Taking a seriously cool military truck from the ‘50s and putting in the hands of a detail-obsessed ICON builder is a recipe for total awesomeness.

Jonathan Ward of ICON in California is known for building some of the most detail-oriented on- and off-road machines ever to dent the surface of this green earth. Blending classic styling, modern performance, and a good dose of utility, any ICON build is more than worth its six-figure pricetag.

The machine shown here was built for a customer who wanted the Dodge to look original but make it into a versatile and modern driver. Legend has it the truck was found in a barn located on the owner’s ranch after they bought the property. Hey, if someone added a bit of mustard to the facts of that story, who are we to argue?

Under that long hood is an International 2.8L turbodiesel said to crank out an even 300lb-ft of torque. Horsepower numbers go unmentioned but a brute such as this will cause its driver to value low-end grunt over top-end speed. A NV4500 five-speed manual is shifted by a baseball bat of a shifter sticking up out of the floor.

Disc brakes from an F-250 Super Duty are located on each corner. The axles are Dynatrac Dana 60 units, more than beefy enough to get the owner around their ranch or through a pesky apocalypse. An Atlas II transfer case handles 4×4 duties, sending power out to the knobby tires. The rubber is alternately described as 35-inch or 37-inch, depending if one is reading the website or watching the video. Either way, they surely get the job done while looking the business.

ICON gutted the trucks’ original wiring and replaced it all with present-day 12v volt negative ground system. Cool as these old trucks are, modern fuse panels are a great invention to guard against unexpected sparky bits. There’s enough repurposed and rebuilt vintages gauges to give the driver an idea of what’s going on with that 2.8L International under the hood. Power outlets in the bed provide juice to a refrigerator, allowing the owner to keep tasty beverages cold while on the trail.

Check out ICON’s other builds on their website.