When visitors enter the SEED Campus lobby, they’ll be greeted by an iconic piece of Davey history: a restored 1953 Dodge Power Wagon.
The restoration has been a multi-year journey for Mike Boyle, Quality Control Technician, Kent Shop; Scott Bucciere, Director, Fleet Management; Bernie Stuczynski, Kent Shop Manager; and Jeremy Madden, painter, Kent Shop, pictured above; all of whom were involved in the restoration and acquisition of the truck.
This week, we look back at the truck’s journey.
An Asset in the Field
The four-wheel drive Dodge Power Wagon was known for its durability and often used in the U.S. military. Davey typically used them and other similar trucks as spray trucks for maintaining utility rights-of-way in remote and hilly locations. Davey completely restored the trucks at the Kent Shop by rebuilding the engines, chassis components and other worn parts. Davey then outfitted the trucks with spray tanks, pumps and hoses before sending them out into the field.
New Life for an Old Truck
As chronicled in a 2017 edition of The Davey Bulletin, Nebraska resident Jamie Bialas stumbled across a 1953 Dodge Power Wagon with the words “Davey Tree Expert Co.” emblazoned across the doors for sale in Wisconsin in 2016. He bought the truck, planning to tackle a restoration project for fun, so he reached out to Davey for some history about the truck.
“I loved how it looked with the natural patina on it and thought it would be a good candidate for a project,” Bialas said.
Boyle, Stuczynski, Bucciere, Madden, and teammates have been working on the restoration at the Kent Shop for two years. They preserved the rusted patina, but everything else is brand new. In May, the team moved the truck to its new home in the SEED Campus lobby.
Watch a video montage of the restoration.
