I love old pickup trucks. Nostalgic memory..

[rwsmith]

I love old pickup truck with a bench seat, no air conditioning but does have vent windows, and an AM only radio (When they played music on AM stations)

Who remembers those old folding wire mesh seat cushions that allowed air to circulation around your back and bottom? I haven't seen one of those in about 50 years, maybe longer.

 

[otis24]

Yep! Me too. I had a 1st Series 55 Chevrolet Deluxe cab pickup (same body style as the 54). No vent windows but I loved the cowl vent!

 

[Ματθιας]

I have one of those trucks! It's a late 70s F-150 Custom with mechanical everything, except mine has A/C.

 

[ZGrand]

You had to have those wire mesh cushions - otherwise you would melt to the clear plastic covers over the factory upholstery!

 

[soFlaNative]

I love old pickup truck with a bench seat, no air conditioning but does have vent windows, and an AM only radio (When they played music on AM stations)

Who remembers those old folding wire mesh seat cushions that allowed air to circulation around your back and bottom? I haven't seen one of those in about 50 years, maybe longer.

I drove a Toyota p/u in the late 80's with A/C (raised in south Florida I considered it a blessing) about 160 miles a day delivering for a print shop. I sang along with country WQAM and WSRF rock on the AM radio, no vent windows with which I'm still miffed over the disappearance of and a coil wire mesh cushion that kept the sweat from pooling my nethers on the vinyl seat.

When it finally blew apart I was unable to find a replacement I went with the fingertip sized wood beads on the nylon filament option. Worked well for a couple years, I'm sure the bead are still traveling the Miami Dade stormwater system.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Thread needs photos.

I put about 1,000 miles a year on this one.

Like the song says, "I'm a pickup man."

 

[LVSteve]

The nice thing about the older pickups was that they were lower. Then the manufacturers got the idea that everyone wanted to go off-road or wanted that look. For somebody who doesn't use a truck for work in the boonies or live on a farm, the extra ride height is unnecessary, kills gas mileage and makes getting anything out of the bed a proper pain.

While in Mexico I saw many Ford Courier pickups, based on the 1998 Ford Fiesta of all things. For most of us who occasionally need to move a bulky item, it's all the truck you need. A pool guy could even use one for business.

As for no A/C and vent windows, that's a fail in Vegas. Too hot for no air, and vent windows are a good way to get a Tarantula Hawk or similar down your shirt while driving. No bueno.

 

[30-30remchester]

New trucks are nice in their own way. You mentioned bench seats. I miss bench seats more than anything. These new trucks all have bucket seats and center consoles. My bucket doesn't fit their bucket. My career required me to sleep in a "Detroit Hotel" as we called them. Day after day sleeping in the front seat of a pickup. Can't do that any longer.

 

[31FordA]

Growing up my Dad always had a used Ford truck, and they all had several things in common. Every one of them was a stick shift, six cylinder with a bench seat, vent windows, and a/c that didn’t work. The first I remember was a ‘65 F100, the last was a 1999 F150.

I currently have a 1984 F150, with a vinyl bench seat, rubber floor, vent windows, busted a/c and a AM/FM radio. It differs from the Old Mans trucks in that it has a 351W 4 barrel and an automatic trans. Dad and I bought it before he got sick. I keep meaning to get the A/C fixed, but rolling the windows down does a pretty good job. Besides, a truck with working A/C would seem weird somehow.

 

[JohnRippert]

When I saw this one on a trip with Mom to the Hill Country for spring bluebonnets I was thinking what a great project it would be.

 

[Krogen]

I hear ya, rwsmith! I had a 1971 F100, regular cab, 302 engine. It was a plain, basic truck. It had been well used when I got it and I continued the trend. That truck took me all over, and usually brought me back. Good thing it was red - I should say "red" - because the body rust sorta matched the paint. I finally got rid of it when I was looking a lot of work to keep it running. I miss it. Life was simpler then.

 

[rockquarry]

I love old pickup truck with a bench seat, no air conditioning but does have vent windows, and an AM only radio (When they played music on AM stations)

Who remembers those old folding wire mesh seat cushions that allowed air to circulation around your back and bottom? I haven't seen one of those in about 50 years, maybe longer.

"Cool Cushions"... I had one around 1970 or so. Worked better in theory than in the real world of cars without air conditioning. They moved around a lot on the seat and really weren't much better than sitting on a cloth or vinyl car seat. I don't think much air circulated through those things.

 

[Baxter6551]

To contribute to the bench seat and cooling cushion side of the thread the 70s police cars I drove had vinyl bench seats that developed big depressions from the older heavier cops. For a skinny little rookie like me those seat cushions were mandatory. Picked them up at the truck stop. But they didn’t last long until the wire coils started poking through and ripping the uniform pants (which we had to purchase / provide). After buying several I found a Rubbermaid plastic one which held up much better and didn’t rip uniforms.

 

[Muley Gil]

I've owned old trucks, I've owned new trucks. Some had A/C; most of them didn't. Some had 4WD, others were 2WD. Only one was a lemon.

'66 C10 Chevy, bought in 1975. Traded for a '77 Ford F150 4x4, then traded it for a '78 F150 4x4. THAT one was the lemon. Traded a couple of guns for a 1953 Ford F100. Next was a '80 Bronco. Had to let that one go back to Ford and bought a '63 F100. None of these had A/C.

Next P/U was a '76 F100, followed by a '80 F100. Sold that one and bought a '70 GMC Jimmy 4x4. Next were a couple of Isuzu Troopers and a '75 Dodge D100. Got rid of the Dodge and picked up another '76 F100. Bought a '73 Jeep Commando from my dad. Sold that one and got a '83 Grand Wagoneer. Next was a new '95 Isuzu P/U.

Had '98 Ford Ranger 4x4 and a '01 F150 4x4. Bought a '92 F150 4x4 in 2006, 'cause the ex got the '01 F150.

The Isuzu P/U is out behind the hog barn with 242K miles on it. It won't stay running at the moment.

These days, my P/U is an '88 F150 4x4.

Yes, I like trucks.

 

[Mark6005]

My first pickup was a 1965 f100. Red and white 352 v8 auto. No air am radio only. Had a nice topper with a berth and r v plates. This was in 1976. Paid $650. Low miles great shape. Used to be old farm pickups were around for $100. Of course I’m 70 but that’s the way it was back then

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Back in the early 1970s I had a 1964 Ford pickup with straight 6, column-shift 3-speed manual, bench seat, basic rubber floor mats, wing-vent windows. The original radio had been replaced with a decent AM-FM unit.

Ran like a top. Even when some little problem came up repairs were easy and parts were dirt cheap and available anywhere. Climb right into the engine compartment, plenty of room to get to anything. 2-wheel drive, not ideal for Colorado winters but a good set of tire chains kept me going through some rough storms.

My truck was in constant demand by everyone I knew or worked with. Pick up a new appliance, haul landscape materials, moving day for a co-worker. All I ever asked was that the truck come back with as much gas as it had when you borrowed it (hey, at 35 cents per gallon you could fill it up for a few bucks).

The inevitable day came. My buddy called, very apologetic, explaining that while he was helping his sister move her furniture another driver blew a red light and T-boned him in an intersection. Other driver had no insurance, of course (I carried liability only, old beater truck that probably wouldn't sell for $500 in those days). The tow truck operator arranged a final resting place in a boneyard, enough to cover the towing bill.

I still get a little nostalgic when I see a good old 60's model Ford pickup on the road.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

Oh Yeah, those coil seat cushions. Had many of them. My first pickup was a1929 Model A Ford. I ruined it, So 50 bucks down the drain. I've had mostly Fords but one Chevy. Long story so won't get into that now. Now my truck is '07 Ranger 4x4 with 101 miles on the clock., all the bells & whistles and a 5 speed manual tranny. It will sure outlast me.

 

[sophie]

Yep! Me too. I had a 1st Series 55 Chevrolet Deluxe cab pickup (same body style as the 54). No vent windows but I loved the cowl vent!

Yep, I had an early 1955 Deluxe Cab Pickup also (same body as 1954) and it was a real light green and dark green 2 tone. When I bought it from a friend I worked with was when I first realized the title was actually 1955, but had the earlier body. I loved that truck.

 

[rwsmith]

I live in SC...and you get inland......

I drove a Toyota p/u in the late 80's with A/C (raised in south Florida I considered it a blessing) about 160 miles a day delivering for a print shop. I sang along with country WQAM and WSRF rock on the AM radio, no vent windows with which I'm still miffed over the disappearance of and a coil wire mesh cushion that kept the sweat from pooling my nethers on the vinyl seat.

When it finally blew apart I was unable to find a replacement I went with the fingertip sized wood beads on the nylon filament option. Worked well for a couple years, I'm sure the bead are still traveling the Miami Dade stormwater system.

...where there's no ocean to moderate the temperature it gets blazing hot in those cornfields. (Shoot, it gets blazing hot in Charleston). But there is nothing like tearing down a dirt road in a pickup with the 'vent A/C' going full blast on a stifling day with the radio blaring. And what makes it even better if there is a girl in the truck, too, and it doesn't even matter if she's your girlfriend or not.

Those wood bead jobs were too '70's' for me. They just didn't have the same 'flavor'. The mesh cushion was the sign of a real 'working' truck. It had to be pretty beaten up, but still going. Maybe a few holes and some loose wires.

 

[rwsmith]

I didn't think you were allowed...

To contribute to the bench seat and cooling cushion side of the thread the 70s police cars I drove had vinyl bench seats that developed big depressions from the older heavier cops. For a skinny little rookie like me those seat cushions were mandatory. Picked them up at the truck stop. But they didn’t last long until the wire coils started poking through and ripping the uniform pants (which we had to purchase / provide). After buying several I found a Rubbermaid plastic one which held up much better and didn’t rip uniforms.

... to put one of the wire mesh jobs in cars. Only pickup trucks.