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This is not what comes to mind when you think of a town wagon, but it is interesting. I remember these, but they were always called panel trucks. Robert R found this one listed here on craigslist for $1,200. It’s in Bakersfield, so it shouldn’t have much rust. It runs, but the engine needs rebuilding. These old flatheads are easy to rebuild and parts should be the same as the same year of pickup. If you like the patina, it doesn’t look like it would take much to get this back on the road. Would you cruise around in this big Wagon?
These with windows were called Town Wagons, the 4WD version called Power Wagon, and the no window version was called the Town Panel. So yes, many were called panel trucks.
This is one you don’t see every day. Looks to be solid and complete too. A bargain at $1200.00 or best offer. It’s to far away for me.
This is actually a late ’55 2nd series, as the early ’55’s had a flat windshield, and the 2nd series had a wrap around windshield and different doors. With no seats, I’m wondering if this may have been an ambulance. I rarely say this, but a perfect candidate for a small Chrysler V-8. Pretty rare, apparently.
The lack of seats seems odd to me. I agree that this may have been an ambulance or some other specialty vehicle.
Hi Ed, yeah, if it was an ambulance, I hope you didn’t have anything serious. (pretty underpowered) Could be a long ride. :)
Hi Howard. Interesting point about the windshields. I always thought that the Poly head V8 was available in Dodge trucks from ’55 on.
Hi geomechs, I’d never doubt you. You’ve forgotten more than I know. :)
You are correct. The ’54 was the 1st year for the V-8 Dodge pickup.(241) In ’55, the hemi was available in med. & heavy-duty, but not in the pickup until ’57.
http://www.pickuptrucks.com/html/history/segment7.html
Hi I’m Rex and I bought a 1954 Dodge Pick Up in 1989. See older guys than me questioned the V8 hood so I started my search because I had a flat head 6 but it was a 265. Then I discovered this truck Vin VT 344 something was for V8 Truck..I had 54 manuals ,parts books,Bunns History of Dodge Trucks, magazine page information and pictures of trucks including 54 Panel. Found out finally from Chrysler Historical once I located my frame number by steering beer box and gave them the numbers stamped 000016 something like that that wrote back saying we know exactly what you should have .Very rare truck ,came with a 241 Polyhead V8 and not the hemi 241 even though it was called a Power Dome. Few were made and ordered. Emergency Vehicles were called Speed Trucks. Was told be very valuable if I could find 241 Poly even though it wasn’t the original and I had no 16 put of 100 they built in June of 1954. I finally saw all the information about the engine and truck in the 1955 Truck Manual and Parts Manual for early 55. The later for that year was the 270 Poly Engine. I finally found and bought 55 truck for the 241 engine. Found my 1954 Panel finally too but mine is Job Rated actual Panel Truck with no side windows except for the cab and then 1 window at top of each back door.Both still projects.
Definitely looks like some sort of former state, county or institutional vehicle
I like this thing. I wouldn’t do it up as a shop truck with a modern drivetrain and a decent interior and a decent repaint with some nice tires and wheels and enjoy it. It’s different. That’s why I like it.
Nice truck!
I like it! If I recall some of these in California during the 50’s were used as Forest Service Vehicles. May have been a light or dark green? However there were many types of commercial use’s for this type Wagon. Nice find!
Can’t believe no ones grabbed this. It’s been posted for over 2 weeks.
If it was a Bakersfield area vehicle all its life, rust will be very minimal. I picked up an Exner-era Plymouth about fifteen years ago from there, and, while anything that the sun could burn out of the interior was gone, there wasn’t a pinhole of rust-through anywhere on it–which is nice, contrasted with cars from the muggy southeast. Those cars have usually come apart like papier-maché after 50+ years of Dixie’s hothouse storage. If this were in my city, I would be over there with a trailer and an envelope of cash.
WOW nice would but to far away !!!!!