Spectacular all-new professional build by Dan Mininger of Precision
Power Wagons. Fresh 4BT Cummins turbo-diesel, Tremec 5-speed,
4-wheel disc, and more. Leather, A/C, stereo, drop-down running
boards. The ultimate Power Wagon that works like it should!The
Dodge Power Wagon is a legend. Developed on the battlefields of
WWII and brought home to work in the farm fields, it quickly became
one of the most useful tools known to man. If you had someplace
remote to go or had to haul a bunch of gear over rough terrain,
there was nothing better. But what the original Power Wagon didn't
do well was drive in city traffic. No, despite its legendary
capabilities, the original Power Wagon was little more than a
tractor that looked like a truck?it was slow, crude, and tough to
maneuver in more urban environments. That's where this absolutely
awesome 1949 Dodge Power Wagon resto-mod comes in?it keeps
everything that made the original Power Wagon legendary while
adding a big dose of usability for today's world. It's still
wrapped in its original sheetmetal, so that utilitarian do-anything
look remains 100% intact, right down to the fully functional Ramsey
winch on the front bumper. It's massive, make no mistake, but the
incredible proportions look right and dressed in traditional bright
red with black fenders, it could almost pass for a stock truck. And
that's the magic of Dan Mininger's work?he updates the Power Wagon
without removing its soul. Hardware is correct, the doors fit
nicely, the hood snugs down without a fight, all signs of a
craftsman at the top of his game. And with just test and tune miles
on the build, it remains in excellent condition throughout. Even
the oak in the bed is beautifully finished?probably too nice to
ever work for a living, but a wonderful finish to an exceptional
truck.Inside, there's still plenty of Power Wagon DNA. We've seen
other Power Wagons with interiors that look like street rods, and
that's fine if you're into that sort of thing, but this one still
feels like a Power Wagon should. Of course, there are comfortable
leather bucket seats that adjust in a myriad of ways, a nice
upgrade over the slippery vinyl bench the factory installed.
There's a tilt steering column with a handsome small-diameter
wheel, so it's easy to get comfortable (as long as you're under
about 6'1'), and plenty of sound-deadening materials make it feel
finished, not crude. Matching black carpets cover the floor, adding
more quiet to what was originally a VERY loud place to be, and a
beautiful set of Speedhut gauges monitor all the engine's vitals,
including boost and exhaust temps. Of course, no resto-mod is
complete without some creature comforts, so this Power Wagon also
includes power windows, a powerful Vintage Air HVAC system, and a
Rickford Fosgate stereo system with a controller neatly integrated
into the original dash. The 5-speed shifter falls easily to hand,
just like it was born there, and there's a second lever for
controlling the 2-speed transfer case, which is, of course, fully
operational. Like I said, it feels like an original Power Wagon,
it's just more comfortable, more capable, and more usable today.The
heart of this Power Wagon is a Cummins 3.9-liter 4BT turbo-diesel,
which is the right choice for your updated Power Wagon. Torquey as
hell, reliable as an anvil, simple to service, and it slots right
into the engine bay without any cutting, so the admittedly compact
passenger compartment doesn't get any more compact. This is a fresh
crate engine, not a take-off or used piece, and it's fitted with
new hardware throughout. It's incredibly user-friendly: simply turn
the key and fire it up and it works every time?if there's fuel and
you can make it spin, it WILL run. There's enough torque on hand
that you really don't even need 1st gear (in fact, Dan Mininger
recommends starting in 2nd for normal driving) and the torquey
diesel pulls the massive Power Wagon around without ever seeming to
work very hard. And with the tall overdrive gear in the Tremec
5-speed, it cruises easily at highway speeds. The rest of the
powertrain consists of an NP241 transfer case, a GM 14-bolt rear
axle, and a Dana 60 front axle, the latter of which are filled with
4.10 and 4.11 gears, respectively. The original leaf springs are
long gone?they were so massive that they could carry anything but
rode like bricks?and have been replaced with lighter leafs up front
and coil springs and adjustable QA1 shocks out back for a much
improved ride. There's a disc brake at all four corners for
impressive stopping power and power steering is, of course,
included with the package. Everything in and under the truck is
new, so it's 100% ready to roll. And speaking of rolling, it sits
on 17-inch Black Rhino wheels with massive 40x13.50R17 off-road
radials that look like they can go anywhere.There's a reason these
trucks have been popular since day one: they've got the right look,
the right capabilities, and with this incredible resto-mod, the
right road manners to make it genuinely usable as a real truck. We
should probably also point out that if you want Dan Mininger to
build you one like this, it'll be a quarter-million bucks and a
3-year wait. Suddenly this one looks a lot more appealing, don't
you think? Superbly built, a blast to drive, and the star of any
cars-and-coffee event, this is a legend you can drive. Call
today!Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or
professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to
purchase.
Vehicle Details
1949 Dodge Power Wagon
Listing ID:CC-2006022
Price:$224,900
Location:Cleveland, Ohio
Year:1949
Make:Dodge
Model:Power Wagon
Exterior Color:Red
Interior Color:Black leather
Transmission:Manual
Odometer:12
Stock Number:122062
VIN:88759578
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