Vehicle Description
1940 Dodge Series VC G502 Power Wagon
Prior to, during, and after World War II, Dodge was pumping out
work trucks which they referred to as Job Rated Trucks. And not
just two or three models. Between 1939 and 1947 Dodge offered an
astounding 175 variants of Job Rated heavy trucks, changing up
drivetrains, axles, brakes, transmissions and more in an effort to
appeal to particular customers and markets. For the war, Dodge
produced a number of trucks including the 502 4x4's that served as
weapons carriers, carryalls, and ambulances.
For consignment, a fully customized 1940 Dodge Series VC that you
have to see to believe. If this isn't the highest vehicle we've
consigned at the mall, it certainly has the largest wheels and
tires, and we've represented fire engines! The large Dodge truck
has been monsterized to wild proportions and with no expense spared
equipment and mechanics. Modern Cummins diesel, check, 4-speed
manual check, NP205 transfer case, check, and lets not leave out
those bullet-proof deuce and a half axles. No bolt went untouched
in this build and the truck even has its own name, FUBAR, a
military term that has been adopted by us civilians over the years.
Not sure what it means? You'll have to google it as we can't print
all the words.
Exterior
The steel bodied Dodge is elevated on 20-inch wheels and 53-inch
tires connected to military 2.5 ton, (deuce and a half), axles.
Bathed in glossy Battleship Gray, the truck is highlighted by black
features including the custom FUBAR step boards. In front the
massive custom bumper gives way to a hydraulic PTO driven variable
speed Braden 20,000 pound winch with a synthetic winch cable in
front of a black brush guard. LED headlights give way to custom
made side hood panels, a vintage visor, and the round roofed cab.
The bed, which has a black-painted diamond steel floor, was also
custom fabricated and the tailgate is embossed with FUBAR in early
Dodge font. Tail light housings are from a 30's Ford and contain
LED lights. We note a custom rear bumper hydraulic tank out back
and massive D-ring tow shackles are found on the front and back.
Dimensions of the truck are 8' 7" tall by 17' 6" long by 7' 6"
wide.
Interior
The Battleship Gray paint flows seamlessly into the interior just
as the military drab green would have originally. The surfaces are
not covered in plush materials or cushy padding, it retains its
utilitarian appearance but with the floor having been smoothed. A
black vinyl bench seat is supplied with three sets of seat belts.
You can't miss the floor mounted grenade shifter handle and
transfer case shifters topped with .50 caliber bullet shells. The
clean fitting gauge cluster contains Dakota digital gauges, black
faced and backlit. The Pioneer screen head unit leads to Fosgate
speakers and a Bazooka bass tube, naturally. A painted ceiling is
fronted by an overhead switch console with unmarked toggle switches
and indicator lights. The side and rear windows are tinted, Vintage
A/C and heat are included, and power windows have been added.
Drivetrain
A fully rebuilt 239ci Cummins 4BT inline 4-cylinder includes
compound turbochargers, hi-flow injectors, a custom ram air
intercooler, and cold air induction. It is fed fuel through
electronic fuel injection and connected to a T19 4-speed manual
transmission with an NP205 divorced transfer case with twin-stick
control. Wilwood pinion brakes are found on the front and rear as
well as power disc brakes at each wheel. Power is supplied by dual
Optima gel batteries. The radiator is a custom build.
Undercarriage
Easy access to the undercarriage is granted by the massive wheels
and tires and one can practically walk under the rig. It's here we
find the heavy duty 4 link suspension with Fox coil overs at each
corner. A PSC hydraulic steering kit is front and center and a
single exhaust emits spent diesel under the truck. The underside is
spotless and serves as a clinic in mechanical and hydraulic
operations.
Drive-Ability
The first task is climbing up to the cab and there are a few
options to do so. Once up there with the clouds, it's an experience
unlike any other for mere civilians, unless you've driven a tractor
trailer. The diesel fired up and we were rollin' coal, (not
really), out the garage and onto the loop. It takes a few minutes
to get your bearings and fortunately, our loop is a wide open lot
so we won't be testing the parallel parking abilities of this
beast. Obviously, there's tire noise with these enormous treads but
the truck rolls along in a commanding way that is surprisingly
smooth. The hefty rig is slowed adequately with the rather
elaborate brake setup and accelerates well given its girth.
Here's the ideal armageddon vehicle, one that can drive over
zombies and gridlocked cars and deep creeks. But ultimately, it's
the ideal show truck and everyone, and we mean everyone, will want
to take a closer look. The proportions are so large, so
exaggerated, that it leaves your jaw agape, even if you know
nothing about cars or trucks. It also represents one time American
dominance in the world as a battle tested, a true FAFO nation that
liberated others and protected freedom at home. This would be a
huge hit at Memorial Day parades and others. Hooah!
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
