While Dodge was a distant third in sales for all of the sixties, they were very good at making trucks that could handle heavy duty work. Take for example this 1968 Dodge D200 Power Wagon for sale on eBay in Amelia, Ohio. While it is not likely to win any beauty contests, this former forestry truck has been showing up for work for decades without complaint and carries the famous Power Wagon name. With a current bid of $5,600 not yet hitting the reserve, what do you think this rough and ready four-wheel drive Dodge will ultimately sell for?
First off, let’s clear up a bit of confusion. The Power Wagon name has most famously been applied to the commercial market four-wheel drive military grade Dodge trucks that were produced from 1945-1968. These trucks were not just used by the military, but by government agencies, farmers, ranchers, and basically anyone who needed an indestructible, go anywhere vehicle. By 1968, the Power Wagon had developed quite a reputation but change had to come sooner or later. The biggest problem for continuing production was the fabled Mopar flathead six that powered these brutes. Government emissions were an obstacle that even the classic Power Wagon couldn’t go over or around.
The famous Power Wagon name was also applied to Dodge’s main line pickup trucks with four-wheel drive starting in 1957. The truck you see here is a 1968 model and is equipped with a 383 cubic inch V-8 with a four-speed manual transmission. There are 55,429 miles on the odometer, and there is a possibility that this is the original mileage. According to the seller, the last owner claimed this was a former Washington state forestry truck. We have seen both forestry and fire department trucks before on Barn Finds. Many have legitimately low mileage because they were not daily drivers and rarely roamed far from where they were headquartered. The downside is that they were driven over the roughest roads in the country.
This Power Wagon has a fair amount of honest wear. The picture above shows a bed that has been used, and that wear is also evident in a few areas of the truck where rust has taken its toll in a minimal way. A lot of these trucks ended up in little brown pieces on the ground, so the fact that this truck is in as good a shape as the pictures show is a minor miracle. In the previously mentioned bed, we see the winch that comes with the truck. The previous owner is said to have removed the PTO winch must have been available from the factory on these trucks, this one looks like it was pulled off of a World War II warship. It is quite the heavy-duty setup.
The interior lends credence to the idea that the mileage is correct. There is honest wear, but everything is there and looks to be in original condition. Black with white trim on the seats is a good contrast to the sea foam green of the body. Wear where the driver slides into this high riding truck could likely be fixed by a competent upholstery shop and make this interior look almost new.
Under the hood is the torquey 383 V-8 that powered many a Mopar, from muscle cars to stump pulling trucks. An interesting item is the hydraulic fluid resivoir to the right of the recently replaced master cylinder. Perhaps a knowledgeable reader can tell us how the hydraulic pump works on these trucks. Is it always engaged, or is there a way to disengage it while going down the road?
As a whole, this is a very attractive truck that is a window into just what you would find on the showroom floor in 1968. Muscle cars get nearly all of the attention when you think of Dodges of this era. However, trucks like this one were an important part of the bottom line for the maker and were crucial to doing the heavy jobs required in the late 1960s. Hopefully this hard-working Power Wagon finds a good home in retirement.
Have you ever owned a Power Wagon? What was the experience like?
Needs a little lovin’ so drive it then patch it! 383 4×4 4spd? Very cool. However this ALSO is listed a D200 but the old BaT ad correctly called it what it is on the header, a W200 but then called it a D200 in the narrative. 🤔 Don’t understand the bit of having to collect taxes for SIX states though!! Anyone familiar with this silliness?!!??
Regardless-Nice find, Jeff. I’d buy this in a minute if I could after finding a buyer for my well used ‘79 F150 4×4-but IMHO the market on these is fading as we speak..
To that end, good luck to the new owner!
Good old trucks my farther has a 67 he’s passed away and I have no use for it anymore it was our hunting rig need to sell it to, My heart not in it anymore.
As to the taxes – I think they mean that if you’re in the
states listed,they’re required to collect sales tax on it.The
seller is a dealer.
Thank you, sir, that makes sense of it now. As you know it’s a little different between most states around here in that we pay sales tax to our own state based on the purchase price so that threw me a bit.
Safe Travels, angliagt.
Dad had a 64 F250 that looked like any other one but had a twin ram hoist so it would dump. The Husco hydraulic pump was belt driven and turned all the time, just like a power steering pump. I had a 63 Power Wagon, three quarter ton, stepside, slant six, three on the tree. You didn’t need an indicator to know when it was in for wheel drive, gear driven transfer case had a definite whine. Also you could feel the torque steer in the steering wheel. We would load them up with firewood and use the Dodge to pull the 2 wd Ford of the woods. The Dodge was rusty but trusty:-)
Grandpa, what’s a Dodge? Gather ’round children, and you will hear, the story of the famous Power Wagon. As famous as the Jeep itself. While the Jeep was primarily a personnel transport, the Power Wagon did it all. The reservoir by the brake master, is an aftermarket power steering, you can see the hoses going to the ram in the front wheel photo. The PTO and winch were added later by an equipment company for the forestry dept. I doubt Dodge offered that from the factory. It’s a stout son of a buck, a new RAM 1500 it ain’t.
The winch is factory installed.You can see the three piece driveshaft with frame-mounted support bearings wrapped around it. It also appears to have the OEM front frame extensions under it. Unbolt the existing front bumper (worth some money itself), bolt on the extensions, install the winch, hook up the drive shaft to the PTO (transfer case-mounted) and reinstall front bumper. This complete setup is worth $1,000+ alone. I had this exact setup on a 1964 ex-USAF Dodge W-200 ambulance that was all original.
The most beautiful truck IMHO – would love to get this – but unfortunately on the other side of the pond –
Good luck to the lucky new owner!
Jeff, I have an incredible idea: in the spirit of continuing international collaboration and as a fellow gearhead I Nevadahalfrack will magnanimously offer to store this very nice truck here for you. You buy it, I’ll go pick it up and I’ll even drive it as much as needed to keep it in healthy running condition so that should you want to visit the USA you’ll have transportation. Not only that I’ll be more than happy to take it out on deserted highways and train it to be comfortable on the opposite side of the road should you ever decide to ship it home!
Just think, this could be the new paradigm in diplomacy, reaching across the waters to likeminded enthusiasts everywhere!
It’s a revolution!
Wait-maybe not a good choice of words there at the end..
😆👍🏻
FWIW-
This offer has no time limit. 😁
Hey Nevadahalfrack, what an idea! Let me just get the coins and a envelope!
But wait – I do not really know if or when I get around to visit the states again and I would like to use this truck in my everyday life – so maybe after all this is not the perfect solution.
Maybe you just buy it and when I come visit you give it to me to roam around?
And anyway, you wouldn’t have to train it driving on the other side of the road as over here in switzerland we also drive on the right side (or wrong side…?)
But still a very good idea for diplomacy, I think we should tell the diplomats about it, as it seems they have no clue!
Keep on truckin
Jeff
Aw, Jeff we gave it a try anyway..😁
RE: I buy it and you drive when you come visit-OUTSTANDING idea.
However my CFO/CEO/COO has said she will decline any further expenditures for any more motorcycles, trucks or cars until Ed McMahon hands us the Readers Digest Publishers Clearing House big check. Should you make it out here to the Great Basin I do have a stereotypical Nevada ranch truck for you to use should you be so inclined for old truck nostalgia. Equipped with 5-60 AC (2 wing windows, two door windows and a slider rear glass), a working AM/FM/8 track, PS, PB, manual 4×4, 351M V8 automatic with nary a straight sheet metal panel to be found anywhere on this well worn ‘79 F150 this is what desert ranching trucks are all about.
And RE the diplomats having no clue? We all know that the vast majority didn’t get appointed based on something so silly as competency in dealing with human conflict, don’t we? What a thought!
On that note, you’ve picked a great place to live as well, Jeff, based on my having met more than a few Swiss visitors here. They and the Scots are incredibly honest and good people. We hope to be in a position to visit Switzerland but time will tell..
Safe Travels, my friend.
Nevadahalfrack! Very noble and generous offer! I’m proud of ya’!
As the Great Wayne Gretzky has taught us, “ I miss 100% of the shots I don’t take”.😜
Wow, thats’ one more reason to visit the US again sometime, sounds like your ranch truck is the kind of truck a like.
If you ever make it to switzerland I offer you the use of my WC52, although only around my piece of land cause as unstereotypical for switzerland as it is (battered and rusty all around), police would shot at you as soon as you would enter the official road network.
Anyway – take care and enjoy your day!
Reservoir.
If I was successful bidder on this rig I’d tell the seller that he could keep the winch – Please!
If he insisted I take it, I’d stop at the nearest scrap yard and dump it.
I sold my Sweptline last year. It was a south western truck and nowhere near as crusty as this supposed Cali truck. A professional body repair/paintjob on this is going to be 5-10k. I love these trucks but damn, the prices are getting to be astronomical
Nobody realizes these were the greatest lifesaver trucks ever built. They can run over anything made today. Litterally the weight of a Sherman Tank, towing and wench power of anything ever built in this class. Department of Forestry are not stupid. I witnessed in a driving rain storm in the Santa Cruz Mountains a Powerwagon pulling a car off a cliff embankment in the middle of the night. Well worth a few grand. It is what it is, greatest workhorse pickup ever built. jv smash palace
They were good, but let’s not immortalize them, they were simply a 3/4 ton 4X4 pickup, same as any other, and yes, I would love to have. It’ll probably hit $10grand before it’s over.
My company had one and after driving it a couple of times I started wearing my hard hat while driving. That steel headliner is hard and maybe the reason for the battleship winch in the bed.
Sold! At $15,500
If this D200 has dana 44HD & 60 axles with a 24 transfer case it is worth it, seems like the trucks values are maintaining as the classic cars are tapering off.
Lot of rot for a truck that spent it’s life in the Pacific NW and Cali…
Wow, this truck is just up the road from us. Small world!
Located in Spokane, WA.
Nice article. Found it while googling about Sweptline 4WD values
Fun Facts – The bed on this truck is 6″ longer than a normal 8′ bed. There were also about only 3200 longbed V8s (included 318s) produced that year so this 383 is fairly scarce (and probably has a steel crankshaft).
Re: “Have you ever owned a Power Wagon?” “What was the experience like?”
Have 4 Dodge Sweptline 4WDs – 1963, 66, 67, 68 – 3 shortbeds. … that I rebuilt 2 out of … and have a complete one (and then some) in parts with good title.
Totally mechanically rebuilt the 67 W100 short bed (it had a 318 with a “period” rebuild done already – 4 barrel Carter, Edelbrock intake, Hedman headers). Also 2.5 lift. done/with a spring leaf added … making it a 200. Added a custom front bumper with 12,000 lb electric winch (hooked to spare battery on an isolator) – it is the farm truck. Total “rat rod” patina. Gun rack and tool box. It is a tank/tool. Ultimate acreage/ranch/farm truck.
Am in the final stages (truck is on the road) of a frame off restoration of a 1968 W200 Forest Service Power Wagon W200 (just like this one) with a Braden PTO Winch.
Object of both these projects was to give you the feel of a truck from that era … with just a few updates … and be able to use them.
1968 has original 318 (now rebuilt and modified with new intake, new 4 barrel carb, and headers). New Wizard aluminum radiator. Dual exhaust. Complete Painless rewire. Modern stereo (modern AM/FM with phone jack hooked to a single “Resto” single dash stereo speaker). Totally rebuilt the close knuckle frontend to original specs. Rebuilt the entire drive train to original specs. New clutch. Redid all the brakes/lines/spun the drums/replaced the master cylinder. New bearings. New Warn lockouts. Totally rebuilt the winch drive train. Added a USB charger. Kept and refurbished the dash pad. Added shoulder harnesses and reupholstered the seat. Replaced the original dash with Boese dash panel that has a tach and modern gauges (including voltmeter) hooked to new sensors. Added extra battery on an isolator on the passenger side. It had a period “farmers” lift (over 2′) done when a previous owner (mill wright) customized the winch and front bumper to build a log cabin. Body had been totally trashed, so I took the cab off a 63 because I wanted the double headlights and “refrigerator door” handles look. Repainted to current NFS color code.
Would post pictures but do not want to spend the money to become a member. Scotish heritage.
Also the proud original owner of a near mint Cummins 1st Gen 4WD 5 speed.
The truck you are profiling in this article looks like it has the original floor mat (very rare … no reproductions are made). It also looks like it is in great shape re mounts and floor pan, also very rare. Whoever gets it is probably getting a great deal.