By Tim Odell
Commenter extraordinaire and former DamnElantra owner Jeremy has brought something for show and tell. After reading our post on a certain Power Wagon Town Panel (Town Panel = no windows, Town Wagon = windows), he was smitten. It got away from him once, but thanks to a deadbeat eBayer, he got a second chance. When the tow truck and trailer rental rival the cost of your new project car, you’re doing it right.
That said, our man’s got his work cut out for him. Let’s take a look inside (and under and through) Jeremy’s new toy…
We’ll start with the cold, hard facts. It’s a ’64 D100 Power Wagon Town Panel body perched atop a 1970 4×4 Power Wagon Chassis. There’s no motor, but there is an NP435 (which sports either a 4.56:1 or 6.68:1 1st gear) backed up by a divorced NP205 transfer case which splits power between a Dana 44 front and Dana 60 rear axle. If that sounded all “blah blah blah” then shame on you you just need to know it’s some seriously heavy duty stuff.
The load perched atop this hearty platform has been lightened courtesy of our friends in the corrosion department. Thankfully, the frame itself is in great shape (for being 41 years old). Needless to say, if you’re looking to give our pal here a “congratulations on your new Power Wagon” gift, an angle grinder and an assortment of wire and cutoff wheels would be a good starting point. Secondarily, a gift card to Eastwood for the sand blasting, rust treatment and frame-coating materials he’ll be buying in bulk would be welcome.
Lastly? An engine, of course. Sure, a Cummins 6BT swap would be the bees knees, but the cost makes it a hard sell. Like I said a month ago, Dodge big blocks of reasonable trustworthiness are offensively cheap on Craigslist, and a 413 sounds just about right. Ironically, he’ll need to borrow someone’s truck to go get it.
Christian "Mental" Ward 
Antti Kautonen 
Jeff Glucker
Incredible truck and, from the ebay listing, an incredible bargain as well.
will also be accepting mig welder donations.
Worst case scenario, you give up, realize it is a lost cause, pop off the emblems and a souvenir or two and roll it down to scrap yard for a profit.
Hell, just hold on to the grill long enough and it'd pay him back. There's lots of good stuff there, but we're being kinda goulish. I think he can pull it off.
I am too used to my own failures and disappointments to sometimes realize that others have much more determination, skill, resources, and time than I do. Sometimes I have the vision, but lack the rest.
"Vision but lack the rest?" …Helloooo, Cyrobuka!
Seriously, I used to kid myself that I could actually do the stuff I dream up to do. Nowadays, at least once most days, I find myself saying, "I could— oh, crap, who I am kidding. I couldn't do that in a million years."
Heh, I made that transition a couple of years ago. Now, instead of thinking "hey, I could…" I have figured out that it's much more honest to think "hey, I bet I could talk _____ into…." Works for me, anyway.
or remove the transplant body, weld on a roll cage, and go rock crawling…
boo this man.
that body is 5/8ths the appeal!
Speaking on behalf of the rest of the club, welcome to the world of DamnMopar
Seconded. You know, there's plenty of room under that hood for an L-Head Six….
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3421/3880174412_5e135e7652.jpg" width="400">
Oh, that's pretty.
DamnMopar™ is right. I just put a right swaybar endlink on my Dakota at Christmastime using my Dad's farm shop's resources, and while changing the oil in my own garage tonight I found it needs the left link too, now that I'm bereft of a warm shop space or adequate shop air to power a 1/2" impact wrench.
Somehow though, it all seemed to not matter after I took the Challenger for its obligatory biweekly semi-winter-hibernation drive.
Dear Commenter Formerly Known As damnelantra™,
I see you have a new project, and I would like to congratulate you. However, I have to go get a tetanus shot after looking at those pictures.
Yours truly,
engineerd
BOW TO THE TINWORM! DO NOT DARE TO OPPOSE HIM!
<img src="http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090401192835/uncyclopedia/images/6/63/Scary_computer_worm.jpg" width="500">
That's what I was going to get him as a welcome home gift. Now I've got to get you one too?
Can you tell me how to get superscript in comments? The html tags I tried to use were inadequate.
I use the Alt-code. It's ALT-0153 for the ™ symbol.
how the hell can this 52 year old longrooffan find the data base for those types of yummy bits of information?
TM ALT-0153
0153
)!%#
I hate computers.
So those shitty tools and awesome Worst-Case Scenario Pocket Guide: Cars book I sent you for Hooniverse Ninjaclause will get put to good use.
Excellent, Jeremy, excellent.
actually the bundle of allen wrenches and end cutting pliers went to use immediately after receiving.
It's an Elantra, I can tell by teh wheel wells.
"How hard can it be?"
😉
I'm going to have to disagree with a D44 front being heavy duty stuff but hey everything else is. Should make for one sweet project.
Agreed that, when it comes to breakage due to low gears, big tires and serious offroading, the D44 isn't all that compelling. (HP D30 with the bigger U-joints is very nearly as strong).
He's not building a hardcore offroad machine, though, so the 8-lug D44 should be just fine for general purpose truck use.
Exactly and that's why I like my D44 TTB on my Bronco even though that still isn't as strong as the regular D44 it isn't going to see tires bigger than 33" nor hardcore off roading.
Yeah, my '00 TJ has a D44 rear, D30 (low pinion, dumbly enough) front, 4.10:1 and ARBs in both, and 4:1 t-case gears.
You'd think that the added stress would've put the D30 and/or its u-joints most at risk, but the only drivetrain part I've broken is a tooth off the ring gear on the D44. Weird…
Nice setup right now my '88 Bronco is stock with 3.55:1 with LS in the rear on the 8.8".
"Little sanding, little welding, some parts here and there, should take no time."
What I tell my wife at the start of every project and I am sure you told yours. If you of course have a wife. I just ass-u-me since you are taking on a project truck like this. You wouldn't want to buy anything finished since that defeats the purpose of getting away from the family for some self indulging hoon time all by your lonesome.
hahaha. nah, thats not it.
i do have a wife, she knows all too well what she got into. spent a whole summer looking for a house with enough parking for several engineless cars. mostly i just am really looking for a bad ass towing rig / hauler. so time can be expanded as much as needed.
Jeremy, I can offer no money for your project or any sort of useful expertise. I am, however, willing to send you a bag of candy to entice passengers to ride in the POWR Wagon.
And maybe we can scrounge up a P.A. system to play Pop goes the Weasel as he
stalks lurkscruises serenely down residential streets…Congradulations on your find! A tip, if you primer-bomb it one color or another, you can make a lot of emotional progress on the hulk, even if it is just cosmetic. Wives and neighbors see it as a work in progress then.
F**k that!
Seal it as-is to prevent further rot, patch up enough that the weather doesn't come in and the side boards don't come off if someone steps on them… otherwise leave the body in the current "I think I got tetanus just looking at it" condition.
Make sure the chassis is sorted, put a comfortable interior in it, and a nice reliable drive train but let the body wear its scars with pride. Just imagine the look on people's faces when you turn up to haul off your latest rusted old hulk in a rusted old hulk. Bonus points for a controllable oil drip into the exhaust.
All it needs is a (rough running) motor. Any attempt at bodywork will just diminish its awsomeosity.
Nope, I still prefer the Wullet.
Wow…what a project….I am looking forward to seeing the finished project in the near future…damn I wish I had seen this first…or better yet, my wife would allow me to purchase anything other than an old jeep…..but these Dodges were the old jeep's tow vehicle….good buy and again, I look forward to seeing your progress in making it an awsome tow vehicle…
Congratulations on an awesome purchase! You might need this link:
http://www.harborfreight.com/index3-fl.html?hft_a…
DRAFT TRUCK FTW!
(sorry, I don't know what came over me)
So, DamnElantra will no longer be the operative phrase in Jeremy's household, having been supplanted now by DamnPowerWagon, as well as a tapestry of profanity that will forever hang in space above his home.
Congratulations!