Retired 1964 Power Wagon still packs lots of fire truck charm

Dodge has a long history of putting 4x4s to work, both in military and civilian life, and few off-road nameplates conjure off-road capability more than “Power Wagon.” This 1964 W200 Power Wagon we found on eBay certainly looks the part of a rugged off-roader—one with an interesting resume.

Formerly a Prospect Terrace fire truck in New York, this retired brute of a truck is currently located in San Andreas, California, in the foothills of the western Sierras. It has more than two days remaining in the auction, and the reserve is still not met with bidding reaching $10,600 as of this writing.

W200s would typically have been equipped with a 9-foot bed, but this one was special-ordered with a shorter wheelbase and an 8-foot bed to better hit the trails and fight wilderness fires. Its 200-gallon, bed-mounted water tank is long gone, but it still sports a siren, roof-mounted light, and an 8000-pound Ramsey winch, all of which are said to be in working order.

The base engine for this era of Sweptline Dodge pickups was a 140-hp Slant Six, so the upgraded V-8, with 200 hp, seems like a major improvement. The Slant Six has a number of fans, but the 318 Poly V-8 is no slouch either and has a reputation for long-lived durability. With just 25,000 miles or so on the odometer, this truck likely has a lot of life left, provided that it didn’t spend much of its life idling or revved up to power that winch. It’s mostly stock under the hood with the exception of a tall oiled-cotton air filter on a new carb. The exhaust is also newly replaced. The factory exhaust manifolds are installed, but the seller is also including a set of stainless-steel headers that would certainly squeeze a bit more power from the classic V-8. There’s also a spare NP435 transmission in case the new owner wants to swap it in rather than the NP420 four-speed currently residing behind the 318.

Note that the auction listing has an original invoice from September of 1963 that lists the truck as a 1963 model but with a hand-written addendum that the truck is a V-8. Perhaps the true model year of the truck is worth an investigation.

Currently, 1964 W200 single-cab Power Wagons with a V-8 have a #3 (Good) condition value of $15,300. This specimen has some noticeable flaws that would likely bring its value closer to #4 (Fair) condition; on the other hand, it’s unrestored and mostly intact, with the added cachet of being a fire truck, which would likely entice a wider-than-average group of buyers. Sure, its interior may have some wear and tear, and the ride quality will leave something to be desired, but this trail-taming beast of a time capsule may just be getting broken in.