Treasure in the Junkyard: Vintage 1969 Walker Power Truck

The state of Wyoming may not be widely known for vehicle manufacturing, yet it has its own history of producing unique vehicles. In a self-service yard just outside Denver, a rare Wyoming-built vehicle was discovered – a Walker Power Truck utility vehicle.

Max Walker, a skilled farmer from southwest Kansas, transitioned from building tracked farm vehicles to creating gasoline-powered golf carts in 1957. These carts eventually evolved into the first rear-steering Walker Power Trucks in 1962, designed for various industrial purposes such as factories, airports, and farms.

Interviews with the son of the company’s founder revealed that approximately a thousand Power Trucks were built by Max Walker himself until 1968. The company was later sold to an oil and mining company in Casper, Wyoming, where production continued until the company’s bankruptcy in 1970. Although the model year of the discovered Power Truck is estimated to be around 1969, it could have been manufactured between 1968 and 1970.

Following the bankruptcy, Max Walker reinvented himself by producing agricultural cab coolers in Greeley, Colorado, before venturing into innovative mowing machines in 1980. Despite his passing in 2011, Walker Manufacturing continues to produce mowers to this day, showcasing a legacy of innovation in manufacturing.

The Power Truck is powered by an Onan boxer-twin four-stroke gasoline engine, driving power through a centrifugal clutch and a simple transmission. Equipped with Drive, Neutral, Reverse, and choke functions, this straightforward vehicle also features an off-the-shelf Stewart-Warner speedometer with an odometer reading of 7,723 miles.

Despite years of outdoor exposure, restoring this machine with its commonly found engine should be a feasible task. Colorado Auto & Parts offers entire vehicles for sale, making it a potential source for those interested in reviving this rare find.

While the rear-steering design of the Walker Power Truck may differ from modern vehicles, its historical significance and unique construction make it a valuable addition to any automotive collection. Visit the junkyard to uncover hidden treasures like the Walker Power Truck and delve into the rich history of automotive manufacturing.