pickup truck

[Glennwillow]

They were good looking pickup trucks in that year. I also thought the GM and Chevy trucks of that year were also pretty good looking trucks, although I live mostly in Ford country. I have a year 2000 F150, which is okay looking, but hardly a classic.

- Glenn

[fitness1]

Aw, come on guys - we all know what the best looking pickup truck of all time is, right???

[ghostnote]

Wow, that ^ is even worse than I remember…

[Dirk Hofman]

But you hid the best part of the Brat!

[RP]

Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman

But you hid the best part of the Brat!

Didn't those seats make it tough to load sheets of plywood in the bed???

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by RP

Didn't those seats make it tough to load sheets of plywood in the bed???

Well, I was 10 when it came out, so... I just liked the cool seats!

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by RP

Didn't those seats make it tough to load sheets of plywood in the bed???

Not an issue for ~99% of pickup owners.

[fitness1]

My buddies Dad had one and I spent some time in those plastic seats.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Tnfiddler

The old ones can’t SAFELY pull a load like the bloated, oversized behemoths of today. Yes, they can pull a heavy load, but should they be pulling a heavy load. I see people put loads behind their truck that is WAY beyond what they should be pulling.

That is really a forever problem. How much power some new ones have seems to worsen or makes some new problems.

What I mistakenly called the 3500 is a Silverado HD. My long ago F350 had a less powerful V8 but it had the carry and brakes. Its top speed was safe when pulling. With much experience in classes 6-8 trucks they are far more appropriate than a subset of dangerous bone heads in overgrown pickups. The late model SuperDuty plow truck we had really only had more power and the cosplay/bloated look more than the older F style.

Lots of fun that someone brought up the Brat. How and why it had the seats is interesting. In our recent shopping and no or keep renting decision on pickups we also tried the modern day utes we can get in the US. The Maverick and Santa Cruz. The long-running availability issues with the Maverick were no surprise.

Ford has trademarked the name for an EV ute. I might reconsider if one of those becomes available in 12-24ish months. A nice utility/errands rig done with the wasted time and maintenance. Rumors are a Toyota ute is coming to the US.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by imwjl

That is really a forever problem. How much power some new ones have seems to worsen or makes some new problems.

What I mistakenly called the 3500 is a Silverado HD. My long ago F350 had a less powerful V8 but it had the carry and brakes. Its top speed was safe when pulling. With much experience in classes 6-8 trucks they are far more appropriate than a subset of dangerous bone heads in overgrown pickups. The late model SuperDuty plow truck we had really only had more power and the cosplay/bloated look more than the older F style.

.

Hum ? not sure what a "forever problem" means ?

But not in my experience :

I have driven pickup trucks and hauled fairly heavy trailers , bumper pull , goose neck, and 5th wheels, since 1971 and I can state that in terms of towing performance , the newer extra cab and super cab are superior at towing to the older single seat cab trucks (who's classic looks are great but as far as truck performance ? Na) . Not to mention modern suspension and braking are superior as well. And any power increase is more an advantage than some imaginary detriment. The ability to accelerate to merging speed when entering a highway and especially a freeway is definite benefit .

While certainly "dangerous boneheads" are an issue, that is a different discussion not very irrelevant to the discussion of PU performance. Because a 4 barrel carb 454 in a 1/2 ton PU of yesteryear was just as dangerous when driven by bonehead, as any modern turbo-ed diesel of today.
The closest I have ever come (like 12 inches ) to being killed while riding my bicycle on the hyway by my house, was and idiot in an old Subaru Legacy Wagon. Sorry but driving idiocy truly knows no vehicular preference

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Hum ? not sure what a "forever problem" means ?

But not in my experience :

I have driven pickup trucks and hauled fairly heavy trailers , bumper pull , goose neck, and 5th wheels, since 1971 and I can state that in terms of towing performance , the newer extra cab and super cab are superior at towing to the older single seat cab trucks (who's classic looks are great but as far as truck performance ? Na) . Not to mention modern suspension and braking are superior as well. And any power increase is more an advantage than some imaginary detriment. The ability to accelerate to merging speed when entering a highway and especially a freeway is definite benefit .

While certainly "dangerous boneheads" are an issue, that is a different discussion not very irrelevant to the discussion of PU performance. Because a 4 barrel carb 454 in a 1/2 ton PU of yesteryear was just as dangerous when driven by bonehead, as any modern turbo-ed diesel of today.
The closest I have ever come (like 12 inches ) to being killed while riding my bicycle on the hyway by my house, was and idiot in an old Subaru Legacy Wagon. Sorry but driving idiocy truly knows no vehicular preference

Wheelbase helps, but for a long time now actual class 4 light trucks have been good. In addition to wheelbase options, engine power is what I really notice. Many abuse that in light trucks just like they do in other vehicles.

Historically or for a long time big pickups were class 3, but even back to the 1980s you could option them as class 4.

I could not agree more that idiocy is across all vehicle types, but some have always stood out and that changes too. Our 2nd shift police sergeant friend complained that the popularity of light trucks added them to her nightly challenge, and the size and weight would magnify or increase the severity of some. The incidents our chain of stores have with vehicles and police interaction show a pattern that includes a few particular cars and few particular types of pickup trucks. Please don't mistake my thinking bad behavior is exclusive to pickup trucks.

It is also for sure that I'm very cautious because I've done class 8 flatbed, drop deck and heavy haul, class 8 combustibles and school bus driving. Have also lost a family member from drivers being bullies. I witnessed fatal accidents including a pedestrian death. I'm very conditioned that we have to be cautious and considerate on roads.

[MrDB]

No doubt modern day pickups have become enormous. Park a late model F150 or Silverado next to one from 15-20 yrs ago and the older one looks tiny in comparison. A new Colorado/Canyon is a large as an older full size. My 2010 Canyon looks like a toy next to any of them.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by imwjl

Wheelbase helps, but for a long time now actual class 4 light trucks have been good. In addition to wheelbase options, engine power is what I really notice. Many abuse that in light trucks just like they do in other vehicles.

Historically or for a long time big pickups were class 3, but even back to the 1980s you could option them as class 4.

I could not agree more that idiocy is across all vehicle types, but some have always stood out and that changes too. Our 2nd shift police sergeant friend complained that the popularity of light trucks added them to her nightly challenge, and the size and weight would magnify or increase the severity of some. The incidents our chain of stores have with vehicles and police interaction show a pattern that includes a few particular cars and few particular types of pickup trucks. Please don't mistake my thinking bad behavior is exclusive to pickup trucks.

It is also for sure that I'm very cautious because I've done class 8 flatbed, drop deck and heavy haul, class 8 combustibles and school bus driving. Have also lost a family member from drivers being bullies. I witnessed fatal accidents including a pedestrian death. I'm very conditioned that we have to be cautious and considerate on roads.

Couple of thoughts.
First: it's pretty obvious that more weight will increase severity of impact in a collision, but that is associative to the reault in a collision, not causal of the collision

Second : all I am pointing out is I and the public is IMO safer with me using my 2011 Dodge 2500 heavy duty 2 door super cab Diesel , than my 1980 Ford F 250 single door cab , when haling things like these

4 horse w/ tack room



JCB skid steer and snow blower



Mini and Harley

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Couple of thoughts.
First: it's pretty obvious that more weight will increase severity of impact in a collision, but that is associative to the reault in a collision, not causal of the collision

Second : all I am pointing out is I and the public is IMO safer with me using my 2011 Dodge 2500 heavy duty 2 door super cab Diesel , than my 1980 Ford F 250 single door cab , when haling things like these

4 horse w/ tack room



JCB skid steer and snow blower



Mini and Harley

I think we are agreeing without my good writing abilities, and that's all different than pre-CDL many states had a chauffeur's license or similar that did not create a gap or niche below or where the class C CDL is.

Class C CDL is only required for class 4-6 vehicles carrying 16 passengers+ or hazmat. In the prior era my state required a chauffeur license and training for something like your goose neck trailer. It was imperfect but it did mean not just anyone could drive something like that.

Even back to the 1970s I had to have a chauffeur's license and a test to drive what is now that gap below class 6-8. My inner libertarian gets torn. There should be standards or qualifications for mixing up to 26,000 pound vehicles with 3000 pound vehicles. Short-term costs and lobbies will not let sagacity prevail.

I'm not anti-pickup truck. They're still tools in my life. Lots of businesses do not take the same precautions we do for people operating our rigs more like yours.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by imwjl

I think we are agreeing without my good writing abilities, and that's all different than pre-CDL many states had a chauffeur's license or similar that did not create a gap or niche below or where the class C CDL is.

Class C CDL is only required for class 4-6 vehicles carrying 16 passengers+ or hazmat. In the prior era my state required a chauffeur license and training for something like your goose neck trailer. It was imperfect but it did mean not just anyone could drive something like that.

Even back to the 1970s I had to have a chauffeur's license and a test to drive what is now that gap below class 6-8. My inner libertarian gets torn. There should be standards or qualifications for mixing up to 26,000 pound vehicles with 3000 pound vehicles. Short-term costs and lobbies will not let sagacity prevail.

I'm not anti-pickup truck. They're still tools in my life. Lots of businesses do not take the same precautions we do for people operating our rigs more like yours.

I think we are more or less in agreement.
Myself I have no issue (practical or libertarian leaning) for requiring some type of Cert. or CDL for say 20k or 22 k lbs and over.
We get a load of tourists in the summer and I see some people driving Class A motorhomes that probably should not .
I used to have a CDL when I drove a Dump Truck for a few years, but let it laps and never renewed it . But my various trailers and truck are below 20K GVW (which is my hitch rating)