Mike Rowe -- TV personality and podcast host -- certainly had his work cut out for him when developing his all-custom 1962 Dodge Power Wagon, dubbed "Project S.W.E.A.T.," that was auctioned off at Barrett-Jackson's January 2025 Scottsdale event. The goal was always to build more than just a cool truck, though, as Rowe wanted it to be a rolling tribute to America's blue-collar backbone.
The fact that it was created to honor hardworking tradespeople certainly makes it special, but Rowe ensured the message
it delivered packs more punch than just that, too. 100% of the $1,500,000 hammer price went directly to the mikeroweWORKS Foundation's Work Ethic Scholarship Program -- a program that works to remove the stigma surrounding skilled labor jobs and offer funding to those who seek to pursue such careers.
Now that we've covered the Power Wagon's admirable goals, let's see just how one-of-a-kind the build really is. It's all about the numbers: It took over 8,000 hours to build this truck out of five separate donor vehicles, with the result being one awesome Power Wagon with over 1,000 horsepower from a glorious 426-CI Hellephant engine under the hood. It's difficult to think of another Power Wagon that even comes close to this, and perhaps that's a testament to just how unique Rowe's achievement here really is.
Read more: 6 Of The Coolest Trucks From The '90s (And What They're Worth Today)
Taking In The Details Of Project S.W.E.A.T.
Original Dodge Power Wagons were pretty lackluster in comparison to Mike Rowe's creation here, kicking out just around 125 horsepower from a hard-working inline-6. A 1,000-plus-horsepower Dodge Hellephant-spec 426, complete with a J1 Motorsports 3.0-liter Hellephant supercharger, then, is quite a change from the Dodge's standard powerplant. Naturally, everything else surrounding the engine required updating, too, and so Rowe's Power Wagon sent all that power into an 8-speed 8HP95 4x4 transmission, giving the truck a drivetrain few others can match.
Underneath, the Power Wagon was equipped with Carli Dominator 3.0 suspension, plus 18-inch Black Rhino Abrams wheels wrapped in 37-inch Toyo tires, giving it not only a commanding presence but some real-world all-terrain confidence, too. Stepping inside reveals tan leather and black microsuede-trimmed seats, complete with Mike's charity logo. If occupants ever tire of the rumbling Hellephant lump up front, Rowe also installed a Pioneer sound system. It even boasts ice-cold air-conditioning, making this literally one of the coolest restomods ever built.
This is more than just an engine-swapped old truck; it's a total custom build with a fascinating backstory and powerful message behind it, too. Mike auctioned the truck off at a Barrett-Jackson auction in January 2025, with the buyer receiving an autographed bed and full documentation of the build, with a signed start-to-finish photobook.
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