Vehicle Description
SEE THIS TRUCK IN HERSHEY CAR CORRAL SPACES B67-B69!
Nice original Power Wagon with recent paint and interior. Runs and drives great, 12-volt electrical system, 4x4 and PTO winch fully operational.
This 1947 Power Wagon delivers on its rugged good looks. It enjoyed a cosmetic restoration a few years ago and looks fantastic today, with glossy paint and excellent trim that belies its bare-knuckle work ethic. It doesn’t look like this truck ever really worked very hard for a living, and the bodywork is in excellent condition with no signs of major surgery or rust in its history. The bed is still usable as a bed, having been coated with a spray-in bed liner material, so no worries about beating up some beautifully polished dance floor, and the running boards have been coated with the same stuff for durability’s sake. A single Dodge taillight is how these came from the factory and that’s how it remains today and both headlights are protected by a set of brush guards that look butch. In addition to the heavy-duty 10,000 PTO winch on the front bumper, which is the Power Wagon’s most iconic feature (fully functional, by the way), it’s also equipped with a trailer brake controller and a removable hitch (not shown).
The interior has been sensibly upgraded over the bare-bones Power Wagon factory spec. Most notably, the bench seat is now covered in durable gray fabric, which is a lot more comfortable than the original vinyl. The floors are covered with recent rubber mats and additional sound-deadening materials underneath, so this passenger compartment is a little better protected from heat and noise than most Power Wagons. The original gauges are in good order, although the factory fuel gauge and ammeter are disconnected, replaced by modern dials in the center of the dash and necessitated by an upgrade to a 12 volt electrical system. Other upgrades include a neat two-axis cup holder that’s a good idea in a vehicle that can go where the Power Wagon can, as well as a fan above the windshield that actually makes quite a bit of difference on hot days. All the other controls are as the factory intended and there’s an accessory Mopar heater under the dash that’s fully functional, too. A manual throttle controls is there to manage any accessory PTO components that you might use with your Power Wagon.
It’s easy to underestimate the Power Wagon’s 230 cubic inch inline-six, but it was built on its own assembly line and is designed to be the most reliable machine this side of an anvil. It’ll take you to remote places and back again without a second thought and with the myriad of add-on equipment and options for the Power Wagons, ranging from tow truck rigs to sawmills, it was designed to run stationary for hours on end. It’s also deceptively smooth for a truck engine, with a precise-sounding mechanical soundtrack that’s pleasing to the ear. Thanks to a lot of recent work that includes fresh ignition system components and carburetor parts, it starts and runs very well without getting cranky. The block is dressed neatly in black with no signs of trouble, and while it isn’t detailed for show, it’s functional and nicely finished.
It’s backed by a 4-speed manual transmission and a 2-speed transfer case with a 1.96:1 reduction ratio for really slow going. First gear is ultra-low, so you don’t really need it, and once you’re in fourth it’ll crawl down to about 7 MPH and thanks to “high speed” gears in the axles, it cruises happily at 45 MPH. Brakes are manual drums at all four corners, and this is a very big truck, so plan your stops accordingly but pedal action is reassuringly smooth and firm. We haven’t ventured off-road with this struck, but all the 4-wheel-drive equipment appears intact and functional and the same goes for the PTO winch up front. Recent Goodyear tires give it the right look and are fitted to five original Budd steel wheels with lock rings.
If you like the look and enjoy the utility it offers, this is a fantastic Power Wagon that’s ready to enjoy.
For more details and photos, please visit www.HarwoodMotors.com
