Good morning! Today we’ve got a pair of old trucks with three-on-the-trees. Or is that threes-on-the-tree, like Attorneys General or Yukons Denali? I don’t know. Anyway, three forward gears shifted by a lever on the column. One is leisurely, the other… isn’t.
First, however, we should finish up with yesterday’s wagons. I knew the nostalgic pull would be there for both of them, but I also figured the Honda, by virtue of being less primitive, would take the win. And I was right, though it was closer than I expected.
As for me, and this may be the only time I would say this, I’ll take the Subaru. Honda Wagovans are neat, no doubt, but the early Subaru weirdness has too strong of an appeal for me. I’d rather have a Brat, or one of those little two-door hatchbacks they made, but this would be fine as well. I wonder if you can get reproduction US Ski Team graphics for it?
Today we’re stepping back further in time, to the days of inline sixes and three-speed manuals on the column. One of these trucks still has its trusty six, but the other has been treated to something a little spicier. Both run and drive, and both, for once, have white-letter tires. (Not enough cars have white-letter tires these days, in my opinion.) Let’s check them out.
1973 Dodge W100 Power Wagon – $4,250
Engine/drivetrain: 225 cubic inch overhead valve inline six, three-speed manual, part-time 4WD
Location: Gaston, OR
Odometer reading: unknown
Operational status: Daily-drivable, but may have a noisy transmission bearing
The “Power Wagon” name has a long history, starting out as a civilian version of Dodge’s big military trucks. Starting in 1957, Dodge used the name on light-duty 4WD trucks as well, all the way up until 1980. The most well-known light-duty Power Wagon was, of course, the late-1970s “Macho Edition,” famously driven by Gerald MacRaney in the TV series Simon & Simon. But the Power Wagon always was, first and foremost, a workhorse, not a toy.
You don’t need a big V8 and flashy graphics to get work done; a plain-Jane six-cylinder truck will do the job just fine. The “power” in this Power Wagon comes from Chrysler’s legendary Slant Six, driving all four wheels when needed through a simple three-speed manual. It’s a standard-cab short-bed, with what looks like maybe a bit of a lift. It’s a tall truck anyway, but those are big tires, and it wouldn’t surprise me if it had a couple inches of lift to it. The Slant Six runs “exceptionally well” according to the seller, and has a bunch of new parts, including the alternator, starter, fuel pump, water pump, and clutch.
The seller does note a possibly noisy bearing in the transmission or transfer case, but truck gears are noisy anyway, so it might not be a big deal. My own truck’s four-speed transmission groans and whines like crazy, and I once had a Nissan Pathfinder that moaned like an evil spirit in every gear except fourth (which wasn’t a gear at all, but rather direct-drive). If it doesn’t grind or jump out of gear, it’s probably all right for a while. Besides, the seller is including a four-speed NP435 gearbox you can install, which may alleviate the noise.
Cosmetically, it’s a picture-perfect old scruffy truck, with dull paint and a few spots of primer. There is some rust in the cab, but it sounds like a rust-free cab is also included. That’s a bit more ambitious project than the transmission swap, but if you have a big garage, you could make it a winter project and emerge in the spring with a solid, four-speed Power Wagon.
1965 Chevrolet G10 Panel Van – $4,500
Engine/drivetrain: 454 cubic inch overhead valve V8, three-speed manual, RWD
Location: Sacramento, CA
Odometer reading: unknown
Operational status: Runs and drives… if you dare
How many poor innocent straight sixes have been ripped out and cast aside in favor of a V8 over the decades? A staggering number, I would imagine. This little Chevy van originally left the factory with six cylinders under its doghouse, but the six is gone now, and a big-block 454 lives in its place. And the doghouse? Nowhere to be seen. I believe the word you’re looking for is “Zoinks.”
This monster of an engine is connected to what I fear is the original three-speed manual and light-duty rear axle. Launch it hard, and you’re liable to either pop a wheelie, or break something. Good thing the single racing seat has that four-point harness, right? I mean, safety first, and all that.
I rather like the patina on this one too, and the Cragar mags look like they were made for it. The body looks pretty solid, but there is some serious rust in the floor that will need tending to. And of course, some more of an interior, or at least a new doghouse over the engine, wouldn’t be a bad idea. The seller does say that it runs and drives as-is, however – if you’re brave enough.
The seller is also including an aftermarket “gasser” style straight axle and leaf springs, with Wilwood disc brakes on it. I presume that means the van still has its stock drum brakes, which makes the power upgrade even more frightening. From the looks of it, the seller intended to turn this into a drag racer, but only got this far. Because, of course, when you’re building something like that, you start with the engine, wheels, and tires, because they’re the coolest parts.
I realize these are both pretty serious projects. On the one hand, you’ll end up with a sturdy, if slow, work truck that could also be an off-road toy, and on the other, a scary but cool ’60s style drag van. And even better, either one could be driven home, for that “what the hell is that?” moment when you pull into the driveway. Which one are you taking?
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
I learned to drive stick on my dad’s 1977 Dodge D100 with three-on-the-tree. An honest single cab 2WD with the 318 and a long bed, it was a great truck that along with the 1982 4 on the floor but other similar spec that he replaced it with. Squarebodies are great, don’t get me wrong, but I’m a Mopar man for malaise-era pickups.
The van is kind of cool in a cringey-scary sort of way but it’s no competition.
I feel like the van would disintegrate around you if you got in and floored it. That’s if you don’t die of CO poisoning first.
If the van were less “drag project”, I might’ve been swayed to vote for it. But the Power Wagon looks pretty honest.
I think that van is the sketchiest thing you have posted here.
I want to want the van but that whole project screams half assed in the worst way. Never buy someone else’s project. Projects like this are the reason that mantra exists
My initial take was to vote for the van; it is cooler from 20 ft perspective.
Pros & Cons:
Van body is in worse shape, missing parts; but the engine could be worth more than half the asking.
Pickup is complete and has greater utility/mass appeal, and is underpriced for what it is, so considering resale value, pickup wins in the end.
Had both been largely stock I would have voted van in a second. This van is awesome however not for me. It somehow screams amazing idea and awful idea at the same time. Downside to the truck is my asshole former stepfather had a dodge truck at one point. Still not enough to make me vote van.
I’m not a Dodge fan but unless those pictures are hiding a ton of rot I can’t see why I wouldn’t be dropping my cash on that if it was closer to me.
The van is cooler
My missus learned to drive in a Plymouth Valient (named Rudolph Valientino) with the slant 6 and three on the tree. She would love this truck. Plus you can pretty much repair anything on it with a Leatherman and a hammer
Dang, that truck would go for double that at least if they put it on BaT LOL
I’ll take the truck, please
I used to drive around in car with a full on Merlin engine. That van looks terrifying, so I voted for it. What could go wrong?
Much of the country’s problem these days stem from the fact that way more people are familiar with PowerPoint than Power Wagons. Gimme the cowboy truck, a Coors Banquet beer, a Big Sky landscape and Sam Elliott reciting “God Made a Farmer.”
this made my LOL!
The truck wins for me. Old trucks are fun to drive, but a lot of them get horrendous fuel economy (my ’77 F250 big block V8 gets 6 mpg) so they are expensive to drive. I presume a truck like this could get 10-12 mpg if driven reasonably. It is still not a Prius, but it is easier to justify daily driving a classic vehicle if it gets double digit MPG.
Wow, that’s terrible. I had a 78 F-150 with a built 400 and it got over 10 mpg.
Power wagon, not even a contest. You’d have to pay me to take that van.
I have no interest in being the first on the scene of a fatal accident, and a 454 in that sketchy van is an accident waiting to happen.
I’ll take the Dodge. Good, honest worker, there. I kind of love that it has the I6 instead of a V8 of any kind.
A Slant 6 and 3 on the tree are the two things I want to try the most in life.
So, Power Wagon all day today!
I had both in a 76 D100 2wd, never want either ever again. The slant six could barely push the truck to 70 back in the day (and not for very long, it would start overheating,) and the 3 speed had a propensity to get locked in 2 gears at the same time, which ultimately led to it being sold.
I suspect that would be William Safire’s preferred option, but unfortunately we cannot ask him.
One could simply avoid the whole mess by using “three-on-the-tree” as a descriptive phrase, e.g. “both vehicles are equipped with three-on-the-tree manual transmissions”. This moves the pluralization duties to transmission and simplifies the sentence a bit.
Having said that… Power Wagon, please!
I am an unapologetic fan of the Leaning Tower o’ Power, and would happily have one to do truck things. However, I would bring this one back to a more reasonable ride height and give it smaller tires.
The van has some interesting attributes but doesn’t really do much for me. I am wondering how warm the cabin would be in the winter: the radiator is right there, which is nice, but there is a lot of daylight visible around it. Maybe a vented doghouse is the answer.
That Chevy has more holes in the floor, then holes in Elon’s logic when buying twitter.
You can fund the van purchase by running billboards on the side and charging for the advertising. Then you just surround the advertisements with swastikas.
The lack of power steering on a full size, 4WD pickup will do wonders for one’s upper body strength. I still want it, though.
The van is a death machine. Amazing, but I wouldn’t even get into it standing still. Love the truck, though.
That van is one overheat or accident away from removing any remnants of unscarred skin from the right side of someone’s body. I will take the truck, thanks
Well. Shit. I want both of em for completely different reasons.
Normally in this case the amount of rust would be the tipping factor, but…
Gotta stick with my I6 love, I guess.
I went Dodge but of course the best answer is neither.
I voted van. There’s no rational reason. Maybe I just wanna know exactly what I’m gonna die from.
Price of admission might be worth it just for the engine. Rip it out and junk the van.
some people just want to see the world burn. no judgement here.