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Dodge Power Wagon build (x2)

xjtony

xjtony

Well-Known Member
Location
Grantsville, Ut
So while I am making room/gathering parts to go the engine swap on the buggy my son started asking about his first car ( he is 14). After some talking and looking around he decided he really would like to have a square body Dodge. I started looking around and found this guy for a decent deal.
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73 Power Wagon, rebuilt 360, very mechanically sound but lots of rot. We started working on patching the rust and cleaning it up, coming up with a plan on what he wanted. This brings us to the next step lol.

I was surfing the classifieds last week and found this guy. I was ale to to do some wheeling and dealing and brought it home
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75 Power Wagon, 318, auto, long bed. The body on this one is near perfect, and it's a long bed which he wanted. The best part is now I have one too! Lol

The build plan for my sons is pretty simple. A few patches in the floor, needs a window and a windshield, lift springs so he can run the Boggers that are on the green truck, and finish the flat bed. All of the shinny best parts will go on his, and mine will be a bit rougher which is fine with me. Even the paint on his is in great shape. a good buff and a few touch ups and it will be good to go.

My green truck will be pretty simple. Patch the rust where it is really bad and fix a leaking oil pan gasket. The big ugly bumper from the second truck will go on mine, but after a MAJOR trimming. I plan on doing a very minimal flat bed while I work on the bed over time. The bed on this one is completely roached and will have to be almost totally replaced.
 
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zmotorsports

zmotorsports

Hardcore Gearhead
Vendor
Location
West Haven, UT
Looks like a cool project.

Back in the early 90's my father in law hired me to build a 1974 Power Wagon with a 440 cid engine for my wife's younger brother. It took me about 2 months to go through it mechanically and fix leaks, service engine, transmission and TC, freshen up suspension and axles and ensure everything was running sound. Then I spend another 3 months stripping the body down to bare steel to fix a couple sections of rust and put a beautiful white and hunter green paint job on it. Truck turned out beautiful, then about 6 months after getting his driver's license he got pissed at his girlfriend and ended up totaling it by hitting a pole and flower bed. When I was asked to rebuild it again I respectfully declined. I figured if he didn't respect it enough the first time he wouldn't appreciate it the second time. Now I kind of wish I had access to that truck as it would be a sweet project.

Looking forward to following along on this one.

Mike
 
Magerdgr

Magerdgr

Have gun, will travel
Location
My secret underground lair
My favorite truck I’ve ever owned was a short bed ‘74 Powerwagon. 360/727/205, Adventurer Sport. It was an amazing truck in every way, I wish like mad I still had it. Best of luck, I’ll be watching this one!
 
tv_larsen

tv_larsen

Well-Known Member
Location
Logan, Utah
Cool projects. I'm surprised how well the Generic Motors front bumper fits.

I do object to using the term "square body" for the '72-'80 Dodge, the roundest looking trucks made in the 70's and 80's. "Square body" should be reserved for the '73-'87/'91 GM's.

I do love the '72-'80 Dodge trucks, I've owned several. Here's my '75 W200 and '77 Ramcharger (sold the RC about 4 years ago)
 

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xjtony

xjtony

Well-Known Member
Location
Grantsville, Ut
I put 100 miles on the 73 this weekend. Runs great, no issues at all until Sunday afternoon when I blew a brake hose on the way home. I already have new hoses and rebuild kit for the brakes, I was just impatient and wanted to drive it lol. lesson learned. Should be getting to work on the 75 here this week as well. It should come along pretty quick.
 
xjtony

xjtony

Well-Known Member
Location
Grantsville, Ut
Haven't updated this thread in a while. The bed is mostly done other than a couple of gussets. Also got the floor patched and new carpet installed. 20200120_143042.jpg
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The green truck has been down because the heater core was bad, but i got it repaired and now I can drive without freezing.
 
xjtony

xjtony

Well-Known Member
Location
Grantsville, Ut
Haven't updated this thread in a while. My sons purple truck is nearly done. It needs reverse lights wired up, new steering wheel and a few odds and ends and it will be ready for the street. I've been driving the blue/rust truck almost daily and have it running pretty good and reliable. That brings us to yesterday...
Driving to work yesterday out of nowhere I start to get a rotational thump coming from the rear. I pulled it over and limped it home in front wheel drive after work. Today I pulled the axle apart expecting to find blown up gears, and did... sort of

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3 teeth from a gearset. The only problem is that the gears are completely intact. I've inspected the entire 3rd member and aside from a few small chips on the pinion from these pieces it's totally fine. The best I can figure is that at some point the gears blew up and were replaced, but whoever did it missed 3 huge chunks in the bottom of the housing. I cleaned, inspected and reassembled everything and we will go from there.
 
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