## streetfrog (Dec 9, 2007)

Nice... Just goes to show you people will put a plow on anything


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## merrimacmill (Apr 18, 2007)

thats great, I would have never thought that would be possible. Good luck, and very interesting.


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## REAPER (Nov 23, 2004)

It may be good for a drive but I am not impressed at all.

You do at least three times the work then you would with a normal plow set-up.
The lot you seem to be doing is a complete mess and no where near down to pavement.
By doing all the extra pushing and moving you are also over working that car.

Like I said it looks like a good idea for one drive maybe even a long country drive but all I see is a car making a mess of things. It also looks like you are doing more then that contraption can handle. 

Sometimes building things should wait until after the beer headache is gone.

A beat ta heck s-10 and a piece of plywood would do a better job in my opine.


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## dunedog (Oct 30, 2004)

yeah well, I still enjoy the Red Green Show and Wagonman, you bring a smile to some of us just the same.


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## tkrepairs (Nov 28, 2007)

REAPER;478569 said:


> It may be good for a drive but I am not impressed at all.
> 
> You do at least three times the work then you would with a normal plow set-up.
> The lot you seem to be doing is a complete mess and no where near down to pavement.
> ...


well i see pavement in the pictures. its his car he can do whatever he wants with it. and i would absolutely love to see you put a piece of plywood on an s-10 and do a better job. i mean come on man its no 3/4 ton truck with 4x4 and a setup weighing in at 8000 lbs. what he's got is doing just fine.


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## tinymitymo (Feb 23, 2007)

wagonman76;478310 said:


> http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y38/wagonman76/Plowing%2012-29-07/
> 
> This is the 4th season with the little plow and it still works good. For this season I found these cable chains at the Salvation Army for $4, shortened them to fit my tires, and installed them.
> 
> These pics and vids are from last weekend. The wife was borrowing her moms fancy camera and we got a storm so we figured lets try a little bit of video.


That's absolutely hillarious......

Looks like it works fairly well......

Nice job on the fabrication.....

Work with what you've got.....

I love it


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## REAPER (Nov 23, 2004)

Whoever said he could not do what he wanted?

I don't care if he mounts 4 shovels across the front and tries to do whatever it is he is trying to do.

I was commenting on the whole of it all.

You see this is the INTERNET.
People post their stuff and others comment on it.

Some of those comments are practical views from another person.

Those may not agree with others.

It is not a pat on the back club for something most would never do.

For what he is doing like I said he is over working the vehicle and doing a job that looks like someone just pushed snow all over till it was all packed down.

It is of no concern to me if he tries to bulldoze dirt with the thing.


You see I was just commenting my thoughts and nothing else.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

Much better then shoveling!!


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## wagonman76 (Jan 31, 2005)

The setup works well for personal use, which is all it will ever get used for. This is the 4th season using it, and it sure beats shoveling, which I did for many years here. There is no pavement, it is a rutted dirt driveway. The dirt is softer next to the house where I park the cars, which I assume is why it scrapes better there. As for the rest of it, the darkness peeking up through the snow is the dirt, so it does scrape reasonably well for a lightweight plow. I also do not salt, and light snow gets driven on a lot. I push the snow way back so I dont run out of room by the end of winter. As a bonus the kids like playing on the snowbanks.

I actually did put some thought and design process into it. I wanted something light, simple, strong, and inexpensive, that the car could handle, and something where I didnt have to get out and manually raise/lower/angle the blade. Thats why I went with a shallow fixed V with a cheap little ATV winch. I do agree that the job takes longer than it would with an adjustable V or straight blade, since I can only use half the blade at a time to windrow. But I can push through any storm I have encountered, the most so far being a foot of thick drifted snow, and 8" of wet heavy snow. I have thought about designing a powered V, if I could build it light, inexpensive, and strong enough.

I agree, plowing is hard on any vehicle. Thats why I chose this one. I already know the vehicle history. It has always been a great car in the snow, and has a lot of low end torque for towing and plowing. Before plowing with it, I drove it for 9 years and put almost 200k miles on it, in addition to the 60k that it initially had. After that it started getting pretty rusty, and I got another 6000 wagon as my daily driver. The plow wagon does not owe me a dime.

If this was for a business, even for money on the side, it would be completely ludicrous. But for my own driveway, I think it is a pretty good setup. I really like it. A lot of people seem to either love it or hate it. I respect all opinions, good or bad.


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## REAPER (Nov 23, 2004)

And thats all I meant.

Good for a drive or 2 or maybe a long drive but not much else.

What I don't understand though is if you have had it a while then why not figure out the best way to plow and make one side more of a scoop and not the V.

Say you had it worked where you always pushed to the left. Then you could straighten out the right side or make it more of a scoop so you were using more of the blade at one time.

With as many pipe fittings as you have on it I cant imagine it being to tough to turn a few forward.


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## 91AK250 (Nov 28, 2007)

that is awsome! love it lol

idk bout you guys but during the winter i never see pavment in lots or on driveways, theres allways a nice 1-2" snow/ice pack on the pavement. course we dont salt here which may be why..im not sure just that line got me..


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## wagonman76 (Jan 31, 2005)

REAPER;479005 said:


> And thats all I meant.
> 
> Good for a drive or 2 or maybe a long drive but not much else.
> 
> ...


The thought of doing some modifications has certainly gone through my mind. I do want to keep a V, since I want to make sure I can push through the deeper storms we have gotten in the past and are bound to get again. I read about guys pushing through deep snow with a V with ease, rather than "fighting with a straight blade". I have thought about making a detachable wing for the right side, since I do usually start at the right and push left. I have also thought a lot about an adjustable V blade, maybe using scavenged trailer jacks and starter motors for actuators. I built the plow from pipe fittings because I could not weld at the time; I can now. There are lots of things I could do. I always have more ideas than time and money.

However I am in no big hurry to work on it. It is already so much better than shoveling or even snowblowing, it makes me feel like the issue of snow removal is solved for now. Maybe sometime when I dont have a lot to do, Ill make up something to improve it.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

I think it is a heck of a cool setup wagon man!


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## sublime68charge (Dec 28, 2007)

I like it and if it works for you, It is a great setup.

due you leave the plow on all year long or take it off in the summer time and use the car as a backup DD at all?

How long does it take to hookup/unhook from the car?


I love the More Ideas then time or Money, line.

sometimes Motvation comes in also.


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## MB3 (Oct 11, 2007)

*Keep going*

This is how all the new things come about. People like you trying new things on cars. Some like then, some don't, but I bet you had, and still have fun using it, and that is all that matters. Thanks for sharing it with us. I wish I could have the time it took to make it.


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## McVey Landscaping (Nov 21, 2007)

Pretty dang funny, you have got to have to much time on your hands to come up with something like that. Look like it worked ok. The blade had be off an ATV, just kidding.


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## wagonman76 (Jan 31, 2005)

sublime68charge;480656 said:


> I like it and if it works for you, It is a great setup.
> 
> due you leave the plow on all year long or take it off in the summer time and use the car as a backup DD at all?
> 
> ...


There was actually a transition period of a few months when it was both my daily driver AND plow car. I put about 7000 miles on it with the plow attached. A good portion of it was 70 mph on the freeway. I had no overheating problems, and could definitely feel the extra wind resistance and got 24 mpg compared to the usual 30. My daughter lives downstate at her moms part of the time, so I was running back and forth. I cleared the foot of snow in her moms driveway, which is a small drive I was familiar with and plowed twice, for free of course. Thats the only time I plowed outside of my own driveway. Anyway, the setup was very stable on the road. Whenever on the road I would wrap a chain between the winch support and the blade, just for safety sake in case the winch ever failed.

Once summer was here for sure, I took the plow off for the summer, and later on I painted it. 3 weeks later I hit an enormous pothole and one of the rear trailing arm attachment points broke loose (thats the kiss of death for many good running FWD a-bodies). Like I said I knew it was getting pretty rusty. It looks like when the drivers door rusted through at the trim, that let a lot of salty water in and did it in. Over the summer while it sat I decided to rebuild the floorpan and reattach the trailing arm support. Thats when I learned to weld. I learned to do a good job and I did both sides and some other areas and really stiffened up the car. It is certainly safe enough to go back out on the road, but that summer I also got the other 6000 wagon from a coworker for super cheap so no need to keep both wagons on the road. Part of me would really love to restore the body of the white wagon, but then reality sets in and I dont have time to do it, plus I dont need another wagon on the road. The frame is good since I fixed it, engine and interior are nice. A lot of years ago it used to be a beautiful car. At least being the plow car gives it a second life while remaining paid for, rather than going to the crusher.

It didnt take too long to build the plow. Since I have no garage or anything, I built the components in my living room. The plow attaches and dismounts very easily, with no drilling or welding to the car. One pipe is u-bolted across the engine cradle. Another is u-bolted across the bumper supports. First the blade comes off with 4 pipe unions. Then the push arms come off the engine cradle pipe. Then unbolt the winch plate and disconnect the winch and lights. Then detach the pipe across the cradle, and push the pipe out. Then loosen the unions which join the 2 halves of the mount, and detach the pipe across the bumper supports. Then jack up the front of the car, and with some wiggling the 2 halves of the mount drop down and out. Thats it. However since Ive kept the car off the road, Ive been leaving the plow on over the summer while it is parked.

There were a lot of ways I was thinking about making it. I could have easily adapted a Snowbear to the car, but not to the tune of $1000, plus I wasnt sure how a straight blade would perform, and I didnt like the manual angle. But I liked the winch idea, remote control and no hydraulics. The Solotec is a neat idea with a fixed V being able to clear deep snow with a car, but I wouldnt like having to strap it on, not being able to raise it, and not being able to take it on the road. I considered buying a used Solotec blade and attaching it to my push arms, however they say it is not well suited for rough drives. So I just ended up making my own blade. The pipe across the cradle and push arm idea came from a guy named Ted Sabat, who at one time was selling homemade snowplow plans on ebay for $6 including shipping, a setup which worked well for his driveway, though his blade was PVC pipe which I dont think would have lasted long, plus it didnt raise. My setup uses ideas from all these setups.


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## Grizzly600 (Feb 9, 2008)

*American way*

Wagonman had a need and handled it by using his brain his hands and materials
he could get hold of cheap. It works...


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## jimaug87 (Feb 15, 2007)

brilliant. If it didn't work you weren't going to lose much, but when it did work, you saved yourself a bunch of time. 

If you figure the amount of time saved by the worth of your time, I'm sure it outweighs the cost of the plow. And, it looks like a lot of fun. 

Seeing as how you can weld now, let us know WHEN you modify it. Good luck


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## Bibbo (Jan 28, 2008)

i dont care what any one else says thats cool .... it took some skills and drive to think it up and make it work, and work good at that. it saves u time and money and looks like 1 h*** of a good time lol . you had the car already so why not have some fun with it ... good job


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## Yaz (Apr 13, 2005)

Yup it's still cool. It's nice to be so creative..Can you make me a small one for my GT235 John Deer? LOL


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## TerrForms (Dec 9, 2005)

Good going Wagonman! Great vids! I just love your plow! :waving: May it work another 4yrs


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## REAPER (Nov 23, 2004)

Bumping for Subaru dude.

You can look at this thread as well
http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=5635&highlight=station+wagon+guy
Mick has a link there that is still a good link.

Wagonman if you're around how is the beast holding up? Have you made any more mods or switch to another car?


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## rjnjr1019 (Nov 18, 2008)

I think its cool, its your car and have fun with it. I see by your replys you didnt seem to let what some people say to you bother you. some people take life to seriously. beats a shovel anyday.


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## ve9aa (Mar 6, 2007)

Awesome ! I had a Dodge Shadow plow car for 2 winters, but then I lost interest in it, as it wouldn't plow heavy deep wet snow. (might have, if I had made a Vee-blade)....I kept the old rickity 100% hombrew blade setup, made from an oil barrel, some water pipe and an electric satellite linear actuator motor,  but it's quite LD. Might mount it to my Land Rover this winter...not sure.

2 thumbs up. Love the design

Mike in NB, Canada tymusic


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## rjnjr1019 (Nov 18, 2008)

wow keep them coming


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