Ok, what did I just buy?!?

[powerwagoncrazy]

So, while driving home from toutle, WA yesterday, this beast decided to follow me home, which really is no problem for me, lol... Anyways, I know that this truck was not a W300 originally- I confirmed that 2 minutes after I got there and looked at the door tag, but what I don't know is- what running gear is under this? Originally this was a Poly 318 4speed D300, but I was wondering if anyone here might have a clue as to what the rest of it is- I think it's military running gear, but am curious as to what it could have come from, how strong it is, etc... Any input would help greatly! For clarification, I just used the vin decoder and it's a '66- It has an earlier core support/grille setup on it... That really messed with my head yesterday- a '64 with series badges on the fenders had me spinning in circles!!

[achille]

Yeah, I sees what ya mean,four headlights, but new style door handles,or at least doors? thats not even MoPar front hubs are they ? .... '66 could have either style door handles tho ?....the polys gone? replaced with LA 318?...STILL a good find ,IMHO....hey, as long as you have place to park it....

[PowerMan]

If the front grill is original, it would be a '65 assuming the badges were also original because a '65-'68 would have the Dodge emblem on the front fender and a 100/200/300 emblem underneath the Dodge emblem. The frame looks to be the correct one. It is a straight frame unlike the 100 or 200 series sweptline dodge trucks. The running gear almost looks like that of what was on the Flat Fender Power Wagons that were built from the early 40's until '68(In the US) and '71(Overseas). What model winch is on the truck? An LU-2 winch should come on the Sweptline trucks and MU-2, MU-4, and LU-4 winches came on Flat Fender trucks and other military trucks. Maybe this could help us tell what truck the runnning gear is from. Almost looks like it is an LU-4 winch? I am not an expert on the running gear so maybe some one else will help out. Cool Truck though! Interesting!

Power Man

[achille]

...my mistake,I see it DOES have the old refrigerator style door pulls..at least on pass. side..what sort of gauges? ANY? single-speed wipers might help date it too.....

[A440cuda1]

From some pictures I looked at on the net, I'd believe your running on later 60's powerwagon running gear (and I don't mean the W series trucks)I don't think dodge offered a hub setup like that in big powerwagons till '66-'68, before that they were all full time locked hubs with the 2wd -4wd choice on the twin stick T-case. But then-again I could be talking out my butt, my specialty is the D-series trucks.

[powerwagoncrazy]

Hmmm... I'm still stumped... The winch is a Garwood 10K pounder, and the gauges and such are missing. However, scratched into the drivers door is "cm's "66" ," which I believe means it's a '66. I found an old envelope tag on the floor with "Curtis McDougall 145 McDougall Dr. Mossyrock, WA 98564-9416" on it, so I think I may have found a crucial piece of info as to where the truck came from. All I got from the meth-men was a bill of sale- no paperwork, so I think I'll work a little further with this lead... Thanks for the input- I really appreciate everyone's thoughts on this!

[OregonDodgeboy]

Does the body mounts look like they are original or fabbed on? I've seen that large 5 lug wheel somewhere before, along with that rear axle housing. First thought is military, second is IH running gear. It's an odd one for sure.

What ya gonna do with it?

[digdoug]

I'm with Jeff on the IH deal as it has spicer drivelines.Dodge used Detroit stuff.

Doug

[RussRoth]

Did that follow you home from Ben's?????

[PwrWgnWalt]

IF the grille/front sheetmetal is original - it must be an early '65.

The frame looks to be that of a D/W 300 model, but the running gear is another story.

The transfer case looks almost like a single speed model - can you tell how many input levers/shafts there are to the front of the Trfr case?

The lug nuts even look like they might be combat-style, which would match my thinking that these are WWII vintage axles - from a WC model, or maybe an M-37 or WM300 (flat-fender PW).

Check out Vintage Power Wagons site for more info...

PwrWgnWalt

[reallylongnickname]

U wanna a camper for it? I mean instead of putting on a bed. It'll fit on there EZ.

[reallylongnickname]

I don't think I could even give this type of camper away. Although it is in good condition, every thing works, its customised to fit on a truck without a bed. I'll advertise it the parts.

[mikeys_toy]

the transfer case looks like the one in my '60, and I know the early w- series used those hubs.
One of the guys in the club has a '57 w200 with a 392 hemi and those exact same wheels/hubs
that t-case has the bracket for the e-brake still on it

[Ruckus]

Let's start with what we do/don't know.
1. They are not NAPCO axles (no circle of bolts on the front side).
2. Power Giant W300's had centered-differential rear dana 70's, not offset Chrysler Power Wagon axles. -as far as I can tell...
3. Flatfender Power wagons had round differentials and offset rear-pumpkins, so that seems like a good choice, but I have never seen a picture of a dually flatfender. Is it possible to convert a Power Wagon axle to dually just by bolting on another rear rim dished out??
4. I have seen a 57 IH 4x4 with round pumpkin axles very similar to these... so that is definately a possibility... however, the scant info I can find says these used the NP202 transfer case which is a smooth case looking the same as the NP201 found in early Dodges.
5. GM Military stuff?? but it looks too light to be 1 1/2 ton stuff...

I have to go with 3 or 4. It should be fairly easy to ID the axles as PW or not given the amount of info out on the web. If not, then they are likey IH.

Ok, so that was no help at all...

[Ruckus]

I just noticed the window says "600". Don't tell me you got that for 600 bones?? Paint me green with envy!!

[OneBigDoofus]

Hey guy's,... I'm new here and have almost finalized buying this truck

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-11/ ... C02748.JPG

It looks alot like the truck pictured above but has 6 hole wheels though. Green army paint and only 35000 miles