1947 Dodge Power Wagon

In 1945, Dodge introduced the Power Wagon which stayed in production until 1968. During its production life span, it received very few changes. The design and idea were inspired from World War II, where large and capable four-wheel-drive trucks had proven their worth on the battlefield. This was the first civilian, mass-produced 4X4 truck ever created. Shortly after its introduction, the Willys 4T was introduced.

The Power Wagon sat atop a 126-inch wheelbase. The pickup portion of the truck was eight feet long and 4.5 feet long. Under the hood was a 230 cubic-inch six-cylinder flathead engine matted to a synchromesh transmission. The 230 engine was later replaced with a 251 unit. The tires were 9.00 x 16 in size and mounted on Budd wheels.

Production of the Power Wagon was low, with less than 100 being produced during its 1945 through 1968 lifespan. Many were used as school buses or fire trucks.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2013