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Dodge Town Wagon
Dodge Town Panel
Dodge Town Wagon; Dodge Town Panel
	1965 Dodge Power Wagon W-100 Town Panel
Overview
Manufacturer	Dodge
Production	1954–1966 (U.S.); 1954–1971 (Argentina)
Assembly	Warren Truck Assembly (Warren, Michigan)
Body and chassis
Class	Van (Town Panel); SUV (Town Wagon)
Body style	2-door van; 2-door SUV
Layout	FR layout
Related	Dodge C series; Dodge LCF series
Powertrain
Engine	230 cu in (3.8 L) I6; 315 cu in (5.2 L) V8; 318 cu in (5.2 L) V8; 331 cu in (5.4 L) V8
Dimensions
Wheelbase	108 in (2,743 mm); 116 in (2,946 mm)
Chronology
Successor	Dodge Ramcharger (Town Wagon); Dodge A100 (Town Panel)

The Dodge Town Panel and Dodge Town Wagon are respectively a panel truck and a carryall, manufactured between 1954 and 1966 in the U.S. and between 1954 and 1971 in Argentina by Dodge.^[1] The Town Panel and Town Wagon trucks were based upon the design of the Dodge C series pickup trucks with round fenders and wraparound windshields. Even after the Dodge D series "Sweptline" pickup trucks with square fenders and flat windshields were released, the Town Wagons retained the 1958 sheet metal design of the C series pickups and LCF heavy-duty trucks. They were produced until 1966, when the Dodge A100 commercial and passenger vans eliminated the need for the pickup chassis version.^[2] A passenger sport utility version of a Dodge pick-up truck was not again developed until the Dodge D series–based Dodge Ramcharger, a competitor to the Chevrolet K5 Blazer.

Town Panel

The Town Panel truck was introduced in 1954 as a panel truck variant of the Dodge C series pick-up truck.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6] At the 1954 Chicago Auto Show, a golden Town Panel truck in a "jewel box setting" was used to celebrate the 50th (golden) anniversary of the Chicago Automobile Trade Association.^[7] The new Dodge Town Panel styling was heavily promoted.^[8] It proved to be popular with local delivery companies, such as Montgomery Ward.^[1] The Town Panel had no windows or seats behind the driver and was a commercial-use vehicle. It was designed to protect loads from weather and pilferage.^[1] Dodge had previously built panel-delivery trucks on their B series and older truck chassis prior to the Town Panel, but did not specifically market them separately.

Town Wagon

The Town Wagon was introduced in 1956.^[1] It was a passenger version of the Town Panel with rear passenger windows.^[1] It had two bench seats and upholstery for a passenger vehicle.^[1] It was competitor with the Chevrolet Suburban, a station wagon body built upon a truck chassis. The Town Wagon, along with truck-chassis wagon competitors from Chevrolet, Jeep, and International, were precursors to the SUV.^[2] As American cars were built lower to the ground to run on newer highways and interstates, sportsmen needed higher-riding vehicles to go onto more primitive roads, and this was a market where the Town Wagon proved relatively popular.^[9] Dodge would not market another 5-door SUV until 1998 with the Dodge Durango.

Town Wagon Power Wagon

The Town Wagon in factory four-wheel-drive configuration was called the Town Wagon Power Wagon.^[10] It was offered starting in 1957.^[2] The Dodge C series vehicles were given the W-100 designation for their now-available half-ton four-wheel-drive versions.^[10] It had a higher stance and larger fender flares.^[11] It gained a "Power Wagon" fender badge, along with the W series "Sweptline" pickup trucks, linking it to the Dodge Power Wagon WC300 "Military Type."^[12]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Bunn, Don. Dodge Trucks. United States: Motorbooks International, 1996.
^ ^a ^b ^c DeLorenzo, Matt. Dodge 100 Years. United States: Motorbooks, 2014.
^ Power Wagon. United States: n.p., 1953. Chicago, Illinois, The Power Wagon Publishing Company (Volumes 90-93)
^ Western Trucking and Motor Transportation. United States: Motor Transportation, Incorporated, 1954.
^ Commercial Car Journal. United States: Chilton Company., 1953.
^ Dun's Review and Modern Industry. United States: Dun & Bradstreet Publications Corporation, 1954.
^ Trucking News. United States: n.p., 1954.
^ The Saturday Evening Post. United States: G. Graham, March 1954. Volume 226 Issue 5
^ White, Slaton L. (October 1995). "100 Years of Motorized Sportsmen". Field and Stream. Vol. 100, no. 6.
^ ^a ^b Ackerson, Robert C.. Standard Catalog of 4 X 4's: A Comprehensive Guide to Four-wheel Drive Vehicles Including Trucks, Vans and Sports Sedans and Sport Utility Vehicles, 1945-1993. United States: Krause Publications, 1993.
^ Town Wagon / Town Panels through the years
^ Dodge Builds Tough Trucks, 1963 Dodge Truck Sales Promotion Department, Detroit, Michigan