Whoever wins the 75th Charles Schwab Challenge on Sunday will not only leave with a shiny trophy and some cash but also an exceptionally crafted new truck -- a reimagined 1946 Dodge Power Wagon.
Winslow Bent, of Legacy Classic Trucks of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, said in a promotional video on the tournament's website that he was contacted by Schwab to build the truck for the upcoming tournament.
Because it was the 75th anniversary of the tournament, formerly known as The Colonial, they settled on a vehicle from 1946.
"We quickly identified the 1946 Dodge Power Wagon as being the ideal candidate," Bent said.
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Bent said they worked some Schwab design elements into the rebuild, replacing Dodge on the front with Schwab, but matching the font of the 1946 original.
"It's very cool how it just looks like the original, but it's been just slightly tweaked," Bent said.
Bent said the rebuild upgraded the truck to modern standards, making it much easier to drive a high speeds.
"If you were to drive one of the original Power Wagons, you know, the steering's not like a modern car. The brakes aren't like a modern car. If you get one of those things up to 35, 40 miles an hour, you feel like you're really moving," Bent said.
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Bent said they dropped in a powerful Chevy LS3 V-8 engine and paired that to a 4L85, four-speed automatic one-ton transmission. From there, they connect up to an Atlas twin-stick transfer case allowing the driver to control the front axle and the rear axle separately.
The tires are a massive 40-inch tire on a 17-inch rim.
"That is an enormous tire, but these are the roundest, best, straightest driving tires that you can get. And it makes a huge difference," Bent said.
The truck is painted a non-metallic dove blue with touches of tartan plaid on the interior, a hat tip to the tournament. Nestled into the door is a knife made from the high carbon steel of the original leaf spring, a piece of the original that Bent hopes will stay with the truck forever.
"I would like to say congratulations to the winner of the golf tournament, and I truly hope you enjoy this truck as much as we have enjoyed building it. This is really a special, special piece of American history. It just oozes cool," Bent said. "It's my hope that you will go off-roading and hunting and fishing and crash through the woods. This is not a showpiece. This is a real truck designed to actually work. And I want to see this thing all covered in mud and back out there doing what it was designed to do. And I truly hope you enjoy it."
