The original Dodge Power Wagon was built to tackle demanding jobs, not attract attention outside luxury hotels. Yet a North Carolina custom shop has taken its unmistakable postwar styling and combined it with the mechanical muscle of a modern performance truck, and it certainly turns heads!
At first glance, Project Colossus looks like an extensively modified vintage Dodge, complete with upright bodywork, prominent fenders, and an imposing grille. Its enormous tires and six-wheel layout, however, suggest something far removed from the original working truck.
According to Desert Power Wagons, the vehicle actually began life as a 2021 Ram 1500 TRX. The shop transformed it into a custom six-wheel-drive crew cab, replacing the familiar TRX appearance with classic Power Wagon-inspired bodywork.
The result is an unusual combination of old-school design and modern engineering, with enough power to make even a factory TRX seem restrained. Its asking price is equally ambitious, putting this one-off creation firmly into exotic-car territory.
A Thousand-Horsepower HEMI Beneath Vintage Styling
Tisdale Coachworks created the four-door body, finished in Satin Charcoal Gray with black fenders and a long pickup bed. Beneath it sits the TRX’s supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8, upgraded by National Speed from 702 horsepower to a claimed 1,000 horsepower and 925 lb-ft of torque.
The Stage-3 modifications include a revised camshaft, upgraded valvetrain components, ported supercharger hardware, larger fuel injectors, and custom calibration. The original eight-speed automatic remains, along with the TRX’s selectable driving modes and launch control.
Six Wheels That Actually Deliver Power
Unlike some six-wheeled customs, Colossus has a functional six-wheel-drive system with a BorgWarner transfer case offering 6WD Auto, High, and Low ranges. Its drivetrain incorporates a Dana 60 rear axle with an electronic locking differential.
Bilstein Black Hawk e2 active dampers, 38-inch Toyo tires, and a 12,000-pound WARN winch complete the off-road hardware. The additional axle brings complexity and weight, although the builder hasn’t published independent performance or off-road testing results.
A $599,950 Price Tag
Inside, distressed Pinecone leather contrasts with the TRX’s digital instruments and 12-inch touchscreen. A JL Audio system and fiber-optic starlight headliner add luxury touches to the otherwise utilitarian-looking truck.
Desert Power Wagons lists Project Colossus for $599,950, with 10,202 miles recorded at publication. That’s roughly $100,000 per driven wheel, although buyers are paying for extensive coachwork and engineering rather than simply an extra axle.
Project Colossus’ appeal is obvious, as it combines the unmistakable presence of a classic Power Wagon with the powertrain and technology of a modern TRX. At nearly $600,000, though, it’s a very expensive way to make sure nobody mistakes your truck for anything else.