Every day, we see more and more Japanese-market firetrucks being imported, models like the Toyota HiAce and others, often with next to no miles on the clock. The appeal is obvious, as you can strip away the firefighting equipment and effectively have a brand new truck underneath. But when you have 1976 Dodge Power Wagon fire truck with just 21,166 miles like this one listed here on eBay, it seems like a lot less work to simply drive a clean, nearly-new domestic pickup home from Montana.
Bidding is currently at $7,600 with no reserve, which seems like an absolute steal for a rig this new underneath. As I mentioned, there’s a big business right now in importing old municipal vehicles from overseas, as they apparently have the same problem as we have with buying trucks, never using them, and then selling them at a loss a few years later. Only thing is, if you lose a windshield in an old Toyota HiAce, good luck finding a replacement. With this old Dodge, all of your needed spare parts are just a scrapyard away.
The good news is that no matter which country you buy one of these trucks from, chances are it will be in excellent condition. Fire departments tend to be quite proud of their trucks and other equipment (what other municipal agency do you see make such a point of washing their trucks in the summer months?), so aside from needing some light detailing, there’s not much to fault from a cosmetics standpoint with this Dodge. The seller claims “…everything works,” and given there’s a lot of extra equipment on a fire truck, one hopes that includes the various communications equipment and lighting.
Under-hood is nicely detailed, and I’m sure this Power Wagon left the factory with some heavy-duty equipment options given its intended use. I would expect to at least find upgraded cooling and charging equipment given the extra amperage a truck like this needs. The question now is this: were you to win this auction, are you strippng off all of the fire fighting equipment and slapping a short bed on back, or keeping it and driving it the way it is now?
We had one identical to this at Humboldt Fire District,
It had a 440 with a high-rise manifold on it.It was really cold-
blooded,& would stall if you didn’t start it up just right.It was
also very loaded down as the would put anything that wouldn’t
fit on the other engines on it,plus when you added a full tank of
water on it,it almost wouldn’t get out of it’s own way.
I think it would’ve made a really cool pickup,if the bed was
removed.A department in Colorado bought it,& I was told that it
was rolled when they were driving it back to Colorado.
“Emergency”( for higher elevations) was my 1st thought. The series, hoaky by todays standards, for the 1st time, depicted what emergency personnel dealt with, with alarming accuracy, like all the Jack Webb shows. They drove a red Dodge like this as early paramedics. This truck was equipped to the nines, and I bet cost the dept. plenty, but Montana, pfft, not much happens in Montana, and justifies the condition. It may show 21K, and I doubt 121K, but these trucks never went far, more of an equipment carrier for the firefighters, and probably idled for hours. Unless you have plans of fighting wildfires, which ironically we haven’t heard much of lately, best to leave fire fighting to the pros. Not sure what this truck is good for.
Years ago, I worked as a wildland firefighter. I worked for the state, but would save vacation time (the state gave you a lot of vacation time – much more generous with that than actual pay) then I’d volunteer to go out west with the federal government as a firefighter on a hand tool crew to make some extra cash. I went to New Mexico and (ironically) Montana. Trucks like this were generally bought by some federal firefighting outfit, sat around a lot, and then would get sold off to a state agency or a volunteer firefighting outfit, and sit around a little more. In the early 2000’s, I saw a lot of these in the hands of local volunteers fighting small wildland fires. I’ll never forget seeing one of these with the a hose reeled out spraying a grass fire – while at the same time, the idling truck had set the grass on fire underneath the truck. The truck had a “safety first” sticker on the side of it. Kind of ironic. Too bad we (or at least I) didn’t have a cell phone to snap a picture back then. This truck might still be usable for a volunteer fire department, but a lot of them already have more modern equipment by now. I’d like to have it, sans the firefighting equipment and dual rear wheels.
Truck is good for quite alot when you take off the fire fighting gear….good heavy duty old Dodge…..yeah…it’s big, heavy and slow….but it’s supposed to be….it’s built for work….you want “comfort” ??? Put in your tampon and go to your nearest dealer of whichever brand you prefer nowadays…you want work??? Throw your hat in the ring and take a grab at this fine ol girl..
It’ll be working yet when all of the cars without trunk lids that today’s society call trucks have gone on to become another generation of recycled trash
These fire vehicles need an hour meter more than an odometer. 21,166 miles & 211,066 hours idling, so a lot more engine wear than most people would expect.
Fire Police. I am on my local fire police and I would love to have this over a Ford Explorer. It is a great road block that will stand out or take a hit a lot better!
After being a regular volunteer for about 27 years, I was Fire Police (later “Fire Support”),which mainly did traffic control
at Traffic Collisions,fires,etc. I know what you’re saying about having a good-sized vehicle to block the road with.I used a ’95 Dodge Dakota 4WD,and,on occasion,my Cortina MKII wagon, my ’67 -MGB GT,& the ’60 Chevy Apache 30 in my photo.
Well I have an idea what I’d do with it, I’m a self employed plumber, and my truck rolled down my driveway a few weeks ago and whacked a maple tree, effectively taking itself out of service until I can replace basically the whole front clip. And that’s if nothing inside (electrical, suspension, etc) is broken beyond repair. I believe this truck would make a grand work truck for my profession, sporting plenty of cabinetry for stashing tools/fittings, and it obviously has a ladder rack that could double as a pipe rack. Plus it’s a 4wd dually, a combination that would easily negotiate the hills and hollers in my neck of the woods.. most interested in this rig! Probably switch the bubble gum machine to yellow though, I hear it’s illegal to run red or blue lights on a vehicle that’s not actually in service with LE or firefighting personnel. Cool find guys!
Gawd almighty, I wonder what this beast weighs…
Says right in one of the pictures on eBay…just under 6 tons.
Would make an awesome “Emergency 51” tribute!!!
Squad 51. Man down 139 Gladiola
Street. 139 Gladiola Street. Cross
street Alvarado. Time out: 15:23.
Squad 51 10-4 KMG 365.
Nicely done,sir!
I’ll throw in some “ringers lactate”, a defib and pop the syringe covers!
Is Angie and Dr. Earl in the ER
Keep the look, but loose the FF weight. This would make an excellent Utility Truck.
Thanks Darren, after seeing this truck,
I just couldn’t resist. Watched the show in prime time when I was a young man and still catch the reruns
when my schedule permits. Used to
fantasize about Julie London being
my nurse took. (Sigh). Nice response
too Sam! Squad 51 Rampart, stand by for EKG…we’re sending you a strip.
This will be lead 2.
It looks like a pretty competent firetruck, but there is no information about the pump. Is it PTO, what are its pressures and capabilities? Can it draft, how does it prime? How much water does it hold? Where are the hoses?
I’d be interested as an actual fire truck, but saying “everything” works, but not specifying what everything means is, just isn’t enough information.
That said, it is a pretty good deal if you can tolerate a slow, rough riding, cramped truck.
This is a beautiful piece of machinery for sure!! Honestly I would ditch all the firefighter gear and bed for a long bed to make it more practical for truck use. Trucks today are junk compared to these real trucks. Today people try to make trucks more like cars cuz of the useless creature comforts but a truck is a truck and it’s used for utilitarian use or work itself. Today’s garbage looks too much alike and it ain’t special like the old stuff. I rather have something different from all the other people out there. This truck is awesome in my opinion
Worked in the Fire Industry when was Field Engr. w/UL. Traveled east coast recertifying arial ladders and platform equipment, including pump tests. Picture isn’t adequate, but this is either a 250 or 500 GPM pump and still has drafting hoses on top. Has an electric prime pump and is pto driven (transfer shift is the chrome handle on interior picture. Has/had generator on pass. side (can see the vent fins on the compartment doors. It’s a brush truck so has either a 200 or 250 gal. tank. All the hoses are removed when they go out of service as BIG liability for department if sell hoses that burst. The R/side hose is not showing on the reel access so probably gone also. Unfortunately not something you can find used and are expensive. See these at race tracks to satisfy insurance ryders and on large or well heeled ranches, small volunteer units w/limited budget. Will run forever with minor maintenance. Buy a fire helmet and turn out coat and drive in parades or work out your personal fantasies.
Rampart!
Love this Truck. 360cc 4WD Manuel Trans. Worked at a Dodge dealership during these years. Bummer it sold for $10,400 so maybe it will come back on the market at a later date. cheers,
Did anybody else hear the station alarm from “Emergency” when they saw this John Gage and Roy DeSoto special?
“Start an IV with Ringers Lactate” I have no idea what “Ringers Lactate” is but it is an ingrained childhood memory.
Remove all useless junk , drop a camper box on it and enjoy camping with a really, really solid foundation ! May kill you on gas expenses but you will have saved thousands from skipping a new truck purchase