Fargoguy Posted December 26, 2023 Share Posted December 26, 2023 I was just looking at some old photos and came across some shots that I took just east of Kalispell, MT in the summer of 2005. This was out front of an auto wrecker, and at the time I wasn't sure even what i was looking at. I often wonder where it went, google street view shows it isn't there now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Skelly Posted December 27, 2023 Share Posted December 27, 2023 Not many of those were made and it was built on a Plymouth chassis. To complete the package, this 1956 Powell pickup comes with a 1950 Powell scooter | Hemmings 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted December 27, 2023 Share Posted December 27, 2023 The new Matchbox line had one for sale. I have one. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted December 27, 2023 Share Posted December 27, 2023 How do you make a IH scout look attractive? Park a Powell beside it! Sorry, I couldnt resist. I am sure that is a very rare truck but it sure is homely looking. Any relation to Crosley? 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3macboys Posted December 27, 2023 Share Posted December 27, 2023 I can't help but think a bit of the inspiration came from a 50's Seagrave fire truck. Definitely an interesting business model of taking cars out of scrap yards to rebody them. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DFeeney Posted December 27, 2023 Share Posted December 27, 2023 I have always thought the Powell truck conversions looked like a regular Dodge that they got the front sheet metal "Red Hot" and then drove it into a stone wall at 15 MPH. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalef62 Posted December 27, 2023 Share Posted December 27, 2023 3 hours ago, TAKerry said: How do you make a IH scout look attractive? Park a Powell beside it! Sorry, I couldnt resist. I am sure that is a very rare truck but it sure is homely looking. Any relation to Crosley? Hey, I resent that remark! LOL Crosley's are cute!!!!!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DFeeney Posted December 27, 2023 Share Posted December 27, 2023 I also agree, Crosley's are a different breed of "Cat" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkhammer Posted December 28, 2023 Share Posted December 28, 2023 4 hours ago, DFeeney said: I have always thought the Powell truck conversions looked like a regular Dodge that they got the front sheet metal "Red Hot" and then drove it into a stone wall at 15 MPH. Reminds me of a mid-fifties International COE. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne sheldon Posted December 28, 2023 Share Posted December 28, 2023 (edited) My great uncle Ernest (helped raise my dad during the depression) and his wife my great aunt Hally (named for her birthdate, Halloween), were real life desert rats. They lived for a couple decades on a small cattle ranch in Nevada's high desert. Lifelong rock-hounds, and bottle collectors, they wandered all over that Nevada desert. They even discovered an unknown natural fossil depository filled with many thousands of fifty million year old fish entombed in the sediment. They reported their finding to the University of Nevada, who then made quite a study of their find. After the University reopened the site to the public, aunt Hally and uncle Ernest took us all out there to hunt for fossil fish. I was probably about ten at the time. I still have a few fifty million year old goldfish. For most of my growing up years, we would go and stay with them for a couple days, almost every year. His pickup? A Powell, all red. I really liked that pickup. A cute little bugger, with a look all its own. In the mid 1960s, it still looked really nice. I wanted to have it when I was old enough. Then one day, they sold the ranch and almost everything on it, including the Powell. Edited December 28, 2023 by wayne sheldon I hate leaving typos! (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted December 28, 2023 Share Posted December 28, 2023 There was this beautifully restored 1956 Powell at the ATHS show last June in Reno. Craig 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted December 28, 2023 Share Posted December 28, 2023 15 hours ago, dalef62 said: Hey, I resent that remark! LOL Crosley's are cute!!!!!! Actually, I wasnt referring to the looks of a crosley. I thought the person that started that was named Powell Crosley. Truck looks similar to me and I didnt know if there was a connection. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted December 28, 2023 Share Posted December 28, 2023 9 hours ago, 8E45E said: There was this beautifully restored 1956 Powell at the ATHS show last June in Reno. Craig Wanted to be noticed! Ben 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalef62 Posted December 28, 2023 Share Posted December 28, 2023 (edited) 10 hours ago, TAKerry said: Actually, I wasnt referring to the looks of a crosley. I thought the person that started that was named Powell Crosley. Truck looks similar to me and I didnt know if there was a connection. No connection, Powel Crosley was from Ohio and the Powell Truck was made in CA. The Powell truck used Plymouth running gear and trim, used of course, the roof came from another vehicle if I remember correctly and the front grille panel was produced at a boat manufacturer in CA. I have worked on one and it is very crude workmanship. Edited December 28, 2023 by dalef62 (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28 Chrysler Posted December 28, 2023 Share Posted December 28, 2023 The slid outs in the bed sides were a odd feature until some of recent PU models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted December 28, 2023 Share Posted December 28, 2023 3 hours ago, 28 Chrysler said: The slid outs in the bed sides were a odd feature until some of recent PU models. For fishing rods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold Posted December 29, 2023 Share Posted December 29, 2023 I've heard that the Powell Brothers built them in California. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted December 29, 2023 Share Posted December 29, 2023 22 hours ago, dalef62 said: The Powell truck used Plymouth running gear and trim, used of course, the roof came from another vehicle if I remember correctly and the front grille panel was produced at a boat manufacturer in CA. I have worked on one and it is very crude workmanship. The Plymouth was very first 'recycled' car that was repurposed with a pickup truck body. LOTS of legal issues regarding safety and emissions is one were to do the same and recycle a 1980's truck chassis today with a modern cab & box today!! Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
600miles Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 (edited) I own 3 Powell trucks and I run the Powell Owner's Group on Facebook. We have about 127 Powell trucks & wagons listed in the Registry. I also have several videos posted on YouTube under my user name of 600miles. Powells were built in Compton CA by Hayward & Channing Powell. They first started out building cathedral style radios in the 1930s. Then in 1938 or 39 they came out with their first scooter called the Streamliner. It was a push start unit with a 2.2HP Lauson engine. In 1952 they built the prototype truck on a 1952 Chevrolet chassis. In 1954 they started production using 1941 Plymouth P11 & P12 car chassis. In late '55 they introduced trucks with fishing pole tubes and in '56 the station wagon came out. In 1957 they stopped production and continued on with a wide variety of scooters and P81 motorcycles. The ceased production around 1973 producing the Powell Challenger & Phantom 7 minibikes. I am in Southern Oregon. https://www.facebook.com/groups/112230479214124 Miles Edited January 23 by 600miles poor photo quality (see edit history) 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Don Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 What were their production numbers? How durable are they? I've never seen these before. Very interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
600miles Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 1020 trucks, 150 wagons, durable as a 41 Plymouth car, only rated to carry 500 pounds 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Great information on a rarely seen vehicle, thanks for the information. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Always liked these and would buy one if one was to come around. There was a black wagon listed somewhere in one of my searches a couple of years ago. Couldn't do it then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlLaFong Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Two brothers that I used to know collected odd ball and orphan cars. they had several Powells, including one wagon,, My neighbor in Castaic Ca had three and the remains of a couple in his yard. They are probably still there. Another friend had one in Kernville Ca and it burned in a wildfire. I had a Powell scooter about 50 years ago 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
600miles Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Jack M. I just sold 1, it was listed on FB MP, I sold a '56 last year and sold a wagon 2 years ago. My buddy is offering 5 for sale as a package for $12,500, he is in AZ. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
600miles Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 CarrlLAFong - was your neighbor John Frey? He had a green one plus others and a bunch of parts buried in mud in his yard. I could have bought it all for $2500. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlLaFong Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 Yup, John Frey 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
600miles Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 Jack M. That black wagon got sold and the new owner drove it cross country to get it home. The owner is in my FB group. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 10 hours ago, 600miles said: Jack M. That black wagon got sold and the new owner drove it cross country to get it home. The owner is in my FB group. Yep, That sure looks like the one I recall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 I’ve never seen the wagon! Thanks for the picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now