BBS43. 1957 Power Wagon finds a new home.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to own a very rare, Dodge truck.

This truck is 67 years old. It has only changed hands twice in the last 33 years. The prior owner first documented odometer reading was 51,199 miles. Currently the odometer has 69,326 miles. This is only 18,127 miles in the last 32 years!

This is the seventh BBS video covering the truck. Transparency in advertisement is very important to me. Please watch all of the videos and read the entire description, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Let’s cover the bad stuff, right up front. I took the truck off the road immediately after purchase do to severely scary steering. The power steering sector was failed, the drag link was incorrectly made, and the steering arm was about to fall out of the driver side steering knuckle. The wiring was terrible and the fuel tank was also a mess. Given the maintenance and repair history, I’m confident the prior owner would have fixed all these issues if they kept the truck.

It currently needs maintenance/repair/replacement of the front axle steering knuckles. I replaced the incorrectly installed bolts with studs, in the driver side steering knuckle. I believe this knuckle should be replaced. It has four heli-coils anchoring the studs in the knuckle. There are two, 3/8 studs and two, 7/16 studs currently holding the steering arm on the knuckle. The wiring needs completion. I have wiring schematics for the unfinished work currently in the truck. It needs a replacement fuel tank and master cylinder. These upgrades can return the truck to a roadworthy status without too much effort. Did I mention the cab floor is rusty and needs replacement? The cab floor is rusty and needs replacement.

Here’s the good stuff. This is a 1957 Dodge, W100, Power Wagon, Serial Number 82901092. According to www.townwagon.com, this is 1 of 427, W100, 116 WB, with 315 CI V8. It is number 92 off the assembly line from Detroit, Michigan. It is also a one year only body style, manufactured from January to August 1957.

I purchased this truck on April 17, 2011 with 69,169 showing on the odometer, with the intention of a complete restoration-modification using all the resources provided by the prior owner. Those resources meaning, rebuilt engine, recored radiator, clutch replacement, leaf springs, shocks, brakes, front and rear axle updates, etc. found in the maintenance and repair history dating back to October, 1990.

I have the 1957, K-Series, Power Giants, parts book from June, 1957. I have service manuals on CD for K-L&M series trucks from 1957-9.

10FEB93- J&H four wheel drive specialties install Dana 60 rear axle with new bearings, seals, brakes, wheel cylinders, 4.10:1 ring and pinion, with sure grip unit. $1,085.

05AUG95- 57,415 miles. Remove and replace all leaf springs. $1,227.92

16OCT97- 58,786 miles. Rick’s Auto Repair and Bud’s Machine shop. Remove, rebuild, install engine, new clutch assembly, and recored radiator. $4,142.26

19APR11- 69,272 miles. Perform compression test. Engine temperature, 180 degrees. All plugs out. Carb at wide open throttle. All cylinders 140 psi.

Current mileage- 69,326 miles. The 318 Poly engine has 10,540 miles since rebuild. The clutch assembly and radiator were done at the same time. Leaf springs have been replaced. A rebuilt Dana 60 with 4.10:1 Sure Grip and eight lugs replaced the original rear axle. An updated Dana 44 with 4.09:1 gears and eight lugs replaced front axle.

It is difficult to find a fair market value for this 1957 Power Wagon. I have stored it for the last 12-1/2 years. If storage fees are a $100/month, that is $15,200. There are more than $7,000 in upgrades and repairs over the last 32 years with only 18,127 miles in this amount of time. SOLD.

To everyone who watched, I thank you and wish all good things to you. Live everyday like it’s your birthday. Always treat others the way you like and want to be treated.

I hope you enjoy the videos. Thanks for watching, liking, commenting, sharing, and subscribing. I hope you have a nice day.