5961 original miles (not a misprint). Comprehensive restoration of a solid, original truck. Runs and drives very well, with numerous upgrades like disc brakes and electronic ignition. Very nice truck!
Despite the extremely low mileage, the truck was completely disassembled and treated to a frame-off restoration, the engine was rebuilt, and all of the chassis components were inspected and re-sealed. A proper Braden PTO winch was added up front with the requisite Power Wagon split bumper, and it returned to service better than ever. Today, it does show some signs of use—it was a work truck for a few years and while it never saw duty in severe weather, it’s been driven. However, the Submarine Seawolf Green paint still shines up beautifully and it has the right look for a Power Wagon, not too pretty to be used but very appealing. The bodywork was obviously in excellent order before the paint went on and the finish is exactly the right shade of green. The fenders are not wrinkled and bashed, the running boards are straight and covered in spray-on bedliner material so they’re grippy, and the doors fit quite well, latching with a comforting “click.” The bed was also treated to a spray-in bedliner to protect the working surfaces, so no worries about a Saturday afternoon trip to Home Depot for project supplies. This is a truck that doesn’t mind working as a truck.
A gray vinyl seat cover looks period-correct and provides durable, low-maintenance seating that’s comfortable enough for longer drives. Metal door panels are pure industrial-grade but they don’t rattle or ring when you’re driving and the interior feels remarkably tight when you’re hammering this rig down the road. The factory gauges, having so few miles on them, are in excellent shape and are all fully functional and the mileage showing on the odometer is indeed correct. A big tachometer was added under the dash to the driver’s left and a vacuum gauge to his right, both useful for driving and tuning the Power Wagon’s six-cylinder engine. A MoPaR heater under the dash is actually reasonably effective and there are heavy-duty rubber mats on the floors. As far as we can tell, everything works, including the wipers, which is always a nice feature on any old vehicle.
The 230 cubic inch inline-six is one of the most reliable machines ever devised by man. Despite the ultra-low mileage, the engine was fully rebuilt at the time of restoration, mostly because fire trucks often have many hours of idling that aren’t reflected in the mileage. New bearings, rings, pistons, and gaskets, plus an .030 overbore, mean that it runs like new and for a heavy-duty truck engine, the idle is ridiculously smooth. Upgrades include a Pertronix ignition system, a modern alternator for the 12-volt electrical system, and an open-element air cleaner in place of the oil bath unit, but it’s worth noting that all the original parts are included with the truck should you wish to take it back to 100% stock condition. The engine was painted correct corporate silver and now shows some signs of use, but the rugged reliability underneath is 100% intact.
Perhaps the most critical aspect of the Power Wagon is the driveline, and everything on this truck is in top shape. Incredibly, when the front hubs were disassembled, the factory tool marks were still visible inside the bearing cups, suggesting not only that the parts were in new condition, but perhaps that 4-wheel-drive had never been used at all! Nevertheless, the transmission, transfer case, and both axles were disassembled, cleaned, inspected, and reassembled with fresh seals and bearings, so everything works as intended. The front hubs were fitted with modern disconnects to save a few pennies when driving on paved surfaces and the standard front drum brakes were replaced with modern discs for vastly improved stopping power. The disc brakes are a bolt-on proposition, and the original backing plates, wheel cylinders, and what appear to be NOS drums are included with the truck. The original steel wheels were restored and painted to match the truck, then fitted with brand new 16-inch off-road tires that have only a few hundred miles on them, plus a matching full-sized spare.
The truck comes with a rather extensive cache of spare parts, including the aforementioned brake and engine parts, clutches, brackets, spare floor panels, plus a brand new, still-in-the-box ARB Air Locker differential that’s worth several hundred dollars all by itself. There’s also a full set of factory service manuals. Nice!
We sell a lot of Power Wagons, probably more than any other dealer, and this is a good one with a great background and still in excellent condition. Give us a call today and we’ll tell you all about it!
For more details and photos, please visit www.HarwoodMotors.com.
