Dodge Town Wagon Power Wagon in Jay Leno's garage.

Although officially classified as a station wagon, the four-wheel drive and three-row seating of the 1966 Dodge Town Wagon Power Wagon were the ancestors of the modern full-size SUV. A well restored example of this rugged machine was recently featured in "Jay Leno's Garage."

Although this truck is not part of Leno's collection, he played a part in its resurrection. He explains in the video that he was contacted by the daughter of the original owner, a rocket scientist working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who wanted to take the then-rusty Dodge to a good home. He transported the car for Leno and connected the owner with Steve Hoffman, who was looking for such an obscure vehicle.

Hoffman was drawn to the Power Wagon, a town wagon, because of its rugged construction and military pedigree. The Power Wagon name was first applied to the civilian version of the military trucks that Dodge began selling after World War II. Hoffman also owns one of those old trucks and has been gradually restoring it.

Aside from the name, the Town Wagon has little in common with the original Power Wagon. It is based on a late model Dodge Sweptline pickup from the early 1960s. The bodywork, however, is derived from the 1950s Dodge trucks.

Power came from a 318 cubic-inch V-8 that produced 200 hp and was an optional engine for 1966. The ubiquitous "slant-six" inline six-cylinder was standard, but given that Hoffman says the V-8 could barely move the Town Wagon to 60 mph, the six-cylinder must have required a lot of patience from the driver.

While its contemporaries, the Jeep Wagoneer and International Travelall, sold well as alternative family cars, the Town Wagon Power Wagon was more practical. Most of its customers were businesses and government agencies, which may explain why Dodge is not as well remembered as its contemporaries, Hoffman says. That may be why Dodge is not as well remembered as its contemporaries.