Anyone else have any fond memories of a favorite old truck? I had an old Chevy that originally was a 3 speed column shift, but something had broken, so it had a rudely made hole through the transmission tunnel through which one of the linkage rods was mounted, looking like a floor mounted shifter. First and reverse remained on the column, with second and third handled by the "floor shifter". With the floor shifter in neutral, start out in first, then shift the column to neutral, grab second on the floor, and so on. Didn't have a parking brake, either, so you had to be handy with a chunk of wood at the boat ramp! Sounded and smelled like a real truck, and nobody ever asked to borrow it....

Many years ago when I was in high school the kids that had their own vehicle, had a car. MGB, Challenger, Mustang, or their parents old hand-me-down Dodge.

But "Skip" had a late 60's Ford F250 4WD. It had an in-line 6 cyl (probably Ford's 300ci) and a 4 speed manual floor shift. 1st gear was a very low "granny" so he usually started out in 2nd. I recall the boot was torn around the 4WD lever and fumes wafted into the cab. He always had a long logging chain piled on the passenger side floor. That thing sounded, rode, and just felt like a real truck!

I learned to drive on a 1953 Willys wagon. It was more truck than car. Been a Jeep fan ever since.

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Rick, W0FG
CTR2 68-72

Wow.....,the memories........ My favorite old truck was a 1949 International with a four-speed that I got from my grandpa. What a cold ride and a double-clutching nightmare........I loved that old ***. Turn the key, flip the cover, and mash the starter button.....Grumble, grumble, sputter, and off we went. Painted it devil red and gloss black and I'm sure the masking tape is still on the chrome bumpers to this day.......

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Go big or stay home

I had a '63 F-100 in high school. 223 straight six, three on the tree, white wagon wheels and that ugly, institutional green paint that everyone seemed to be so fond of in the 60s. Not too long ago, I basically gave it to a friend who said he was going to restore it. I claimed first rights if he ever sells it.

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Insert short witty words here

I always enjoyed taking trips with my grandfather in his 63 international pickup. Straight 6 and three on the tree. All steel, even the dash and door panels. I told him one time when I was about 10, that one day I would be driving it and he would be riding on the passenger side. When they sold their house that came true. The truck is now sitting here at the house. My grandfather gave it to me, and suggested I give it to my oldest who is 13 now. It is our project to bring her back to life.

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with wings as eagles

My old 53 3/4 ton Chev was a great truck. I put 2in exhaust tubing with a stack and no muffler on it. It had a very nice snort to it. I would enjoy going through the gears and letting off the gas.

I was in college (early '70s) when I ran across an add for a '56 Ford F-100. Drove to a little farming town in SE North Dakota and bought it from the original owner. 272 cu in V-8, 4spd, and get this -- it was a Delux Custom Cab -- a Big Window! Would have been a beautiful truck to restore, but was lacking the time, money and a good place to work on it. Sold it a bout 3 years later.

I was reading an auction bill a few weeks ago, and here there was a listing and photo of a '56 F-100, and looking close at the poor resolution photo, it sure looked like a big window! But the auction was on a Wednesday, and I was instrumental with working with a couple of consultants on a special work project, so there was no way I could dare ask for the day off. Man, I sure had a bad case of old-truck-itis for a while! Maybe a new paint job for my Jeep would help???

My 79 F150 shortbed 4x4.
While mom was out of town... me and dad put 38" mudders on it and swapped in the 460 out of her lincoln.
It was a fun truck.


Jim

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Big bullets leave big holes

I had a 1949 ford panel truck. Looked like one of those old bread delivery or watkins truck. Looked like some hippys had owned it and put a bunk and even a sink in back. In a weak moment I traded it for a rare stagg-built over/under combo 30-30/20 gauge.
The last time I seen that truck it was featured in one of the hot rod rags. Someone after me put a fortune in it.

My 1954 daily driver, I bought it in pieces about 16 years ago, put it back together as a stock beater and drove it for years then.... well you know how things can get out of hand sometimes!!!

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Came back from SEA in '67; invested my accumulated "wad" in a '53 Chevy (take that, Chevrolet!) pickup that had come straight off a farm. 216 c.i. stovebolt six, 3 speed on the column, awfully darned clean. Paid all of $495 for it. Drove it until I got out of the service.

Possibly the best truck GM ever made, and every time I see one of those old 47-54 pickups I get an attack of nostalgia. First love, and all that.

I also had an International that I loved. It was a '52 R130 that I installed a pickup bed on creating a dually. It had a 6 volt positive ground system, and the hot set up was an 8 volt battery and turn up the voltage regulator so it would crank in cold weather. Tough to get a radio though. It had a side hinged hood that opened either direction, or could be taken off by releasing both sides at the same time. 220 cubic inches!

Back in '93 I bought a Dodge PowerRam to celebrate a divorce...

Anyrate that truck lasted as long as my first marriage. Finally gave up the old gal....due to money issues at the time. For a couple of years I felt like a heel.

Would you believe that I tracked that old beater down, bought her back, fixed her up....and still have her?

What the hey, A good woman comes along rarely....

But a great truck only comes along once in a lifetime......

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Non gratum anus rodentum

AZ Commander, I have a buddy at work who has a '51 that looks just like yours, same color, etc. except his grill is painted to match. It's his daily driver in the summer only and runs a 388 small block, Z-28 running gear (if I remember right). He got tired of 8mpg and detuned it from the 450+ hp he was running to something more reasonable. Nice rig!

First truck I drove was a Ford (I think) with a straight six and 'Three on the Tree' with a linkage that regularly got stuck between 1st and 2nd. Had a broken motor mount so you had to take off real easy or the engine lifted to one side. That was a 'truck'.

Real trucks have leaf springs....in the front!

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Non gratum anus rodentum

I DO love my Ramcharger...
I think it is fairly "truckish"


Jim

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Big bullets leave big holes

My first pick-up was a '66 C10 Chevy Custom. 283 V8, three-on-the-tree, AM radio., SWB styleside. The "Custom" part was the chrome trim on the side of the cab by the window and the fact that it had three sliding knobs controlling the heater/defroster instead of a single pullknob.

It had coil springs on all four corners. Didn't handle well with a load in the bed.

I later had a '53 F100 Ford, flathead V8 and a three-on-the-tree. I got that one from a used car lot by trading a S&W 2nd model .455, converted to .45 Colt, and a M97 Winchester pump shotgun.

"Real trucks have leaf springs....in the front!"

Yup, both my '53 F100, a later '63 F100, and a '71 International Travelall, were set up thataway. Rough ride.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Muley,

The last "New" Truck I got was a SuperDuty....when they first came out...

Cuz it had front leaf Springs....

I'll tell y'all the other thing missin' from Modern Trucks....

Vent Windows.....

For you Young' Pups...If ya' gots to ask....what they are ~ Don't bother.....

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Non gratum anus rodentum

My old favorite was my uncle's '51 Ford Pickup. I always wanted to buy one like it but the best I could do was this '49 Ford. Bought it as a decent running but shabby truck. Repainted it myself and did a few things to it but never really restored it. The wheels were replaced with originals shortly after this pic. I loved this thing. Had a flathead V8 and a three speed on the floor. I sold it a few years ago. Would've liked to have kept it but things just made it seem like the right thing to do.

This is not it, but I had an IHC R180 just like it. I owned three hay trucks before I ever owned a pickup. Wish I'd never sold it. It had a crazy shift pattern:



2 5 R


3 4 1

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R180_IHC.jpg (48.9 KB, 40 views)

1967 Ford F250. 300 six, four speed with the granny gear, 16" split rims, and positive traction rear end. I put "rice and cane" tires on the rear end. It would go most places a 4X4 would go. No power steering, radio, a/c, windows etc. The cab was green and the original green stepside bed had been rusted out by the original owner hauling chicken manure, I replaced it with a red "fleetside" bed with a piece of 1/4" steel from an old torn down water tower to cover the rusted out hole in that one. I used a broken screwdriver placed through a hole drilled through the rain gutter to keep the door closed because the door lock was broken. I had to roll down the window to open the door. I drove it like that for years. I hauled hundreds of loads of firewood, scrap iron, scrap glass, pulp wood, and lots of other dirty stuff in that old truck. I rebuilt the front end twice, the engine and transmission once and sold it to a lawyer for what I originally paid for it. It had close to a half million miles on it when I decided to sell it for $800.00. That was a real truck. The lawyer restored it and still uses it for a farm truck. I talked to him a while back about buying it back. He's only had it 23 years.

Love the trucks....Dad had a few Diamond T's, & a '32 & '34 Ford. NICE!
I Had a few, my first was a '47 International. Sleek & Pretty! Crank out windshield, Headlights in the fenders not on them, air scoop for fresh air. Didn't go fast, but it had good looks (For an International) Then, '50 International delivery truck. Homely, P.O.S.!!! '46 Ford...V8, RUSTY. A '54 Ford w/V8...Nice, Friends widow still has it. '64 FORD, what a clunk. The cab supports were GONE, and when ya went over a bump, it wouldn't steer and the fenders flopped in and out. '72 Ford, 390 4 spd. TIRE RIPPER! '75 Ford Camper spl 360 Auto. What a dog. Built a '68 428 (Not a CJ) and dropped in. Totally changed the performance. '78 Ford 351M, Pretty Truck! but, Those "M" engines sure were a DUD. Had a '84, '88 Ford, Now a '99 Dodge. Wish I had most of them back.

Old Chevy C10. White -in line 6 -three on the tree red vinyl bench seat-no AC -no headliner-but DID have an AM radio. My goodness we hauled some stuff wih that old truck
Also an old Ford Bronco-I think a 70-71. We fiberglassed the inside of it to plug the holes in the floor-looked like you were riding inside an ice chest. It was that nasty green they painted everything back then. Remember having to get out to lock the hubs-We broke more and varied laws in that truck than I care to mention

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Forum consigliere

I would love to have a Diamond T pickup. Not many around, though.

Gizamo, not only are the vent windows missing. . .

The cowl vents are missing, too! Man, you flip up that cowl vent and you have some nice air flow!

My 1st generation, 1985 Toyota 4-Runner. Bought it new in October of 1984. It's been taking me hunting, fishing and camping for +25 years now and still runs like a top.

Giz, it has a straight front axle, leaf springs (all-round), vent windows, manual locking hubs and I added limited slip diffs front and back.

Don

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Laus Deo! <><

My Dad bought a 1958 Studebaker Transtar Deluxe ½ ton pickup in 1958 to haul his peaches to market. It had a 259 V-8 three speed column shift with overdrive and a twin traction rearend. I learned to drive in that truck and it is parked in the driveway out front as I type this. By the way this deluxe truck did not come with an oil filter or radio or a heater.

Mine was a 64 Ford. 292 motor with three on the tree. Put old license plates over the holes in the floor in the winter, it was my A/C in the summer.

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Recycled Bricklayer

I traded my '66 Chevy for my first new truck-a '77 F150 4x4. It had a 351, four speed with "granny" 1st, PS, PB, and an AM radio. Sticker was $6300 and the dealership gave me $1300 trade for my Chevy. Not bad, considering I had $675 in it.

That was a good truck. It got around 16 MPG. Wish I had kept it.

My pappy needed a truck to haul building supplies, so he bought a '62 Chevy C50 2 ton flatbed stakebody. It had a 4 speed tranny and a 262 straight six. It got 9 MPG, loaded or empty. That was a fun truck to drive, especially on the dirt roads in the Alleghany foothills of the west side of the Shenandoah Valley.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

68 Chevy SWB fleetside 307C.I., quadraflood four barrel ,373 gear,Powerglide,Rams horn header dual exhaust w/Cherry bombs heater,cassette stereo.12MPG uphill,downhill,city or highway.good solid body,sold it to a guy to build a project-wish I had it back!

Hard call.. I've had a few that I liked. I tend to like Chevy
stepsides for "street" trucks, but I kind of like Fords for "work"
trucks.
For a street truck, I'd have to say my favorite was a 72 Chevy C-10
stepside I had back in the 80's for a while. That truck had good clean
body lines, and also had Chevy Blazer bucket seats and console which
gave it kind of a sporty feel for a truck. I guess the runner up would be
the 66 Chevy stepside I had. "small back window". Both of those had
the 250 six banger.
At the moment I have two old Fords. A 68 F-250, and a 74 F-100.

But I recently had to put the 74 in the garage.. The city got on my ***
about keeping a non running truck in the driveway. Probably one of my
socialist neighbors called them...
Actually, the truck runs fine, but being as I have other vehicles, I
quit driving it to lower my insurance bill. So I had to clear out a bunch
of junk in the garage, tear out some perfectly useful shelves, etc
and threw the 74 in the garage so as not to offend the squeamish. :/
I've actually been trying to sell it, but everyone that seems interested
flakes out and doesn't buy it.
When I was driving both trucks, the 74 with it's big camper was my
"play" truck, and the 68 with it's utility bed was my "work" truck.
But then I started driving some other cars to save gas, and pretty
much let the 74 start sitting.
Both of those have six bangers.. A 300 in the 68, and a 240 in the 74.
I like my trucks simple, and I generally prefer the six bangers to save
gas.
The 68 is a lot like the 67 Charlie was talking about. Same basic setup.
300 with a granny gear 4 speed, and posi Dana 60 rear end. I did dump
the split rims for one piece rims through.. I didn't like the split rims too
much. I've had that one since 1999, and installed a rebuilt 300 in it
back about 8 years ago. Totally rebuilt the front end, including king
pins not long after that. It runs pretty well. I still use it pretty much for
my work truck.
It needs a paint job pretty bad.. But I've been too lazy to work on it
lately. But I better get off my can if I don't want the rust cancer to
increase.
Here is a couple of short videos I took driving it just the other day.
One when I was fixing to exit the freeway, and the other as I was
putting down the boulevard to the house.
Yea, I know, it could use a new windshield too..
But the interior is actually not too bad. The dash pad is intact and
not cracked up. I keep that extra blue cover over it to keep the sun
off it. When I come to a light, you can hear a loud clicking..
That's me shifting that floor shifter...
Both the 68 and the 74 seem to get about the same appx 16 or so mpg.
I'm sure they could do better if I didn't have heavy beds, camper shells,
etc.. The 68 wears rear tires faster than the fronts due to the weight
of that ute bed. The shell is off a wrecked dodge Dakota. I had to use
it because the bed is only 7 feet long, vs the usual 8 like the 74 is..

http://home.comcast.net/~disk100/68f250-1.wmv
http://home.comcast.net/~disk100/68f250-2.wmv

MK,Cool video.Is that the Italian model?

DG

Dunno.. I always thought it looked kind of like an African Safari/Assault
vehicle.. :/ That bed has been on that truck almost since it was new.
Was built at the K.C. factory, and then DSO'd to New Orleans where it
had the bed installed. The old guy I got it from bought it in 68, along
with a new 68 Mustang. I wish I could have got the Mustang off him,
but he sold it before I even knew he was trying to sell it. Sold it to
some Mexican guy who pretty much ruined it.. The truck used to
Saints sticker on the driver wing window.. It's possible it might have
even been bought by the New Orleans Saints when it was new..
But maybe someone just stuck it on there.. I got both of those trucks
free, but like I say I had to spend some money on the 68 to get it
right mechanically. The 74 is all original and still runs real well.

I had an '84 C10 Custom I, like a fool, sold a few years ago. 383/4-speed that took me across the country a few times.



My father-in-law took pity on me and gave me this old '69 F100 to mess around with. This one will get a modern aluminum GM LS engine (Yeah, yeah, I know. Built Ford Tough with Chevy Stuff, I like to say. ) and a 4-speed.

Somebody stuck it on there. The Saints were a customer of mine back then. I was at their old practice facility many times and never saw that truck. But aren't those old Ford trucks about the coolest vehicle in the world.

I'd tell the story of my '84 Bronco, now long gone, but it pains me to this day. And my son-in-law is the biggest tool on the planet.

Bob

I dunno... I would stuff the iron 6.0 in that truck if I was using an LSX engine.
Altho a 428 would be off the charts for cool factor

Im waiting till I get the time... and my Ramcharger will be getting a 6BT Cummins.



Jim

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Big bullets leave big holes

My best friend growing up had what I still consider the "baddest" pick up I've ever seen.1964 Ford F-100 custom cab short bed fleetside 2 wheel drive.It was black with a 1970 429 engine.We customized the interior with high back buckets from a Dodge Challenger and made custom consoles.With 11-1/2 to 1 compression that thing would scream.He ended up having the motor rebuilt with a roller cam,tunnel ram and 2 4 barrels.It was "scary" fast and almost too much of a handfull on the street as it still had the old drum brakes.He still has it 30 years later although it's parked in the garage with a blown motor,hasn't run in years.

My favorite truck growing up was the late 40s/early 50s Chevrolet "Advance Design" and its GMC counterpart:



The family business had a half ton pickup, a 1.5 ton dual-wheeled stake, and a 3 ton dump based on this model. I thought they were cool then, and still do.

My own "favorite old truck" was a 67 Chevy Stepside with the 250 I6 and three on the column. It looked just like this one, except mine wasn't lowered and had factory rims and hubcaps:



We called it "The Shuttle" because it was white on top, black underneath, and hauled cargo. We bought it used for $600 in 1981 with only 32K from the original owner's son, who was selling it because it ran rough. The distributor bushing was worn out, and after installing a new $2.64 bushing and 45 mins labor, it ran like new. No rust. My wife learned to drive standard shift in it and then used it for a daily drive to work despite manual brakes and no power steering. She though it was the coolest thing on four wheels, and it did get her some attention.

The original transmision was the cheap GM light-duty three speed without synchro in first. I installed a three speed Saginaw box that was all-synchro and only had to cut about 6" from the drivehsaft and reweld it. The only maintenance it needed besides shocks, plugs, tuneup parts, tires and brakes was one new set of nylon shifter bushings in the column shift, and realignment of the shifter rods. We sold it in 1991 for $2400 when we moved to OH for work. I don't miss guns I've sold, but I wish I still had that 67 Stepside.

Noah

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Nicht mehr als 30 Zeichen

Guess I have a tie. My dad bought a 3/4 ton chevy brand new in 1979 and drove it for about 3 years, then sold it to his dad. Fast forward to 2004 and pa-paw decided he didn't need a 3/4 ton anymore. So I take it over and drive it like it's going out of style lol. We traded that truck to a family friend for his help in restoring my other favorite. My freshman year of high school (1999 or 2000) I found a 1950 3/4 ton chevy with a 5 window cab. Less than 100k and the 3rd owner. I checked it out and it still had the original 216 babbit bearing 6 in it. I have been off and on restoring this truck for 10 years now lol. Hopefully when I get it done it will be a fitting tribute to the American craftsmanship of 60 years ago. Both of these trucks either were or are candy apple red and ride, drive, and sound like a real man's truck.

My two favorites are in order:
#1; 1967 Ford Bronco, inline 6, 170 cubic inch with 3 on the tree. It would hardly get out of its on way, but she was fun to drive.
#2; 1975 Toyota FJ40, inline 6, 248 cubic inch with a 4 speed. It would pull like a model A John Deer.

Wish I had them both back in the driveway.

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My dad had a couple that I wish he would have kept. The first was, "The Pickup from Hell". It was a late 60's bright red Dodge short bed that he and my grandfather bought brand new with a 318 V-8. They didn't install the lower piston rings on the assembly line and the truck went through oil like nobody's business. The dealership replaced the motor under warranty, but my dad got a little surprise. They didn't have any 318's for replacement so they dropped in a 413 max wedge.

The other truck I wish my dad had kept was his Dodge Lil' Red Express. It just shouts redneck and I absolutely love them.

I've had some good ones but here are a couple of favorites. El Camino is a 1970 that I had in the early 80s and the 1969 C-10 is one I had back in the early 90s.

my first vehicle was a 1966 chevy 3/4 ton pickup. it will always be my favorite. everybody always kid me on how it sounded like the school bus coming when i pulled up. it had a 292 strait 6 with a fourspeed w/granny gear. wish i still had it.

My first was a 1947 IHC, K-5, that I bought when I was 14. I made $14.00 a month payments on it. I built a 12' flatbed on it and hauled hay and grain.

It had a 4 speed with a 2 speed axle, crank out windshield, cowl vent and pinned doors. We would take it to the hayfield, open all the orifices, take the doors off, pull out the hand throttle, tie the steering wheel down and let it drive itself.

I put a set of semi airhorns on it and when we were through haying for the day we would head to the local drive in eating place for $2.00's worth of nickel root beers. Their sign said "Honk horn for service", the truck just cleared their metal roof. Good times.

My favorite is my Dad's '74 Ford F250 4x4. Had a 390 with a four speed stick. I began learning to drive in that beast when I was 9. I always hoped to inherit that truck someday, but it went up in flames (along with the house) during the wildfires that consumed San Diego County several years ago.

White '66 Chevy short bed stepside with a 292 straight six, a granny low 4 speed, and a positrac rear end. A pair of Denman Ground Hog tires on the back. Geared so low it would only go about 55 mph, but it would go just about anywhere. It would outpull my dad's brand new Chevy Blazer, and he would swap with me and use my truck every time he took his boat to the lake.

1968 shortbed Ford F150 . Someone put a 289ci somewhere along the line. It was red with a slight tint of orange. Three on the tree converted it to a hurst floor shifter. Put three clutches in it. Still miss that truck.

I had a 1979 GMC Jimmy, I got when it was a year old. Had 21,000 on it. 350 and full time 4wd. Everyone told me all the trouble I'd have with the full time and bad gas mileage.

Well, I put 135,000 on it and about 6 sets of tires on it in 10 years. No problems with the drivetrain at all and on a trip, it would get 15 mpg, I thought that was pretty good. The worst part was the rust on the body.

This thing came out of Alaska new, and was set up with an engine heater and heavy duty heater and no AC. It took me many miles deerhunting and was the most reliable truck I have owned.