Towpar- The 1976 Dodge Power Wagon tow pig/adventure rig!

[Recon1342]

This is the beginning of a long and beautiful relationship- meet Towpar, my current project. She’s a 1976 Power Wagon with a club cab and a flatbed.

Specs- 3/4 ton, Dana 60 axles front and rear, 4.10 gears, auto transmission, NP203 T case, and 440 cubic inch V-8 (7.2 liters for our metric friends).

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I bought her for one hundred doll hairs, not running or driving. I’ve so far cleaned about 10 lbs of dirt out of the cab, replaced the starter, removed the flatbed, and done a lot of troubleshooting on account of the phenomenal farm truck wiring.

To do list- sheetmetal repair, mechanical repairs, refinish the frame, flatbed, and body, swap from auto/NP203 to manual NP435/NP205, fuel injection, add a/c, and drive it!

I have a pop-up trailer in my backyard that I am going to scrap out; the frame will be the basis of a square drop build to go behind the Dodge.

 

[Kingsize24]

Great looking truck!

 

[Recon1342]

It's alive!!!

June 22, 2024

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I also removed the flatbed and found some white wagon wheels for the truck. It was a good weekend!

 

[chet6.7]

I looked at those back in the day because I liked the cab with space behind the seat. Good luck with your resto.

 

[Recon1342]

I fired up the pressure washer and cleaned off decades worth of mud, dirt, grease, and other assorted scunge. Believe it or not, there is some white on the cab roof still, under all that gunk. Got some work to do on the steelies to make them nice, and lots of work yet to do on the tin.

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[Recon1342]

Wheels have been primed and will hopefully be painted this week. I need to source a new fuel tank and re plumb the fuel system, at which point I can get it running long enough to see what it needs mechanically (besides new u-joints all around).

 

[Dirt Rider]

great foundation, now drop in a Cummins and your off to the races

 

[Recon1342]

great foundation, now drop in a Cummins and your off to the races

Why? My 440 weighs about 500 pounds less and will make just as much torque as a stock 12 valve.

 

[Dirt Rider]

Apples and oranges, who keeps a 12 valve stock? 440 is a great motor and used to be everywhere

 

[Recon1342]

Long time no update.

I've replumbed the fuel system and cleaned out the factory fuel tank for now. Truck runs great, needs a radiator (the stock unit is doing a pretty good impression of a geyser). Front right U-joint is frozen up, but everything else is in decent shape. Consumables need replaced (brake pads, rotors, hoses, belts, plugs, wires, etc.) and I've started cleaning up the interior. I was able to source some inner fenders, a new cowl panel, and a hood from a '79. I hope to get the floor pans done this spring, which will allow me to finish stripping and cleaning/painting/repairing the interior. After that, I'll source some new front quarter panels, tackle the paint, and chassis undercoating.