In the early '90s I picked up my 1973 Dodge Power wagon. It was very rough! It was supposed to have a rod knock. The corner of the front seat was ate up by a horse, and it had been abused.

I took it home expecting to rebuild the engine, but found the torque converter bolts were too long. After a tune and carb overhaul, I had a running Power Wagon.

In the late '90s the engine dropped a valve and wiped out #8 cylinder, block and all. It sat up in my father-in-law's back field for 5 years.

I finally decided to get her going again. This was 2000 or so. I bought new tires (Nylon knobbies) and rims, rebuilt a 318 using a 1985 block, the 1973 heads, and an Edelbrock cam, lifters, and intake. I also added headers to the truck.

Of course, she was rough when I bought her, and rough she remained. Here are a few photos of her "beauty marks."

Another one.

The seat was trashed, so I bought a reupholstered one. I also bought a different fuel tank - one that fits under the right saddle under the bed - to replace the rotted in-cab tank.

Open headers are a blast to drive at night! The neighbors probably didn't think so.

So here was my resurrected power wagon - in all its glory.

In 2005, I "bought" a truck off of E-bay that I didn't intentionally buy. Being the stand-up guy I am, I went to Michigan in February and picked up the truck that I was stupid enough to bid on when I shouldn't have. Long story. Suffice to say that was one long weekend trip. On the bright side, I sold a Pontiac 428 crank and block for $750 to a friend in Indiana, which financed my trip to the Great White North.

Actually, the truck was very straight. Not as good rust-wise as I would have liked, but much better than mine. AND it was one color!

Another shot of the donor truck.

In August of that year, my pit crew (my sons and a few friends) and I set off to change the body on my truck. We had the major work done in a couple of weekends. It took several more weeks to finish up the final details and get it road worthy.

Here is a before shot.

Some of the work as it happened.

We had fun! I scraped and painted the frame while I was there...

More.

Because the donor truck was a 4x4, I had to cut a tunnel in the cab.

After the second weekend, things began to look up.

I also modified the 4x4/Transmission hump cover.

Here is my pit crew.

Here I am at work. Of course my wife took this picture...

I originally wanted to use the birdbath hood, but found it too rough to continue. Besides, the truck would be one color (my wife's idea ).

Both of the available speedometer needles were broken, and the '73 speedo made noise while working, so I decided to repair the one from the '80 truck. I used a piece of vinyl mini-blind cut to shape and epoxied it onto the broken stub. I then painted it with fluorescent orange paint. I painted the other gauges' needles while I was there. Came out pretty nice!

I also painted the dash bezel. I used the 1980 one so I could incorporate an in-dash tach.

Previously, I painted the steering column. I used the 1973. I'll probably go back to a 1973 dash in the future sometime...