Powell Pickup Trucks

[Curt Lee]

I'm sure that most fanatic MoPar fans are aware of the Powell Pickup truck; based on the chassis of the 1941 Plymouth. Having an actually attractive is utilitarian appearance for it's time, it was, unfortunately, limited by Powell's choice of underpinnings, as the later P15 series were different enough to make using those necessitate expensive modifications, and Chrysler was hesitant to make any chassis available for that upstart Powell....

I wonder how many actually got built AND how many survive today?

[Sniper]

Since Powell started making their truck about 13 years after the 41 MY I don't see how Chrysler had any decision making to do regarding Powell's choice of chassis.  Powell could have chosen a newer chassis instead.

[Plymouthy Adams]

thank you for not posting a picture of the UGLIEST TRUCK EVER MADE.....

[Merle Coggins]

just for you, Tim. ?

[Plymouthy Adams]

Gee Thanks Merle...!!!  

[Los_Control]

There is a guy on youtube that found a woodie wagon that I believe was a powell. Found it in a auto wrecking yard.

 

I was somewhat interested in it because of the mopar drivetrain.  ..... The owner was acting as if they just found the holy grail.

They were prepared to spend thousands of hours & $$ restoring it.

 

I dunno, I was not feeling it .... looking at the front sheet metal .... never watched another video to watch progress.

 

[Dan Hiebert]

I know where one is abandoned in the far west Texas desert, according to Google Earth, it is still there.  I was told by the land owner I could have it if I got it off the property, he was probably hoping someone would remove the eyesore that was upsetting his cattle.  Barely accessible at the time, I'd wager it would take heavy equipment to fix the gravel road into the area now.  It piqued my interest for a while, every time I started pondering how to get it out, I'd look up pictures and talk myself out of it...  

Edited August 18, 2023 by Dan Hiebert

[Curt Lee]

Chrysler could have sold him new frames and made his production more efficient, but dedicating any production line time to an obsolete frame design would have been ludicrous to a company feeling a real boom in sale of their own stuff. Powell made their body follow the 41 frame too closely it seems.

Ugliest truck ever? not by far..... plainest, maybe; looks like a frigidaire on it's side

[Sniper]

4 hours ago, CURT LEE said:

Chrysler could have sold him new frames

 

Why?  Powell could have saved himself lots of time and money had he put his effort into designing a truck that fit a more current frame rather than a prewar design the was more than a decade out of production when he started.

 

 

[kencombs]

It is my understanding that Powells were not assembled on a new chassis.   Used from the ground up with new sheet metal.  If that's true then mother Mopar had no part in parts sourcing, just the local salvage yards, and maybe used car dealers.

[Plymouthy Adams]

that was pointed out early, I think one reader suggested Ma Mopar could have supplied new chassis for his adventure....but am sure this busted the bottom end and blew away the total 'repurpose' of his build.  While I will never discount the functionality of the Powell, I will never say it is a sharp looker either.  I always thought the UTEs of from down under very practical in general, but they ugly as sin also.  Each their own, plenty of samples for everyone,  I will stick with the basic concept of a van. 

Edited August 23, 2023 by Plymouthy Adams

[Young Ed]

4 hours ago, Sniper said:

 

Why?  Powell could have saved himself lots of time and money had he put his effort into designing a truck that fit a more current frame rather than a prewar design the was more than a decade out of production when he started.

 

 

I'd bet when they started they had to pick something that was in the sweet spot of modern but old enough to be hitting the junkyards. 

[Dan Hiebert]

The Powell Sport Wagon Co. is the name of the company.  Built the pick-ups from 1954 to 1956, and a station wagon in 1955 to 1956.  Production "voluntarily" ceased near the end of 1956 due to lack of useable chassis and running gear.  They apparently had no problem selling everything they made.  Running gear was from '40's and '50's Plymouths, chassis primarily were 1941.  All chassis and running gear were refurbished from used or wrecked vehicles, Mr. Chrysler had no say-so in it, and apparently Powell made no attempt to solicit new components from MoPar.  The Powell vehicles were sold, titled, and registered as new vehicles.  I'm curious if that would fly in some States today.  Any Plymouth service center could work on them.  I can't find a definitive number, but production to date in mid 1955 was 1,000 trucks and 300 station wagons with an estimated production of 15-18 units per day (I can't find the breakdown of "per day" units).

[Plymouthy Adams]

given two years run.....5 days a week times 104 weeks and divide this into the 1300 estimated production....2.5 cars a day avg.  

[Ulu]

I owned a 1961 International Harvester pick up truck, and it warms my heart to know that there was an uglier pick up truck built on this planet.

 

Sorry but I wasn’t into photography back then, so no pictures of my Rusty pick up truck.

 

 

 

[Curt Lee]

Surprising that the sedan frame was his choice; given that they are built like a brick outhouse. Different times altogether. Seems like Powell saw an early Land Rover once..

[Bobacuda]

I passed on buying one several years back for $850 (if I remember correctly). The bed needed all sorts of metal work, the door windows (sliders, not roll up) needed rebuilding, clutch was frozen, and it didn’t run.  The whole thing needed a rebuild. 

 

The deal killer for me was the grille and nose are fiberglass, and these were quite rotted. Try finding those. Still, I have often wondered if I should have bought it. 
 

Anyhow, looking under it, you couldn’t miss the Powell body was cobbled on to a ‘41 Plymouth frame.