My Journey: 1973 Dodge Power Wagon

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...

I decided to do something about the bed. I needed a low cost alternative to a bed liner so I chose Herculiner.

This stuff...

Actually, it works pretty good. Certainly not as tough as Rhino liner or similar products, but not near as expensive, either. I used POR-15 on the surface before I applied the Herculiner.

And now, the Herculiner.

I POR'ed the floor to make it last just a bit longer. Hey, anything helps!

And this is how we stood (before the Herculiner) after the body change. It would last until December 2007, a day that would live in infamy...

In December of 2007, we suffered a severe ice storm. As a result, a tree fell on my Power Wagon. It severely damaged my bed, and got the cab as well.

Another view of the truck.

I bent the bed back with a porta-power. I searched for and found another bed and cab for my truck.

The city Gestapo called me out for my "unlicensed" truck in the back yard, so I swapped out the bed a few weekends ago. I obtained a hood when I got the truck bed and cab.

I wanted to add the birdbath hood, so I went ahead an painted it and stuck it on (with the original '73 cowl). I like it!

This is where we sit thus far. Today, March 7th, Saturday, I removed the cab from the donor truck. I begin work in earnest to make it ready to be my new cab. Pics to follow.

Remember, in all of this, my intent is NOT to make a show truck, but to have a solid work truck. My hat is off to those who meticulously restore their trucks to perfection. They are works of beauty. However, my intent is not to build something like that, but to enjoy, drive, and work my truck. And it really does love to work!

That was a cool read!

Thanks!

As I was looking over the information this morning, I remembered quite a lot that I have done over the past several years, especially to the drivetrain.

So I'm flashing back to a few months after the changeover; it's probably 2005 or 2006. Yeah, it all blurs after a few years!

Earlier in its life, the truck was abused by the sons of the man I bought the truck from. They parked it in a creek for a while and didn't changed the fluids afterward. Needless to say, the rear 8-3/4 3.90 gears were pitted and needed replacement. So I pulled the pumpkin to change the gears...

Side note: This truck is a half ton! Notice the number of spring leaves this truck has! That's what, 8 including the lower? I have the broadcast sheet and it lists a special spring package - SR4701 RR SPRG. I've seen 3/4 ton trucks that have less spring! I suppose it was for a camper or some such purpose. It will hold a load, too.

The teardown results? Rust!

The carrier was pretty rusty as well. I opted for a good used carrier with spider gears. I didn't go posi because of cost constraints at the time.

I cleaned up the housing, purchased a Yukon gear set from Randy's Ring and Pinion in Washington state, and set her up.

Of course, the axle bearings were shot and needed replacement, so I replaced them, too. I cleaned rust out of the housing and put new seals in. Curious animal, the 8-3/4. Last year, due to water intrusion, I had to go back into the axle bearings. THIS time I used the updated "Green" bearings. MUCH better. I heartily recommend them for anyone redoing an 8-3/4 axle.

Due to the new pinion, I changed the yoke as well.

I almost forgot. Here's a pic of the old ring gear. It was worn so much the drive face of the teeth were SHARP. A friend of mine suggested in leaving it alone and stuffing it with bananas, peelings and all... NAH! Let's do it right!

I moved up the driveline to the transfer case. Here, I was shocked and disappointed all over again (but not surprised).


I present: the NP205 Transfer case.

I really needed to replace many of the gears. The bearing surfaces were pitted. I opted, however, to rebuild the case using new bearings and seals, and find a complete unit later, rather than chase down all of the necessary gears and shafts.

Shaft bearing pits.

This was about the worst of the damage.

Anyway, she works great. I used new polyurethane bushings to mount her to the frame.

During this time, I could NOT find any good used door threshold trim. I ended up buying new pieces from Chrysler.

A friend gave me a cool speaker box, so I used it! The speakers in the doors are junk.

Back in today's time.

Saturday, I pulled the cab off of a '78 to rebuild. Again, my goal is to keep dry in wet weather (mine leaks from the windshield and cowl).

The Cab.

I was very encouraged about the condition of the windshield pinch welds. NO rot!

The lower part.

The black tarry substance is not rot. The story is not all good, however. The inner cowl drains were stopped up, and caused leaks...

The left side was not much better.

These leaks were responsible for the worst damage - the floors. Yikes!

Luckily, the damage is in the floors only, and not in the structural supports.

Another.

From these you can see that the rocker panels are in pretty good shape.

The center. The sheet metal in the middle is sound. Those cowl leaks caused this damage.

Some closeup shots of the panels.

All in all, the cab is very workable. It just needs floors . Here is the top.

Even the corners are in pretty good shape.

The back window.

The upper cowl.

The rear panel.

The passenger side floor.

The rear cabin wall.

So...the plan is to replace the floor pans, repair the cowl leaks, take as much rust off as I can get to, and treat all floors and inside surfaces with Zero rust. I'll then finish the outside.

I've really debated on what to paint the truck. I'll show you some of my ideas....

Idea 1: Camo

My wife is averse to the idea. I told her I was showing support for our son who is in Iraq. Still, she has a point.

So, what about painting it the original color: Medium Tan?

Yes, I plan on adding a roll bar with lights. I just haven't got around to it yet.

I could paint it like a Macho, with tan as the base.

Well, she wasn't really thrilled about that one. But whose truck is this, anyway! She suggested that I leave it in Teal Frost Green, the current color. I speculated - what if I painted it like a Macho, but kept the green, hmmm?

It's...not too bad. I still think it's missing something. So, lets try a burgandy color with the Macho theme...

Hey, now I like that! The wife? Not so much. So I (satirically) took her through the range of possible colors:

Grey!

Brown?

Light Blue?

Orange?

Dark Green?

Yellow!

OK, I have it - Blue!

Lime Green!!

Then I started adding 1978 trim levels...

Let's add another color to that...

No, not quite. The trim is wrong. We need this...

Closer. The upper color is wrong. Burgandy!

You guessed it. She didn't dig it. How about this!!

She likes it! So maybe I'll paint it blue.

If you go blue, how 'bout the mid 90s patriot blue?
Then again, that's not the original color of your truck or the donor...
I thought she only cared that it be one color?
Good read, and way to stick with a long-term project!

Hmmm...Patriot Blue? That might work. I'm probably not going to paint the truck its original color anyway.

How's this: Patriot Blue (or close to it).

Or, here is a mockup (poor, nonetheless) of what my truck would look like in Atlantic Blue Pearlcoat. (I modified a stepside picture.)

Let's try something. I'd like the opinion of whoever reads this thread. What should I paint the truck?

More story and pics are soon to come!

Mark

I voted Other, and it says "Specify", so here goes. In the early 80's a guy at our church bought a "Prospector" I believe it was called. It was a metallic black below the belt and up top, including the top couple inches of the box (typical 80's/90's breakup on the dog trucks) with a really nice metallic gold in the middle. I have not seen a combo I liked better...

Black on gold, you say? I haven't thought about that one. Thanks for the input. I may try to crank out a pic...

Ok, Black and Gold... How's that?

Sorry, Mark I haven't had a chance to see this yet. Cool, thread.

Quote:

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Ok, Black and Gold... How's that?

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I LIKE it! But how does the wife feel about it?