In a country dominated by its love of trucks, it should come as no surprise we still find great old beasts hiding out all over the place. This includes rare, nicely equipped survivors and untouched workhorses, which is the category this 1968 Dodge Power Wagon falls into. According to the seller, it’s been hidden away in a Quonset hut for most of its retirement years, so it’s unlikely anyone has laid eyes on it in the last few decades. The sellers purchased it to use as a plow truck, but thankfully they’ve decided to sell this survivor on before subjecting it to that kind of abuse. Find the Dodge here on eBay where bidding has risen to $5,100 but the reserve remains unmet.
The body is far from perfect, but it’s more what you can’t see that’s so desirable: no significant rust, a benefit of its many years in South Dakota. The paint certainly looks like it could be original given how evenly it has faded away, but there’s no guarantee with an old girl like this – they were ridden hard and put away wet, and a fresh paint job was typically done quickly and without much regard to originality. The seller notes it is obviously unrestored, and truthfully, I’d leave it that way – Power Wagons are desirable on their own, and a truck like this doesn’t need some glossy respray to be considered worthy of a fair price. In fact, I’d say the roughshod appearance works in its favor of being even more desirable.
The interior is bare bones in the finest Power Wagon fashion, with zero luxuries and the preferred manual gearbox inside. The seats don’t appear to be original, but they’re pretty torn up anyway and will likely be replaced by the next owner. Check out how dry and rust-free it appears inside: this is a definite benefit of residing in a dry storage space in a climate that is known for being kind to old cars and trucks. The interior otherwise remains original, with what looks like a factory steering wheel and gauges, and even an OEM radio (which doesn’t work at the moment.) The seller notes that the driver’s door needs a window, and the right hand side needs a new handle.
The engine is apparently stock aside from an Edelbrock carburetor, and as an added benefit, the Dodge runs and drives! You don’t see that very often with long dormant projects such as this. The seller notes that the Power Wagon runs well with good power, and that the brakes stop the machine with ease. There are some rust spots to address and the rear tailgate is missing, but overall, this looks like a great foundation for a basic mechanical refresh and then use as you’d like without fear of scratching up a perfect paint job. These aren’t necessarily worth enough to justify going overboard with, but it is absolutely worth preserving and fixing where needed.
Not sure if I love this macho truck more, or the fact that it was found in a quonset hut.
Include the Quonset hut and you have got yourself a deal Mister!
This would be good to plow snow with, not so good for the sissy drivers of todays sissy trucks. Though, it would be fun to see their faces if they tried. You need big muscles and a tough rear end to drive this truck, can’t see some 90 pound librarian do that.
Wow, this one is hitting me right between the eyes, I wish I could bid on it… I would terrorize my small town with this brute!
I agree Obersturmbannfurher Skorzeny!! You hit the nail on the head with that one!
Weird how the bed looks absolutely destroyed but rest looks really solid.
If this doesn’t scream US Forest Service to you then you don’t know USFS green. This truck was not a daily driver but a work truck used sparingly at the beginning of its life. Well cared for per gov’t regs.
I agree, I think the Forest Service, like the army, had this color reserved for them. Like Olive drab, I don’t recall ever seeing a truck this color in the public unless it was purchased at an auction.
All that rubber fuel like connected to a cheap aftermarket fuel pump would be the first thing I would change. Otherwise – clean it up, put in a new seat, replace the missing window, and drive the heck out of it.
I can just hear da chains slappin da side, a 8×2 plank acc the back fora tail gait. Yup, not unfamiliar.
The shinny carb, new top hose and (weirdly modern) coil show some recent (get sold?) attention. Needa job for this – not an impulse buy (“I’ll look like paul bunion!”) as “Da bigger da rig, da bigger da problems”…
Had one in 1974. Was rusted out in SE Texas. Bought for $100, drove a year, sold it for $100.
Located in:
Custer, South Dakota
You sure don’t exactly see pickups like every day. Like was said this would be a perfect work vehicle and I don’t mean for moving snow! No mention of the engine CI? Would it be a 318?
Logically, it should be a 318. But…the carb looks like a four barrel and the valve covers are painted red. Someone who knows Dodge trucks might better elaborate on it, because a 340 in there makes zero sense unless the cam was changed. There is precedent for this because Dodge made a detuned 426 Wedge for its trucks in 1965, so…someone help me out here.
Red is correct for 1965-68 small blocks. You can by an after market 4 barrel manifold from several manufacturers like Weiand, Edelbrock and Offenhauser