This ’78 Dodge Power Wagon Sale Shows a Sweet Spot in the Collector Truck Market
Old pickups are still having their moment. They’re increasingly appreciated as usable classics, and their values are generally up and steady, in contrast to the swift rise and subsequent retreat that’s befallen some collector SUVs. At $23,625 including fees, this 1978 Dodge W150 Power Wagon sale shows the health of the overall collector pickup market, and suggests that Dodge might have a value edge compared to its Ford and Chevy contemporaries.
Sitting atop 32-inch tires and wearing a recently added Macho graphics package and black accent wrap, this ’78 looks period-perfect and ready to enjoy. The seller reports that he bought the truck from its original owner, and that the 63K miles on the odometer represent the actual figure.
W150s featured full-time four-wheel drive, and as a consequence, they often ended up as plow vehicles or living a similarly work-oriented life. Many rusted away, but careful attention over the years enabled the survival of this example. The cab mounting points and floor pans are particular weak points on this model, but listing photos show the former in good shape and the latter having been addressed. Minor rust appears on along door edges in photos, but none of it looks concerning.
Under the hood resides a 318-cubic inch, 145-horse V-8. Dodge offered a wide variety of power plants in these third-generation pickups, and while this one isn’t the strongest, it should be plenty for tooling around and hitting the occasional trail.
Inside, the rig is outfitted with niceties like split seats with a fold-down armrest, a tilt steering column, and carpeting. (Having spent a fair amount of time working on my cousin’s W150, I was immediately smitten with these fancy accoutrements—we’ve added carpeting to his truck, but I’m going to see if we can find these seats somewhere.)
Our valuation team rated this Power Wagon as a solid #3 (Good) condition truck, the kind that would be right at home putting on miles while still looking good at a local show. This sale beats the corresponding Hagerty Price Guide condition value—$14,600—by a solid $9000, showing how a properly preserved vehicle with attractive options can still fetch a very healthy price, even in a slower market.
Compare this Dodge’s transaction with the condition values of similar Fords, though, and $23K starts to look like a steal. A #3 ’78 F-150 half-ton 4×4 comes in at $27,200—the strongest number among comparable trucks from the Big Three.
Chevy’s K10 half-ton is a more earth-bound $17,400, square between this Dodge’s condition value and its sale price. Is this Power Wagon worth $6K more than the Chevy? Your answer might depend on what camp you’ve chosen, but given the Mopar’s extra visual punch, the premium isn’t surprising.
This macho green bruiser managed to thread a valuation needle—it outperformed its fellow Dodges and came in under the market-leading Ford. Twenty-three grand isn’t cheap, but it’s still a solid entry point for a collector vehicle. Let’s hope the new owner enjoys it, and takes a few photos in a similarly attractive setting.
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Carpeting ! Split seats! What next? You gonna replace that heater core you bypassed. By the way, are those the original Olympia beer cans or reproductions.
That’s a Hamm’s beer can.
There is one of each!
Truck prices are hard to rationalize. Often the demand vs supply can confuse pricing. GM trucks may be lower but there are still more of them around.
Dodge trucks are rare and those in demand are often power wagons or little red trucks that command higher prices.
Fords are a puzzle as here in the rust belt they are not easy to find in good condition. But lightings and Harley editions do drive price.
^agree with Hyperv6.
“Power Wagon” is perceived as a premium trim heavy abuse worthy model –whether some things that wore that name deserve that or not. It should not be compared to “GM trucks in general” or Ford… filter down to the 4×4 “high boy” Ford models with some options on them and sure, that’s more of a comparable.
GM trucks you have the extended Squarebody generation that pulls the body style into the 90s (for SUV and 1 ton) which dilutes the “GM trucks in general” values –I live in a rust belt area and squarebody work trucks were still seen 10 years ago, now it is the GMT400 that is starting to be rare in clapped out used up form.
Meanwhile Dodge there was way less to start with. They reskinned the early 70s cab to take it to the 90’s so you don’t have quite the parts interchange for body panels.
This one in the article… someone may have just really wanted it. The added wrap and graphics over the original paint is a red flag to me. It is a cool truck.
Special edition truck or models draw money. Few power wagons were made and they will be copies.
I also live in the belt. The square bodies are here but few are dailybdrivers. They are firewood specials or restored and custom trucks.
The Dodges are rare period. The Fords are mostly gone or the bed sides are held by a chain.
We get a lot of GM squares at work and the prices here are high. If it is a Blazer really high. My buddy has a 1973 for years and he could not buy it now if he had had to buy it today.
The 88 and Lester trucks are a mix mostly aging and just not really caught on yet.
Power Wagon was the name of all Dodge 4X4 models back in the 70s. Power Wagon was not a premium model at that time. It is today, but it was not that way at the time. The Macho graphics were part of the premium trim at that time, but please do not confuse the Power Wagon model of today with the 4X4 trucks of the 1970s.
Ithe old sckoot l love it
This one got a premium price without being a genuine macho, didn’t even have the roll bar.
It looks nice, not sure that it should have commanded a premium but the market is funny.
I’m an International guy and always looking for well kept original pre 69 4bys .
The thing is if the truck is right and straight you buy it .Not at any price of course but they just are not that available .
Olympia for the driver, passenger prefers Hamm’s.
My father in law had a 78 silver & black power wagon with a factory plow. He used it until it would not pass inspection in the Chicago suburb of St. Charles, so he gave it to me to plow our 1/4 mile farmhouse driveway. It eventually rusted to the frame,sold the plow assembly and junked the truck in 1995. I had a laugh looking at the interior photo of this truck seeing the Hamm’s beer can, we have a massive collection of Hamm’, beer stuff,wonder why.
Nice ride. I’ll still take my beat-up 1998 Dakota with its 245K miles on it. Nellie Belle (an allusion to Pat Brady’s ‘46 Jeep on the Roy Rogers Show back in the day) was a snow-plowing and wood-hauling truck in her previous life. I bought her for $2,000 a couple of years ago (with rebuilt steering and some other things to pass state safety inspection); but she’s my girl and gets pampered a bit.
You should feature the real dodge power wagons from 1946 til the time they quit making them it’s a beautiful truck!!!!!