Nearly new, and with an interesting history, this 1969 Dodge Power Wagon W300 is about as nice as you could hope for. With 2,850 miles, we suppose it’s almost due for its “first” oil change. Although wearing an interesting appearance as a Fire Truck for the United Automobile Workers(UAW), this Dodge apparently began its life as an ambulance. With an opening bid of $12,000, we wonder what this Power Wagon will sell for. Find it here on eBay out of Onaway, Michigan. Thank you Jamie for the awesome submission!
With some mild grime and mild surface rust, this engine bay looks like it would clean up to better represent 2,850 miles. The 318 V8 isn’t the cleanest, lacking some paint, and having some grime, and mild surface rust. Many of the components of the engine bay look to be in good shape representing the low mileage, and other aspects of under the hood reflect the cold wintery months of Michigan. Although this is a low mileage truck, the seller has not expressed that this trucks runs, or if it is operational. We are assuming this Dodge to be a driver.
Remarkably clean inside, we are starting to believe that this is a 2,850 mile truck. The only gripes we can offer up are a mildly dirty driver floor area, with some mild surface rust around the edges. We would imagine that the paint was worn off from foot traffic. Despite that little bit on the floor, the rest of the interior looks flawless.
Although this truck is currently equipped with fire equipment, none of the fire equipment is included with the sale. Although the massive brush guard, and winch are included. Despite the lack of the cool fire equipment, this is still a neat truck with opportunity for sure. The body is straight, and the red paint is still shiny, evenly covering the body work. The only real evidence of paint wear is in the door jambs and running boards. The underside of this dodge is lightly peppered with surface rust, but nothing to raise any concern over. Appearing almost like new, with no fire equipment, what would you do with this Power wagon?
Now here’s a fire truck we can all agree on. ( including the steep price) One thing is clear, that speedo been inoperative for yeeeeeears. That little gear box on the trans where the cable goes in ( for different axle ratios) failed constantly. And if by some chance, it DOES have 2,800 miles, it was a rough 2,800. And it probably has 40 years of idling time. And why exactly would the UAW need a brush fire truck? Riot control? Nice find, but this is one tired truck. ( note PTO drive to run the winch, Willys similar)
Is that stick propped to hold the brake pedal down?
Sure! The stick is a multi-function tool. Use it inside to hold the brake. Use it outside to keep it from rolling away or like in my case use a furring strip to make a cruise control for a beetle. 100’s of uses. But wait, there’s more. Please somebody drive these things. Too many of the cars listed here will languish in garages as trophys. When the novelty wears off it’ll become another rusty project. The grill guard says “get the F out of my way” and would look great in employee parking with the accords and camrys.
Hi Francisco. Those newer style engines were notorious for clogging the heat riser passage through the intake. You had to pull the intake from time to time and rod out the passage or they would run like crap until steaming hot; thus the stick on the throttle. We had a 1-ton 4×4 that did that quite regularly. Clean the passage out and put everything back in place and they ran good from cold—for a while anyway….
Yeah ‘Im with Howard A….engine compartment looks like 102,000 . Kinda strange. What kind of ambulance was it and how and why did the firetruck apparatus end up on the chassis? Maybe the seller did it?
As far as Howards UAW riot crack…….as an ambulance it would have worked ( had it been thirty or so years older) to go in and rescue the UAW organizers at the Rouge plant as ole Henry and Harry hired goons to crack some auto workers heads :)
Going to agree, the mileage is way higher than stated, the engine and transfer case tell the story.
Any ambulance or fire truck even one used in a plant setting would receive enough maintenance to stave off what we are seeing here, if the mileage was accurate.
As for the ‘brush fire’ equipment this is actually more sensible than it appears. In the summer months, the scrub grass along the rail lines (auto plants are littered with them) notoriously catches fire. The same equipment would serve well to extinguish trashbin fires.
Any interior fires would be dealt with by using standpipe systems or specialized extinguishing systems (Halon for example).
Note the large CO2 bottles for electrical fires.
I don’t know of any ambulances that used such a platform other than military vehicles with a bed insert. Transporting and treating a patient isn’t facilitated by a pickup. Though it could simply have been a plant vehicle used to bring patients to the medical station or the front gate to meet the municipal paramedics.
My 1972 Ford F350 has 15k miles. I have the file for it’s 20yrs it spent at the National Chemical and Starch Company in Bridgewater NJ. I’ve used it for several years pumping water at Muddy Run Raceway and for parades. I’ve put on about 2k miles.
I’ve tried to attach photo. But it didn’t work.
price is a little steep but if a guy wanted a reliable old dodge with just over 100k this one is your ticket!
I’m on board with all the comments that the odometer (if it works) flipped at least once. There are simply way too many telltale signs that this great truck has been used (or maybe just abused?).
Here is the sellers response to someone calling him out on a rolled over odometer (I’m still not convinced):
“I can absolutely promise you that is not the case here. We are a United Auto Workers Facility that opened in 1970 in a very rural part of Northern Michigan. We had our own fire station on property for many years and this is one of two trucks that were bought new for the fire station. The only time these trucks were taken out was for training and one fire we had in the 80’s. The truck has not been off property since we bought it in 69. The truck is sitting in a garage and since our fire station was taken out of commission about 7 years ago, it has only been started about once a month. Though it’s not in perfect condition, this is gem for a collector!”
Now that is a 5mph bumper!
not for the other guy it ain’t
Well, the person seems adamant about the mileage. Years ago, our lake cottage is in a small town in SC Wis. of about 800 people, there was a small mid-50’s Chevy fire truck. We walked past it sitting in the fire station for years, it never seemed to move. One day, it was parked outside, a new truck took it’s place, and I could finally see what this truck was. It had 7,000 miles on it, and looked like BRAND NEW! I always thought fire fighters, volunteer or regular, kept their machines in top condition. Perhaps that’s the reason for the doubt, must be rough goin’ in Michigan.
The Coast Guard shipyard in Curtis Bay, Md had a old fire truck with similar mileage. The chief told me the truck had only been off base once for a brush fire outside their fence.
Who wants a fire truck without all the fire truck stuff on it?
Whatever the mileage, either the cab mounts are failing or the actual frame is tweaking; something is causing the cab to lean backwards a few degrees.
Overloading would do this. Not uncommon on work trucks.
Shame that the firefighting equipment isn’t included. That gear tells a large part of the truck’s story.
I agree with the odometer doubters. The look of the engine bay and transfer case sure doesn’t look like a truck under 3k miles! I also wondered about the look of the bed/cab angle, Mike!
When I joined the Air Force in 1979 as an auto mechanic, the clinic had a 1967 W200 Dodge Power Wagon ambulance. It had a ambo box on the back in place of the bed.It also had bucket seats, 4 speed, 225 slant six, PTO winch and a walk thru to get to the rear. No rust as it was parked under a roof, under 10K miles and very well maintained. In the early 80’s it was replaced with a much more modern Chevrolet G body ambulance.
Most of the vehicles we farmed out, went to other gov’t agencies or public auctions. Many mechanics in the shop dreamed of getting it and making a hunting or camping rig from it. Whoever acquired it got something nice.
We have a 1967 W300 for about 20 years, my speedometer went out when we changed tires to 17.5 from 16 inches. Our truck was owned by Seattle City Light, The winch has a shaft with a capstans head that goes to the passenger side, for puling wire. Also came with Ploy 318, that was idled to near death. The fire truck has the LA 318 and maybe the front axle upgrade. Lift the floor mats for inspection of cab mounts. Body looks pretty darn nice. Probably has 4.88 gears. Front brake drums where impossible to find. This is a really cool beast!!!