While General Motors is best remembered for their 4WD Apache pickups of the ‘50s, we have Chrysler to thank for factory 4-wheel-drive all together.

The Dodge Power Wagon first came into existence as the civilian legacy vehicle to the WC series trucks that were built on behalf of the U.S. Government as part of the war effort in World War II. The WC51 was a cargo truck with a 3/4-ton cargo rating that became the standard cargo vehicle across both the western and eastern fronts of the war. More than 120,000 WC51s were built, and thousands more in other configurations like the WC53 panel wagon.

Once the war was over, the highly revered Chrysler Corporation, having produced the designs for the United States most successful mechanized equipment, sought to convert their designs into civilian models. The WC51 truck evolved into the Power Wagon and the Willy’s MB Jeep was developed into the CJ Series of Jeeps. The Power Wagon legacy is not as commercially successful as the Jeep, but it is just as loved historically and is a nameplate that continues on more than 75 years after its introduction into the world.

The year 1945 sounded the introduction of the Power Wagon name, and was introduced as a ‘46 model as the first factory civilian 4×4 truck. It was meant to compete with the 4×4 conversions from Ford/Marmon-Herrington and General Motor’s Dana/NAPCO partnership. It featured an all-weather cab with a civilian cargo oriented 8ft cargo bed. It was powered by the 230ci flathead inline-six engine and geared by a two-speed transfer case and industry leading 4-speed manual transmission with power takeoff (PTO). The design proved to be extremely successful and was adapted into dozens of consumer and commercial configurations.

In 1961, the 230 cube engine was replaced by a new 251ci flathead inline-six engine, and in 1963 was promptly re-powered in the new “swept-line” body design by a 225ci slant-six. Going forward, the Power Wagon trucks carried the W100, W200 and W300 load ratings as half to one-ton trucks. The 225ci engine was marketed as a medium-duty engine due to a roller timing chain, bi-metal connecting rod bearings, stellite-faced exhaust valves, rotocaps on the exhaust valves and polyacrilic valve stem seals. This power plant was the mainstay engine until 1967 when the Chrysler 383 big-block V8 made its appearance and became the standard power plant. In 1975, the part-time transfer case was changed to a full-time setup, allowing for 4-wheel-drive at all times, however was promptly converted back to a part-time orientation in 1980 due to the energy crisis.

Following the ‘80 model year, the Power Wagon nameplate was discontinued with the advent of the Dodge Ram series that was designed to replace it. It remained dormant until 2005 when the dust was blown off and it was put back on the 3rd Generation Dodge Ram. The new Power Wagon featured a 5.7L Hemi V8 and borrowed from the success of the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (TJ) with locking front and rear differentials, strengthened steering gear with taller differentials, strengthened torque converter, 12,000-pound WARN winch, and extensive skid-plating. In the ‘14 model year the Power Wagon, the 6.4L Hemi V8 was made the standard power plant, electronic front sway-bar disconnect, 5-link Quadra-coil rear suspension with 3-link front, and received interior and exterior updates as the 4th Generation RAM truck.