Wow, I'm glad I found a forum dedicated to the Dodge Macho trucks. I'm new to Dodge trucks but not 4x4's. I just picked up an 1989 Dodge W350 with the Cummins Turbo Diesel, 5 speed getrag, 3.54 gears and has been getting 22 MPG. I got it from the original owner that never used it for what it was made for. He just used it get to work and never towed anything with it. 180,000 miles on the drive train but its a Mid West Wisconsin truck so the frame and body are very rusty. I purchased this truck for the heavy duty drive train with plans to find a donor rust free late 70's truck and paint it like a Macho. I've read that the frames and motor mounts are the same from 1972-1993 and that I could swap in the Cummins and 1 ton drive train with out too many problems. I've been searching for a rust free 1976-1979 4x4 Powerwagon local but no luck here. All i've found are in the same or worst shape as my W350. I started serching out of state for my donor truck and would like to find one with out an engine or transmission since I'll be using my W350's running gear. I may have found an original 1978 Macho W150 with no engine,tansmission, transfer case and axles. So I just get the frame and body, that would be great since I would not like to tear a rare truck apart. It's not listed as a "Macho package" but he is the 2nd owner and he said he purhased it from the original owner 10 years ago. Claims the interior is in great shape with no tears to the seats. I asked if it has bucket seats but he said they are not true buckets since the middle folds down. The truck is wearing original Macho paint scheme by the photos he sent me. He has plans to remove the original 360 engine and running gear to use on another project truck. Not sure why and don't want to ask just wold like to get my donor truck and it would be a plus+ if it's an original Macho Truck.
I found this picture of a green 1979 Macho someone did the same thing I plan to do. It was repowered with a Cummins, 5 speed and 1 ton axles

Hi 1Ton Macho and welcome! palomino and LAST440 can likely help you locating trucks and parts if they don't have it themselves! Sounds like an interesting project! Hope you'll stick around and keep us informed of your progress... Did you see the 79 Macho Dapper Dan posted in the "Adult Toys for sale" section? No tranny, some rust but hey... $500.00!!

thanks lowellgrippo for the heads up on that one across the lake from me. Called too late. Someone passing buy placed a $100 deposite on it. If he doesnt come back I'll have to swim across and drag it home. I might have to get two of them just to make one.
The one im interested in is located in Montana. Quite a drive but the owner says the interior is clean and complete with no upholstery damage. That to me is worth the diesel fuel to go pick it up. For what I plan on doing with one it does not need to be an original Macho but It would save me alot of cash and time if I didn't have to piece a clone together.

Well I got the pictures I needed. The radiator support tag has the correct color code for the low glare black PZ4001, The exterior color is faded and by the look of the interior/engine bay, I say its a maroon metalic, code is PY3435 can anyone confirm this color code? No roll bar but has the holes in the bed for one.
MFG date is 06-77 , W150 115 CONV 8-73
I will be headed to Montana......

By the vin number it turns out the Macho is a 1977. Can anyone confirm the color code? Hard to see the number on the photo I got. PY3435 or PY6435 The color looks more like Russet Metallic and I have been seaching the forum and can not find the code for Russet. Thanks

Picture of the core support tag??

Could this be an early Macho? It doesnt have the procedure code PX9 stamped after the paint codes. Its also titled as a 1978, Could it have sat at the dealership till it was sold the following year, then titled as an 1978? I have heard of this before. The core tag vin does match the other vin numbers. Whats the earliest Macho Package Powerwagon MFG Date that you guys know of? This one was born on 06/77

so my question is this.....why not find a regular power wagon and clone it into a 1-ton-macho, rather than doing it to a real macho?
Just my 2 cents...
don't get me wrong, it is a cool idea, but I don't think your going to gain anything by doing it with a macho to start with...

I've already done the clone thing on a 1980 IH Scout II Turbo Diesel. I cloned it like an 1977-1979 IH Super Scout II ( SSII )
I did't get to finish the clone, still had bucket seats at the upholstery shop, winch bumper, black soft top and body decals to install. When I relocated I had to make the chioce, I had another project truck I had picked up and decided to keep the new project instead so the Scout had to go. Most of the cash I had tied up was in the SSII parts. So I installed everything but the body decal thinking i'd leave it upto the new owner and placed it for sale. I got plenty of low ball offers, really low, lower than what I had paid for the scout before all the work I had done. It tore me up, so I removed the hard to find SSII parts and back to ebay they went. I got my money back for them in a heart beat. I never painted the diesel scout doors HOK candy sunset pearl so I had to keep the SSII inserts so It look right. So, what happens when you put 5 grand on a $2,900 car.....you get a $2,400 car.

I would like to put my time and money on a real car this time. I plan to restore the body to spec so why not start with a real truck thats pretty much complete. I can always remove the 1 ton drive train and find or keep the original 360engine ,tranny, and axles later. Would like to pass this Dodge Macho down to my son.

ok, here you there, and done that too.
If it were me, I would put it back to as stock as possible. The color on that macho is Russet Red Sunfire Metalic, and is a "1-year only" color replaced by Canyon Red Sunfire Metalic for the 78 model year. I am not sure when production started for the 77 model year, but I would bet that it was at the begining of the model year. That is a fairly late 77 macho, what is the MDH on the cert label say?
I would say that it is a fairly scarce truck in that "hue", hence why I suggest staying as close to stock as possible...