Dodge Power Wagon
source: wikimedia
Up next is a truck that truly satisfies the allure of a “do-anything” truck whose reliability is almost too good to be true: The wartime-proven Dodge Power Wagon. Produced for decades starting in 1946, the truck’s original design, the ¾-ton WC Series, saw time in service overseas as a troop carrier, supply vehicle and general military transport in World War II. Demand for the truck in the civilian market was so high at war’s end that Dodge reproduced the WC Series as the Power Wagon we know today. The Power Wagon boasts a title as the first civilian truck available with a 4×4 drivetrain, accompanied by a utilitarian 8-foot bed and impressive 147” wheelbase, powered by a 230 cubic inch flathead straight-6. A simple two-speed transfer connected to an equally simplistic 4-speed transmission kept the Power Wagon rolling, while a Power Take Off unit could send power to the front or rear for auxiliary equipment – a feature well ahead of its time in the 40’s.
source: flickr
The Power Wagon became so popular that Dodge expanded the lineup and continually upgraded the powertrain with a 251 cubic inch, then a 225 cubic inch slant six. The 225 used some equally futuristic mechanics like a roller timing chain, bi-metal connecting rod bearings, Stellite-faced exhaust valves, roto caps and upgraded valve stem seals. Even though the Power Wagon didn’t come with its legendary 383 motor until 1967, the truck still boasted a one-ton rating with a max payload of 3,000 pounds. In the 70’s the Power Wagon was further upgraded with robust Dan 60, 8-lug axles that made the truck’s powertrain tough to beat. It became so popular because of its reliability that municipal and regional road crews used the truck as a commercial vehicle almost exclusively, year-round.
The Power Wagon was so popular that countless models were produced between 1945 and 1980. Just recently, Dodge restarted the Power Wagon brand as a standalone model within its existing Ram series. Its reintroduction in such a contested market shows that the legend of the Power Wagon alone is enough to make new buyers in Dodge showrooms interested, earning it a spot on our Tough Trucks list.
