A glance through our sold inventory here at Harwood Motors will tell you that we know a little bit about Power Wagons. For the past two years, we’ve been watching the market climb so rapidly that price guides are obsolete before they can be printed and the very best specimens are rapidly approaching six figures. In short, if you’ve been wanting a Power Wagon, now is probably the time to buy, because they won’t be getting cheaper in the future.

It’s with that in mind that we are so pleased with this 1958 Power Wagon, which does have a rather remarkable story behind it. It shows just 4798 original miles (not a misprint!) thanks to a lifetime of service as a fire rescue vehicle. As fire apparatus enthusiasts well know, it isn’t unusual for these vehicles to have extremely low mileage as their duties are both infrequent and local. Nevertheless, after more than 50 years, this Power Wagon was showing its age and despite the low mileage, needed a full restoration. In the early 2000s, it was acquired by a talented gentleman who specializes in restoring old houses and furniture, who adopted the big, red Power Wagon with the intention of making it his work vehicle, a task to which the big brute was ideally suited. There’s a big bed in back that’s large enough to handle 4x8 sheets of plywood and a myriad of compartments, shelves, and boxes for tools and supplies, all of which were appealing to someone who needs a lot of both on the job. Despite the extremely low mileage, the truck was completely disassembled and treated to a frame-off restoration, the engine was rebuilt, and all of the chassis components were inspected and re-sealed. A proper Braden PTO winch was added up front with the requisite Power Wagon split bumper, and it returned to service better than ever.

Today, it does show some signs of use—it was a work truck for a few years and while it never saw duty in severe weather, it’s been driven. However, the Submarine Seawolf Green paint still shines up beautifully and it has the right look for a Power Wagon, not too pretty to be used but very appealing. The bodywork was obviously in excellent order before the paint went on and the finish is exactly the right shade of green. Black fenders are part of the Power Wagon’s charm, too, and the big utility box bed was refinished inside and out. For business duties, it wore gold-leaf-style lettering, most of which was removed when the truck was offered for sale, but you can imagine how effective this truck was as a promotional tool. The fenders are not wrinkled and bashed, the running boards are straight and covered in spray-on bedliner material so they’re grippy, and the doors fit quite well, latching with a comforting “click.” Even the butterfly-style hood opens easily and latches without the wrestling match required on lesser Power Wagons. Sure, there are a few blemishes in the finish (it has been working for a living, after all), but the impression these trucks make is undeniable and is surely why their prices are skyrocketing today. The bed was also treated to a spray-in bedliner to protect the working surfaces, so no worries about a Saturday afternoon trip to Home Depot for project supplies. This is a truck that doesn’t mind working as a truck.

You will also notice a beautifully built wood bumper in back, designed not just for protection but as an easy step into the bed. There’s a Class IV hitch underneath, and for safety, most of the exterior lighting is now LEDs to improve visibility, including the running lights on the box. The original cowl lights have been turned into turn signals, working in conjunction with the fender lamps, and the headlights are halogen so nighttime driving is no big deal. The passenger’s side cowl light is a little bumped and bruised and the massive side mirrors are a little weathered, but overall this Power Wagon presents quite well.

The interior was fully restored at the same time, and from the pre-restoration photos we have, it was overdue. The dash, door panels, and every other metal surface inside the cab was likewise changed from red to green and there’s no trace of the original color anywhere, a testament to the thoroughness of the restoration. A gray vinyl seat cover looks period-correct and provides durable, low-maintenance seating that’s comfortable enough for longer drives. Metal door panels are pure industrial-grade but they don’t rattle or ring when you’re driving and the interior feels remarkably tight when you’re hammering this rig down the road. The factory gauges, having so few miles on them, are in excellent shape and are all fully functional and the mileage showing on the odometer is indeed correct. A big tachometer was added under the dash to the driver’s left and a vacuum gauge to his right, both useful for driving and tuning the Power Wagon’s six-cylinder engine. The tach is a reassuring piece, because while your ears might suggest the engine seems to be working hard, a glance at the numbers reveals that it’s just happily spinning along at 2500 RPM at 35 MPH or so, well within the safe operating limits. A MoPaR heater under the dash is actually reasonably effective (the truck showed up when it was about 28 degrees out) and there are heavy-duty rubber mats on the floors. As far as we can tell, everything works, including the wipers, which is always a nice feature on any old vehicle.

The Power Wagon’s appeal obviously isn’t speed, but the 230 cubic inch inline-six is one of the most reliable machines ever devised by man and thanks to lots of gear reduction, it’ll go just about anywhere without complaint. Despite the ultra-low mileage, the engine was fully rebuilt at the time of restoration, mostly because fire trucks often have many hours of idling that isn’t reflected in the mileage. New bearings, rings, pistons, and gaskets, plus an .030 overbore, mean that it runs like new and for a heavy-duty truck engine, the idle is ridiculously smooth. Upgrades include a Pertronix ignition system, a modern alternator for the 12-volt electrical system, and an open-element air cleaner in place of the oil bath unit, but it’s worth noting that all the original parts are included with the truck should you wish to take it back to 100% stock condition. The engine was painted correct corporate silver and now shows some signs of use, but the rugged reliability underneath is 100% intact. New wiring was installed throughout the truck and it’s one of the easiest vehicles to start in our entire inventory—a little choke and turn the key and it’s running. Nice!

Perhaps the most critical aspect of the Power Wagon is the driveline, and everything on this truck is in top shape. Incredibly, when the front hubs were disassembled, the factory tool marks were still visible inside the bearing cups, suggesting not only that the parts were in new condition, but perhaps that 4-wheel-drive had never been used at all! Nevertheless, the transmission, transfer case, and both axles were disassembled, cleaned, inspected, and reassembled with fresh seals and bearings, so everything works as intended. The front hubs were fitted with modern disconnects to save a few pennies when driving on paved surfaces and the standard front drum brakes were replaced with modern discs for vastly improved stopping power. The disc brakes are a bolt-on proposition, and the original backing plates, wheel cylinders, and what appear to be NOS drums are included with the truck. The original steel wheels were restored and painted to match the truck, then fitted with brand new 16-inch off-road tires that have only a few hundred miles on them, plus a matching full-sized spare.

The truck comes with a rather extensive cache of spare parts, including the aforementioned brake and engine parts, clutches, brackets, spare floor panels, plus a brand new, still-in-the-box ARB Air Locker differential that’s worth several hundred dollars all by itself. There’s also a full set of factory service manuals. Nice!

We sell a lot of Power Wagons, probably more than any other dealer, and this is a good one with a great background and still in excellent condition. The utility box has a neat look and is eminently practical if you still want to use your truck as a truck, and a conscientious restorer took the time to make it right. Power Wagons are also on a very short list of vehicles that we consider a smart buy, because they’re all going to be worth more in a few years than they are today, and it’s very rare for an affordable vehicle like this to also have that advantage. Give us a call today and we’ll tell you all about it!