The 1948 Dodge Power Wagon an Over 100 000 $ Restoration

This 1948 Dodge Power Wagon is based on a 1945 Dodge Command. It was an exact replica of the WC Series, which were used by the U.S. military during World War II. The Command version was heavier, less maneuverable, and had a larger profile. P2 Fabrication in California restored it to look like a vintage army truck. Huge 37-inch tires were mounted on Black Rhino wheels that you might find on a modified Jeep.

Every Jeep enthusiast is aware of how cool a 1948 Dodge Power Wagon can be. These insane restomods from Legacy Classic Trucks, which cost more than a Lamborghini and have off-road suspension and Cummins swaps, are made. It looks like a Willys that has been duplicated at a 2X magnification, but this isn’t one of those; it’s a completely different kind of vehicle based on a 1945 Dodge Command.

When someone mentions the Power Wagon, you typically picture a particular kind of car. Typically, it’s a large farm truck with a two-door cab that has a lot of utility. However, this model, which was introduced in 1945, was an exact replica of the WC Series, whose design was crucial to America’s victory in World War II.

The Dodge WC Series, also known as the Beeps, included half- and three-quarter-ton military utility trucks. They served as ambulances and transported the troops, food, and supplies. This was essentially all the American army needed for transportation, along with the Jeeps, and they were also used in Korea.

A mobile radio station for the front lines, this Command version was available in a variety of flavors. It was heavier, less maneuverable, and had a larger profile that made it an obvious target, but despite the fact that many of them were produced, it seems to have been less popular than the Jeep. This appears to be a 3/4-ton version, which is to say that he is a chunky boy.

The owner of this 1945 Dodge Command who was acquired at auction immediately despised the fact that it could only go about 45 mph. Given that this was created to win wars rather than races, that is pretty normal. It was then delivered to P2 Fabrication in Southern California, a shop that works on both fast muscle cars and caged race trucks.

The logical thing to do was a Cummins 5.9-liter swap, but it proved to be very difficult. Moreover, the owner wanted a manual transmission so that his children wouldn’t want to drive it. To make it simpler to install contemporary brakes and suspension, the builders chose to simply remove the old chassis and replace it with the entire undercarriage of a Dodge 2003 Dodge 2500.

To fit under the hood of the 1945 Dodge, the engine had to be pushed back about 10 inches. It’s incredible how they restored it to look like a vintage army truck. For instance, the massive 37-inch tires were mounted on Black Rhino wheels that you might find on a modified Jeep, and this has about 10 inches of clearance thanks to ADS Racing shocks, but you wouldn’t even notice these parts.

They were also able to extend the body by 16 inches and increase the door openings for the rear passengers thanks to the modern Dodge chassis. Because of this, everything needed to be freshly painted in this lovely army green color. You might be curious about the price of this much fabrication. It’s probably over $100,000, which is a ridiculous sum to spend on a toy army.