Old military trucks already have a certain presence to them, but this 1976 Dodge W200 listed on craigslist adds another layer to the story. According to the seller, the truck originally started life as a military-spec Dodge M882 before later being converted into a fire truck for the Okanagan, Washington Fire Department. Now located in Hamilton, Montana, it’s being offered for $8,500 with a clean Montana title. Thanks for the tip, T.J.!
At first glance, the combination itself is enough to grab attention. Military roots, fire department history, factory-style step-side bed, and full-time four-wheel drive all in one package isn’t something you stumble across every day. The truck is powered by a 318 V8 paired with an automatic transmission and full-time 4WD system. The seller describes it as a 3/4-ton W200 and notes that it currently runs and drives. The odometer shows 1,000 miles, though the listing also states the odometer has rolled over at some point.
One detail that stands out in the ad is the mention of the rare step-side bed configuration. Dodge step-side trucks from this era already have a loyal following, and combining that body style with military-spec hardware makes this one feel a little different from the average square-body-era work truck. The listing also notes that the truck still wears its original wheels and hubcaps. Inside, the seller says the bench seat has no blemishes, while the glass throughout the truck is described as good. Beyond those points, the ad stays relatively simple and doesn’t make huge claims about restoration quality or cosmetic perfection. Honestly, that straightforwardness kind of fits a truck like this.
Vehicles with former military or municipal service backgrounds usually attract enthusiasts for different reasons than typical classic pickups. Some buyers like the heavy-duty roots and stripped-down durability, while others are more interested in the history attached to them. In this case, the fire department connection adds another chapter to the truck’s life story.
The M882 designation itself is also notable. Those trucks were essentially military versions of Dodge’s civilian W-series pickups, built tough and intended for service use. Seeing one survive long enough to become a fire department support vehicle and then eventually land on the collector market is pretty interesting by itself.
What’s nice here is that the seller doesn’t try to oversell the truck as some flawless showpiece. It’s presented more like an unusual old-duty rig that still runs, drives, and carries a lot of character from its previous lives. And really, that’s probably what makes it appealing. A truck like this could fit into a lot of different enthusiast circles too. Military vehicle fans, vintage off-road truck collectors, former firefighters, or just somebody who likes oddball Mopar trucks could all probably find something to appreciate here.
Pros and cons of a stepside work truck have been debated for as long as they’ve been around, but there’s no discussion as to whether this did the job it was designed for and would be a great truck to have around. A clean, no frills rig for a working stiff that rolls their sleeves up, puts the gloves on and gets to work-and still nice enough to not worry about going to town-or getting to and from town with the load.
Don’t know how it prices out in comparison to others that are equal but it’d be in this garage without a second thought.
Score another for TJ and a great pick with good followup, Elizabeth.
Stepside advantage always lost on me. Less room for firewood, GM did it best I thought as far as looks. Cool truck w Dodge heavier chasis and stout 4wd running gear, can’t go wrong.
Great write up! I never understood the the whole FT 4×4 concept. I can understand the step side piece from a “working man’s” perspective however you now have vehicle that gets 8-10 MPG’s at best…but I digress.
Still a nice truck and the seller has some good photos as well in the actual listing . If you are looking for “nostalgia” at a decent price point this might be it. One of my sons is a firefighter with 10 acres of land and this would suit him but given shipping costs these days it makes it unreasonable not bring it back East.