The Dodge M43 Power Wagon Ambulance sits near the top of my Zombie Apocalypse Survival Vehicles list. Simply put, there are few vehicles that better embody the “Goes slow, goes everywhere” mindset and none that do it with as much simplicity. Everything’s big and imprecise. All shortcomings were solved with more steel. It’s that peace of mind that’ll have you and yours sleeping comfortably in the back whenever you venture outside of your fortified compound out by the Salton Sea.
The ’60s era Dodge Power Wagons came from a time when a truck was a working mule, not a show horse. As such, the base engine in this one is a 230c.i. flathead six. It doesn’t matter what how much horsepower or torque it makes, because it’s running through a granny-low 4 speed, 2-speed transfer case and what are likely 5.38:1 gears in the axles. You’re going nowhere fast.
The ambulance version of the old M-trucks is particularly rare, with most examples being hopelessly rusted out or restored to perfection. Neither of those is particularly interesting to us; but this one, with it’s decent (not rusted out) condition and rebuilt (but removed) engine and complete drivetrain looks like a sweet buy at $2999.