It appears that Harwood Motors has become Power Wagon Central with the arrival of this awesome 1950 Dodge Power Wagon with a gorgeous wooden stake bed. We’ve had all kinds of different trucks, from the beautifully restored stock one that sold almost instantly for full asking price, to the stunning Cummins Diesel-powered resto-mod that the most fun you could have on four wheels, to a rare swivel-frame model that looked like it was ready to eat somebody’s children, but this one stands out. It’s not exactly stock, but if you’re the kind of guy who likes to go out and play with his toys as intended, then you’ll appreciate not only this truck’s not-too-pretty-to-get-dirty look, but also the smart modifications that make it a great combination of authenticity and Power Wagon spirit.

Experts are going to nit-pick the fact that the stake bed isn’t original, but that’s OK. The truth is, when we had this truck in the showroom parked next to the restored blue one and the big red one with a diesel, it got all the attention. There’s something about the combination of the old-school cab with a functional and attractive real wood bed that makes it stand out. The doors open and close easily and it doesn’t look like this was ever a rusty truck. A lot of guys would call it a truck with patina, as it looks purposeful and preserved, but not neglected. The Submarine Seawolf Green paint is older, but it has a soft shine that you won’t mind getting dirty and you’ll never worry about nicks and scratches when you’re out playing. The paint has a few blemishes, of course, and a few signs of wear and tear, but isn’t that the point of an old truck? On the other hand, it shines up nicely enough that it’ll be a slam-dunk in the next Fourth of July parade and you’ll never have to make excuses for how it looks because the overall presentation is so uniform. Black front fenders and running boards give it an authentic look and the tough-as-nails vibe comes through loud and clear with the heavy-duty winch up front, which includes an ultra-rare auxiliary spool and power take-off that’s easy to reach and use.

The bed is framed in steel, so it’s rock-solid, and the workmanship is quite impressive. It’s stained and sealed, so you don’t have to worry about it getting wet, and the floor of the bed is covered in heavy-duty rubber mats so they’ll stay looking good for a long time. The stake sides are removable for really big loads, and the stout Power Wagon suspension doesn’t seem to complain about heavy stuff anyway, so you can put it to work or head out into the wilderness on a whim. No hyperbole, no breathless prose about being a badass (which it is), just a really solid, clean truck with an awesome working-class look.

The interior is standard Power Wagon fare, with a vinyl bench seat, steel floors, and a bare minimum of creature comforts. The seat might be original, it might be a replacement seat cover, we don’t know, but it’s in good shape with some wear but no splits or tears of note. There’s a correct fiber-board headliner that fits well and adds at least a little bit of civility to the all-business Power Wagon, but the rest is pure industrial-strength functionality. The V8 under the hood gets a new set of attractive cream-faced Auto Meter instruments in the dash that are easy to read and give a pretty comprehensive view of the V8’s status. The speedo was replaced about 2800 miles ago, so we don’t know exactly how many miles are on the truck itself, but with a Power Wagon, that’s like asking how old a redwood is. Does it even matter? There’s a 12-volt electrical system so it starts easily and the wipers were converted to electric motors, so they’re reliable, too. Turn signals were added on the steering column and a neat block-off plate was installed over the factory gauge opening to keep it looking tidy. You’ll note a little lever on the far left of the dash, which is a line lock for all four brakes—the most effective emergency brake we’ve ever seen and very useful if you’re going to put that 10,000-pound winch to work. There’s also a new Chelsea PTO control and custom rubber mats were cut to fit the uniquely-shaped Power Wagon floors. We’re not totally uncivilized here at Power Wagon Central, you know.

Now about the mechanicals. Original Power Wagons used indestructible inline-six flatheads, which were plenty adequate with those tall gears, but they’re a bit of a liability out in today’s traffic. With that in mind, someone has swapped in a Chrysler 318 cubic inch V8, which is a neat fit in the Power Wagon’s engine bay and required no modifications to the firewall, so leg room (such as it is) is unaffected by the swap. It’s not exactly pretty, but again, it suits the truck’s personality just fine. It’s inhales through an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor and matching Edelbrock Performer 360 intake and exhales through a set of factory cast iron manifolds for durability in the rough stuff. Dual exhaust with glasspack-style mufflers and pipes just ahead of the rear wheels offers an awesome V8 soundtrack that’s quite unexpected from the vintage truck, but hardly annoying. Workmanship is functional and effective, with lots of new wiring, a powerful alternator, and proven reliability thanks to several years of use since it was completed. There’s also a power dual reservoir master cylinder and a hydraulic clutch, so this Power Wagon is a lot more user-friendly than most.

Underneath, it’s pretty much the same rugged mechanicals that made Power Wagons famous in the first place. The 4-speed manual transmission is probably from another truck but has a tough, mechanical feel (OK, it’s a bit notchy) and is linked to the V8 engine using an adapter. The balance of the driveline is original Power Wagon equipment, including the 2-speed transfer case and axles, which have been fitted with more highway-friendly 4.89 gears. Vented front disc brakes have been cleverly integrated into the front hubs and provide a notable increase in stopping power and thanks to those upgraded gears, it cruises pretty comfortably at 55 MPH. A glance underneath will reveal that there’s a lot of new hardware in the driveline and that while it has never had a frame-off restoration, it’s a solid truck with good bones. In truth, it would be a crime to restore this truck because it would lose so much of that functionality in the process. It’s just too cool to be static art. It also carries original 16-inch wheels that are sturdy enough to support a railroad car and has been fitted with a set of giant 9.00x16 Michelin radials that have less than 500 miles on them.

This is not a truck for purists and if a perfect Power Wagon is what you seek, it’s going to cost you twice as much. Instead, this is a very usable modified truck with an awesome look and a few tricks up its sleeve that make it far more useable than a stock one might be. For promotions, parades, and just having fun in the dirt, this is an awesome choice.