1973 Dodge Power Wagon

Tradesman Minivan/Van

8 - Cyl.

Manual

b11ab3v047534

Gasoline

My parents watched this van come in on the truck fresh from the factory in Albany, Georgia, when they were newlyweds. At the time, it was a 2-wheel drive automatic with a straight-six. It carried myself and my two siblings when we were babies, my brother drove it in high school, and I've been driving it for the past two years, taking care of it all along the way. It's seen the country many times, as it followed my family through Georgia, Florida, Colorado, Louisiana (making business trips to the French Quarter in New Orleans several times), California and Nevada, and every state in between in its almost forty years in my family. Not to mention three or four intrepid trips to Burning Man, with overloaded three axle trailer in tow. When I was a toddler (I'm 22 now), my dad gave our beloved family van a major overhaul. Its humble 2-wheel drive automatic nature was replaced with the soul of a 1966 Dodge Powerwagon chassis and transmission and a fully remachined and retuned 1967 318 V-8 engine that roared. Although its top speed of about 60-65 MPH didn't make it an ideal freeway vehicle, it would climb anything, pull anything, climb anything while pulling anything... Whatever we needed done, it did. In our New Years flood of '97, my dad drove it down in the backyard in six inches of water just feet away from the angry Carson River, and it didn't budge an inch off coarse. It was our main firewood vehicle, as we could take the chainsaw to a downed tree, fill it all the way to the top, and bring it all back. We've pulled rocks and stumps, and even entire walls off of buildings we were making modifications to. It once tore the bumper off a Volkswagon stuck in a drift in a snowstorm in Colorado. And, as I mentioned, it was my parents' designated Burning Man vehicle more than once. Use your imagination. It will do what you want it to. Since I've had it, I've taken very good care of it. The things I've replaced since my aquisition are:RelaySolenoidFuel PumpStarter Cables And as of this writing (February 6th, 2012), the coolant has been flushed and replaced, new 10w-40 oil with new PH8A oil filter put in, U-Joints completely greased, and front and rear differentials newly oiled with heavy duty gear oil. The 4-wheel drive has locking hubs that must be locked and unlocked depending on the weather or other conditions, using the gear mechanism to engage it in whenever you get stuck in something. We get some mean storms here in Northern Nevada, and I've personally never even had to use it. The cooling system likes to get hot every now and then, but the components are just built so well that it's never had any problems whenever it got toasty. The speedometer and gas guages are both either broken or just not hooked up right- A gas can in the back will serve you well. If you just let other cars pass you in the left lane, you'll never catch a ticket. The heater works. Technically. There's nothing wrong with it, but it may behoove you to install a more beefy heater later on if you're not into bundling up while driving. The seats have certainly been unchanged since the early seventies, but if I had to make a recommendation, some nice new bucket seats would be pretty slick. The body has very slight rust damage and inevitable dents and scratches aqcuired from over the years, but the rear tailight reflectors are brand new. Included with this purchase will be a new side body panel that was special ordered but never installed. This one-of-a-kind Vanimal needs a new home, and someone who will love it, appreciate it and take care of it the way we did. I'm sad to see it go, but I'll be glad to know that it will have new life and new adventures to accompany its near or far travelling owner, wherever they shall go.