It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 9:58 pm

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: 1979 Power Wagon?
PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 1:03 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2011 12:43 pm
Posts: 4
Location: Arkansas
Hello, I recently purchased a 79 Custom 4x4 truck. I was wondering if there is a way to tell if the truck is acutally a power wagon or not? It has the emblems on the front fenders, but I know that these could have just been put on the truck. Was the power wagon option even available in the W100?

I have attached a picture of the truck. It is in really good shape. There is some rust on the doors and and around the rear wheel wells. I am thinking about cutting out the rust on the rear and installing some good fender flares. They guy that had it before me installed 33 12.50 15 swampers on it. By the way, an 80s model bed has been installed on the rear. I have not seen that done much, but from looking on the internet it appears to be a somewhat common thing.


Attachments:
IMG00386-20110205-1151.jpg
IMG00386-20110205-1151.jpg [ 115.01 KiB | Viewed 5249 times ]
Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: 1979 Power Wagon?
PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 1:12 pm 
Offline
Moderator

Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:37 am
Posts: 1520
Location: Truckin thru NEVADA
That's a really good looking truck!!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: 1979 Power Wagon?
PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 2:59 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2011 12:43 pm
Posts: 4
Location: Arkansas
Thanks, the guy that had it before me really went through it. Mostly interior work needs to be done; paint is going to have to be fixed on the lower part of the doors at some point. Not sure why you would pant over little rust spots?
I have replaced the glove box lid, just bought a dash pad for the dash. I have found it is quite hard to find a dash for these trucks.

I am just curious of the history of the truck to see if it was actually a power wagon or not. I have really not found a good explanation of what the power wagon option was at the time the truck was made. I am thinking it was just basically emblems and that was it.

I have a 08 power wagon as well.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: 1979 Power Wagon?
PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 6:26 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2009 10:42 pm
Posts: 188
Location: Decatur IN
Up until 1980, if it was a 4x4, it was a power wagon.

_________________
1993 W250 club cab, ctd, getrag dd
2005 SRT4 ACR, my precious!
beater neons x3


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: 1979 Power Wagon?
PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 6:31 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2010 11:10 pm
Posts: 52
I have always been a fan of the 79 quad headlight grill but after looking at this truck and a Ramcharger that had the single headlight grill, I am starting to think that it looks much cleaner. Especially nice with the 79 hood style. I think the later beds are great with the fuel doors, don't care much for the caps. Great looking truck and thanks for sharing this with us.

Classicironman


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: 1979 Power Wagon?
PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 6:39 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2010 3:15 am
Posts: 185
hi there, no its not a pw and its such a horrible looking truck, you should give it to me so you dont have to see such an eyesore. :D damn i tried, ok from 70 to 80 and early 81, any 4x4 was a power wagon, a few key points were the grills, that separated wat year they were, yours has a 79 80 grill 79s also had a quad headlight grill. 77 78 were full time 4wd and could not go into 2wd, and as far i know 70s dodges had a rounded cab on top and on the side where as an 80s truck was more square, tailights should have the reverse light on top, also it does have an 80s bed as every pw ive had doest have a flipping gas lid, its just a cap. and pw had that 80s hood but did not have the rams head. give me some more info like the vin, motor size, transfer case style, rear end, every pw ive had has a 12 bolt rear end with 3.55s you have an awesome truck there, ive had a pw that was camo and it had 33s on it, even if its not a pw regular ppl wont know the difference. be proud of it


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: 1979 Power Wagon?
PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 8:05 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2010 3:15 am
Posts: 185
ok i must take back some of wat i said as its not 100% accurate, not all PWs had the 9 1/4 rear axle or 3.55s classicironman informed me he has a 79 with an 8 3/4 i think with only 3.23s its also a macho.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: 1979 Power Wagon?
PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 8:12 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2010 11:10 pm
Posts: 52
It is an 8 3/8 rear end, Sam can probalby explain it better but I guess Chrysler figured that the front Axle being a Dana 44 was plenty strong enough to pull the truck in the full time 4x4 configururation and they did not need to add to their cost by sticking in the heavier duty 9.25 housing. It is a downside if you want to change to locking hubs and a part-time system because then you will have a truck that has the equivlent of a dart 6 cylinder rear axle.

Classicironaman


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: 1979 Power Wagon?
PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 1:25 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2011 12:43 pm
Posts: 4
Location: Arkansas
Thanks for the all the info guys. It does have the 12 bolt 9 ¼ rear axle. I was kind of surprised that it had this since the guy that I bought it from said it did not. I figured the W100 would be a lighter configuration, but from talking to my dad he said you could get the W100 with about the same options as the W150, mechanical wise anyway. The whole W100 vs. W150 is kind of strange. That was why I was thinking it might not be a Power Wagon since it was not a W150, or a macho. From what I take it though, I may be wrong, but the W150 is basically a fancier truck. The W100 is basically what we would call today the cheap package or just a simple work truck. Could be the same mechanically, but not A/C or anything like that in the cab. What is kind of neat about the truck is that is has the same interior color as a 79 trail duster that my dad had. The trail duster had the single light grill in it as well. It also was a custom, but it had the heavier 9 ¼ axle.
Also, I was told that is has the 3.23 gear ratio. I have not crawled underneath it yet to see if has any tags on the axles. I am assuming there is not a way to find this on the tags by the door or under the hood. I have decoded the VIN, or so I think. It had a 360 from the factory; I have been told that it has a 318 now. I am assuming the guy would know since he put an edlelbrock intake and a 4 barrel on it. I may try to look at the motor to see if it is stamped anywhere soon. It was a fulltime at some point as well. It has been converted to part time now, not sure what brand was used to convert it, just simple black lockout hubs with no brand label on them. That brings up another question though, since the 203 is converted, I am taking it that I would have a 2wd low option now?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: 1979 Power Wagon?
PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 4:06 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2010 3:15 am
Posts: 185
3.23 + 33, 12.50 = ouch


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
Theme by Shadow_One from SE-Tuning