Lookie What I Found!

I found this Gem at a local storage yard. For Sale sign on it, but no one around and no price is listed.

Despite it being totally hammered, it does have the drivetrain and original Winch. It also appears to have a motor and axles obviously, but no telling what condition they are in, nor the interior.

What interests me, is the old, original Dodge Power Wagon badging and pretty much everything cab-forward. No way in hell would I attempt a restoration and doubt a collector would want the tin, since it is all stomped in and appears to have been towed in from a wash somewhere.

I would LOVE to drag it home, and set it up as "Yard Art"! Fab up a simple flat bed and load it with Hay Bales, or some neat rock or large gravel then park it right next to where I park my new one.

I think the AZ plate is from '72.

What would you offer? Thoughts?

Scrap Value? $500 in metal?

Cummings transplant! It would make a bad ass diesel ratrod.

Not sure what to offer, but I would definitely be interested. Love those old project trucks.

That pto winch and transmission would actually be worth something to a restorer. Or off roader.

I'm with ATRepair. That would be an awesome rat rod for sure!

It's pretty beat up but worth it with the winch and PTO. You can sell that for $850 plus. My dad has sold 5 of them. Good luck. Thanks for sharing.


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Oooo. Rat Rod Project. Hmmm.

I like THAT idea. I will go by and ask first time I see someone around.

I think I will have to stick with the lawn art idea for now, as I have quite a ways to go in terms of paying off the new PW.

any word on this...looks like it would be a great project.

Nice find. I agree pick it up and swap the motor for an older cummins and do a mild restore. The dents tell the story so keep them.

I've been by several times since starting the thread.

It's still there. Unfortunately, the gates are locked and there are no numbers on either the faded For Sale sign, nor the buildings.

I will have to get a little more into it and start asking at neighboring properties how I can contact the owner.

Cruising around Greenhaven (next town over) I found another one!

This one, in considerably better shape. Probably even runs. Someone took the trouble of loading it up and hauling it in all the way from Colorado.

Sorry for the dark pic.

Pretty truck. All the glass is there, the rubber holds air, but the bed is also missing on this one.

Rat Rod! Nuf Said!

Nice. There's a guy on youtube with a '46 power wagon rat rod.

1946 Dodge Rat Rod - YouTube

There' still a few of 'em shined up perty.

Finally made the deal!

Well driving by last night, I finally saw a guy in the storage lot and the gate was open.

I inquired about the truck and asked what he was asking for it.

He told me to make him an offer. I paused, not knowing what he would think, or what I really should be willing to pay.

Then he said to make him an offer, that he would not be offended, so I told him I'd give $500 for it. He paused, and then told me if I got it by this weekend, he would let it go for $400.

Well, now I done it. So, I told him I would have to get some cash and get back to him. When I got home, and told the Chief Financial Officer of my experience, she said "Why didn't you just bring it home?"



So, I called the guy back, confirmed he was still at the yard, and went back. I had planned on just flat towing it down a dirt side road to get it home, but he gave me a funny look and told me I should trailer it home, but that he would help. Once tugging it back out of it where it had been parked, I found that the right two tires were plain chorded out and the rear driveshaft was bent, so that was a good call.

Long story short, after quite a bit more work than I had originally expected, we got it to the front of my house with a flatbed trailer he borrowed from a friend.

So, I gave him the agreed upon $400 and all I had left in my pocket ($40) for being kind enough to get it home.

It being now well after dark and temps dropping into the 30s, I haven't taken the time to really look it over or tinker with it other than to get it in the driveway and out of the road. It appears that everything under the hood is there, and a lot fresher looking than anything on the exterior or interior, which is basically all broken glass or ate up.

The ONLY down-side, is that at the last minute, the guy asked if he could have the front license plate (it was really straight) for his little boy who was there and had a collection going. I wanted to keep it complete, but the poor guy was about to cry and the owner had completely taken care of me, so I let it go. It was "only" from the 70's anyway and though battered, there still was the rear plate (showing a last current reg tag from '71).

Then, to make it all better, the guy told me that the truck was purchased originally from the local Steel supplier in town that later went on to be Page Steel, and that the truck was bought new for working on the building of the Glenn Canyon Dam project back in the '50s. It then was purchased by a friend of his and then he picked it up in it's current condition. Well jeeze. Cool story, knowing that it is a little bit of local history!
I would have paid the extra hundred bucks had he told me the story before it was all done just because I am a sucker for that sort of thing.

So now what? I guess I will tug it around to a nice parking spot, snap some photos of it tomorrow to post up and take a closer look at the various plates that remain on the outside of the glovebox door and see exactly what it is that I got myself into.

But hey, bottom line is I now have TWO Power Wagons! Woot!

SELL ME ONE ...LOL. CONGRATS

Well, finally some pics to post. Anyone have a idea what year it is exactly?

Last Registered in '71.

The story starts to check out regarding it having been used on the Glenn Canyon Dam project. I found a USDR inventory number on the door frame above the VIN plate. I am assuming that stands for United States Department of Reclamation.

I have a friend that works at the Dam, and can look in the photo archives during the construction period to see if it can be seen anywhere.

It sure would be super cool to find a original Black and White shot of the truck in action from back in the day!

Underhood, Winch and serial plate.

Old meets New

Checking out the new addition to the family.

I really need to move them around to a better location and snap some "together" pics.