While Jeep gets most of the ink as a World War II-derived civilian vehicle, another legendary off-road warrior designed for the conflict also made the switch to civilian life, although with a much-larger footprint: the mighty Dodge Power Wagon.
The Pick of the Day is a terrific, low-mileage 1949 Dodge Power Wagon with enough restoration upgrades to qualify as a resto mod. A brutal-looking pickup truck, the Power Wagon seems ready to wage war on the toughest terrain anywhere.
The one-and-a-half-ton truck has been beefed up with a 440 cid Dodge V8, 12-volt electrics, C-3 automatic transmission, air-conditioning, new interior with aftermarket gauges and a recent bright-red paint job. The Dodge also boasts a four-core aluminum radiator, power brakes with discs up front, positraction rear, a 20-ton winch and, just for good measure, an electro-hydraulic dump box.
The Power Wagon also has an interesting history.
“Records indicate it was purchased new by the Spokane, Washington, Fire Department,” the private seller located in Pecos, New Mexico, says in the ad on ClassicCars.com. “I have registration records from the fire department from 1957 to 1975.
“It was sold to the second owner in 1975 and the third owner in 1985 with only 12,500 miles. The third owner installed the Dodge V8 engine, front disc brakes, positraction and dump system. I purchased the truck in 2014 with 13,202 miles and had the restoration completed professionally.”
The truck now has fewer than 14,000 original miles on its odometer, so that with the upgrades and restoration, it is essentially a new truck.
These beasts have a strong following, and they don’t sell cheaply, with the owner asking a strong $90,000 for this Power Wagon. Nonetheless, it should sell fairly quickly once the right buyer casts an eye on this shining relic.
But the seller adds at the end of the description these word of caution:
“Warning: May eat small dogs and cats if parked in a neighborhood.”
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day
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