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Why Mike Rowe’s 1962 Dodge Power Wagon Is Truly One of a Kind

Project S.W.E.A.T. transforms a 1962 Dodge Power Wagon with a modern 4x4 chassis, supercharged Hellephant V8, custom crew cab, and charity purpose.
Entry815 Date Time3 min MechanicCarCody Team
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Mike Rowe’s 1962 Dodge Power Wagon is one of a kind because it is a purpose-built custom, not a restored factory truck: Project S.W.E.A.T. combines parts from five donor vehicles, a modern four-wheel-drive chassis and transmission, a supercharged 426-cubic-inch Hellephant-spec V8, and bespoke crew-cab and utility-bed fabrication. Built by Sugar Creek as a tribute to skilled tradespeople, it sold at charity auction in 2025 for a reported $1.5 million.

What Project S.W.E.A.T. is

Project S.W.E.A.T. is a custom 1962 Dodge Power Wagon presented by Mike Rowe at the 2024 SEMA Show. The name is expanded in auction coverage as “Skill and Work Ethic Aren’t Taboo.” Rowe described the truck as a tribute to the skilled trades, and the build was created to benefit the mikeroweWORKS Foundation.

It is not a factory-original truck with a few cosmetic additions. The builders used a late-model Dodge Ram four-wheel-drive chassis, reworked the body into a custom crew cab with rear-hinged “suicide” doors, and fabricated a utility flatbed. The resulting vehicle pairs the visual identity of a vintage Power Wagon with modern underpinnings and extensively custom-built features.

What makes the build unusual

Five donor vehicles and a modern chassis

SlashGear’s August 19, 2025 feature says the truck was assembled using five donor vehicles. Auction coverage describes the foundation as a late-model Dodge Ram 4×4 chassis and notes TRX-inspired Dodge Ram body styling. The sources do not itemize which parts came from each donor, so the five-vehicle figure describes the project’s donor base rather than a complete component-by-component inventory.

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#1 Best Overall
Truck 1/64 Lifted 2017 Ram 2500 Power Wagon Pickup White Exclusive 51582-A
  • Recommended for Collectors Age 14+, For display only, not for play
  • 1/64 diecast replica manufactured by Greenlight Collectibles
  • Diecast Metal, Rubber Tires and select plastic components
  • Collaboration Exclusive!
  • Approximate measurements: 3.75in L x 1.25in H x 1.25in W

Custom crew cab and work-focused bed

The crew cabin is custom-built, including suicide doors, while the rear is a hand-built utility flatbed rather than a conventional pickup box. Inside, the truck has a hand-crafted leather and Alcantara interior. SlashGear further describes tan leather and black microsuede seating, air conditioning, a Pioneer sound system, and a charity logo on the seats.

Hellephant power and 4×4 transmission

SlashGear identifies the engine as a 426-cubic-inch Hellephant-spec supercharged V8 rated at more than 1,000 horsepower, paired with an eight-speed 8HP95 4×4 transmission. It specifies a J1 Motorsports 3.0-liter supercharger. The ClassicCars.com Journal’s 2024 auction announcement also describes the engine as producing more than 1,000 horsepower. These are published build specifications, not results from an independent performance test.

Suspension, wheels, and tires

The later SlashGear account names Carli Dominator 3.0 suspension, 18-inch Black Rhino Abrams wheels, and 37-inch Toyo tires. It does not identify the Toyo tire model, so the exact tire cannot be determined from that description alone.

Build specifications at a glance

Item Published description
Base vehicle Custom 1962 Dodge Power Wagon
Donor vehicles Five, according to SlashGear’s August 19, 2025 feature
Chassis Late-model Dodge Ram 4×4 chassis, according to The ClassicCars.com Journal’s November 6, 2024 auction announcement
Engine 426-cubic-inch Hellephant-spec supercharged V8; reported at more than 1,000 horsepower
Supercharger J1 Motorsports 3.0-liter, according to SlashGear
Transmission Eight-speed 8HP95 4×4
Suspension Carli Dominator 3.0
Wheels and tires 18-inch Black Rhino Abrams wheels and 37-inch Toyo tires; tire model not stated by SlashGear
Body and interior Custom crew cab with suicide doors, hand-built utility flatbed, and leather/Alcantara trim

Why published build-hour totals differ

Published accounts give three different labor totals. Mike Rowe’s November 14, 2024 post on MikeRowe.com says the truck represents 11,000 man-hours. The ClassicCars.com Journal’s November 6, 2024 auction announcement quotes Rowe at over 9,000 hours. SlashGear’s August 19, 2025 feature says over 8,000 hours. The later account does not explain the difference, so these figures should be treated as source- and date-specific estimates, not combined into one settled total.

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Rank #3
Sale
Greenlight 1/64 1946 Dodge Power Wagon Fire Truck, Black Bandit Series 30 28170-C
  • Recommended for 14+ years and up, not recommended for play
  • Replica of 1946 Dodge Power Wagon Fire Truck with free rolling wheel and display case
  • Part of Greenlight's Black Bandit Collection Series #30
  • Diecast body with rubber wheels, some plastic parts
  • Approximate dimensions: 3in L x 1.25in W x 1in H

In his MikeRowe.com post, “The SEMA Show,” Rowe wrote: “This beautiful beast is the product of 11,000-man hours and represents the very best example of what a handful of highly skilled tradesmen with a relentless work ethic can create inside a world-class garage.”

Who designed and built it

The ClassicCars.com Journal’s auction announcement credits Colby Donaldson with the design and the Sugar Creek team in Washington Court House, Ohio, with construction. Barrett-Jackson Chairman and CEO Craig Jackson called it a “one-of-one custom workhorse truck” and praised SugarCreek and Colby’s creativity and craftsmanship in the same report.

Rank #4
1/64 1948 Dodge Power Wagon Wrecker, Chevron Series 1 41175-A
  • 1/64 diecast replica manufactured by Greenlight Collectibles
  • Part of the Special edition series 1
  • Material: Die-cast metal construction with some plastic and rubber components
  • Approximate dimensions: 3in L x 1.25in W x 1.25in H
  • Age grade: 14+ years - for display only, not for play
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What happened at the charity auction

Barrett-Jackson announced that Project S.W.E.A.T. would cross the block at its Scottsdale auction running January 18–26, 2025, with 100 percent of the hammer price benefiting the mikeroweWORKS Foundation. SlashGear later reported that the truck sold for a $1.5 million hammer price, with the proceeds benefiting the foundation’s Work Ethic Scholarship Program. The sources cited here do not identify the buyer or establish who owns the truck now.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1
Truck 1/64 Lifted 2017 Ram 2500 Power Wagon Pickup White Exclusive 51582-A
Truck 1/64 Lifted 2017 Ram 2500 Power Wagon Pickup White Exclusive 51582-A
Recommended for Collectors Age 14+, For display only, not for play; 1/64 diecast replica manufactured by Greenlight Collectibles
$59.95
SaleBestseller No. 3
Greenlight 1/64 1946 Dodge Power Wagon Fire Truck, Black Bandit Series 30 28170-C
Greenlight 1/64 1946 Dodge Power Wagon Fire Truck, Black Bandit Series 30 28170-C
Recommended for 14+ years and up, not recommended for play; Replica of 1946 Dodge Power Wagon Fire Truck with free rolling wheel and display case
$13.99
Bestseller No. 4
1/64 1948 Dodge Power Wagon Wrecker, Chevron Series 1 41175-A
1/64 1948 Dodge Power Wagon Wrecker, Chevron Series 1 41175-A
1/64 diecast replica manufactured by Greenlight Collectibles; Part of the Special edition series 1
$16.29
Bestseller No. 5
Truck 1/64 1981 Dodge Power Ram Prospector, The A-Team, Hollywood Series 43 62040-C
Truck 1/64 1981 Dodge Power Ram Prospector, The A-Team, Hollywood Series 43 62040-C
1/64 diecast replica manufactured by GreenLight Collectibles; Diecast Metal Chassis, Rubber Tires and Select plastic components
$16.95
Best Value
Truck 1/64 1981 Dodge Power Ram Prospector, The A-Team, Hollywood Series 43 62040-C
  • 1/64 diecast replica manufactured by GreenLight Collectibles
  • Diecast Metal Chassis, Rubber Tires and Select plastic components
  • Part of the Hollywood Series 43
  • Measures approx. 3.25in L x 1.25in W x 1.25in H
  • Adult Collectible, Recommended for ages 14+, intended for display only

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