The Dodge Power Wagon was already one of America’s toughest civilian trucks, but this 1954 example has an even more interesting pedigree. Identified by the seller as a Canadian military CDN43, it retains the utilitarian bodywork and no-nonsense appearance expected from a machine designed with service rather than comfort in mind. It needs significant work, but at $7,500, it offers an unusual starting point for someone who wants a Power Wagon with genuine military character. You can find it here on Barn Finds!
Located in Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania, the Dodge is offered with a clean title. Power is listed as coming from a 251 cubic-inch inline-6 paired with a manual transmission. The seller states that the engine runs, though it needs work, while the brake system will require repair before the truck can be considered roadworthy.
The photos tell most of the story. This is a rugged project wearing layers of weathered blue paint, exposed metal, surface corrosion, and decades of hard-earned patina. The tall enclosed military body gives it a distinctive silhouette compared with the familiar civilian Power Wagon pickup.
This is not a restoration someone began and abandoned halfway through. It still looks very much like an old military truck waiting for its next chapter, which gives the next owner considerable freedom. Restore it to military specification, preserve the exterior and mechanically rehabilitate it, or build a rugged trail or expedition truck without worrying about damaging perfect paint.
Two useful components are already included. The seller has new windshields still in their boxes, along with a new power-steering upgrade. On a vehicle of this size and weight, the latter could make the finished truck significantly more pleasant to use.
The engine compartment appears complete, but any buyer should expect plan on going through the engine. Beyond the disclosed brake work and engine needs, a truck of this age and condition warrants attention to its fuel system, cooling system, wiring, tires, drivetrain fluids, seals, and steering before serious driving, but these trucks were designed to be durable and easy to service.
What makes this Dodge interesting isn’t perfection. It is the possibility of preserving a genuine piece of heavy-duty military hardware rather than restoring another conventional pickup. Power Wagons have always looked tough. This one appears to have actually lived the part.
I see it has the deep water engine package.