Jay Leno checks out this monstrous off-roader.
Dodge Power Wagons aren’t nearly as common as they used to be. After WWII they were everywhere in America, helping in a whole range of industries as the country got back to normal life again. Sadly, so many were absolutely destroyed in the line of duty, but many of the few survivors left have made their way to people who really love and cherish them. This Dodge was given six-wheel drive, something Jay Leno absolutely fawned over on Jay Leno’s Garage when it was on the show. Can you blame him?
There’s a lot going on with this truck. First off, it doesn’t have a GM crate engine in it, which are wildly popular for a number of good reasons. But as Leno points out, constantly seeing those in restomod vehicles gets a little old. Instead, the guy dropped a 3.9-liter Cummins turbo diesel in this beast, providing loads of low-end torque. That’s exactly what you want when powering through the mud, climbing a steep hill, or fording a pond.
This vehicle would be awesome to take overlanding, but you’d have to take a lot of jerry cans along since fuel economy is an issue. Still, pretty much nothing would stand in your way.
A five-speed manual gearbox is fully-synchronized, a far cry from the original four-speed transmission. Leno had to press the gas pedal while going downhill, thanks to the gear reduction, which is pretty interesting.
You might be wondering how the guy converted a Power Wagon into six-wheel drive. The secret is the chassis is actually from a Dodge military vehicle used in the war. From there the guy lobbed the frame off at the rear to keep the overhang from being too great. As for the bed, it might look a lot like what you find on other Power Wagons but it’s actually made by hand and completely custom. Rather than going for something which looks bespoke, the shop tried to make it appear as OE as possible, and they did a good job.
A five-speed manual gearbox is fully-synchronized, a far cry from the original four-speed transmission.
