Today, when you review the equipment list on a late-model pickup truck, it’s not hard to see which models will be a collector’s item in the future. This 1977 Dodge 200 Power Wagon with the factory Adventurer package would have looked pretty darn collectible in 1977 if enthusiasts could have looked into a crystal ball and seen how valuable well-equipped classic trucks would become. The Power Wagon is described as a California barn find that has emerged from its hiding place with excellent paint and bodywork and a very healthy options list. Find the Dodge here on eBay where bidding has crested $10,000 with no reserve.
The colors are great on this truck, as they absolutely scream 1970s optimism. The sunflower gold over cream combo is attractive and is a nice change of pace from the usual reds and whites we see paired together. It’s a long bed, which isn’t the most desirable spec, but the rest of the truck should check plenty of boxes. It’s said to run and drive and “…purr like a kitten” despite its years of inactivity, but truth be told, we don’t know if it was parked in a barn for six months or six years. The bodywork is apparently as healthy as the drivetrain, no doubt owing to that California climate that has allowed it to survive in such a highly preserved state. The body and bumpers are definitely not perfect, but it’s still decent overall for an unrestored truck.
The interior is like the rest of the Dodge, which is to say it’s surviving but it’s unrestored. The original upholstery is a great period look for a truck like this, and we hope the next owner finds a way to preserve that plaid center insert or at least track down replacement material. The Dodge does have factory air conditioning but it doesn’t work at this time, and the seller also notes the vulnerable dashboard has no cracks. The door panels and carpet also appear to be free of any major issues, and the paint on top of the doors looks nice and consistent with the original paint gracing the exterior. All of the glass is original, too. The 90,000 miles on the clock is believed to be the actual odometer reading, so this Dodge is barely broken in.
The Dodge is powered by a 440 big block V8, paired to an automatic transmission. Given the seller claims it runs great and the rest of the truck presents so well, it’s clear a previous owner took strides to keep this Dodge preserved even when it went into hibernation mode. There’s no part of this Dodge that has been restored, so you’re looking at an incredibly honest specimen, and that’s a rare find in the pickup truck market where customizations and restomod builds run rampant. Fortunately, given the manner in which this one is configured with its long bed and four-wheel drive, I doubt it will be slammed on its belly any time soon. What do you think this Dodge Power Wagon will sell for?
Honest question here: Would any of you buy this to daily drive it?
Definitely a weekend toy due to it’s single digit mpg.
Why not ? That would be a really cool daily in the sea of belly button trucks..
No. This is a collector vehicle. Absolutely no way I would subject it to road salt from November to april.
I would. I only average around 7000 miles a year so I could afford to drive it. Even with horrid gas prices and the gas consumption this truck would have.
Short of snow months where salt is everywhere, sure! Zahn is right, when you see one of these old trucks they catch your attention in a heartbeat. A few upgrades and this would be a great daily.
I had a 78 W200 Snow-Commander back in the 80’s which was a real work truck. The 360 power plant enjoyed it’s gas and constantly got 8-9 mpg on a good day but dropped to around 4-5 when plowing. It would be difficult to live with those numbers today. Great truck but carry a ballast resistor with you at all times.
A buddy’s dad had one of these about the same vintage, wouldn’t drive to the end of his driveway without a ballast resistor in the glovebox……
Never in the dozen plus Mopars that total well over a million miles together did I have a ballast resistor burn up.
I have a 77 W-200 Power Wagon that I bought new. It’s has a 360 that I did rings bearings and a valve grind. Then later a full rebuild. Regrind the crank bored the block replaced the head with 69 340 heads and rebuilt the transmission twice. I have 480,000 miles on it now and still the original ballist resistor.. I know because I have been the only one to drive it and did all my own mechanical work and body work.
Had 5 if these, w150, w200 , all Sno commanders with plows, all 318 automatics, all over 200k, could not kill them until frames broke ir cracked. Thus is a great truck. 8 foot beds only, no use for 6 foot beds.
Why is the bed misaligned on the driver’s side? Tweaked bed? Tweaked frame? Bad body mount?
I wish I had some spare cash for this. I wonder what it will go go?
Makes me sick how many trucks I sold similar to this for $500. It seems like that wasn’t long ago, but I guess it would have been 20-25 years ago now.
Does that transfer case shifter indicate you can put it in low without engaging the 4WD? Is that a common thing?
What a cool truck… I’d park it in the winter and make it a daily driver in the warm months (here in Wisconsin where the state animal is a salt truck) but only if I lived 3 miles from work.
The truck has FULL TIME 4WD. shifter is range selection only.
Thank you for educating me Karl. So… I’ve heard of locking differentials before but I’m not up on it. Does it actually lock all 4 wheels in theory or does it lock the front to the back or what?
The locking hubs on the front simply disconnect the front wheels from the axle, which this does not have. “Full time” 4wd was supposed to eliminate that “getting out and lock the hubs” routine.
Lothar, where in Wisconsin are ya?
I had a friend back in high school who traded a really nice 1957 Olds 4 door hardtop for the RamCharger version of this. Sure, it wasn’t a 3/4 ton like this, but same drivetrain. It was a nice truck, but he shoulda kept the Olds.
Surprised the 440 didn’t receive prime billing in the intro. Big Dog gas motor in ’77.
All four are on, you have 4H and 4L and N.
Low lock gives you a 1 to 1 gear ratio, you could pull a house.
Then they took full time off trucks, and made cars AWD.
Lock out hubs only gave you only about 1mpg, waste of time/money.
Still miss my ’78 W150!!!
I’m not digging the Sunshine Yellow and Vanilla Cream paint scheme. Maybe if I had more estrogen, I would think differently.
While I tire of all the Colorado “smokin” jokes, perhaps a visit to one of our over 500 dispensaries can help with that,, :0,,, I realize it’s a far fetch from the normal black, silver,,,and now white we are used to.
Big fan of the 1972 – 1993 Dodge trucks, this one for sale is a very nice original and priced well. I’ve owned at least 6 of this era of truck at different stages of my life, suffered and fixed them up to the point I was offered stupid money for them. Too old to play fix & sell, so I found my keeper and re-powered to satisfy my need for ANOTHER truck. Formerly a stuck 400 – 4 barrel, now powered by a pumped up 1969 440 & fuel injected, A/T, my 1978 Club Cab shortbox is original paint, lowered 3″, Torque Thrusts wheels, 1975 grill (I like this grill the best), nice interior, etc., I modified to my tastes and have enjoyed for the past 6 years…lots of compliments. My contribution to the vintage truck scene in a sea of way overpriced C-10’s, it is a mid- to low 12 second 1/4 mile truck. But I usually drive it around on a weekly basis & rotate it’s use around all my other Mopars. Muscle trucks are cool & fun !!! Have a great day guys !! – Ray
Nice looking truck. I wouldn’t drive it dsily. It would kill it. Keep it for nice days. Would be a shame to destroy it.
Again, I’m simply flabbergasted that this is what a truck like this looks like. The farm I lived on N.Wis. has one, in the most deplorable condition you could possibly imagine.( no drivers floor, half a box, doors don’t close, etc) Pretty much the same truck, bought new, had served the farm for years, and probably still sitting outside the shed. Charge the battery, pump the gas pedal 42 times, and I’m sure it would still go. A testament to how tough these trucks really were. Great find.
I took off front driveshaft after winter, saved axles hubs joints and gas
Beautiful truck. My dad went through a bunch of these working for Colo game and Fish. I worked through a bunch with USFS. Hard to break, but body integrity was questionable. My boy went through a couple, he couldn’t break them. As you say, thirsty, but if I had it, I’d use it. That full time FWD was huge. Boys and I changed a tranny/ transfer in the drive with just a floor jack and a lot of cussing.
Lol, I just saw this truck in a car hauler at the Flying J in Ripon California. I wonder where it’s new home is.
I have a 77 W-200 Power Wagon that I bought new. It’s has a 360 that I did rings bearings and a valve grind. Then later a full rebuild. Regrind the crank bored the block replaced the head with 69 340 heads and rebuilt the transmission twice. I have 480,000 miles on it now and still the original ballist resistor.. I know because I have been the only one to drive it and did all my own mechanical work and body work.